Jacob Kiper
Buzzard’s Roost Whiskey arrived on the scene in 2019 under the guidance of founders Judy Hollis Jones and Jason Brauner. From the outset, the brand created a clear identity through secondary maturation in custom toasted barrels coopered by Independent Stave Company. These 53-gallon new American white oak casks feature staves seasoned outdoors for at least…
In the mid-19th century, a map of American “liquid gold” would have looked inverted to the modern eye. Before the Civil War, North Carolina stood as the undisputed titan of American viticulture, leading the nation in wine production and hosting the country’s first commercial winery. This reputation largely revolved around the Scuppernong grape, a native…
Serving as CEO and CFO, Drew Thorn spent a decade shaping Sagamore Spirit into a nationally recognized name. In January 2024, he stepped away from that platform to pursue something intentionally smaller and more hands-on that went to market in February 2026: Silverthorn Reserve. The new venture focuses on single barrel curation, custom finishing, and…
Bluegrass Distillers was established in Lexington, Kentucky, in 2012 by Ben Franzini and Sam Rock. The following year, the distillery began production on a 250-gallon Hoga copper pot still fired by open flame, frequently working with heirloom corn varieties and placing a particular emphasis on blue corn. In 2020, Bluegrass Distillers acquired the historic Elkwood…
The American whiskey industry is saturated with terminology that carries no formal or legal definition. When this language is used loosely, its meaning often shifts from one producer or drinker to the next, creating confusion when terms are applied without consistency or clarity. One such term is “short barrel.” The Shortbarrel brand entered the market…
An estimated 95% of the world’s rum is distilled from molasses, a material that originated as an industrial byproduct of sugar production. By contrast, only about 2-4% of global rum output is made from fermented fresh cane juice. This smaller tradition is closely tied to French colonial history and is commonly known as rhum agricole.…
Dark Arts Whiskey House was founded in 2023 by Macaulay Minton and David Peet with a clear focus on blending, re-barreling, and secondary maturation through non-traditional techniques. Minton serves as the brand’s Chief Alchemist, a title that reflects more than flair. Alchemy, an ancient philosophical and proto-scientific tradition, sought transformation above all else, most famously…
According to a July 2025 Gallup poll, only 54% of American adults report that they currently drink alcohol. That figure represents a historic low. From 1997 through 2021, the percentage of adults who drank alcohol consistently held at or above 60%. The drop has placed real pressure on the American beverage alcohol industry, which now…
In 1768, William Bard, born to Irish immigrant parents, journeyed into Kentucky to locate salt for shipment back to Pennsylvania. Trained as a surveyor, Bard later drafted the first known map of Louisville in 1779. Not long after, he settled south of the city, where he and his brother David founded the town that would…
Chip Tate entered the American whiskey conversation in 2008 with the founding of Balcones Distilling in Waco, Texas. Operating from a repurposed welding shop, Tate engineered and assembled his own copper stills, setting the stage for a hands on approach that quickly separated his work from established producers. At a moment when small scale distilling…