Fred B Noe Distillery names Freddie Noe master distiller

The James B Beam Distilling Company has appointed Freddie Noe as the eighth-generation master distiller of the Fred B Noe Distillery.

The Fred B Noe Distillery was built in tribute to seventh-generation master distiller Fred Noe, and officially opened last year. The facility was part of parent company Beam Suntory’s US$60 million investment to revamp the James B Distilling Co in Clermont, Kentucky, in the US.

Fred Noe said of his son’s appointment: “There is nothing in this world that would give me more pleasure and make me prouder than seeing Freddie step into the role of master distiller.

“One of my biggest regrets is to never have distilled alongside my own father, Booker, so working side by side with Freddie will be a dream come true. I believe that a master distiller should understand the craft of distilling, uphold quality and honour tradition, while spearheading innovation.

“Freddie embodies this wholeheartedly and I look forward to seeing Freddie lead the charge in creating the next generation of whiskeys that help to grow the American whiskey category around the world.”

Freddie’s appointment marks the first time two family members have worked alongside each other with the master distiller title.

Freddie Noe commented: “It is an honour beyond words to follow in my father’s footsteps. I will continue to honour the 227 years of family craft and experience in my work every day by dedicating myself to making genuine quality whiskey, while pushing the brand forward.”

Fred Noe will continue overseeing the James B Beam Distilling Company’s portfolio, including Jim Beam, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden, and more.

Freddie Noe, in his new master distiller role, will experiment with new fermentation, distillation and blending techniques to create ‘category-defining and boundary-pushing’ whiskeys.

He will also host experiential distillation sessions and seminars with hands-on activities in the blending lab.