Whiskey Thief Distilling Company with Lisa Wicker, Benjamin Eaves, and Kelley Tennille Show Notes

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Feb 3

At Whiskey Thief, the Team Is the Magic

Some episodes end up being less about a place and more about the people who bring it to life. This was one of those conversations. I swear I had an outline for this like usual, but we had so much fun we just kept talking.

I sat down expecting to talk about Whiskey Thief as a distillery, but what unfolded felt more like a look inside a team that has found its stride together. The kind of group where roles are clear, trust runs deep, and everyone seems to be moving in the same direction without needing to check the map every five minutes.

Whiskey Thief has always stood out for doing things its own way. After spending time with Lisa Wicker, Ben Eaves, and Kelley Tennille, it’s clear that what makes this place special now goes far beyond the novelty of pulling whiskey straight from the barrel. It’s about the people guiding what goes into those barrels in the first place.

A Distillery Built on Feel, Backed by Focus

There’s a relaxed, welcoming energy to Whiskey Thief that feels effortless when you visit. It’s still a working farm in Kentucky. It’s still a place where the experience is built around connection, conversation, and tasting whiskey in its most direct form. But behind that front-porch ease, there’s a team that has been quietly refining how everything works.

Over the past year, production efficiency has improved significantly. Standard operating procedures have been tightened up and clarified. Mash bills are being evaluated with a long-term plan in mind, and new ideas are already aging that won’t show up in bottles for years. The work happening now is less about quick wins and more about building a foundation that will hold up over time.

That balance between approachability and precision is becoming part of Whiskey Thief’s identity. Guests may feel like they’ve wandered into a laid-back country distillery, but what’s in their glass is backed by thoughtful systems and a team that takes its craft seriously.

Lisa Wicker: Rediscovering the Joy in Building

Rejoining the podcast after her first visit in Episode 109, Lisa’s path through the whiskey world has taken her across large-scale operations, international projects, and consulting roles that demanded constant motion. At Whiskey Thief, she’s found something a little different: the chance to shape a growing distillery without carrying the entire weight of it on her shoulders.

Instead of managing endless layers, she’s working closely with a tight, collaborative group. Instead of chasing rapid expansion, she’s focused on sustainable growth, asking careful questions about what the distillery should become and how quickly it should get there.

Her role is less about titles and more about direction. She’s helping guide decisions about equipment, processes, and future capacity while leaving room for the rest of the team to step forward in their own areas of expertise. Perhaps the most noticeable change is how clearly she enjoys the day-to-day work again, not just the big-picture strategy.

Ben Eaves: Building the Backbone

Ben brings a steady, detail-oriented approach that helps turn creative ideas into repeatable results. Since joining Whiskey Thief, he has been deeply involved in improving production efficiency and refining the systems that keep everything running smoothly.

Yields have improved, processes are more consistent, and the overall workflow has become more reliable without losing the hands-on character that defines a craft distillery. What stands out most, though, is his focus on the people around him. His goals for the coming year are as much about supporting his teammates as they are about technical achievements.

Creating the conditions where everyone else can do their best work is a quieter kind of leadership, but it’s one that has already made a visible difference.

Kelley Tennille: Following Flavor Through the Seasons

Kelley’s influence is most visible in the distillery’s gin and specialty spirit program, where seasonality and creativity play a central role. Her approach is rooted in curiosity and a deep respect for ingredients, with plans underway to expand into a full on-site gin garden that will bring even more botanicals into the farm-to-glass story.

For Kelley, the goal is simple in theory and demanding in practice: make the best spirit possible that day. That mindset drives her ongoing research and development, whether she’s refining a seasonal gin or exploring a new liqueur idea. It’s a process that blends intuition, experience, and a willingness to keep experimenting until something truly sings.

The Single Barrel Philosophy

Whiskey Thief’s identity still revolves around single barrels, not as a marketing feature but as the core of how the distillery operates. That means variation from barrel to barrel and an acceptance that no two experiences will be exactly the same.

Awards and recognition have followed, but the team’s approach remains grounded. When it comes time to submit a whiskey for competition, the focus is on sending a barrel that genuinely represents the best of what they’re doing at that moment. At the same time, not every barrel makes it to the tasting room. If something doesn’t meet their standards, it doesn’t get bottled. The emphasis stays firmly on quality rather than volume.

For visitors, that philosophy translates into a tasting experience that feels personal and immediate. You aren’t just trying a brand; you’re tasting a specific barrel with its own story.

Looking Toward the Future

There is growth on the horizon, from discussions about additional equipment to plans for laying down more whiskey. But the goal isn’t to transform Whiskey Thief into a massive industrial operation. Instead, the team is focused on deepening what already makes the place special: strong fundamentals, a thoughtful approach to flavor, and a culture where people genuinely enjoy working together.

If this conversation made one thing clear, it’s that the future of Whiskey Thief isn’t being rushed. It’s being built carefully, with an eye on both the whiskey aging in the rickhouse and the people who show up each day to make it.

Listen to the full episode to hear how this team came together, why culture matters as much as chemistry, and how Whiskey Thief continues to carve out its own path in Kentucky whiskey.

Thank you to Lisa, Ben, and Kelley for entering the Whiskey Ring!

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Whiskey Thief Distilling Company