Meet Rick H. Talley | Locke + Co Distilling – Co-founder

We had the good fortune of connecting with Rick H. Talley and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Rick H., what do you attribute your success to?
I believe the most important factor behind the success of Locke + Co Distilling is our authenticity.

My childhood friend, fellow classmate and now co-founder and I followed a passion. We didn’t start our company because we wanted to make money or because we saw growth potential or because it seemed like a “cool” way to make a living. We started Locke + Co Distilling because our friends and family enjoyed what we created in our garage and we thought maybe other people would enjoy it too. We took something that was a hobby, something that brought us happiness and began sharing it with others. When someone shares something they love, it is exactly that….it is genuine sharing. We share our passion, we don’t sell whiskey.

Every event we speak at, every bar manager we talk to, every customer at a liquor store we approach we are sharing our passion. If they like it and want to hear more about it, we share our story. If they don’t like it, we don’t get offended because, as we say, life is too short to drink something you don’t enjoy and we try and help them find some other spirit. That is one of the wonderful things about the craft distilling movement, there are so many options out there. We want people to savor what they are putting in their tumblers. After a long days work, after a great day on the slopes, after successfully getting the kids down to sleep everyone deserves to celebrate life. We want to add to peoples life like how our passion adds to ours.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Locke + Co Distilling is different from other craft whiskies because of our aging techniques. Like every other whiskey we use Oak barrels but we found that the oak grown in Minnesota and using smaller 30 gallon barrels creates the flavors, aromas and a smoothness we seek.

The industry standard has been Missouri white oak and 53 gallon barrels. Minnesota white oak barrels have a bit tighter cell structure than Missouri oak because of the the weather up there and using a smaller barrel creates a higher whiskey to wood ratio. A lot of people ask if these smaller barrels age whiskey quicker and that is just not true. Time is a constant and one year equals one year, regardless of the size of barrel. Our 30 gallon, Minnesota white oak barrels age our whiskey differently and that is what we are after, creating something new, something exclusive.

However, more and more distillers are exploring different sized barrels so using 30 gallon Minnesota white oak barrel is not proprietary to Locke + Co. The “secret sauce” for us is using charred aspen wood. The aspen trees we harvest by hand off family property up on Weston Pass, Colorado impart unique flavors and makes our whiskies distinctively smooth. This is what sets Locke + Co Distilling whiskies apart and makes each of our product possess A Taste Like None Other.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I’d head to the hills.

Being born and raised in Colorado, the mountains have always been a special place for me. The vast forests, the towering peaks, the beauty of it all brings a tranquillity to my life that I can only find when getting “lost” in the mountains.
The specific places I would take my friend would depend on the time of year but it would definitely include the Rocky Mountain National Park, the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve and Mesa Verde National Park. The experiences and memories from each of these areas have helped shape my life and I love sharing these places with visitors.

I love food and love savoring meals with friends and family. Some of my favorite spots around Colorado include Sushi Den, Levin Deli, and The Bagel Deli in Denver, Vendetta’s in Vail, The Red Onion in Aspen, The Taj in Boulder, Bourbon Brothers in Colorado Springs and so many others it’s impossible to list them all. One thing is for sure, I wouldn’t let them leave with out grabbing some mini-duffeyrolls from the Duffeyroll Cafe and Bakery.

For drinks, I’d take them anywhere with a patio. Colorado has so many incredible mixologists that you can find wonderfully crafted cocktails all over. But if the place doesn’t have a patio, you will be hard pressed to find me there. That is, unless it is a music venue. Obviously I’d take my friend to see a show at Red Rocks but a few others that I would want to make sure they didn’t miss are the Mishawaka Amphitheatre, Dillon Amphitheater, the Gerald R. Ford Amphitheatre and definitely a show at the Botanic Gardens. Music and libations flow so well together.

Colorado has grown and continues to change every year which makes it a wonderful place to live. There is so much to experience that I have only touched on a few of the many hundreds of places I enjoy visiting, eating and spending time at as well as escaping to.

Reach out and let’s go spend time at some of these spots or share some new ones with me!!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My fellow co-founder, Owen R.B. Locke. Without Owen, I would not be where I am today and our company would not be what it is today. He is a friend, a business partner, a mentor, a therapist, a voice of reason as well as a sounding board, a reality check and a counter-balance.

We make great friends but incredible business partners because we don’t always see eye-to-eye. We don’t co-sign each other’s bulls!#%. We help each other by asking tough questions and pushing each other to be better but one thing he helps me not lose sight of is my life outside of our company. I love what we have created thus far and truly enjoy the work but maintaining a healthy work – life balance is essential and Owen assists me in not forgetting this fact. Taking time to enjoy life outside of Locke + Co makes me more effective when I am working and helps me get through those tougher days.

Website: https://lockeandcodistilling.com

Instagram: @lockecodistilling

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rickhtalley/

Twitter: @lockecodistill

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