Sydney Jones

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.


S&D Podcast Episode 32: Aged Whiskeys and Citrus-Flavored Spirits Heat up for St. Augustine Distillery and City Gate Spirits

Distilling in Florida’s hot and humid environment, and producing spirits specifically tuned for cocktails in a tourism-driven locale—those are the major guideposts for the creative direction of these sibling distilleries, as well as for their methods of barrel aging and adding flavor.

S&D Podcast Episode 30: Bob Dillon of Dismal Harmony Refines Flavors with Creative Flair

Bob Dillon joins the podcast to discuss the technical and artistic vision behind his more familiar spirits as well as his ACSA best-in-show-winning Vidisha’s Masala liqueur.

S&D Podcast Episode 28: Brett Steigerwaldt of Lyon Rum is Crafting Contemporary Expressions with Timeless Methods

Rum with distinctive character and refined expression is key for this Maryland distillery, and head distiller Brett Steigerwaldt doesn’t leave flavor up to fate.

S&D Podcast Episode 26: Caley Shoemaker of As Above, So Below Explores Character and Texture in Vodka Distillation

Character and expression in “simple” vodka distillations? Is it really possible? The cofounder and master distiller behind this Santa Fe, New Mexico, craft distillery not only thinks so, but she walks through her process of using atypical grains and other ingredients to produce vodka with spirit and verve.

S&D Podcast Episode 24: Eli Breitburg-Smith Is Ushering in the Epoch of Rye in Baltimore

The cofounder and head distiller of Baltimore Spirits discusses their approach to producing distinctive rye whiskeys—such as the award-winning Epoch—as well as other unusual spirits, from a pechuga-inspired apple brandy to a smoked-tea whiskey collab with Ja Rule.

S&D Podcast Episode 22: Spirits & Distilling Year in Review Special

Hosts Sydney Jones and Molly Troupe recount some of the most intriguing and thought-provoking episodes of the past year, discuss developments such as the American Single Malt designation, and look toward what 2025 has in store.

S&D Podcast 20: Sherrie Moore Uses Data and Experimentation to Understand and Optimize Whiskey Flavor and Consistency

Over her 30+ years at Jack Daniel’s, Sherrie Moore served in a variety of roles, from working in the visitor’s center in the mid-70s through stints as chemist, processing manager, warehousing manager, and more before retiring as director of whiskey production. Now, she works with spirits brands in a consulting capacity, sharing the knowledge she built over decades of bust-and-boom producing whiskey for one of the world’s largest brands.

CS&D Podcast Episode 18: Mark Vierthaler of Whiskey Del Bac Is Pursuing a Distinct Sense of Place, Transparently

The head distiller and blender in Tucson, Arizona, is embracing the scorching desert climate and local flavor—namely, mesquite-smoked malt—to craft distinctive whiskeys while making transparency integral to the brand.

CS&D Podcast Episode 17: Blender Jackie Zykan of Hidden Barn and Oduoak Debunks Lazy Assumptions about Whiskey Flavors, Blending, and Sensory

Zykan, former master taster for Old Forester, current master blender for Hidden Barn and perfumer for Oduoak, joins host Sydney Jones for a rollicking episode of intentionality and shared experience.

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.