Whiskey Culture's "Whiskey: A Journey" Event Recap

Kozuba & Sons Distillery in St. Petersburg, Florida is a venue with history.

The Kozuba seeds were planted when Zbigniew “Papa” Kozuba retired and began experimenting with cordials in Poland.

People quickly began requesting his cordials on a larger scale, so, Matthias and Jacob stepped up to the plate to help him turn his passion and hobby into a full-scale business.

In 2014, they decided that the restrictions and monopolization of the spirits industry in Poland was restricting their growth and creative license and moved to St. Petersburg, Florida where they have become a community staple.

It wouldn’t be a reach to say that one of the central themes of their company is “journey.” A journey from working years to retirement. A journey from a hobby to a new business. A journey from Poland to the United States. And a journey to gain local awareness and share their spirits with us.

That’s what this event focused on, a “journey.”

But, it’s a journey that, while often overlooked, stares us right in the face every time we enjoy a pour of our favorite whiskey.

The journey from grain to glass.

The amount of steps, effort, science, and artistry that goes into creating a whiskey we quickly guzzle down can’t be overstated.

So, this particular evening, we took a pause to appreciate and understand the transformative journey in the whiskey distillation process.

We taught a group how judges grade whiskey and the tasting process they go through. We created a “nosing kit” which allowed people to isolate and experience single notes found through the pours. And we worked through the magic of time and age when it comes to maturing the whiskey.

Our new friends tasted whiskey straight from the still, after two-years, six-years, and straight from a seven-year barrel to understand and experience the changes that a barrel of whiskey will undergo over time.

Each of these was paired with a local chocolate that highlighted a single flavor in the whiskey.

Overall, we had a great time sharing our passion with this group, making new friends, and welcoming new members of the #iamwhiskeyculture family!