S3 E16 Après All Day | Tara Lindley High West Distillery

In this Après All Day episode, Bob Cutler and Rich Stoner warm up with pours of A Midwinter Night's Dram—Bob with Act 9, Rich with Act 7—before welcoming Tara Lindley, High West Distillery's Director of Sensory & New Product Development. The trip explore Tara's journey from Napa to Park City, the art and science of rye-and-port-barrel finishing, the evolution of each Midwinter release, and the magic behind High West's après culture, parties, cocktails, and upcoming new products.

Key Topics

The Art of Finishing & Blending

Tara explains how Midwinter is crafted like a "whiskey vintage"—balancing ruby and tawny port barrels, evaluating every barrel by nose, and blending to create seasonal warmth, complexity, and evolving notes from jammy fruit to dark fig as it matures.

High West's Culture of Creativity

From experimental single-barrel beginnings to new finishing barrels from Europe, High West embraces innovation. The brand continues expanding with cask-strength offerings, revived core whiskeys like Rendezvous and Campfire, and a renewed commitment to adventurous blending.

Après Ski Identity & Community

The distillery's identity is rooted in après culture—old fashioneds after skiing, whimsical Midwinter parties, mountain-town life, and the shared joy of whiskey in cold seasons. Tara highlights how hospitality, sensory craft, and community all shape the High West experience.

Episode Index

(1:56 –2:25 ) Bob welcomes listeners and Rich recaps ski-media events in NYC, including tasting the newest Act 13 of Midwinter Night's Dram.

(3:05 –3:18 ) Tara joins the show—High West's Director of Sensory & New Product Development.

(4:03 –5:30 ) Tara explains her path from Napa winemaking to landing at High West Distillery in Utah.

(8:05 –9:52 ) The trio take a deep dive into Midwinter's blend: High West + MGP rye, finished in ruby/tawny port barrels with changing yearly ratios.

(19:14 –19:52 ) Tara previews new High West releases, including a cask-strength bourbon and upcoming BourRye blend.