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We sit down with Doug McLaughlin of M&O Spirits to hear how a film-and-production background turned into a grain-to-glass distillery south of Columbus. We taste through Ta-Da, Pumpkin Spice, Black, Smoke, and a cask strength pour while Doug breaks down the process choices that make his whiskey stand out.

• Doug and Mike’s path from basement R&D to a fully licensed Ohio craft distillery
• Why M&O sticks to 55-gallon barrels and waits for real maturity
• The double oaking method using custom toasted and charred staves
• Long fermentation for fruit esters and a cleaner, drinkable distillate
• Ta-Da white whiskey: wheat-heavy recipe, multi-run pot distillation, quick oak touch for whiskey designation
• Pumpkin puree in the mash and spice satchels in the barrel for a balanced holiday finish
• Black vs Smoke: same mash bill, different distillation count, different flavor profiles
• Cask strength tasting notes and how proof can mean concentrated flavour
• Where to buy, distillery hours, and why some cask strength bottles are distillery-only
• Our July 25 tasting event plug and why “try before you buy” matters

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A lot of craft bourbon talk is hype. Doug McLaughlin from M&O Spirits shows what it looks like when the hype is backed by process, patience, and a distiller who can explain every decision from mash to bottle. We’re joined by Doug (calling in from Asheville, Ohio) and we taste through the lineup while he lays out how M&O went from an off-the-books R&D basement setup to a fully legal, award-winning grain-to-glass distillery.

We dig into the techniques that shape the flavor: a long 20-day fermentation designed to build fruit esters, pot still runs that change the entire personality of the same mash bill, and a double oaking approach that uses custom white oak staves toasted, charred, and smothered to lock smoke into the wood. You’ll hear why Black (triple distilled) lands smoother and more “classic bourbon,” while Smoke (double distilled) keeps a bigger mouthfeel with brighter fruit and built-in campfire notes that shine in an Old Fashioned.

Then we get into the fun bottles: Ta-Da, a wheat-forward white whiskey that surprises people who expect “gasoline,” and a pumpkin spice spirit made with real pumpkin puree in the cook and spice satchels aging in the barrel for years so the finish feels like dessert, not a candle. We also talk cask strength, non-chill filtering, careful cuts, and how small allocations impact where you can actually buy the rare stuff.

If you’re near Columbus, Doug shares how to visit, tour, and taste at the distillery, plus how to catch him at the July 25 event at Mother Stewart’s. Subscribe, share this with your bourbon group, and leave a review so more people can find the show and the makers behind the bottles.

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