238: The Past, Present, & Future of Smooth Ambler

Our guests for this episode are Smooth Ambler Founder, John Little, and Travis Hammond, Site Director and current Head Distiller. This wide-ranging conversation is one of the most open discussions we’ve had with a distillery. We appreciated their openness and honesty as we discussed the evolution and future of Smooth Ambler. We hope you enjoy!

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Bourbon Lens

About Smooth Ambler:

In the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia, Smooth Ambler is a craft distiller of artisan whiskies. Smooth Ambler has a family of quality wheated and rye bourbons that includes handcrafted whiskies 100% distilled and aged in West Virginia and curated blends sourced from the finest all-American whiskies. Founded in 2009 with the simple goal of producing the best whiskey possible, the brand has been part of Pernod Ricard since 2016.

From the Founder, John Little:

Who is crazy enough to start a whiskey company from scratch, in the hills of West Virginia, in a world filled with hundred-year-old Kentucky distilleries? Folks with a fiercely independent spirit, that’s who.

At Smooth Ambler, tradition isn’t a recipe we follow. Our company is literal proof of solid Appalachian know-how. That’s when the hard working, creative, and resourceful folks of West Virginia come together to make something beautiful (and damn good) that no one else thought possible.

We didn’t just set out to make award winning whiskey. We also set out to create a source of pride for West Virginians everywhere.

To embrace the best of everything around us – the land, the people, and the resources – to create a business that would make a difference by providing opportunities for the people in our community.

And the way we do it is simple, we do what we think is right, everyday. We don’t look to see what our competitors are doing, we don’t look at the past, we do it by being honest, embracing diversity, and creating relationships built on trust.

It’s not complicated, it’s the only way we know how to do it.

So yeah, we’re not from Kentucky, but if you couldn’t already tell, we like it that way. Because it turns out you can make bourbon in West Virginia, too. And you don’t need a family name or recipe to make that award winning whiskey, you just need a fiercely independent spirit. – John Little, Founder

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