Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/723381
september 2016 / the tasting panel / 55 IT'S A SPECIAL MOMENT FOR JOHN LUNN AND ALLISA HENLEY. After all, it isn't every day that you become the care- takers of a legend like Popcorn Sutton—and the stewards in charge of shepherding that legend into a clear, bright, inno- vative future. BUT WITH A HISTORY AS RICH (and successful) as Marvin "Popcorn" Sutton's, Lunn and Henley have a lot of excellent raw material to play with at the distillery in Newport, TN—from the bootlegger's generations-old family recipe to the way his creative, entrepreneurial spirit is still inspiring the brand and its deliciously versatile spirit today. Only now, that spirit isn't relegated to secreted sales from the back of a pick-up's flatbed; it's inspiring some of the most exciting sipping in bars far beyond Popcorn Sutton's Southern roots. "I like the fact that he lived his own life and did things his own way," says Lunn, Popcorn Sutton's Master Distiller since March of 2015. "That's significant to what being an American is all about. Doing things your way." It's also significant to Lunn and Popcorn Sutton CEO Megan Kvamme's plans for the future, which have taken some exciting turns as of late. For starters, there's been a total metamorphosis of the original Mason jar–style packag- ing into a sleek, sexy (and, for on-premise accounts, easier- to-pour) bottle to house the subtly sweet spirit. The distillery is also focused on taking pure, high-quality Popcorn Sutton Original Small Batch Recipe (SRP $27.99/750ml, 44% ABV) and letting it linger in barrels for special, bespoke releases of Popcorn Sutton Barrel Finish (SRP $49.99/750ml, 46% ABV) with its alluring aromas and flavors of toasty pecans, maple and pepper; 600 cases of it were released last March. And then there's the launch of a fresh, zippy, New West–style gin dubbed Avery's Trail Tennessee Premium Gin (SRP $34.99/750ml), with bright citrusy top notes that kick off layers of flavor and a full, rich mouthfeel. And, of course, let's not leave out the acquisition of Henley this past July as Popcorn Sutton's newly minted Master Blender. It's not a surprise that Lunn would angle to bring Henley along for the ride: For ten years, the two distilled side by side at famed Tennessee whiskey producer George Dickel. Get them in a room together and they can easily finish each other's sentences and thoughts, let alone each other's distillations. They are a dynamic duo who appreciate the simultaneous gravity yet freedom that history affords— be it as co-workers or as the modern-day interpreters of Popcorn's ideals. "We are Popcorn Sutton," says Henley. "He's a legend and we're still going to make that spirit. We want to stay true to what he made and did, his traditional ways and the heritage he had. And from that, John and I can make our own legacy." It's a pretty solid foundation to build upon. Lunn takes Popcorn Sutton's history to heart, adhering to the original 100-year-old recipe born in the Appalachian foothills, then passed down among Sutton's ancestors and used within his secreted 800 gallon stills until he died in March of 2009. Legendary Kentucky still craftsmen Vendome Copper & Brass Works custom-built the modern distllery's trio of 100 percent copper pot stills. It's that kind of fine-tuning and commitment to quality that has made Popcorn Sutton fly to the head of the pack. Popcorn Sutton contains no neutral grain spirits and is made according to the authentic, century-old recipe handed down PHOTO: VAN GALLIK