"There is no passion to be found playing small, in settling for a life that is less than the one you are capable of living."

- Nelson Mandela

My life as a chef and restaurant executive never felt small, but never felt big enough to suit me. So while nearing 50 what to do next? What challenges lay ahead? Where would the real passion be? What would be the life I was capable of living?

While Jennifer and I pondered this one fall evening in 2009 over a glass of exceptional wine she stumbled upon a full page ad for Tito’s Vodka in a magazine………….hmmm….a spark, an idea. “What about distilling?” she threw out. Something stirred, something moved deep down in us both and we knew she had found the answer. In the days and weeks that followed all the answers flowed smoothly. “What would we create?” Bourbon of course. It is the true American spirit and a road less traveled. It drew us in.  “How would we do it?” In our own unique style, our way, owing nothing to anyone no matter what, never settling for less than we are capable of.

Four years later we introduced our small batch Bourbon to the rest of the world.

We are proud to say it is more than well received. We are proud to say it is exceptional. We are proud to say it is full of passion. We are proud to share it with folks like you, our friends.

Who is J.P. Trodden?

JP Trodden grew up in north central Washington in a region called The Okanagan, where his father was the very first mail carrier. JP took over this mail route, called “The Star Route”, during Prohibition in the early 1930s. The Star Route actually crossed back and forth over the Canadian border, where spirits were still being sold...and enjoyed.

Being a generous and thirsty man himself, JP was known to stash a few bottles of brown liquor in his mailbag, to share with his friends. Not a bootlegger, mind you, just a kind man helping his friends through a long, dry spell.

These spirits were shared in cabin number 5 on the Star Route, a cabin we still own today. But the brown spirits being enjoyed there now are strictly those that honor the namesake, J.P. Trodden Small Batch Bourbon.