330: Joseph Magnus and the Original Cigar Blend with Master Blender Nancy Fraley

In this week’s episode of the Bourbon Lens, Jake sits down with one of the original ultra premium bourbons: Joseph A Magnus. We are joined by CEO of Craft Co Ali Anderson and world renowned blender Nancy Fraley. You won’t want to miss this episode as we unpack the history of Joseph Magnus, Murray Hill Club and the original Cigar Blend.

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Bourbon Lens

About Ali Anderson:

Ali Anderson is the CEO of CraftCo, a diverse portfolio of innovative, premium craft spirits brands produced in Holland, MI. Prior to taking on the role in June 2024, Ali served as the National Sales Director at CraftCo since 2019 and was responsible for spearheading the commercial growth strategy and national expansion of all CraftCo’s premium spirit brands from launch to maturity, including strategic initiatives to drive consumer engagement and brand equity growth and the innovation and launch of two new whiskey brands to the national stage. She also led the development of strategic agency relationships, delivering impactful execution in response to an increasingly demanding marketplace.

Previously, Ali served as the General Manager and Director of Sales at Jos. A. Magnus & Co. In 2015, she was pivotal in re-establishing the historic, pre-Prohibition brand in Washington, D.C., overseeing sales and operations to grow from start-up phase to national distribution and transforming the company into the most highly awarded and widely distributed brand of the CraftCo portfolio.

Ali earned her MBA from Webster University in St. Louis, her Bachelor of Science degree in Management from Ball State University and recently completed the DISCUS Executive Leadership Program at the University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business & Economics. Ali’s ongoing commitment to professional development and industry engagement underscores her dedication to driving innovation and creating value in the spirits industry.

About Nancy Fraley

Nancy Fraley serves as the Master Blender for Jos. A. Magnus, where she provides custom blending, product formulation services, creation of maturation & warehousing programs, and sensory analysis. An icon in the world of whiskey, her contributions have led to the creation of numerous award-winning spirits for the brand, including Joseph Magnus Bourbon, Murray Hill Club Bourbon Blend and the most coveted of the Magnus expressions, Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon.

Nancy’s career in the distilled spirits industry began with Germain-Robin brandy/Alambic Inc. in Ukiah, CA, one of the first craft distilleries in the U.S. From there, she went on to further study advanced blending techniques in France.

In addition to her role at Jos. A. Magnus, Nancy holds a faculty position at Moonshine University in Louisville, KY and is the creator of the popular seminar, Blending and Nosing for Faults, with the American Distilling Institute. She is the creator of the first American Craft Whiskey Aroma Wheel, a sensory tool now widely used by distillers and whiskey connoisseurs alike.

Nancy holds a Master’s degree in World Religions with an emphasis in Tibetan Buddhism from Harvard University and a Juris doctor degree from The University of San Francisco School of Law with a focus on Maritime & Admiralty law and International Human Rights.

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