CO-FOUNDER & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Rachael graduated with her MBA in 2011 and worked primarily in higher education until October 2020 when her daughter, Claire, became ill and she had to step down from her role to care for her. Opening and operating the distillery allowed Rachael to be with Claire during her 31 month battle with brain cancer. The time she was able to spend with her daughter, her husband's love for bourbon and the fact they reside in Bourbon made the idea of opening Old Road Craft Spirits a no-brainer. Rachael handles the financial side of the business as well as socials.

CO-FOUNDER

Jarrod found his passion for bourbon in 2017 and explored every brand and mash bill he could find in bottles ranging from $20 to $2000. When his daughter became ill in 2020 he had to pivot professionally in order to stay home and assist in her care. Opening and operating the distillery combined his interest in bourbon and the ability to be home every night. Jarrod handles all operations of the distillery and is now an aspiring master blender.

CHIEF TASTING OFFICER & MASTER BLENDER

Originally from Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, Matt Porter now resides with his family on Colorado’s Western Slope. Known for his YouTube channel “ADHD Whiskey”, Matt is a Judge for Fred Minnick’s ASCOTS, earned the title of “World’s Top Whiskey Taster” in 2020 and is a national two-time Blending Champion.

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

Roxann has an undergrad degree in education and graduate degree in leadership and administration from Southwest Baptist university. She is a former business owner, educator, fitnesss and nutrition coach, hobby photographer, and writer. With the heart or an adventurer and a soul for sunsets, people, and good conversation, she is full of life and passion.

CLIENT EXPERIENCE MANAGER

Sidney joined our team in August of 2022 and has become quite the whiskey connoisseur. She has moved into the role of Client Experience Manager and achieved her credential as Certified Bourbon Professional. You can also still find her behind the bar sharing her knowledge and experience, ensuring you have a great time when you visit our tasting room!

DISTILLERY MANAGER

Matt has been part of the Barrel King family as a GOLD member since nearly the beginning. With over 25 years of invaluable experience in manufacturing and process efficiencies, Matt brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to our distillery. He also has played a part in previous blend releases and barrel picks, specifically batches 31, 64 and the forever famous, BETA.

ART DIRECTOR

Dottie brings 20 years of graphic design experience and a lifetime of creativity to her collaborations with non-profit and commercial clients. As a Barrel King OG since the company’s inception, she has worked behind the scenes with Rachael and Jarrod to create engaging branding, packaging, and web design.

Outside of work, Dottie keeps her hands busy and her heart happy through ceramics, thrifting, traveling, and looking for the next creative problem to solve. She lives in St. Louis with her husband, three daughters, and small brood of hens.

OPERATIONS ASSISTANT

Lauren resides in Bourbon, MO, and is happily married with 2 amazing kids. As a busy mom, she loves every second of cheering on her kiddos during their dirtbike adventures, football games, and competitive cheer, dance, and gymnastics. She enjoys fishing, spending time on the river, and being outdoors. Traveling, exploring new places, and meeting new people are her passions. She's a creative soul who is positive and optimistic.

With over 10 years of experience in customer service and relations, Lauren also served as a special education paraprofessional in a life skills classroom. She obtained her real estate license in 2023 and has enjoyed dipping her toes in the world of land real estate. Meeting members from all over in the tasting room has been a joy, and she's fascinated by the natural process and change that occurs during the creation of Barrel King whiskey spirits.

CONTENT COORDINATOR

Reya Bristow is the Barrel King Content Coordinator. She joined the team in June 2023 part time but moved into this role in August 2024. She is excited to embrace this new role, where she can deepen her knowledge of photography and video—two passions she already holds close. Outside of work, Reya enjoys powerlifting, dedicating her free time to building strength and pushing her limits in the gym.

PAWJECT SUPERVISOR

Gabby is not your average four-legged friend – she's the ultimate greeter and tail-wagger in our tasting room! 🐶👋 With a nose for quality and a heart full of warmth, Gabby ensures every visitor feels right at home.

Whether you're a whiskey enthusiast or a first-time visitor, Gabby is here to make your experience unforgettable. Her skills include expert cuddles, tail-wagging consultations, and an uncanny ability to sense when you need a little extra love.

Join us in the tasting room and let Gabby's wagging tail guide you through a delightful tasting adventure. Every sip is better with a furry friend by your side! 🐾🥃

ACTING HEAD DISTILLER & ALL-KNOWING

Rob is a St.Louis native. Although his interest in distilling started in 2011, his formal distilling education started in 2012 at Koval Distillery in Chicago. Later that year he passed his Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS) exam from Society of Wine Educators (Sommelier of spirits/WSET Spirits Specialist equivalent). In 2013 he was brought on for an internship by Grand Ten Distilling in Boston, MA. In the same year he started studying for the General Certificate in Distilling through the Institute of Brewing and Distilling in the UK. This took him to Elgin, Scotland for a portion of his studies where he got a first hand glimpse into the world of Scotch Whisky production. In 2014 he was offered a position at Tom’s Town Distilling Co. in KC. While at Tom’s Town, he created 3 flagship spirits as well as a handful of one-off, distillery-only selections. The awards followed. 13 to be exact, in international spirits competitions as well as 2017 Best Craft Vodka Distillery in the US by USA Today. Additionally, his StrongArm Vodka collected the most gold medals of any US made vodka in 2016.

After laying the groundwork and building an award winning portfolio for Tom’s Town, Rob made a move to 1220 Artisan Spirits (a branch of 4 Hands Brewing) as Head Distiller. Here, he focused on "Botanically Inspired Spirits" and won several medals from American Craft Spirits Association for his spirits, including Origin gin, Spettro Amaro, and ACSA’s Innovation Award for canned cocktails.

In 2020. he moved into the consulting realm as Principal at Artificer Spirits Consulting (now Voss & Co). Rob has also been involved as founding member of the Missouri Craft Distillers Guild.