About

I write and teach about distilled spirits because I believe understanding comes from paying attention.

My work focuses on helping people move beyond labels, trends, and received wisdom to better understand how spirits are actually made, why those decisions matter, and how place, process, and intention shape what ends up in the glass. I am less interested in telling people what to like and far more interested in helping them understand why something tastes the way it does.

I was born in Kentucky, with family roots in Lawrenceburg. Although I moved away at a young age, that place has remained a quiet reference point over time. Lawrenceburg is home to both Four Roses and Wild Turkey, distilleries that reflect very different approaches to the same raw materials and landscape. That contrast has stayed with me and continues to shape how I think about regional identity and production choices.

Some of my earliest sensory memories come from time spent on my grandfather’s farm, where I helped strip tobacco as a child. The smell of cured leaf, wood, earth, and air left a lasting impression. Years later, I began to recognize those same notes showing up in certain whiskies. That connection between memory, aroma, and place reinforced my belief that flavor is not abstract. It is grounded in lived experience, agriculture, and environment.

My background spans corporate finance, education, and years of focused independent study across global spirits traditions. I am the author of Proof & Purpose and The New Map of Whisky, where I explore how both established and emerging whisky regions define themselves through local decisions rather than inherited frameworks. My goal is to bring structure and clarity to a category that often leans on mythology instead of understanding.

Outside of spirits education, I am the founder of Patriot Legacy Fund, a nonprofit organization that provides college scholarships to the dependent children of service-disabled military veterans. Since 2018, the organization has awarded more than $260,000 in scholarships. That work reflects a broader personal commitment to service, stewardship, and long-term impact.

Whether I am writing, speaking, or hosting tastings, my approach is consistent. Slow down. Pay attention. Ask better questions. Spirits are worth understanding, and the process of learning is as meaningful as the final pour.