Hidden Barn names Molly Wellmann master taster
Molly Wellmann is an award-winning mixologist and will bring an on-trade perspective to Kentucky-based Hidden Barn.
Wellmann joins Hidden Barn just weeks after it was announced that master blender Jackie Zykan would be leaving the brand, three years after helping to co-create it.
As master taster, Wellmann will help with batching and single barrel selection, and build upon the tasting profile developed by Zykan.
“Jackie got us into a great place with the creation of a style and profile that myself, Bekah Neeley and the team at Neeley Family Distillery will continue to replicate and build upon,” said Royce Neeley, president and master distiller at Neeley Family Distillery, where Hidden Barn is made.
“The addition of Molly provides a valuable outside tasting perspective, as well as on-premise consumption knowledge, and cocktail crafting expertise from one of the most respected mixologists in the industry.
“As Hidden Barn moves into its 20th state for distribution, Molly’s knowledge in these areas will be invaluable to help us build brand sales.”
Visitors to the Neely Family Distillery in Sparta, Kentucky, can expect to see Wellmann tasting with guests, signing bottles, and perhaps jumping behind the bar on occasion. She will also be visiting markets with the Neely team as they expand their distribution footprint.
“I’m excited to join the team at Hidden Barn, having known Royce and Bekah Neeley and Jackie Zykan for years,” Wellmann said.
“One of the things that drew me to working with the Neeley team is Royce’s ‘old school’ distillation techniques, using pot still distillation with his family’s mash recipe they’ve used for generations.
“Like Royce, I’ve immersed myself in the history of old whiskey, as I’ve used that knowledge in crafting cocktails and curating historically accurate cocktail menus. It seems like the perfect pairing for us to share our love of historic distillation to help Hidden Barn Bourbon expand even further.”
Wellmann is a self-taught mixologist based in Cincinnati. She is the former owner of several bars in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, including Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar, Myrtles Punch House, The Annex, Neons, Melt, and Japp’s. Wellmann is the author of Handcrafted Cocktails and is currently working on her second book.
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