Lisa Roper Wicker is President, Head Distiller and Blender of Widow Jane Distillery in Brooklyn, New York. Wicker started her career in alcohol production as a farm hand after working several years in the arts. Moving to another Midwestern winery, Brown County, she worked her way through learning production and patched her education together at UC Davis, Purdue and others. After eight years, she moved to Kentucky, a state with an old wine tradition to build a winery for an established vineyard. Wicker transitioned into distilling at Limestone Branch in Marion County, Kentucky. Three years at Limestone Branch, Wicker moved to Starlight Distillery and distilled there until she was hired to build Bardstown, Kentucky’s first craft distillery. She founded Saints & Monsters Distillery consulting in early 2017, her first clients included the Samson & Surrey portfolio. She was hired full time for them as Director of Distilling for all of the brands, then moved solely to the Widow Jane project three years ago. She oversees production in New York and Kentucky, expansion in Brooklyn, and for two years, the largest heirloom corn project for whiskey in the United States.

 Wicker is Consulting Distiller at Mount Vernon, George Washington Distillery for five years. She was “highly commended” Master Distiller & Master Blender by American Whiskey Magazine for this project in 2019, and nominated in 2020 for Widow Jane.

 Wicker resides in Brooklyn, New York and Bardstown, Kentucky.

Featuring a presentation and a tasting of both a Widow Jane 10 year old bourbon and a rye whiskey from a rye mash build.

As always, cocktails and tours will be available. Tours are limited to small groups with masks required.