Industry Night: Whiskey, Wellness, and the Future of Drinking
On this episode of Industry Night, host Nycci Nellis sits down with Ari Sussman — 2024 Whiskey Maker of the Year — for a wide-ranging conversation about the science, culture, and future of distilled spirits. From winemaking in France to founding Michigan State's artisan distilling program, Ari brings a rare blend of academic rigor and bartender instincts to one of the most fascinating conversations in the drinks world right now. The result is a show notes episode that moves from grain to glass, from tradition to experimentation, and from old assumptions to a very different future for whiskey.
Ari's path into spirits is anything but conventional. He began as a policy analyst, took a one-way ticket to France, and found himself immersed in winemaking before eventually building distilleries across the United States. That winding trajectory gives him a perspective that feels both deeply technical and refreshingly practical. In this conversation, he explains how those early experiences shaped the way he thinks about flavor, process, and what makes a spirit truly memorable.
Much of the episode turns on the science behind grain and flavor. Ari talks about how American whiskey has long leaned wood-forward, and why more expressive grain varietals can open the door to a more layered, nuanced drinking experience. He also discusses how Prohibition disrupted grain diversity and how distillers today are working to bring those flavors back into the conversation. It is part history lesson, part sensory deep dive, and part argument for why the category still has room to evolve.
The episode also gets at one of the most interesting tensions in spirits: the transparency gap between producer and consumer. Ari argues that the usual questions wine drinkers ask do not always translate to whiskey, because the industry has historically placed a marketing curtain between the maker and the drinker. That idea runs through the whole conversation, especially as the hosts consider how younger consumers are discovering spirits today — often on their phones, through influencers, and with different expectations about access and authenticity.
That broader shift raises bigger questions about the future of American whiskey. Ari makes the case that longevity in the category depends on more than just technical quality; it also depends on whether a brand connects with people and stands for something meaningful. He shares how he approaches that balance through his work with Whiskey Gypsy, including the Explorer expression and the importance of Appalachian oak in shaping the final product. The conversation makes clear that innovation in whiskey is not just about novelty — it is about building something that can last.
