Sydney Jones

Sydney Jones is a supervisor and lead distillery technician at the newly-constructed Heaven Hill Springs Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. Previously, she worked as the first female head distiller for FEW Spirits in Evanston, Illinois, and has been working in the distilled-spirits industry since 2016, specializing in whiskey and gin production.


CS&D Podcast Episode 15: Maplewood Finds Creative Fermentation, Botanicals, and Finishing Opportunities at the Intersection of Brewing and Distilling

This award-winning Chicago brewstillery finds innovative ways to connect their disciplines—and not just for the narrative, but firstly for the flavor.

CS&D Podcast Episode 13: Widow Jane Head Distiller and Blender Sienna Jevremov Directs the Delicate Dance of Urban Distilling and Blending

Producing smaller volumes of craft spirits typically means a location closer to potential customers, but distilling in high-density urban environments is both work-intensive and expensive. Brooklyn’s Widow Jane has found an artful way to create distinct spirits despite—or maybe because of—the challenges they face distilling, aging, and blending in New York City.

CS&D Podcast Episode 11: Ken Klehm of 450 North Spirits Loves the Creative Challenge of Distilling an Array of Spirits

Through his distilling career, Ken Klehm has tackled an array of challenges, such as stocking an entire cocktail bar with house-distilled spirits and liqueurs. Now at the helm of the 450 North brewstillery, he’s exploring new opportunities such as distilling with estate grain, making American single malt, and more.

CS&D Podcast Episode 9: Nicole Austin of George Dickel Takes a Thoughtful and Contextual Approach to Blending Beautiful Whiskies

There’s no one best way to blend whiskey—but for this award-winning distiller and blender, the key is taking an approach that fits the intended goal.

CS&D Podcast Episode 7: Heaven Hill Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll is Tackling New Challenges in the Biggest Way Possible—by Building a New Distillery

Heaven Hill’s seventh master distiller got his start as a chemical engineer before finding his way into whiskey. Now, Conor O’Driscoll is leading the storied distillery’s next chapter, as they build and commission the new Heaven Hill Springs distillery, and as they tackle new processes for making their beloved brands.

CS&D Podcast Episode 5: Riley Henderson of FEW Spirits Explores Whiskey’s “Last Frontier”—Fermentation

What’s left to do in the world of whiskey? Plenty, if you ask FEW Spirits director of operations Riley Henderson. For him, the secret lies in embracing slower, more flavorful fermentations.

CS&D Podcast Episode 3: Lisa Wicker, Itinerant Distiller, Considers Lessons From Her Past While Looking to the Future

The former president and master distiller for Brooklyn’s Widow Jane took a circuitous route before ending up in distilling, but the lessons in blending, flavor development, and agricultural integration she picked up along the way have informed her approach to distilled spirits to this day.

CS&D Podcast Episode 1: Hosts Sydney Jones and Molly Troupe Share Their Favorite Distilling Techniques

In this launch episode of the Craft Spirits & Distilling Podcast, hosts Sydney Jones of FEW Spirits and Molly Troupe of Freeland Spirits introduce the podcast and each other with a dive into their favorite distilling techniques.