There’s a new Blender in Redemption town. Redemption Whiskey recently introduced Alan Kennedy as the brand’s new Master Blender.
With nearly two decades of experience, Kennedy will lead all aspects of production and innovation for Redemption, including its classic whiskeys, specialty series whiskeys, Single Barrel Select program and barrel proof whiskeys, as well as new limited-edition releases. Under his guidance, Redemption will continue its mission to revive rye to its former glory by bringing what used to be America’s most popular spirit before Prohibition back to the forefront of whiskey culture today with bold, spicy and ‘rye-forward’ whiskeys.
Hailing from Nashville, Kennedy started his career as a classically trained pastry chef before shifting his focus to the world of wine and spirits. He credits that training as a foundational step for his career, noting the precision between science and art that serves him now more than ever in his role as Master Blender.
Training under distillers and blenders as he rose through the ranks, Kennedy gained a vast array of experience, mastering everything from hand picking the grains, to filling and rolling barrels, to learning the meticulous art of blending. In 2019, he was appointed Master Blender for Lexington Brewing & Distilling Company’s Town Branch Whiskey, making him one of the youngest Master Blenders on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail at the time.
“After learning about the first-of-its-kind Redemption Sur Lee innovation, it really changed my view on the possibilities about what rye whiskey could be,” said Redemption Whiskey Master Blender Alan Kennedy. “The brand’s vision to restore rye whiskey to its pre-Prohibition glory by creating rye-forward whiskeys that showcase this exemplary grain is one I’m proud to shepherd, and I could not be more thrilled to join the Redemption Whiskey team as Master Blender. I look forward to continuing to tell Redemption’s story through our established expressions and the new ones we’ll create together.”
Kennedy is known to patiently sort through thousands of barrels to create the exact profile, and sense memory, that he’s looking for. This approach, paired with his appreciation for rye-forward whiskeys, is what makes Kennedy the perfect fit for the Master Blender role at Redemption Whiskey. “We’re in constant, relentless pursuit of making the best American Whiskey possible,” said Tom Steffanci, President of Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits. “Alan is exactly the right professional to help us achieve that goal as we dream up delicious and evocative rye-forward innovations.”
Based in Lexington, Kentucky, Kennedy succeeds Dave Carpenter, who previously served as Redemption’s Master Blender.
