✈️ WF090 to ALABAMA: John Emerald Distilling Company

When it comes to the stories of whiskey brands, the tale is often told of passionate distillers, willing markets, and a quick and easy rise built off of a quality product and reputation. But foundation stories are rarely that simple. In the case of Four Roses, an American brand with some mythic qualities, a deeper investigation shows a brand that wasn't entirely embraced by the family that originated it. At times it was the odd man out. But eventually it became one of the most popular whiskies in America. Join me as we travel through the years after the founders passed, to see how the next generation handled the family's legacy. Along the way, we'll hear of struggles with overproduction, a fist thrown when the company's integrity was challenged, the creative ways the brand survived Prohibition, and the company executive that may have set the table for the way whiskey was made for the next 80 years. Enjoy this second episode in a series of three on the history of Four Roses.

Clyde May's Conecuh Ridge Distillery (Troy, AL) WF091 It's time to visit with L.C. May, Brand Ambassador and grandson of the brand's namesake Clyde May. L.C. will reveal the story of who Clyde was, how he went from World War II to becoming a local moonshiner, the laws that held back legal distilling for the brand, the new 78-acre facility in Troy, and what to expect from a visit.  🌟Enjoy an extended premium dive into the Alabama "style" of whiskey, how Clyde May's became the state spirit and more in this episode as a member of Whiskey Lore's Patreon (a 7-day free trial is available for new listeners) patreon.com/whiskeylore Also, if you're ready to start planning your distillery adventures for this summer, make sure to grab a copy of Whiskey Lore's Travel Guide to Experiencing American Whiskey - signed copies available for Father's Day at whiskeylore.org/shop (US only)

In 1864, a family of Virginians found themselves in war torn Atlanta with a decision to make - head home or plant roots. This was the birth of what would become known as Paul Jones & Company. Over the years, there have been several stories floating around about how the flagship whiskey they later established in Louisville got its name. Was it because of a dance and proposal to a Southern Belle? Was it lifted from an Atlanta competitor's name? Or was it simply a name that came from the imagination of Paul Jones? Today, I'll look to answer that question while taking you beyond the Season One episode to the very origins of Four Roses Bourbon.

John Emerald Distilling Co (Opalika, AL) WF090 Let's cross the border, into the Central Time Zone, where we may or may not switch our clocks! Yup, that is how I roll sometimes. It's time to visit with Jimmy Sharp, co-founder of the John Emerald Distillery to talk about his journey from Montgomery to Scotland and back to the Alabama/Georgia border, where he brought American Single Malt to the area. We'll also talk about how he harvests his own sugarcane for his rum. Plus, there are travel tips, we'll taste several expressions, and talk about the distillery's Barrel Club and the source for some of those whiskeys. Also, if you're ready to start planning your distillery adventures for this summer, make sure to grab a copy of Whiskey Lore's Travel Guide to Experiencing American Whiskey - signed copies available for Father's Day at whiskeylore.org/shop (US only) 🌟Enjoy a few more minutes of in-depth conversation as a member of Whiskey Lore's Patreon (a 7-day free trial is available for new listeners) 

Chattanooga Whiskey's Experimental Distillery (Chattanooga, TN) WF089 Whiskey Flights are back and today we head to the banks of the Tennessee River and the town of Chattanooga, where a certain distillery is pushing the boundaries of what Bourbon can be. Join me as I chat with Chattanooga Whiskey Co-Founder Tim Piersant about the rebirth of Chattanooga distilling, the focus on barley, what kinds of projects are going on at the Experimental Distillery, and we'll go beyond their Tennessee High Malt and taste an Islay inspired whiskey and a pot-still whiskey made with Ireland in mind. Plus, I'll give you some food for thought on things to pair with your trip to the distillery. Enjoy the first stop on a 4 distillery Deep South tour. And if you're ready to start planning your distillery adventures for this summer, make sure to grab a copy of Whiskey Lore's Travel Guide to Experiencing American Whiskey - signed copies available for Father's Day at whiskeylore.org/shop (US only) 🌟Enjoy 25 more minutes of in-depth conversation as a member of Whiskey Lore's Patreon (a 7-day free trial is available for new listeners) 

When it comes to Scottish distilleries with whiskies that match the landscape, Talisker is one of my favorite examples: sea and smoke. For the longest time, as the sole distillery on the Isle of Skye, it served as the perfect punctuation mark on any trip to the island. Seemingly isolated along the shore of Loch Harport in the small village of Carbost, it built quite a reputation around the world as early as the 1800s. Today, I'll dive into Talisker's history with Diageo's Head of Rare & Luxury Whisky, Ewan Morgan. We'll start at the distillery's origins, and you'll be among the first to hear about a distilling technique once used at the distillery, but forgotten by time. We'll talk about the influence of the distillery's worm tubs on the whisky and find out what special ingredient they use inside those worm tubs. Then I get a special treat. We'll dive into the world of long-aged whisky and discuss how to nose, taste, collect, and preserve rare bottles. Along the way, we taste Talisker's remarkable 30-year-old, 45-year-old, and 47-year-old whiskies and talk about what happens to a spirit after decades inside a cask. If you're a fan of Scotch, this is a deep dive you won't want to miss. Catch an extended version of the episode as a member of the Whiskey Lore family at patreon.com/whiskeylore

Scotland has long been one of the great whiskey pilgrimage destinations, but planning the perfect whisky journey across the Highlands, Islands, Speyside, Campbeltown, and beyond can feel overwhelming. In this bonus episode of Whiskey Lore's Whiskey Flights, I sit down with travel writer and author Angela Youngman to explore the people, places, legends, and distilleries that make Scotland such a magical destination for whiskey lovers. Angela's new book, The Whiskey and Gin Lover's Guide to Scotland, inspired a conversation that ranges from iconic experiences like The Scotch Whisky Experience in Edinburgh to hidden gems, Scotland's growing gin scene, whisky festivals, island travel, and the realities of navigating Scotland's winding roads, ferries, and remote distillery regions. If Scotland has been sitting on your whiskey travel bucket list, this episode is the ticket to inspiration and practical advice that will help you start planning your own adventure. And for members of the Whiskey Lore family, the extended episode includes deeper discussions on whisky history, ghost distilleries, movie connections like The Angels' Share, travel recommendations, and more Scotch whisky lore. Find it at patreon.com/whiskeylore and ride along for the full experience.

For generations, whiskey fans have repeated one simple rule: Ireland and America spell whiskey with an "e," while Scotland, Canada, and Japan spell whisky without one. But where did that rule actually come from—and does this formula hold up historically? Today I'll revisit one of the show's earliest topics to dive deeper, separate fact from fiction and uncover the surprising history behind one of whiskey's most debated letters. Along the way, we'll see what the government and the Father of American English, Noah Webster, has to say. I'll look at the cultural confusion of regional language differences, and the myths that have grown around the spelling of whiskey itself. Was the "e" really invented by Irish distillers in the 1800s to distinguish their spirit from Scotch blends? Did Scotland always reject the spelling whiskey? And have Americans always embraced whiskey with an e? Using newspaper archives spanning England, Scotland, Ireland, and the United States, I'll traces how the spellings evolved from the early 1700s through Prohibition and into the modern craft whiskey era. The results challenge many of the stories commonly repeated in whiskey circles today. This is a thoroughly researched, updated, and expanded version of Season 2 Episode 8.

Welcome back to a former guest, John Campbell, who we met back in Interview 63 when we chronicled his 27 years at the legendary Laphroaig Distillery on Islay. Back then, he was taking on the challenge of making Lowland Scotch at Lochlea. Today, he's making an even bigger jump, leaving the island of malt whisky for a chance to make California Bourbon. There are few who have made the modern journey from Scotland to America, so today's interview affords me the great opportunity to pepper John with questions about the move to Sespe Creek in Oxnard, California. John will discuss the personal and professional changes involved in moving from Laphroaig to a distillery making mesquite-smoked Bourbon, vodka, and rum. He'll reveal the reason he was approached for the COO and Master Distiller position, and we'll talk about making Bourbon in pot stills, his five-year plan, and capturing the brand's "Southwest" identity in a spirit.  Enjoy the episode and if you'd like a deeper dive, catch a longer episode in the Whiskey Lore Speakeasy with a 7-day free trial at patreon.com/whiskeylore 

Join me as I welcome back Jerry Daniels of Stone Fences Tours for a step beyond distillery visits and into the heart of Bourbon history. We'll tackle the question who truly belongs in the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame that has been left behind? We go back and forth in a snake draft, each bringing our own list of seven candidates, building a case for the overlooked figures who shaped the industry. From early pioneers and 19th-century power players to scientific minds and modern innovators, this discussion uncovers the foundations of Bourbon that often get overshadowed. If you think you know the names that define the industry, this episode might make you rethink the list, and have you guessing who we believe deserves a place among the greats. Want to offer your own suggestions of who is missing? Post your choices on my Instagram feed at instagram.com/whiskeylore or on the episode post at patreon.com/whiskeylore