There are blenders who treat their craft like a science experiment, and there are those who treat it like a conversation. John Okken, master blender at Heaven Hill's Black Velvet Distillery in Lethbridge, Alberta, appears to do both — and after 17 years at the same operation, he's doing it at a level that few in Canadian whisky can match.
The Quiet Architect: How John Okken Has Spent 17 Years Mastering Canadian Whisky at Black Velvet
John Okken has spent nearly two decades blending Canadian whisky at Heaven Hill's Black Velvet Distillery in Alberta — and his approach is as much about people as it is about palate. Here's why this understated craftsman deserves your attention.
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