Miles Monroe is back on Whiskey Rocks, but this time he’s writing his own story. After years as a distiller at Westward Whiskey, Miles is embarking on a new adventure with Grimoire Whiskey, bringing his experience, creativity, and passion for whiskey into a venture of his own. We talk about the motivation behind the move, his vision for Grimoire, the freedom to experiment, and what it takes to build something from the ground up. Plus, we explore his former life as a musician, the connection between music and whiskey, and why sometimes the best things happen when you take a chance and trust your instincts.No spellbook required. Just a good story, a little creative magic, and a whole lot of whiskey.Whiskey Rocks, Sip Hard.Follow us @thewhiskeyrockspodcast on Instagram and TikTok
What exactly is going on inside Preservation Distillery?This week on Whiskey Rocks, we’re joined by Kyle Lloyd, Master of Maturation and VP of Operations at Preservation Distillery, for a deep dive into the whiskey behind one of Kentucky’s most fascinating portfolios.Kyle takes us inside Preservation’s approach to bourbon, vintage whiskey, sourced whiskey, house-distilled whiskey, blending and barrel maturation, including the stories behind expressions like Preservation Estate, Wattie Boone, Old Man Winter, Very Olde St. Nick and Rare Perfection.We talk about what it means to mature whiskey at the barrel level, how Kyle evaluates barrels, why sourced versus distilled shouldn’t be the entire conversation, and how blending multiple barrels can create something greater than the individual whiskeys.We’re also joined by Khemarith Kang, Whiskey Manager at Burlington Wine & Spirits, to talk about the other side of the barrel: selecting whiskey, working with distilleries, and the story behind some of the barrel picks we’ve done together, including our Preservation pick.No big tasting segment this time. Instead, we’re getting behind the bottle and talking about why these whiskeys exist in the first place.It’s a conversation about bourbon, vintage whiskey, barrel maturation, sourcing, blending, barrel picks and the people who make whiskey more interesting.Whiskey Rocks, Sip Hard.Follow us at @thewhiskeyrockspodcast on Instagram and TikTok
What happens when you combine seriously old whiskey, a little patience, a little stubbornness, and just enough swagger?We sit down with Ed Bley of Rising Tide Spirits to find out.Ed brings us into the world behind Rising Tide Spirits and the stories behind Old Swagger and Old Stubborn, including a 13-year Bottled in Bond bourbon, a 12-year rye, and a 12-year Old Swagger rye.We talk about what happens when you let whiskey age, why patience can be one of the hardest parts of the whiskey business, and how two whiskeys the same age can somehow develop completely different personalities.And because this is Whiskey Rocks, we don’t just talk about the whiskey. We drink it.We break down all three bottles, talk tasting notes, compare their personalities, and even figure out which bands these whiskeys would be if they showed up at the bar. Spoiler alert: Old Stubborn has some serious Social Distortion energy.Along the way, Ed shares the story of how he got into whiskey, the philosophy behind Rising Tide Spirits, and what happens when you decide you’re willing to wait for whiskey to become exactly what you want it to be.It’s old whiskey. It’s rye. It’s bourbon. It’s Rising Tide.And yeah… there’s a little swagger involved.Whiskey Rocks, Sip Hard.Follow us @thewhiskeyrockspodcast on TikTok and Instagram
For this episode of Whiskey Rocks, we’re taking the show on the road and heading straight into the heart of Ohio whiskey.We’re onsite at Middle West Spirits with Steven Frederick from Old Elk for a deep dive into what’s happening in Ohio’s whiskey scene, the story behind Old Elk, and what makes Middle West Spirits such an important part of it.And, of course, we’re drinking.We’re tasting our way through the Old Elk 10 Year lineup, including the 10 Year Bourbon, 10 Year Wheated Bourbon, and 10 Year Wheat Whiskey, breaking down what ten years of maturation actually does to a whiskey and how three very different expressions can come from the same age statement.We talk whiskey, Ohio, blending, aging, music, the whiskey industry, and why maybe everyone needs to stop acting like Kentucky is the only place making great whiskey at scale. Well, that’s simply not true.So grab a pour, turn up the music, and come hang with us at Middle West Spirits.Because everyone talks Kentucky.What about Ohio?Whiskey Rocks, Sip Hard.
What happens when an Army officer, a few whiskey nerds, and a serious obsession with bourbon get together and decide to start a whiskey company? You get H.K. Young.This week on Whiskey Rocks, Joel and Chris sit down with Cole Hanna of H.K. Young Bourbon Co. to talk about the journey from Fort Campbell to the bourbon business, the veteran community, sourcing great whiskey, and the question H.K. Young keeps asking: What’s next?Then we get into what they’re really known for: toasted bourbon. We taste an H.K. Young Single Barrel alongside one of their Toasted Wheated expressions and get nerdy about barrel finishing, toast profiles, oak, and what actually happens when you decide your bourbon needs a second date with a barrel.Plus, Cole faces the Whiskey Rocks Lightning Round, where things get considerably less sophisticated.It’s bourbon. It’s toasted. It’s got some Army stories, some questionable decisions, and probably more oak than strictly necessary.Pour yourself something good and join us. Follow us @thewhiskeyrockspodcast on TikTok or Instagram. Drop us a review on Spotify or Apple too, we’d love to hear from you!Whiskey Rocks. Sip hard.