369 - History and Story of Blade & Bow with Doug Kragel of Diageo

You've probably heard of the legendary Stitzel-Weller distillery. Getting a taste of whiskey created by this famous place is nearly impossible for the average person. But, there is one opportunity that remains where you can get just a hint at the greatness. Doug Kragel joins the show to give us the history and in-depth breakdown of Blade & Bow. As a brand educator he knows all about the products in the Diageo portfolio and we try and dig into more about the identity of these whiskeys. And to make everyone jealous, we even get to drink the limited 22 year old release. Show Notes: Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about distribution markups How did you get into a role of an ambassador or brand educator? What was the George Dickel brand like when you started? How do you determine criteria for an accelerator program? Why was Blade & Bow created? How does a partnership form to get whiskey to make this brand without revealing sources? What's the difference between fractional blending vs solera? Is there a team or a single master blender? What if I challenged you and said are there really 20 year old barrels being dumped in the blend? Why only have a small still at Stitzel-Weller and not try to recreate the magic it once had? Why have partnership with Garden & Gun at the distillery? What is the next phase of growth for Blade & Bow? What does a membership to the Five Keys Club get you? Why do a 22 Year Blade & Bow vs another Orphan Barrel? Will we ever see Bulleit distilled whiskey go into Blade & Bow? @bladeandbowwhiskey @stitzelwellerdistillery Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices