Spirits & Distilling Podcast - Episodes Tagged with “Corn Whiskey”

7: Heaven Hill Master Distiller Conor O'Driscoll is Tackling New Product and Process Challenges in the Biggest Way Possible: Building a New Distillery

Spirits & Distilling — Tue, 28 May 2024 22:00:00 -0600

While Sydney Jones’ last turn in the host chair was an exit interview of sorts, this episode is her entrance interview with new boss, Heaven Hill Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll, as she settles into her new role as supervisor and technical lead for the under-construction $150M distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. In this episode, O’Driscoll shares his insight gained from two decades of distilling for respected whiskey brands, and along the way touches on:

Whiskey fermentation philosophy with single yeast ferments
Using liquid yeast in the new distillery for more control
Rickhouse designs and their impact on aging whiskies with different age goals
How distillate recipes become finished whiskies while creating consistency in brands
Agricultural impacts on whiskey from ingredients to staves
Building within an idea of distillery “house style”
Technical and safety improvements he’s implemented through the years

And more.

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3: Lisa Wicker, Itinerant Distiller, Considers Lessons From Her Past While Looking to the Future

Spirits & Distilling — Tue, 02 Apr 2024 20:00:00 -0600

Master distiller Lisa Wicker may have taken an unconventional path through her career, shifting from wine to distilled spirits, but that’s hardly the only decision she’s made that some might deem unusual. For Wicker, spreading out and exploring adjacent but interesting fields has improved her approach to distilling and blending much more than intense focus could. Now, she pulls on all that background to hone fermentations with atypical grains, tighten distillations, and blend with identifiable character in mind.

In this episode’s conversation with Sydney Jones, Wicker discusses:

Cold mashing corn for more characterful distillation
Using malted rye and barley
Testing heirloom corn varieties for distilling potential
Lessons learned from winemaking
Building through notes in whiskey brands for flavor identities
Blending with partial barrels to achieve flavor balance
Blending strategies to soften the edges of younger, wilder whiskies

And more.