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We sit down with Steve Lambert from Leather and Oak Spirits to get real about what makes Ohio whiskey special when it is built from grain genetics up instead of hype. We taste through the logic behind 100% corn bourbon, pot still texture, and the hands-on experiments that keep small-batch releases consistent while still interesting.
• why grain genetics and yeast set the flavor floor
• tasting white dog to understand the true foundation
• how a 100% corn mash bill changes aging needs
• barrel toast and char choices that drive caramel and toffee notes
• pot still oils and viscosity vs column still output
• batching and proof targets that stay approachable
• Mill Street history and what it taught about process
• handmade limoncello at scale using lemon peel oils
• enzymes, amylase, sugar conversion, and cleaner fermentation
• yeast trials, residual sugar, and shaping rye whiskey character
• rapid stave testing to avoid long aging mistakes
• managing inventory, growth pressure, and staying small on purpose
• Hilliard support, tasting room plans, and how to book tours
• the rye plus limoncello cocktail that unexpectedly works
• cigar pairings that match sweet corn bourbon

A great bottle doesn’t start in a barrel. It starts with decisions most people never see: grain genetics, yeast behavior, cut points, and whether you’re willing to taste your spirit before oak makes it pretty. We’re joined by Steve Lambert of Leather and Oak Spirits in the Columbus area to talk about the new wave of Ohio craft distilling and why “grain to glass” is more than a slogan when you’re running a small pot still and betting everything on flavor.

We dig into what makes Leather and Oak stand out in the bourbon world: a 100% corn mash bill. Steve explains why corn can be the hardest grain to mature, how barrel toast and a heavy char can build deep caramel, butterscotch, and toffee notes, and why proofing to that sweet spot keeps the whiskey approachable without going thin. Along the way, we get nerdy in the best way about fermentation enzymes like amylase, how sugar conversion affects yield and taste, and why subtle yeast differences can reshape a rye whiskey profile.

Then we take a hard left into something we didn’t expect to love: handmade limoncello and how alcohol acts as a solvent, pulling oils from lemon peel the same way whiskey pulls vanillin and tannins from oak. It leads to one of our favorite moments: mixing their rye with their 80-proof limoncello and accidentally finding a genuinely balanced cocktail. If you care about Ohio bourbon, pot still whiskey, small batch distilling, and real behind-the-scenes process, you’ll want this one.

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