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Diageo sharpens focus on Tennessee whiskey business
Diageo has renamed its Tennessee whiskey distillery George Dickel the Cascade Hollow Distilling Co, and appointed Nicole Austin as its general manager and distiller.
Nicole Austin is the new general manager and distiller for the Cascade Hollow Distilling Co
Cascade Hollow Distilling Co will be the home of George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey and will also create “future innovations”.
In her role, Austin will “ignite commercial and innovation strategies for the flagship George Dickel brand, future innovation spirits and the distillery”, according to Diageo.
In 2015, George Dickel’s master distiller, John Lunn, left the brand to join rival Tennessee whiskey distillery Popcorn Sutton.
Most recently, Austin served as project commissioning engineer for William Grant & Sons’s Tullamore Distillery in Ireland. She previously worked for The Oak View Spirits consulting firm and Kings County Distillery, where she was master blender.
Austin graduated from Manhattan College with a major in Chemical Engineering in 2006.
She said: “As a distiller, strategist and mentor, I’ve worn a lot of hats in my career which have prepared me for this moment.
“Now, it’s time for me to draw from those experiences and build a business that creates a fundamental step change in how people think about Tennessee whiskey. I’m proud to be here and ready to get to work.”