John Barleycorn Society
Spirits writers, marketers and designers are among the most influential forces in the spirits industry. Their opinions, ideas and creative talents inform and influence consumer perceptions and buying decisions.
The John Barleycorn Society was started by a group of spirits journalists seeking to honor excellence in all facets of the industry. The journalists spent several years creating a comprehensive competition that became the John Barleycorn Awards.
An elite team of authoritative and influential spirits journalists was selected to administer the flagship component of the Awards, a blind tasting competition destined to become the preeminent arbitrator of spirits taste, quality and character.
John McCarthy
Director of Judging, Spirits Journalist
John McCarthy is co-founder and Director of Judging for the John Barleycorn Society. John is the author of The Modern Gentleman, A Guide to the Best Drinks, Food, and Accessories and was the long-time senior managing editor and alcohol aficionado at Men’s Health magazine. When not travelling the world in search of spirits, wine, and cocktail enlightenment, John works as a mixologist and consultant. You can check out his storytelling at Forbes, Men’s Health, Maxim, JW Marriott magazine, Bourbon+, and Gear Patrol.
Fred Minnick
Spirits Personality, Author, Editor, Host
Fred Minnick is a renowned best-selling author, taster, and speaker. He’s the editor-in-chief of Bourbon+, co-founder of Bourbon & Beyond Festival, host of Bourbon Up on Amazon Prime, host of the Fred Minnick Podcast, and Fred Minnick YouTube channel, co-host of Bourbon Pursuit Podcast, and an in-demand spirits personality who regularly appears in national print and television interviews. Fred is also the bourbon authority of the Kentucky Derby Museum and is single handedly returning the ascot to prominence.
Leslie Sbrocco
Author, Speaker, Consultant, and Television Host,
Leslie Sbrocco is one of the most awarded and renowned spirits journalists in the world. Leslie is a three-time Emmy winner, James Beard Award winner, author, speaker, consultant and television personality. In addition to a prolific book and magazine writing career, Leslie is the long-time host of the PBS series Check Please! a regular guest on NBC’s Today show, and frequently appears on CNN, QVC and the Hallmark Channel. Her latest project, 100 Days, Drinks, Dishes & Destinations is now airing on PBS
Frank Caiafa
Author, Beverage Director, Consultant
Frank Caiafa is an author, writer, tasting judge, and food and beverage director/consultant who has worked with some of the world’s top bars and restaurants including New York’s Lexington Hotel and Waldorf Astoria. Frank is the author of The Waldorf Astoria Bar Book, a modern update of the classic cocktail books of the Waldorf from the 1930s. His writing and recipes have been published in numerous publications including The New York Times, Wine Enthusiast, and Time Out New York.
Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan
Spirits Personality, Author, Speaker
Jennifer Simonetti-Bryan is a speaker, writer, author, and veteran judge known for her discerning palate. Jennifer has appeared on NBC’s Today show, Fox Business, Fox News, Fox & Friends, CNN/Money, CBS, Anderson Cooper, and Bloomberg TV. She has also been featured in major publications and hosted seminars with Food Network Stars Rachael Ray, Bobby Flay, and Jacques Pépin. Jennifer is one of only 4 women in the U.S. to attain the international title of Master of Wine.
Rachel DelRocco Terrazas
Spirits Writer, Speaker
Rachel DelRocco Terrazas is Associate Editor at Wine & Spirits Magazine, where she oversees the tasting department and leads the spirits writing. Rachel is also an in-demand speaker and educator having presented at San Antonio Cocktail Conference, Bar Convent Brooklyn, and BevCon Charleston. She is a certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers and is pursuing the Level 3 Advanced of Wine & Spirits Education Trust.
Brad Japhe
Spirits Journalist
Brad Japhe is a freelance journalist specializing in travel with a focus on spirits, food and beverage. His work appears in all major media markets across the United States. He hosts frequent craft beer/spirits tastings on both coasts, preferring scotch to bourbon, IPAs to lagers, and a hearty hamburger to a prime cut of steak. His favorite breed of dog is the Siberian Husky and he suffers from an irrational, unrequited love for the New York Knicks.
Robin Robinson
Author, Spirits Journalist
Robin Robinson is the author of The Complete Whiskey Course: A Comprehensive Tasting Guide in Ten Lessons, released in 2019 and winner of the 2020 Gourmand Award for Spirits Education. Robin created and teaches the popular “Whiskey Smackdown” series of classes at New York City’s renowned Astor Center, the longest running whiskey education class in the U.S., now in its 11th year.
Jonah Flicker
Spirits Journalist
Jonah Flicker is a freelance writer who covers spirits, lifestyle, and travel, with a particular focus on all things whiskey. His work has appeared in outlets including Robb Report, Esquire, USA Today, Maxim, Liquor.com, and many others. Over the years, he has traveled the world visiting distilleries from Kentucky to Scotland to uncover the stories behind the spirits.
G Clay Whittaker
Spirits Journalist
Clay Whittaker is a prolific freelance spirits, culture, and lifestyle writer. His work has been featured in some of the top print and digital publications like Esquire, Maxim, Men’s Journal, Southern Living, Popular Science, NBC, NPR, The Daily Beast, Playboy and Bourbon+. His media resume also includes assistant editor and tasting coordinator for Cigar Aficionado and editor at large for the Bourbon Review.
Susie O.
Spirits Journalist
Susie is a freelance cocktail, spirits, food, and travel writer coming to us from Dallas, Texas ... or wherever her travels take her. Susie is the founder of SusieDrinks.com and TheJetsweater.com, contributes to Bevvy, the Dallas Observer, D Magazine, Where Magazine, and Texas Lifestyle Magazine, and runs her own social media consulting agency. But she's never too busy to dive into "research" for her articles, because the perfect Gibson isn't going to find itself.
Wayne Curtis
Spirits Journalist
Wayne Curtis is author of And a Bottle of Rum: A History of the New World in Ten Cocktails. Wayne’s written frequently about cocktails, spirits, travel and history for numerous publications, including The Atlantic, New York Times, and the Wall Street Journal. He currently covers spirits and cocktails for The Daily Beast, Garden & Gun, Spirited, Distiller, and 750 Daily.
Tony Sachs
Spirits Journalist
Tony Sachs has been writing about spirits, cocktails, bars and the boozy life in general since 2007 for the Huffington Post, Robb Report, Serious Eats, Whisky Advocate, Liquor.com, and Esquire. Tony has judged cocktail competitions for several brands, including Jack Daniel's, Stoli Elit, and Chivas Regal. Tony is a member of the Bourbon Roundtable, which helps select batches of Booker's Bourbon for release.
Susan Reigler
Author, Spirits Journalist
Former restaurant critic and beverage columnist for the Louisville Courier-Journal, Susan is bourbon columnist for Food & Ding and Covey Rise magazines and also writes for Bourbon+, LEO Weekly, and American Whiskey (tasting notes and ratings). Susan has authored or co-authored six books including Kentucky Bourbon Country: The Essential Travel Guide, The Kentucky Bourbon Cocktail Book, The Bourbon Tasting Notebook, and The American Whiskey Tasting Notebook, and Which Fork Do I Use with My Bourbon? – Setting the Table for Tastings, Food Pairings, Dinner, and Cocktail Parties. Susan is a member of the Order of the Writ, former president of both the Bourbon Women Association and the Kentucky chapter of Les Dames d’Escoffier International, an organization of women culinary professionals.
Nico Martini
Author, Spirits Journalist
Musician, performer, radio personality, university lecturer, author of Texas Cocktails (2018) and Texas Whiskey (2021) and a regular contributor to American Whiskey Magazine. Nico is also the Co-Founder of Grayson Blended Texas Bourbon, as well as Bar Draught, mobile draught cocktail solutions. He has presented at numerous industry events, including Tales of the Cocktail, Distilled Spirits Council of the United States Conference, San Antonio Cocktail Conference, Catersource, Portland Cocktail Week and The Bar Institute.
Jackie Summers
Author, Spirits Journalist, Speaker
Jackie Summers is an author, journalist, public speaker, and serial entrepreneur. Jackie is the founder of JackFromBrooklyn Inc. and the creator of the award-winning Sorel Liqueur. He served as an Executive Editor for The Good Men Project for six years and was ranked among the world’s 100 Most Influential Bar Industry Figures by Drinks International Magazine (2019, 2020), and named to the Imbibe 75 (2021). Most recently, Jackie was recognized by FOOD & WINE as one of eight "Drinks Innovators of the Year" for 2022.
