Lifting Spirits...and Lifting Up a Spirits Business

It's been nearly two years since Uncle Nearest and Jack Daniel's
joined forces to create the Nearest and Jack Advancement
Initiative with a goal of creating new opportunities for people
of color in the spirits industry. The Initiative's business
incubator program has just graduated its first company after
working with Du Nord Social Spirits for more than a year. The
Minneapolis distillery was damaged by fire in the unrest that
followed the murder of George Floyd by police just a few blocks
away in June of 2020, but is making a comeback with plans for an
all-new distillery in one of the city's historically Black
neighborhoods and its own incubator program to help other local
entrepreneurs. We'll catch up with Du Nord founder Chris Montana
on this week's WhiskyCast In-Depth. In the news, Heaven Hill is
acquiring craft spirits producer Samson & Surrey to add
premium brands to its portfolio, and new economic data shows
growing demand for those premium spirits. We'll also look at what
happens when a veteran distiller changes jobs -- and has to
change their wardrobe at the same time.