Creative Distillation: Pushing Boundaries
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˘◡˘◕‿↼Lance Winters of St. George Spirits, Leslie Merinoff of Matchbook Distilling, and Lars Williams of Empirical Spirits are three of the most inventive minds in spirits today—each bringing a deeply original, multi-dimensional approach to reimagining what distillation can be. These modern renegades have built careers on blowing past tradition—not just for the thrill of it, but to craft spirits that provoke, enchant, and genuinely surprise. Their styles couldn’t be more different, but what unites them is a refusal to play it safe, and a deep belief in flavor as a form of expression.
From Lance’s category-defying classics at St. George, to Leslie’s field-to-flask experiments in sensory storytelling at Matchbook, to Lars’s flavor-forward, mind-bending creations at Empirical, this panel peels back the curtain on how these producers dream up what’s next—and why they do it in the first place. This is a conversation about process, philosophy, gut instinct, and the occasional beautiful accident.
Guiding the chaos with curiosity and expertise is Arielle Johnson, flavor scientist, fermentation whisperer, and co-conspirator in all things delicious.
Cocktails during the session will be provided by Birds of Paradise, the award-winning New England cocktail bar, with service by celebrated Boston bartenders Jen Laforge and Will Isaza.
Guest List
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