Meet The Maker: Juliet Schmalz

The inspo: Schmalz, who is Kentucky-trained in whiskey production, followed her passion for spirits and launched Fortune's Fool Whiskey in 2019.

• The company name is a reference to a quote from "Romeo and Juliet," and the product lineup includes similar nods to the world of theater.
• The company's first bottle, The Prelude, was released last fall. It's a 109-proof straight rye whiskey aged 32 months.

What she's making now: Fortune's Fool releases its second whiskey, The Overture, in a couple of weeks and gave Indianapolis a sneak preview last night at Parlor Public House.

• The Overture is bottled at 109.4 proof. When tasting, look out for light spiciness with hints of berry followed by notes of dried orange, warm honey and oak.

What she's saying: "The Prelude was a massive success, and we've taken a similar approach to producing The Overture with the same mash bill and barrel aging," Schmalz said.

Check her out: On the Fortune's Fool website, Instagram or Facebook.

Do you know a maker we should meet? Tell us all about them at [email protected].