Inside Chivas Regal’s Refurbished Strathisla Distillery

Designer Florian Dussopt brings interactivity to the oldest working distillery in Scotland

Behind the ancient stone walls of Strathisla distillery in the Scottish town of Keith, something extraordinary occurs. As a guide describes to a group of guests the unique flavor combinations found in three of Chivas Regal’s most popular whiskies, a cluster of amber glass bubbles suspended from the ceiling glows in a pre-programmed sequence. The innovative installation by London-based designer Florian Dussopt was commissioned as …

Castle & Key’s Historic Kentucky Distillery

113 acres and 22 reclaimed buildings under the watch of a Master Distiller with a vision for the future of high-end spirits

For more than 40 years, 113 acres of land just outside of Frankfort, Kentucky—and the distillery thereupon, built by legendary distiller Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor—sat idle until the founders of Castle & Key tapped into its potential for two reasons. First, they had a vision of premium spirits crafted from locally sourced ingredients. Second, they recognized that the site—with 22 crumbling, vegetation-covered buildings—could return to its original mission …

The Only American Company Making Paper Straws

Paper straws got a bad reputation as flimsy and funky-tasting, thanks in part to versions produced in China. But Fort Wayne, Indiana-based Aardvark returned to paper straw production in 2007, when demand required that they start up again (they invented the paper straw back in 1888). Not only are the products “green,” they’re also ideal to use. Much of the process behind them is secret, …