pIBBLES nIBBLES

Founder & Distiller | 2006–2012
What it was: A small-batch rum and whiskey company built from original recipes I developed after learning hands-on from the master distiller at Teeling Whiskey in Dublin.
What I built: I launched Pibbles Nibbles to explore my passion for precision distilling — crafting a proprietary whiskey blend while simultaneously producing and selling rum to generate revenue during the multi-year aging process. Every element, from mash bills to barrel selection, was handled in-house. The rum helped build brand awareness and cash flow while the whiskey aged to maturity.

Behind the Label:

“This little fairy tale started back in 2006 when this arrogant bastard thought he knew better than the whole liquor industry.”

That’s the actual first line on the original back label of Pibbles Nibbles — and it tells you everything you need to know.

After trying (and quickly abandoning) the rigid science of homebrewing beer, I found my way into distilling — and fell in love. I had the chance to learn directly from the master distiller at Teeling Whiskey in Dublin, and it lit the fuse. I came back with my own whiskey mash bill ideas, but since whiskey takes time to age… I started with rum.

And it worked. I crafted small-batch spirits using only original recipes, handled the entire process in-house, and slowly built a loyal following. It was scrappy, weird, and unreasonably fun.

Pibbles Nibbles wasn’t born to scale. It was born to prove a point: that intuition, curiosity, and stubborn creativity could hold their own against “the way it’s always been done.”

I sold the operation after six years, but there might be bottles still floating around. And the lessons — about patience, precision, and letting craft lead — stuck with me ever since.

Outcome: After six years of independent production, I exited the business with a deeper understanding of product development, regulated production environments, and the long game of brand-building in a space where quality takes time.