This week, Big Chief sits down with Mike Sherman, one of the owners of Vendome Copper & Brass Works, the legendary Louisville-based company that has been crafting copper stills and distillation systems since 1903. For more than a century, Vendome has been the backbone of American whiskey, shaping the character and flavor of spirits made by the country's most celebrated distilleries.
While Mike was hard at work and couldn't sip, that didn't stop Big Chief from enjoying a few pours along the ride. In the first half of the show, he sipped on Weller Full Proof and ASW Fiddler, and in the second half, he poured Chattanooga Whiskey and Crittenden's Above the Cut — all distilled on Vendome copper.
Together, Big Chief and Mike dive into:
• The proud history and heritage of Vendome Copper & Brass Works.
• The art and precision of building stills by hand.
• How Vendome has adapted through prohibition, whiskey booms, and modern innovation.
• Stories from legendary distillers and iconic distilleries.
• Why copper remains the essential metal for crafting the world's finest spirits.
This episode is a must-listen for every whiskey enthusiast, distiller, and history lover who's ever wondered where great whiskey truly begins.
Because without copper, there is no whiskey—and without people like Mike Sherman and the Vendome family, there would be no soul behind the stills that shape the spirit of America.
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