Welcome to the Whisk(e)y Warrior Award!
On the first of every month, someone is awarded the prodigious title of Whisk(e)y Warrior. A question and answer interview is conducted with the valiant warrior, and then distributed to the world! What is a Whisk(e)y Warrior? Find out more by clicking here.
And now, we proudly present your Whisk(e)y Warrior.
He has Herculean brawn and an Athenian like brain. Modern mythological powers. A millennial for the new millennium. Bringing you good tidings and whiskey cheer across limitless distance through an invisible power. He is…
Brodie Whitlock, Whisk(e)y Warrior!
Interview:
Zac: Tell me a little about yourself. Where’d you grow up?
Brodie: I grew up in the town known for the masters, Augusta Georgia. Never been to the masters at all but I was born there and I was pretty much there my whole life.
Zac: You’re in South Carolina now. What brought you there?
Brodie: Work and school. I went to Clemson University for my undergrad degree and after that moved back home for a little bit because I graduated in the middle of the recession and of course nobody was offering internships or jobs. If they were doing anything they were laying off. And so, I moved back home worked for Apple for a couple years and then decided I was getting a little stagnant and complacent. Went to grad school up in Charlotte and lived there for probably about three years and then moved to Spartanburg.
Zac: When you’re not doing whiskey stuff, what is your day job?
Brodie: I’m an intern architect by day. Intern just means someone that’s not licensed. Like I am getting paid. I know intern has that negative connotation of, “oh you’re doing this for free.” No, doesn’t work like that.
Zac: On Instagram, I notice you’re often with a four-legged friend. What’s your dog’s name?
Brodie: Jo-Jo, fluff-bucket, fluffy butt.
Zac: How long have you had him for?
Brodie: It was a year in March. I got him on his birthday and so it helps me remember.
Zac: That’s awesome, I miss having a pet.
Brodie: Yeah, it’s nice to come home to someone who’s always excited even though you might have yelled at them like an hour before that but they don’t really care as long as you feed them and pet them they’re like, “Alright dude whatever.” They teach ultimate forgiveness.
Zac: Ok, one more question unrelated to whiskey, and then I promise we’ll talk about whiskey. If you had to pick one song as your life's theme song what would it be?
Brodie: The song that sticks out at me a lot, and I can’t explain to you why, is All Along the Watchtower, Jimmy Hendrix version.
Zac: That is an epic song. (Side note to the reader: Click the link above if you want to listen to All Along the Watchtower while reading the rest of this interview.)
Zac: Now, you told me you got into whiskey about two years ago. So, in less than two years you went from not drinking whiskey to doing a podcast about it. That’s impressive. True Whisk(e)y Warrior spirit. Tell me a little about the podcast you’re a part of. What’s the name of it and what’s it about?
Brodie: The name of it is The Empty Glass Resistance. We are a millennial based podcast for everybody. We went with Resistance because millennial’s get a bad rep in society as far as not paying attention and being brats and things of that nature that really isn’t in my opinion 100% true. You can kind of see it in some but that doesn’t speak for everyone. We’re really driven in wanting to bring attention to the fact that we look at things such as secondary market and legislation. We have Molly, who is a master distiller in Oregon, and Devin is a bartender.
Zac: Where can we find the podcast?
Brodie: We have a website www.theemptyglassresistance.com. We have an Instagram page @emptyglassresistance. We have a twitter which is @no_emptyglass. We have Facebook which is Empty Glass Resistance as well.
Zac: Wow, in true millennial fashion, you have every major social media. Good job!
Zac: So, you’ve put a lot of effort and hard work into this. What have been the rewards?
Brodie: Obviously one, the Whisk(e)y Warrior Award. I got invited down to Virgil Kaine’s ginger harvest festival. And the education has just been an eye-opening experience. That’s the biggest thing that I’ve seen beneficial wise. The people that I’ve met doing this have been, by far, an exponential growth. It’s crazy.
Zac: What’s the last whiskey book you read?
Brodie: I think the last book I’ve read related to whiskey was How to Make Whiskey by Bryan Davis.
Zac: What advice would you give new whiskey drinkers?
Brodie: Don’t be afraid to try things. And do your research.
Zac: One last question, if I were visiting Spartanburg, South Carolina, what whiskey establishment would you recommend?
Brodie: I would have to say Main Street Pub. They actually have a really good whiskey selection, probably one of the better ones in town.
Zac: Thanks for the recommendation! Thank you for taking the time to talk with us, and many thanks for all the ways you’re contributing to the whiskey community!
The next award will be released June 1st. We’ll see you then, and remember to nominate your favorite Whisk(e)y Warriors by clicking here!
̶ Zac Smith