Recreating a Lost American Whiskey

Published Apr 07 2021 at 8:58 AM GMT

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I was attending a distilling conference in Louisville, Kentucky, in the spring of 2015 when I got a message from Todd Leopold, half of the Denver-based Leopold Bros and one of the more reclusive and accomplished craft distillers in the nation.
We met early the next morning in the ornate lobby of the historic Brown Hotel.
While awaiting our omelets, he pulled out his laptop, opened it, and swiveled it around to face me.
On the screen was some sort of schematic diagram, showing inflow and outflow pipes and other inscrutable whatnot.
I had no earthly idea what he was talking about, but the triumphant tone in his voice suggested that I should pay attention.