Mar 26
Speed Art Museum Louisville, KY
TicketsKaveh Zamanian
Founder of Rabbit Hole, Mary Dowling, and Mash & Mallow Whiskey companies
Thunder Road (1958)— Backwoods alchemy: The science of distillation and bootlegging
Program Description
Kaveh Zamian, Founder of Rabbit Hole, Mary Dowling, and Mash & Mallow Whiskey companies, will discuss the science of distillation as it’s utilized in the pristine facility of a distillery or in the moonlit trees of rural Kentucky. Drawing on his expertise, the bourbon magnate will explain what distinguishes a fine whiskey from a jar of moonshine, exploring the chemical difference between two beverages that define the history of the state. The shady bootlegging process will thus be illuminated, from the backwoods still to the hidden compartment of a hot rod and finally behind the disguised door of a speakeasy.
Film Synopsis
A moonshine runner has to battle gangsters trying to take over the family business and police trying to put him in prison.
Unrepentant Tennessee moonshine runner Luke Doolin (Robert Mitchum) makes dangerous high-speed deliveries for his liquor-producing father, Vernon (Trevor Bardette), but won't let his younger brother Robin (James Mitchum) join the family business. Under pressure from both out-of-town gangster Kogan (Jacques Aubuchon), who wants a piece of the local action, and Treasury agent Barrett (Gene Barry), who wants to destroy the moonshine business, Luke fights for his fast-fading way of life.
Photo credit: United Artists
About the Speaker
Kaveh Zamanian currently serves as the Chief Whiskey Officer of North American Distillers, a new global brand company of Pernod Ricard, the second largest spirit company in the world. Before jumping into the world of whiskey, he worked as a clinical psychologist, psychanalyst and academic for over 20 years.
As a master whiskey maker, Kaveh dispensed with many of the conventions of today’s mass-produced bourbon to create signature one-of-a- kind, award winning spirits. He designed and developed Rabbit Hole Distillery in the heart of Louisville. A state of the art, true craft distillery designed to scale, Rabbit Hole has been named the architectural icon of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. In recognition of his achievements, in 2022, Kaveh was inducted to the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame, cementing his place among industry pioneers and visionaries.