Crafted Conversations
Allan sits down with Brandon McCraney — founder and master blender of Olde Raleigh Distillery in Zebulon, North Carolina. A former Air Force captain who emptied his 401(k) and opened during the pandemic, Brandon calls himself “the antithesis of a 300-year-old brand.”
The twist: he’s a blender, not a distiller. He bought the stills, never connected them, and instead built something rarer — sourcing from 11 distilleries across five states, finishing whiskey in everything from Spanish orange wine to a once-a-year “coffee bomb” born from a mistake, and releasing 181 distinct expressions a year without ever repeating a batch.
A conversation about mastering one craft, rolling with the punches, and the patience it takes to make today what the world will want five years from now.
Learn more at craftedconvos.com
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