The Whiskey Lore® Podcast

A Revolutionary War spy network, a family-owned Long Island distillery, and a Bourbon steeped with black tea. This week, I'm joined by Mark and Ben Grindel of Spy Trail Distillery to explore the history behind their name and the business they've built around it. Mark explains how a casual visit to a distillery in North Carolina eventually led him to sell his manufacturing business and pursue distilling. We discuss his Holstein still, sourcing and blending Bourbon while their own whiskey matures, using Hungarian oak barrels, and producing vodka from Long Island wine. Ben introduces The Cipher Room, their separate cocktail lounge, where drinks inspired by the Culper Spy Ring incorporate local ingredients and historical stories. We also discuss AMC's TURN: Washington's Spies, the mystery of Agent 355, the role of ordinary Long Islanders in George Washington's intelligence network, and ways to explore the history in person. Plus, I taste Spy Trail's Black Tea Bourbon and discover how an experiment intended for a summer drink became a regular part of the lineup. For show notes and more Whiskey Lore Interviews, visit whiskeylore.org/interviews.

Episode 144: REDWOOD EMPIRE (Jeff Duckhorn and Lauren Patz) What happens when a California whiskey maker approaches Bourbon, rye, and single malt with the mindset of a winemaker? Drew Hannush welcomes Redwood Empire Master Distiller Jeff Duckhorn and Head Distiller and Master Blender Lauren Patz for a conversation about the distillery's evolution from a small operation in Sonoma County to a growing American whiskey producer. They explore the advantages of sourcing and blending whiskey from multiple distilleries, the influence of Northern California's climate on maturation, and why Redwood Empire favors a softer, more nuanced approach to American whiskey. Along the way, Jeff and Lauren explain the stories behind their tree-inspired whiskey names, including Pipe Dream, Emerald Giant, Lost Monarch, and the new wheated Bourbon, Colonel Armstrong. They also discuss the growing American Single Malt category and their experiments with specialty malts. The conversation culminates in a tasting of Hyperion, Redwood Empire's ambitious new blend of Bourbon, rye, wheat whiskey, and American Single Malt. Named for the world's tallest known living tree, Hyperion brings together some of the distillery's oldest sourced and self-produced whiskeys in a release designed to showcase the possibilities of blending. In This Episode How Redwood Empire grew out of a Northern California wine business Jeff Duckhorn and Lauren Patz's different paths into whiskey production Why Redwood Empire embraced sourcing whiskey from the beginning The transition from its original Headframe still to a larger Vendome column still How California's relatively temperate climate affects whiskey maturation Why the distillery favors complexity, balance, and a softer drinking experience The living redwood trees behind the names Pipe Dream, Emerald Giant, Lost Monarch, and Colonel Armstrong How a four-state, four-grain blend creates the flavor of Pipe Dream Bourbon Why Colonel Armstrong uses 30% wheat in its Bourbon mash bill The role of wheat in softening and balancing Emerald Giant Rye How specialty malts are helping define American Single Malt whiskey Tasting Hyperion, a blend of four different American whiskey styles Redwood Empire's plans for tours, tastings, and educational experiences on Mare Island Go Deeper with the Whiskey Lore Speakeasy Enjoy the complete 73-minute conversation with Jeff and Lauren, including additional discussions about maritime influence on maturation, barrel char and stave seasoning, and the role of wheat in whiskey. The extended interview is available to Whiskey Lore Speakeasy members, with a seven-day free trial at Patreon.com/whiskeylore. Visit Redwood Empire 📍 Redwood Empire Mare Island, Vallejo, California Learn more about Redwood Empire's whiskeys and current visitor experiences at RedwoodEmpireWhiskey.com.

Who was it that came up with the 51% rule and the modern rules for straight whiskey in America? Meet today's legend on the latest episode of Whiskey Lore's Hall of Legends.

GUEST: Martin Markvardsen (Senior Global Brand Ambassador, Highland Park) What does it take to capture the flavors of Scotland in a bottle? In this episode, Drew Hannush sits down with Highland Park's Martin Markvardsen, who is celebrating 20 years with the Orkney distillery, to explore the history, people, place, and process behind one of Scotland's most complex single malts. From heather-rich Orkney peat and island maturation to the stories of illicit distillers and Martin's own unlikely journey into whisky, discover what makes Highland Park taste unmistakably like Highland Park. In This Episode Why Orkney peat tastes different Peaty versus smoky: is there a difference? Why PPM doesn't tell the whole story Does sea air really affect aging whisky? How Orkney dramatically reduces the angel's share The illicit distiller behind Highland Park Why Highland Park still floor malts Can stainless steel replace wooden washbacks? Tasting whisky through memories, not flavor notes The best time to visit Orkney SHOW NOTES: whiskeylore.org/interviews JOIN THE SPEAKEASY: patreon.com/whiskeylore

Hero on one side of the border, villain on the other. Meet the second inductee into the Whiskey Lore Hall of Legends.