🎙️ Ep. 135 - SESPE CREEK DISTILLERY: John Campbell's Move From Scotch to California Bourbon

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