The Story Behind the Bourbon
A few years ago, I was sipping on some bourbon that was a “drain pour.” Instead of going that route, though, I wanted to see if I could save it, make it better. So, I started blending. I mixed one bourbon with another, testing different ratios and experimenting. What happened next surprised me: the combination created something significantly better.
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At first, I made them for fun. I would have friends try the original, and then try the blend I created. Those friends took notice and started asking for their own blended batches. Soon, the requests became more frequent. The more people tasted my blends, the more they encouraged me to take it seriously. “You should sell this,” they said. Word got around, and I started getting random texts from people saying, “Hey, I’m friends with [redacted] and he said you’re making an amazing bourbon blend. Think I could buy a bottle off of you?” I didn’t know the legality of that, so I didn’t pursue that route. I could’ve — and probably should’ve — stopped there. But the idea stuck.
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I didn’t want to be someone simply mixing other people’s work. If I was going to do this, I wanted to do it the right way — to create something that is truly my own. I wanted to make bourbon from the ground up. The path to making this dream real, however, was anything but easy.
Turning a Passion into a Brand
Starting a bourbon brand isn’t as simple as setting up a whiskey still and slapping a label on a bottle. I contacted every distillery in Maryland, D.C., and Virginia. I heard “No” more times than I can count. The few distilleries who did entertain my idea backed out as soon as they heard that I was self-funding this project on an average 9-to-5 salary. Did I mention I heard “No” a lot?
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But I wasn’t willing to let the dream go. I knew that if I could get one of my blends into the hands of people who appreciated quality, they’d believe in it, too. If that meant a longer, harder road, so be it.
The Whiskey Today
I just needed a one person to give me a shot. Thankfully, there were two: Max and Eli at Baltimore Spirits Company. They helped me overcome a lot of the regulatory nonsense and focus on making bourbon. A few years later, that dream is becoming a reality.
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The last thing I wanted to do was to create a gimmick. I didn’t want a brand based on a sophomoric frat-boy joke or one that played to your Patriotic sensibilities with a bunch of red, white, and blue to guilt you into buying a bottle. With Scattered Castles Bourbon, if you know, you know (IYKYK).
Bottom line, I’m just one guy trying to make a great whiskey. No investors. No venture capitalists. No board of directors. No outside financing. No crowd-sourcing. No corporate interests. No one to suggest I compromise quality to maximize profits. This bourbon isn’t about profits.
It’s about quality, patience, passion, and a relentless pursuit of great whiskey.
Scattered Castles Bourbon is a reflection of my journey. Every detail, from grain to glencairn, was made with purpose. What started as an experiment has grown into something far bigger, but the goal remains the same: to make bourbon I believe in.
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This is my bourbon. And I hope you enjoy it.