Whether you call it Seagram’s, LDI, MGP, or its official modern name, Ross & Squibb—the massive facility in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, is the undisputed backbone of the whiskey industry. On this episode, we sit down with Ian Stirsman, the Master Distiller steering the ship at this legendary production powerhouse. We tackle the distillery’s endless naming history head-on and trace Ian’s journey from a chemical engineer working in a paper mill to commanding one of the largest distillation footprints in the world. Ian delivers a technical masterclass on how they produce massive mash bills at an unbelievable scale, the history behind their iconic 95/5 rye recipe, and why vintage light whiskey is suddenly having a massive moment. Plus, we pull back the curtain on how their team approaches blending, warehouse aging, and wood selection for Ross & Squibb’s own rapidly growing premium house brands like George Remus and Rossville Union.
Show Notes:
- Why the industry still calls Ross & Squibb Seagram’s, LDI, and MGP
- Ian Stirsman’s journey from chemical engineering to the Lawrenceburg distillery floor
- The Dayton whiskey bar epiphany that revealed MGP’s true market dominance
- Moving from process engineer to managing a multi-spirit team operation
- Deconstructing the legendary 95/5 rye recipe and the lasting impact of Seagram’s documentation
- The history of light whiskey and why older expressions are suddenly booming with consumers
- How the team selects barrels for George Remus and Rossville Union
- Wood management, rickhouse microclimates, and creating the Remus Experimental Series
- The future of Ross & Squibb’s brand strategy, bottle club, and upcoming changes to the barrel program