ABOUT THIS EPISODE
We sat down with Ari Klafter at Thornton Distillery to talk about what it actually takes to make whiskey worth waiting for.
Ari walks us through Thornton's American single malt program, from choosing specialty malts and distilling off-grain to harvesting Illinois peat along the Mississippi River. We get into whiskey terroir, why grain flavor deserves more attention, whether consumers actually support the craft producers they claim to love, and how barrel selection can completely change a spirit.
We also explore Thornton's evolving solera cask, upcoming experiments with unusual barrels and a potential cigar blend.
And because this is Off Profile, we somehow end up discussing a Prohibition-era gun discovered in the distillery, a questionable World Cup analogy, and what happens when you record a podcast underneath a dripping well.
A highly spirited conversation about whiskey, patience, experimentation, and a little bit of chaos.
