Whiskey Del Bac is raising a glass to one of its own.
The local distillery has promoted Mark A. Vierthaler to Master Distiller/Blender. But wait, that’s not all! He’s also the new Director of Distillery Operations — a title that still doesn’t quite capture all he does.
“There was not enough space on the business card for all that Mark does,” said Paul Winandy, CEO of Whiskey Del Bac. “So, we settled on Master Distiller/Blender and Director of Distillery Operations. It hardly seems sufficient but reflects his amazing contribution to our award-winning products and all that we do inside our Tucson home.”
Vierthaler joined the team as the head distiller in 2021, overseeing the daily production of Whiskey Del Bac’s American single malts.
“I’m incredibly humbled,” said Vierthaler.
Over the years, he’s helped increase the average rating of Whiskey Del Bac’s single malts to 90+ across all products. Plus, he created the 94-point-rated sourced-but-finished Sentinel of The Desert straight rye whiskey.
“Co-founders Stephen Paul and Amanda Paul have created and fostered a distillery that crafts whiskeys that tell a story of place,” said Vierthaler. “To be able to help write this love letter to the Sonoran Desert is one of my greatest honors.”
“Mark’s palate, his knowledge of all aspects of distilling, his passion for quality, and his incredible work ethic have been key to taking Whiskey Del Bac to another level,” said Stephen Paul, co-founder of the distillery.
As mentioned earlier, Vierthaler is also the Director of Distillery Operations, meaning he’s got his eye on the distillation and blending operations of the distillery, new product development, and the operations of all activities within the distillery including tours, tasting room, and events operations.
“His humanity and his understanding of our sense of place are critical to our ethos. I’m very proud to be on his team,” Stephen added.
With a new title (or two) and a deep passion for crafting whiskeys that reflect the Sonoran Desert, Vierthaler is set to continue shaping Whiskey Del Bac’s legacy — one barrel at a time.
Whiskey Del Bac is located at 2106 Forbes Blvd. #103. For drink specials, happy hours, and other special events, visit whiskeydelbac.com
Article written by:
Matt Sterner
More about MattAt a very young age, Matt Sterner was gifted with the artistic ability to masterfully roll a burrito to the highest of standards, but the wrapped medley of delicious innards wasn’t his first love. Matt’s first true love was a combination of reading, writing, and creating. He grew up reading comics, the ingredients list of his shampoo and conditioner bottles, choose-your-own-adventure books, and the Scrabble dictionary — something he found useful when challenging his grandmother to a game.
He attended college at New Mexico State University and graduated with a degree in Digital Filmmaking. One of his favorite classes was screenwriting because he became responsible for the story’s birth before it came to life on-screen. After school, Matt took on numerous positions at a local television station in Tucson. From dealing out stories about heartbreak to producing “fluffier” content for a lifestyle broadcast, he learned what it takes to adapt to the many emotions the world of media can stir. Since 2017, Matt has dabbled in the culinary world of Tucson as well as San Diego, California from time to time.
If you’re in the mood for strange stories, head over to his pride and joy, wonkytimes.com. And in case you’re curious — yes, after all of this time, he still manages to roll a killer burrito.
