Topic: A Sip of Knowledge with Nicole Austin of Cascade Hollow Distilling Co.

Hosts: Liz Rhoades, Lew Bryson, & Martin Duffy

What You'll Learn: Join a trio of drink industry veterans in weekly conversation on whiskey, spirits, distilling, marketing, and the current state of the drink industry. This week, Nicole Austin,  GM and Distiller at Cascade Hollow Distilling Co. (George Dickel) joins the group.

When Nicole Austin was hand selected by distilling icon Dave Pickerell to be the first employee for his spirits consulting firm in 2012, the spirits industry took note of her fresh thinking and strategic vision. When the New York Times dubbed her “Bourbon’s Master of the Craft” in 2014, the industry applauded her distilling expertise. When the rye whiskey she helped create won Double Gold at the 2015 San Francisco Spirits Competition, they celebrated her creativity and innovation. And in 2018, when she was named General Manager and Distiller for Cascade Hollow Distilling Co., Austin knew she’d found a home in Tennessee.

Nicole Austin graduated from Manhattan College with a major in Chemical Engineering in 2006, before landing her position as a Master Blender for Kings County Distillery in 2010. She then joined The Oak View Spirits consulting firm where she handled everything from raw material sourcing to contract negotiations. Most recently, Nicole served as a Project Commissioning Engineer for William Grant & Sons at the Tullamore Distillery in Ireland. She’s also been a fierce advocate for the distilling industry as a founding board member of the American Craft Spirits Association and co-chair of Legislative, Convention and State Guild Committees.

In her role as General Manager and Distiller of Cascade Hollow Distilling Co. Nicole leads the strategic direction of the company, which means she has dual responsibilities across operations and marketing for the distillery and its whisky brands. Since joining the Cascade Hollow team, she’s been instrumental in the latest innovations from George Dickel—including George Dickel Bottled in Bond (Fall 2005) that launched in May 2019 and was awarded Whisky Advocate’s “Whisky of the Year” distinction in December 2019. Additionally, Bottled in Bond (Fall 2008) was awarded a 95 rating from Whisky Advocate, topping the 94 rating of the prior vintage. In March 2020, Nicole was also named as Artisan Spirit Magazine’s first ever “Distiller of the Year” where the selection committee weighed Nicole against several selection guidelines including “willing to push boundaries while still understanding and learning from tradition” to “industry advocate to customers and others outside the boundary of the distillery.” In Fall 2020, Nicole launched the Cascade Moon Whisky series—a brand new line of limited edition whiskies that pays homage to the distillery’s history while setting the tone for the future of the whisky category. The industry has celebrated both releases from the line, with Cascade Moon Edition No. 1 awarded with 92 rating from Wine Enthusiast and Cascade Moon Edition No. 2 being called “one of the best whisky releases of 2021” by Paste Magazine. In early 2021, Nicole won the “Distillery Manager” award from Icons of Whisky Awards.

Liz Rhoades, founder of Spirit Safe Consulting, former research scientist for DIAGEO, distilling consultant, spirits writer for The Whiskey Wash & presenter.

Lew Bryson, former managing editor for Whisky Advocate Magazine for 20 years, whiskey author, beer/whiskey writer and presenter.

Martin Duffy, former DIAGEO Master of Whisky for the Midwest, DIAGEO Reserve Brand Ambassador for The Republic of Ireland, North American Brand Representative for Glencairn Crystal.