Distiller’s Spotlight: Ric deMontmollin
Back in 2005, in the early days of his bartending career in Tallahassee, Florida, Ric deMontmollin always found himself drawn to the bottles on the back bar. They were intriguing, distinguished, and mysterious, and ignited a passion for the distillation process. That passion eventually led him to St. Augustine in 2019, where he now serves as VP of Production at our distillery. He is a bold innovator, beloved mentor, and an all-around fantastic guy whose presence lights up our entire distillery!
In advance of our Distiller’s Select Collection arriving on September 14th, we sat down with Ric to talk about picking his own barrel, his favorite bourbon fun facts, and more. Read on below!
Walk us through your barrel selection process. What qualities stood out about the barrel you chose?
I first looked at some younger and older barrels that didn’t fit what I was looking for, so I went to a part of the rickhouse where I almost never select barrels. #2142 blew me away with a complex nose, and full flavor. I couldn’t turn this one down. It came from the bottom of the rack, which usually yields a muted nose, but this one was very different, the aroma jumped out of the glass. I knew I needed something that showed off my personal style, so I selected a barrel that is a rollercoaster of aromas and flavors, none of which are predictable next to each other. I like a little bit of mystery in my barrels and this one will give you something to sit and ponder for many days to come.
Has your job as a distiller impacted the way you enjoy food and drinks in your day-to-day life?
Absolutely, distilling has completely changed the way I see the culinary world. Doing blending or barrel selection requires trying to find notes in the spirit that are often contextual, slight flavors or aromas that you associate with something you have tasted or smelled in the past. I used to think "Huh, this spirit reminds me of" whatever the flavor was, but now I always relate food to the spirits I have tried. I also realize associations that would never have occurred to me if it weren't for distilling. Coriander, which we use a lot in our Gin, is the seed of a Cilantro plant, and you realize the smell is familiar before it ever occurs to you to look up how they are related.
Aside from your own Distiller’s Select release, what is your favorite St. Augustine Distillery spirit you’ve helped to create?
The D. Rodriguez and Sons Overproof Rum. It is awesome to make a spirit and put your name on it, but it is even more awesome to help someone you really admire make and put *their* name on it. We love Danny so much, and it feels amazing to help him get the recognition he deserves.
How do you celebrate Bourbon Heritage Month?
By reminding everyone that there is no right or wrong way to enjoy your bourbon. Just have fun with it.
Give us your favorite bourbon fun fact!
Yeast are cannibals! Sometimes, they consume other dead yeast cells for nutrients.
