Winemaker
Dave Pickerell
- Discipline
- Winemaker
- Based in
- Ancram, New York, United States
i. Biography
Dave Pickerell brought chemical engineering, Army service, bourbon production, and consulting into one distilling career. Born in 1956, he worked across the technical and operational sides of whiskey, and by 2018 he was Master Distiller and in charge of production and operations at Hillrock Estate Distillery in Ancram, New York. That position reflected a broad base of production experience and the trust placed in him by one of the Hudson Valley region’s distinctive spirits operations. “The way I always learn everything is by messing things up.” Dave has said.
The Path
University of Louisville was the starting point for Dave Pickerell’s formal training before his work moved into the whiskey business with an unusually wide tool kit. His career accumulated in layers rather than in a single straight line, with each stage adding a different kind of practical knowledge to distilling. United States Army service at United States Army (1978–1989) brought a long stretch of discipline and structure to that foundation, qualities that later fit the pace and pressure of production work. The technical side of spirits took shape next at Ro-Tech in Louisville, Kentucky (1989–1994), where he worked as chemical engineer and distilling consultant. In that role, engineering and production sat close together: the work required process knowledge, but also the ability to turn that knowledge into usable advice. That experience carried into Maker's Mark bourbon (1994–2008), where he became corporate vice president and Master Distiller. The title placed Dave Pickerell in charge of both leadership and craft, with production decisions tied directly to the identity of the house. At Hillrock Estate Distillery in New York's Hudson Valley region (2010–2018), he held the role of Master Distiller in an estate setting with its own pace and requirements. The job called for oversight of production and a steady hand across operations.
The Work Today
Pickerell’s career included work in distilling, production, and consulting. Those three strands define the scope of his professional practice: making whiskey, managing how it is produced, and advising others on the same ground. The range of that work reflects a career spent across the category rather than inside a single style or single house.
Signature
Dave's signature wines include Double Cask Rye, Solera-Aged Bourbon, Solera-Aged Bourbon finished in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels, and Single Malt. Each name points to a different part of his approach, from the layered structure suggested by Double Cask Rye to the extended development implied by Solera-Aged Bourbon. The Solera-Aged Bourbon finished in Cabernet Sauvignon barrels adds a finishing step, while Single Malt shows the range associated with his work.
Acclaim
He was Master Distiller and in charge of production and operations at Hillrock Estate Distillery in Ancram, New York, in 2018. His role placed production and operations under his charge. That distinction marks the practical authority of the position: responsibility for the machinery, the process, and the final expression of the distillery’s work.
Profile updated July 2026
FAQ
Asked of Dave
Where did Dave Pickerell train or study?
Dave Pickerell trained at University of Louisville.
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