Meet Amanda Paul | Co-founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Amanda Paul and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Amanda, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
The idea for Whiskey Del Bac was actually my Mom’s. My parents were drinking Scotch and barbecuing over mesquite when my Mom asked, “What if you smoked malt over mesquite instead of peat?” My Dad and now co-founder, Stephen Paul, became obsessed with the idea. He began learning everything he could about distilling single malts. After a few years of experimenting – and lots of bad whiskeys – Stephen began creating some really good tasting expressions. At the time, I was in New York working but decided to come back home to Tucson to help my Dad get licensed and make Whiskey Del Bac more than a hobby. In 2011, we launched Whiskey Del Bac Classic and Dorado American Single Malt whiskeys out in the local market.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
We started Whiskey Del Bac out of our profound love of the desert. My Dad and I both grew up in Tucson and we’re so grateful to live in this beautiful place. Our flagship whiskey, Dorado, is made with our mesquite smoked malt which imparts a regional uniqueness that isn’t found too often in American whiskeys. We love sharing the flavors of the Arizona desert.

Building a business is never easy. We’re always balancing the right way to grow and how to best focus our energy at every moment. Fortunately, our team keeps us laughing and having fun even on difficult days.

It’s an exciting time for American whiskey makers, especially American single malt whiskey makers. When Stephen set out trying to create a mesquite smoked single malt, he didn’t realize that there weren’t many folks making American single malt whiskeys. Over the years, we’ve been fortunate to meet other incredible American single malt whiskey distillers across the country and learn from them. The category has been gaining momentum. My Dad has been serving on the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission Board and we’re excited to say that the TTB (Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau) is set to make the American Single Malt Whiskey category an official category similar to Bourbon and Rye this year. We’re thrilled to be able to educate more folks on the intricacies of American Single Malt and the unique regions adding their own twist on the category just like we have.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh wow, this is a hard one. There are so many great places here in Arizona. In Tucson, I’d make sure we ate at Agustin Kitchen, El Charro Cafe, and shared a drink over at Westbound in the MSA Annex and Che’s Lounge on 4th Avenue. One organization that I don’t feel gets enough recognition is the Watershed Management Group here in Tucson. I’d love to take my friends to a class or tour of their living lab to learn more about water conservation and how we can all do our part to conserve water here in the desert. We’d probably also have to pop up to Phoenix for a day or two to get in some of the food scene there. There are too many great places to name but my first few stops would probably be pizza at the Parlor, grab some beers at AZ Wilderness, and enjoy the views and the food at Gertrude’s.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My second shout out would have to be the Whiskey Del Bac team. We’ve been so fortunate to gather really smart folks and have fun while we work. Our Head Distiller Mark A. Vierthaler and distillers Abbey Fife and Dustin Cox have taken our whiskeys to new levels in quality and taste. I’m so proud of what they’ve created here at Whiskey Del Bac. Our sales team, Tom Jonovich and Kelly Stewart, have helped us grow in new ways. We also brought in a wickedly smart CEO, Kent Cheeseman, a few years ago who has literally changed the way we approach business and I’ve learned a ton from him. Janna Hoffman has improved the way we deliver tours and experiences on site and her enthusiasm is contagious. Our entire tour guide team and retail team show up every day with a smile and help our guests with everything they need. Jenny Budwig, our Head of Marketing, has helped us share what we’re doing here at Whiskey Del Bac. I genuinely couldn’t ask for a better team to work with!

Also, the entire small business community in Arizona – especially in the food and beverage industry– is just really tight-knit and has endured a lot over the past few years. Our friends in the business and the accounts that we get to work with keep us going. It’s encouraging to see the creativity and craftsmanship throughout the Arizona community. I’m inspired nearly every day by what our neighbors are producing and sharing with the world.

Website: www.whiskeydelbac.com

Instagram: @whiskeydelbac

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/hamilton-distillers-group-inc

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whiskeydelbac

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/whiskey-del-bac-tucson

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi6p20M8MD2sJvI8dEcksXA

Image Credits
Photos by Julius Schlosburg