Andrew Varga talks all things J Mattingly 1845 Distillery

Andrew Varga, the Managin Partner of Gold Corn Investors LLC, discussed the history of the J Mattingly 1845 Distillery, the details on their new loaction in Frankfort, and how you can customize your own label...

Episode Transcript

(00:00):
That's right. Stoops wants people topound something or other that they enjoy,
some liquid that they enjoy prior tothe game. Even though tomorrow's is at
noon, I think we can getrolling. I think I'm starting at Jay
Mattingley eighteen forty five in Frankfurt.That's where I'm going. Oh what we
have Andrew Varga on the line rightnow from that awesome distillery here tomorrow,

(00:20):
Terry, we'd love to have you. Actually, we were hoping that game
was going to be at night,but anyway, it is what it is.
So we're pulling for the cats andwe're doing the best we can.
So anyway, come by and seeus. I heard this place is magnificent.
It's a new home for this legendaryfamily. Jay Mattingley eighteen forty five.

(00:41):
Tell us about it, Andrew,absolutely well. John Graves Mattinglee started
Jay Mattinglee in eighteen forty five.He is the second distillery of record in
Kentucky. In some history that we'vebeen researching actually has it as the first
distillery in the state of Kentucky.So it's a long legacy. The Maddingly
name has been affiliated with nine distilleriesover time. And Jeff and Melissa matting

(01:07):
Lee in twenty ten really brought thebrand and the business back to life by
starting J matting The eighteen forty fivefirst in Georgetown, and now we've moved
across the street in Frankfort, Kentucky, right across from Buffalo Trace. Some
of the world's greatest bourbons and greatpeople over there, and we're just pleased
to be open and welcome our publicfor the first day. Yeah, here's

(01:30):
pretty magnificence. And like you said, it's a high traffic area already with
your famous neighbor right there. Sowhat's the plan for Do people go on
like individual things or if you're goingto bring five buddies with you? How
does it work? Now, it'sa great question. We offer really three
main experiences. First, just regulartours for people to come in and see

(01:52):
what we've got and learn about ourhistory. We do tours and tastings so
that you can sample what we haveavailable from our small batch double staved bourbons.
And then we also do something terrythat is really one of a kind
in the state of Kentucky and Franklyanywhere as we've seen it, and it's
called the j Mattinglee eighteen forty five. Custom bourbon blending experience where you actually

(02:15):
get to come in with your friends. Go online to J. Mattingley eighteen
forty five and you can book yourreservations and what you get to do is
you get to blend your own bottleof bourbon from four double staved Kentucky bourbon
barrels that are picked out by ourmaster distillers. They walk you through it
and you pick what blend percentages youwant from each one of those barrels.

(02:37):
You pick your bottle, you pickyour label, you get to name your
label, and then you get towatch to finish it off. So it's
just such a wonderful experience. I'mout here today and people are just walking
away loving it and thanking us,and we're just so glad to be as
hospitable as we can while they're here. Yeah. Okay, so you customize

(02:58):
that it's your J. Mattingley eighteenforty five. But you call, you
can call on your label. Itwould have like a subhead that would say
like Terry's Treasure or something, orwhatever name I want to give my own
bourbon. Absolutely, you can nameit yourself. Obviously we want it to
be you know, something that iswithin some level of appropriate. Obviously it's

(03:20):
yours, it's yours to name andyours. You know what we found Terry
is is this bourbon experience and isbourbon Chase is all about, you know,
the personal experience and knowing those storiesabout bourbon and when you can really
make it personal to that person.When they're coming in and our guests are
are getting to do the blending andeverything else, they walk away with a

(03:40):
with a really good memory, hopefullya great experience here. We sure try
our best, and and then theycome back and tell their friends, well
exactly, And it's kind of likebeing a chef in a kitchen. You're
experimenting, you're doing this that whatever, you get a taste that you like
goo, this is for me.And then what are we talking about?
A whole barrel? You're you're gettinga you're you're going to bio whole barrel.

(04:00):
And then you you you make somany bottles orre you making one bottle
of your customized bourbons? That's agreat question. Youow, you make your
own bottle. You can buy upto twelve bottles ball low and that's what
you can That's what you can walkaway with. But it really is the
same sort of experiences buying your ownbarrel, but the entry point is so

(04:21):
much more reasonable. It's one hundredand seventy five dollars for the first bottle,
and then each subsequent bottle is onehundred and twenty. All right,
how long does this process take?Andrew? So you know, if you
have a bunch of friends, andlet's say, I know Keenland's not running
right now, but let's pretend we'regonna spend three hours there or four how
much time do you need for this? Six of you book a reservation.

(04:44):
You'll be in and out in fortyfive minutes and it'll be the best forty
five minutes of bourbon education you'll everspend. That's right. And then obviously
you take the bourbon with you andso that that's a part of your existence
for as long as you let itlast. But that's that's cool. So
the J Menningley this is a newset up, because obviously it's an old
business, but it's a new setup. And you set across from Buffalo Trace

(05:08):
absolutely and it's it's a twenty rillyroad in Frankfort, Kentucky, and you
know, we're just we're blessed tobe here. We were thrilled to be
open, and you know, loveour neighbors and and love the Bourbon Trail,
and we're just you know, we'rejust happy to be a small part
of it, but hopefully a veryexciting part of it. What a kind
of a brilliant idea for holiday giftstoo. I mean, these customized labels,

(05:30):
all the stuff you can do,that's that's pretty fantastic. So,
uh, how how long's the turnaround? You're saying if somebody signs up for
a bourbon blending experience, they getto leave that day or does it have
they get the product a week lateror how does that work? No,
they they leave that day with it. But it's a you're actually bringing up
a great point. We're going tobe doing a because this is perfect for
corporations to do gifts for their partnersor their employees and team members and and

(05:57):
so we're going to be doing acorporate outreach for people to find us online.
We can customize their bottles, makesure that we get them to them
legally, and they can use thoseas holiday gifts and you know, really
bring something special to people that theymight ordinarily not get Yeah, all right,
it's J Mattingley eighteen forty five.That's the website dot com. Jmattingleeighteen

(06:19):
forty five dot com. And you'reopen every day of the week, eight
thirty to five thirty Monday through Saturday. Right now. We're not open on
Sunday, gotcha. Okay, Well, it's the quintessential Kentucky Christmas gift,
that's for sure. And happy forall you guys who I know you've been

(06:39):
working hard on getting this project upand running and off you go. Thank
you so much, Terry. It'salways a pleasure to talk to you.
Okay, Andrew, take care.There's Andrew Varga in Frankfort. It's twenty
Riley Road, Frankfort, Kentucky.And they're right across the road from Buffalo
Trace, which is highly traversed andso now right, that's their new neighbor.

(07:00):
Ja Mattingley eighteen forty five. Andit's not a new experience. There's
a lot of knowledge that goes infor I think one hundred years of distilling
at least from the Mattingley family.They've just moved from another location in Kentucky.
You can read all about it ontheir website. It's Jattingley eighteen forty
five dot com.