Spirits & Distilling Podcast

The podcast for those who make and drink great spirits.


S&D Podcast 21: David Fisher of Sydney’s Archie Rose Distilling Prizes Independence and Balance

The senior spirits blender at Sydney's award-winning Archie Rose shares his perspectives on sensory analysis, blending, and producing distinctive spirits with Australia’s ingredients and climate.

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 19: A Global Perspective on Gin with Olivier Ward of Everglow Spirits

The world of gin, from the creative and technical side to marketing and sales, is experiencing the same flux that’s affecting the broader craft-spirits world. But Ward—veteran spirits journalist, brand builder, and consultant—offers a broad look at the category, from evolving definitions and flavors to breakthrough marketing.

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 16: Adam Spiegel of Corning & Company and Sonoma Distilling Takes a Reactive and Responsive Approach to an Evolving Spirits Market

The president of Corning & Company reimagined and reconfigured Sonoma Distilling into a house of brands—some are owned, others are partnerships—but quality and experimentation are still top of mind for this award-winning master distiller.

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 14: Nic Christiansen of Barrell Craft Spirits Pieces Together the Blended Whiskey Puzzle

As blender and manager of blending operations for Barrell, a brand committed to sourcing and blending rather than distilling, Christiansen finds creative ways to marry distinct flavors in whiskey without muddling their individual characters.

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 12: Christian Krogstad, Founder of Aviation Gin and Westward Whiskey, Designs Spirits That Stand the Test of Time

Few acquisitions of spirit brands have been as high-profile as Ryan Reynolds’ purchase of the Aviation Gin brand, followed by its sale to Diageo. Yet even before the celebrity-fueled spotlight turned its way, Aviation was the work of an earnest distiller seeking to make the perfect pre-Prohibition-style gin for classic cocktails.