Meet The Makers
fourth Annual
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Exclusive offer for ticket holders only. First come first Served Basis.
This year we will be hosting our fourth annual "Meet The Maker" event on both Saturday and Sunday. Listen to their story, taste their whiskey, and ask the questions you've always wanted to ask your favorite whiskey brands.
This year's group of Makers are as follows:
Benny Hurwitz from Wild Turkey
Russell Wedlake from Frey Ranch
Dustin Caster from Virginia Distillery Company
Mitch Mahar from WhistlePig
Ian Friedman from Penelope
Hamish "Hammer" Marshall from Rod & Hammer
There will be tastings each day between 2pm and 5pm. There will be a limited number of seats available for each tasting and they are expected to go FAST, so make your reservations quickly before they're all spoken for.​ Meet them and purchase your tickets below!
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Location: The Rock N Rye Lounge located in the Village picnic area
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$25 Per Session
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Note: These tickets are NOT interchangeable. Purchase the "Meet the Maker" session you wish to attend separately in order to be permitted to join. This event is 21+
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Refund Policy for all Rock n Rye tickets: Sorry no refunds, the event is rain or shine!
Meet This Year's makers
Benny Hurwitz, National Brand Ambassador, Wild Turkey
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Prior to joining Wild Turkey as National Brand Ambassador, Benny Hurwitz served as Head Bartender at Washington D.C. hotspot, the Jack Rose Dining Saloon, a high-end American bar known for housing a respected collection of more than 2,700 global whiskies. There, Hurwitz oversaw all bar programs for Jack Rose, including its intimate basement bar, Dram & Grain. As the innovator behind their dynamic cocktails menu, Hurwitz’s creations such as the Banana Bread Old Fashioned and Bourbon-Blackberry cocktail have been featured in Tasting Table, Chilled Magazine, DCist, VH1 and Wine & Spirits, among others.
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Hurwitz’s inspiration behind the bar starts in his hometown of D.C. as he learned from some of the top bartenders in the city, working alongside James Woods at bar Bourbon and Rachel Sergi, who took Hurwitz from Bourbon to open Jack Rose in 2011. Together, Hurwitz and Rachel, in addition to Rachel’s successor Trevor Frye, transformed the bar into what it is today, building operating systems from the ground up. It was at the Jack Rose Dining Saloon that Hurwitz first met Jimmy Russell, the legend behind one of his all-time favorite Bourbons. According to Hurwitz himself, “I had already enjoyed drinking Wild Turkey, but meeting the man behind the whiskey is when I really connected with the brand.” Upon sitting down with Russell, whose humility for his work and passion for Bourbon were beyond compare, Hurwitz was inspired to join the Wild Turkey family.
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At home, Hurwitz’s go-to drink is either Wild Turkey Bourbon or Russell’s Reserve neat. When out, Benny enjoys the oak-y-ness and spice of a Russell’s Reserve 10-year Boulevardier paired with the bitterness of Campari and the sweetness of the Cinzano 1757 Rosso vermouth.
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Hurwitz lends his vast bourbon expertise as a Brand Ambassador for Wild Turkey Distilling Co., helping to fuel education of the Wild Turkey and Russell’s Reserve Portfolios. Benny lives in Los Angeles and when not preaching the gospel of bourbon you can find him spending time with his wife Denise or brushing up on his skateboarding skills.
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Russell Wedlake, Master Distiller & Certified Crop Advisor, Frey Ranch
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Russell Wedlake knows a thing or two about farming, having spent more than 20 years consulting growers across Nevada as a Certified Crop Advisor (CCA) – a title he maintains today and must renew each year through the CCA Board. As the Master Distiller and Vice President of Operations at Frey Ranch Distillery, Russell applies his extensive knowledge of cultivating grains to crafting the highest-quality farm-to-glass whiskey.
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Working in close partnership with Frey Ranch Co-Founder & “Whiskey Farmer” Colby Frey, Russell experiments with the corn, wheat, barley, rye, and oats grown exclusively on the Frey Ranch Farm. While other whiskey distillers and blenders trade on aging and finishing techniques, Russell and Colby proudly innovate with the grains Colby grows and harvests.
Releasing bourbons, ryes, and specialty whiskeys where the grains take center stage, recent stand outs include the award-winning Frey Ranch 100% Malted Corn and Frey Ranch Quad Malt to the unique Frey Ranch American Single Malt Smoked and the in-demand Frey Ranch 100% Wheat Whiskey Single Barrel. These releases have earned Frey Ranch a rabid following among whiskey collectors around the world – and have paid off for the brand in spades. Today, Frey Ranch is one of the top-selling ultra-premium bourbons in Nevada and California, and one of the largest whiskey producers on the West Coast.
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Russell began working with the Frey family in 2010, first as a crop consultant before immersing himself in the production and distilling aspects in 2013. Throughout his time with Frey Ranch, Russell has spent countless hours researching and planting grain varieties to determine which fair best with the local Northern Nevada climate and soil and implemented an advanced irrigation system based on GPS mapping. His farming philosophy values a common-sense approach to sustainability, with strong emphasis on maintaining healthy, nutrient-rich soil and never cutting corners with chemicals and pesticides. Today, he splits his time between the fields and the distillery, working closely with Colby to ensure that only the highest quality grains go into producing Frey Ranch whiskey.
Since the 2019 release of the brand’s flagship Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Russell delights in sharing the culmination of his team’s hard work and commitment to quality in every bottle. Above all, he takes pride in seeing guests at the tasting room enjoy the finished product and clamoring for any new Frey Ranch whiskey releases, just steps away from where they are grown.
Born in Redding, California, Russell credits his father for inspiring his hard work ethic from an early age. In 1995, Russell moved to Northern Nevada with his wife, Sandy, to be closer to extended family and raise the couple’s three children. It was here that he first began working in agriculture and quickly discovered his passion for it. Russell had an affinity for math and science dating back to his days studying avionics while enrolled in the Navy as a young man and was fascinated by how they apply to agriculture – and to distilling, which initially began as an at-home hobby. When he’s not busy making whiskey, Russell enjoys being by the ocean, camping and fishing. He and his wife Sandy – who also works at Frey Ranch – live in Fallon mere steps from the distillery.
Dustin Caster, Distillery & Packaging Director, Virginia Distillery Company
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Dustin Caster is the Distillery and Packaging Director at the Virginia Distillery Company. With degrees in both Anthropology and Biology and studies in biochemistry, Dustin began his professional life as an archaeologist. Dustin’s career took him around the globe, before he eventually settled in Virginia and started his own brewery in 2012. In 2018 Dustin moved to Virginia Distillery Company in the role of assistant distiller. He quickly worked his way up to lead distiller, before being promoted to Distillery and Packaging Director. Throughout his tenure with the company Dustin has led the development of several new products as well as overseen company growth in production volumes. Dustin is also a key member of the sensory and blending team, and continues to lead an innovative and data-driven approach to the distillery’s production.
Mitch Mahar, Distiller & Blender, Whistle Pig
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Mitch got his start in the industry working at his local liquor store while finishing his degree in Earth and Environmental Sciences. Driven by this thirst for knowledge, he ended up leaving his planned career behind and started working in a local wine cellar doing laboratory and quality assurance work, before joining an old friend in Vermont to
work at a brewery. After a number of years as a brewer and cellarman, Mitch joined WhistlePig where he splits his time between running the stills and helping the distillery team with special projects and R&D.
Ian Friedman, National Brand Ambassador, PENELOPE
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Ian Friedman, originally from Queens, New York, grew up on the south shore of Long Island in Oceanside. He holds a BFA in Film Studies from the University of Colorado at Boulder (2003). Ian’s career in entertainment began as an NBC Page and news producer. Seeking a more traditional entertainment path, he moved to Los Angeles and joined the
William Morris Agency as an Assistant and department Coordinator.
His journey continued at Comedy Central, where he worked in Content Development, eventually becoming VP of Programming and Development. Notable projects included
“Brickleberry” and the Emmy-nominated “Drunk History.” But Ian’s story doesn’t stop there—his passion for Bourbon and Single Malt whiskey blossomed over nearly two decades. He explored over 50 distilleries in Scotland and numerous others in the US, savoring the artistry behind each spirit.
Ian became infatuated with the entire process of whiskey making: from the careful selection of grains and distillation techniques to the aging process in oak barrels. His palate evolved as he sampled various expressions, appreciating the intricate flavors and nuances in every glass.
His friend from the entertainment world, Michael Paladini had started a whiskey brand in 2018 named Penelope Bourbon. Ian and Mike had stayed in touch through the years following each other’s careers.
Connecting on their shared love of Bourbon, Mike asked Ian to come on board to help continue Penelope’s massive growth and popularity in the Western US as a brand advocate.
In June of 2024, Ian transitioned to a full-time role as National Brand Ambassador at Luxco.
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Hamish "Hammer" Marshall, Co-Founder, ROD & Hammer
For over 25 years, Hamish "Hammer" Marshall has overseen all aspects of the acquisition, development, and management of numerous business projects both in the USA and Australia, where he grew up on a ranch as a Aussie "Jackaroo". His passion for craft spirits brought him to acquire SLO Brewing Co and after meeting his counterpart Rodney "Rod" Cegelski, launching Rod & Hammer’s to focus on putting California on the map for craft whiskey and aligning their two lifestyles into the surfer meets cowboy brand you see today. Hammer's favorite spirit is the Reserve Rye, neat. When he is not working at the distillery, you can find him on his family ranch and vineyard, or at the beach for a good ol' sausage sizzle.