Olivier Ward got his start in gin in the mid-oughts, working on projects for Hendricks, and the he hasn’t been able to shake the gin world since. The people, places, and processes captivate him, and building or telling those brand stories has been a major focus for the better part of the past two decades. As chief gin judge for the IWSC, he tastes thousands of gins in any given year and has a context for flavor and approaches that few possess. Now, with Everglow Spirits, he’s taking a fresh approach to both education and consultation, helping distillers (and would-be distillers) articulate their visions and understand the challenges of creating and growing brands.

In this episode, Ward and host Molly Troupe discuss:

• Thinking about gin beyond just flavor


• Opportunities and risks in direct-to-consumer sales


• The common mistakes that brands make, and how great brands hone their focuses


• Finding resonance beyond baseline expectations for quality


• The variety of creative approaches and tasting profiles around the world


• Base spirits and their impact on gins


• Categorizing for competition with process in addition to flavor

And more.

Brought to you by:

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Modern Process Equipment: Attention all distillers! The MPE Gran-U-Lizer is the precision roller mill that will change the way you approach distilling. The MPE Gran-U-Lizer masters every grain with unparalleled consistency—providing better flavor extraction and a more efficient process. One distiller even saved more than $38,000 a year after switching from a cage mill to an MPE roller mill! This is your key to achieving a perfect grind every time. Learn more on the Modern Process Equipment website: mpechicago.com!