EmbellishPod

In today's show, we had the incredible honor of speaking with Maureen Robinson, the new master blender at Kentucky Owl. Maureen has an impressive 45-year history in the Scotch whisky industry and has recently come out of retirement to join the bourbon world.
Maureen shared her journey from studying to be a pharmacist to becoming a master blender, a transition fueled by her passion for the science of whisky. She discussed the similarities and differences between blending Scotch and bourbon, emphasizing the importance of balance and the excitement of learning about bourbon's unique charring levels and mash bills.
We delved into the creation of Kentucky Owl's Maester, a bourbon crafted in a Scotch style, and Maureen walked us through the flavor journey of this special blend. She also touched on the importance of maintaining consistency in core products like Kentucky Owl Confiscated and Wiseman, and the role of new distillate in the blending process.
Looking ahead, Maureen hinted at the potential for Kentucky Owl to explore new innovations, global expansion, and possibly even American single malts. She also discussed the brand's approach to barrel finishing and the potential for single cask releases.
Maureen's dedication to her craft is evident, and she's already thinking about training a successor to continue the legacy of quality blending at Kentucky Owl. Her story is a testament to the evolving world of whisky, where tradition meets innovation.
 
🔗 Links:
https://kentuckyowlbourbon.com/
https://www.instagram.com/kentuckyowl/
https://www.facebook.com/kentuckyowl/
 
🎧 Listen to the full episode to get an insider's look at the craft of whiskey making, the importance of barrel selection, and the future of the whiskey industry from the perspective of a brand owner. Don't forget to subscribe for more industry insights!
Enjoyed the episode? Leave us a comment below and let us know your thoughts on barrel finishing and the evolution of the whiskey industry. Cheers! 🥃✨ Remember to like, share, and subscribe for more whiskey conversations and deep dives into this timeless spirit.
 
 

I had the pleasure of chatting with Mark, one of the co-founders of Old Line Spirits, a distillery based in Baltimore, Maryland. Mark and his business partner, Arch Watkins, started Old Line almost a decade ago with the goal of producing bourbon and rye whiskey. However, their journey took an unexpected turn when they had the opportunity to learn from two gentlemen on the West Coast who were making exceptional American single malt whiskey.
Mark shares the story of how they fell in love with the American single malt produced by these gentlemen and eventually took over their business, relocating it to Baltimore. He describes the logistics of moving the distillery equipment, including their small 60-gallon still, in a U-Haul across the country. They have since expanded their operation and now have a 25,000 square foot facility in Baltimore.
Old Line Spirits focuses heavily on American single malt whiskey, using new charred oak barrels for aging. Mark explains that their decision to use virgin oak barrels was influenced by their love for American whiskey and the flavors it imparts. They aim to deliver the flavors that bourbon drinkers love but in a different package.
We also discuss the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission and the proposed definition for American single malt whiskey. Mark expresses his satisfaction with the definition and how it allows for innovation while still protecting the category. He mentions a discussion around the use of artificial coloring, but he doesn't recall the final decision.
Mark shares details about Old Line Spirits' distribution, which currently includes Maryland, DC, Delaware, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Colorado. They have recently updated their website to integrate an e-commerce platform, allowing customers to purchase their products online and ship to 42 states.
We delve into the process of building blends at Old Line Spirits. Mark explains that they blend four, five, six, and seven-year-old barrels to achieve their desired flavor profile. They maintain consistency by always keeping a portion of the previous batch in their blending tank. Mark emphasizes the importance of hand-holding and tasting samples to ensure the desired flavor profile is achieved.
Towards the end of the episode, Mark introduces the Ohana Blend, a 50-50 blend of their American single malt finished in cognac and armagnac casks. He explains that the name Ohana means family and shares the story of how they partnered with a rowing team to raise funds for children's cancer research and Canines for Warriors. They will be releasing a rye whiskey in the future, which will be a limited, recurring offering.
Overall, this episode provides a fascinating insight into the world of Old Line Spirits and their dedication to producing exceptional American single malt whiskey. Mark's passion for their products and the industry shines through, making for an engaging and informative conversation.
🔗 Links:
https://www.oldlinespirits.com/ https://www.facebook.com/OldLineSpirits/ https://www.instagram.com/oldlinespirits/
🎧 Listen to the full episode to get an insider's look at the craft of whiskey making, the importance of barrel selection, and the future of the whiskey industry from the perspective of a brand owner. Don't forget to subscribe for more industry insights!
Enjoyed the episode? Leave us a comment below and let us know your thoughts on barrel finishing and the evolution of the whiskey industry. Cheers! 🥃✨ Remember to like, share, and subscribe for more whiskey conversations and deep dives into this timeless spirit.
 
 

Back at the @kybourbonfestival there was an influencer panel that was 30 minutes long and had some really interesting topics.  I knew the moment it closed that the conversation needed to be about three times as long and I wanted to see what I could do to recreate it.  Luckily Chrissy and Ryan were willing to hop on with me and continue the conversation ranging from whiskey, to being a woman in the industry as well as Pork Roll/Taylor Ham.  It was a fun conversation so be prepared for a couple of great hours of content.  

In this episode of The EmbellishPod, I had the pleasure of interviewing David Thomas Tao, a media entrepreneur, television and movie producer, and spirits reviewer and writer. David shared his journey from growing up in rural Kentucky to attending Harvard and eventually settling in New York City. He discussed his passion for whiskey and how he became involved in the spirits industry, including his role as a reviewer and writer for Vine Pair. We also delved into the topic of Bardstown's fight to remain the bourbon capital of the world, with David emphasizing the importance of investing in accommodations to attract visitors. We touched on the storytelling aspect of distilleries, with David highlighting Makers Mark as a brand that excels in incorporating their brand story into their products. We also discussed the exciting developments in the craft whiskey scene and how they are pushing the boundaries of flavor. Overall, it was a fascinating conversation that shed light on David's experiences and insights in the whiskey industry.
Connect with David Thomas Tao:
Instagram: David Thomas Tao
Twitter: D_Tao
VinePair: David Tao
Connect with The Embellish Pod:
Website: www.embellishpod.com
Instagram: embellishpod
TikTok: embellishpod

I got the chance to sit down with Amine from Old Louisville Whiskey Company and chat through what they have going on in Louisville.  I tasted some of their offerings at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival and knew immediately that I wanted to have them hop on for an episode.  We have so many more things to talk about with them so I hope we can get them back on in the next few months.  https://oldlouisvillewhiskey.com/https://www.facebook.com/people/Old-Louisville-Whiskey-Co/100076109330926/https://www.instagram.com/oldlouisvillewhiskeyco/

This year I had the opportunity to attend the festival as a “media” person.  I think it was another great year so I put together a video montage that I’m going to essentially narrate over so I can capture my own thoughts on it all.  The weekend began before the festival for me though with an open House for Barrell Craft Spirits and then an evening with Broken Barrel at the Bardstown Motor Lodge.
 
https://www.kybourbonfestival.com/
https://www.barrellbourbon.com/
https://www.pinhookbourbon.com/
https://www.brokenbarrelwhiskey.com/
https://estespr.com/

For this weeks episode I have Lindsay Gulics the Northeast Regional Manager for Barrel Craft Spirits.  We get a chance to talk about their evergreen lines, some Limited offerings their new batches of bourbon and rye, the pandemic, riding bikes and maybe even a little bit about wine.  At just under an hour it feels like we talked about as many possible things as you could imagine in that time frame and we still didn’t get through it all.  Hopefully I’ll get to catch up with her again and talk more about Barrell as they celebrate 10 years as an Independent Bottler and Blender changing the landscape of the North American whiskey drinker’s collection.
 
https://www.barrellbourbon.com/
http://www.facebook.com/barrellbourbon
http://instagram.com/barrellbourbon
https://www.youtube.com/c/barrellbourbon
https://www.linkedin.com/company/barrell-craft-spirits

Tonights guest and I cross over in a lot of places around whiskey, food and beverage. Tonight we'll get a chance to talk about that and more. You can find him at the following links:
Doug (DemiTastes):
- http://DemiTastes.com
- http://ASMWbook.com
- DemiTastes on Discord https://discord.gg/KQGkBmtzPT
- DemiTastes on Twitch https://www.twitch.tv/demitastes
- @DemiTastes on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/demitastes
- @DemiTastes on Threads https://threads.net/@DemiTastes - @DemiTastes on Twitter https://twitter.com/DemiTastes
- Demi Tastes Whiskey on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@demitasteswhiskey
- https://maltrunners.com - a collective blog from a group of reviewers, myself included, who love single malts and other spirits.
- Visit the American Single Malt Whiskey Subreddit: https://reddit.com/r/AmericanSMW
- Find my reviews under https://reddit.com/u/demireticent
- Buy DemiTastes a coffee! https://ko-fi.com/demitastes
 

I had the great opportunity to hang out with Michael "Woody" Dombrowsky (@distillerwoody).  As the head distiller for Yardley Distilling (@yardleydistilleryofficial) and consultant to so many more in the Distilling, Beer making, Winemaking industries his expertise is deep and wide.  We got a chance to talk about almost everything distilling related.  We might have even diverged into having fun in college, education, language acquisition and what the hell Boilo is.  I always look forward to conversations like this and I hope you enjoy it.  Show Notes:
https://yardleydistillery.com/https://www.instagram.com/yardleydistilleryofficial/

I’ve been following Broken Barrel Whiskey Company since their first launch of the “Cask of Amontillado” finish.  What self respecting Poe fan wouldn’t know about that and if you were into whiskey at the time, even more reason to know.  I’ve been able to watch this company transform and the fact that they partnered with a “West Kentucky” distillery for their contract distillation engendered them even more to me.  Follow along as I have a conversation with Seth Benhaim talking about the ethos of the brand and more.  There may be a tease about some upcoming bottlings that are really interesting and the final curtain call for a series that has been pretty successful.
 
https://www.brokenbarrelwhiskey.com/
https://www.instagram.com/brokenbarrelwhiskey/
https://www.facebook.com/BrokenBarrelW/