Nancy “The Nose” Fraley took an unconventional path to becoming one of the best and most celebrated palates in the distilled spirits industry. With a Masters in Indo-Tibetan Buddhism and Religions of the World from Harvard followed by a law degree from the University of San Francisco, blending whiskey wasn’t exactly a straight shot. But a stint working at the Germain-Robin Distillery in Northern California solidified Fraley’s curiosity for fermentation and spirits.

“It was very clear that I didn't want to practice law, and it's kind of like the family business,” Fraley recounts. “Before that, I had gotten a Master's at Harvard, and I thought I was going to go on and get a PhD in Buddhist studies, and that didn't happen.”

“When I first came on, they had me doing more legal and marketing stuff,” Fraley says. “You know s’he's got a law degree, so we'll let her do this.’ And I hated it. It was terrible. I mean, I felt really bad in that role. And then I later ended up in production. So that's kind of how that started.”

After that, “I helped him write a few books on distilling and maturation and blending and such. And in addition to studying with him, I started going to France every year and studying with other master blenders, like Cognac and Armagnac people.”

As she turned toward whiskey, Fraley’s experience with brandy maturation and blending enabled her to help distilleries solve one of modern whiskey’s most vexing problems. Distillers in Kentucky and Tennessee, owing to their long histories, have decades of data on fermentation, distillation, and maturation. But as new distilleries have proliferated throughout the U.S. over the past 20 years, more whiskey is being made in climates for which no data is available. As many of these distillers have learned, simply copying methods from Kentucky has often proven unsuccessful (and at times, disastrous). Fraley’s ability to help brands determine how their local climates will impact the maturation of their spirits is based largely on a French Brandy technique known as elevage, where the maturation circumstances are manipulated according to the needs of the barrel, which can mitigate the effects of extreme or unusual regional climates. This, together with her expertise in slow water reduction and blending pyramid methodology, has made Fraley a critical advisor to many of America’s best young distilleries. 

Today, she teaches her maturation and blending philosophies in classes put on by the American Distilling Institute and offers her services through her company, Nosing Services.

If you’re not familiar with the many award-winning spirits from all over the United States that Fraley has had a hand in crafting , here are a few we’d recommend you start with.

Wyoming Whiskey

Fraley began working with Wyoming Whiskey in October of 2014. One of the first problems she solved here was increasing their barrel entry proof in order to mitigate the extremely dry maturation climate. During this time, she identified the potential in Nichole Martens, who was working in Wyoming Whiskey’s gift shop and tasting room. Fraley began to mentor Martens, who is now Wyoming Whiskey’s Lead Blender. One intriguing part of the Wyoming Whiskey portfolio to explore is the National Parks series, which raises money for various National Parks, including nearby Yellowstone National Park.

What to try: Outryder. The brand’s first product in which rye is used, this blend of “almost rye whiskey” and high rye bourbon makes it truly unique.

 Joseph A. Magnus & Co.

After 11 years of working with this brand, the product most commonly associated with Nancy Fraley is their Joseph Magnus Cigar Blend Bourbon, a straight Bourbon finished in Armagnac, Sherry, and Cognac casks to create the perfect pairing with a cigar. As a pipe smoker herself, Fraley has a unique perspective on crafting the perfect pairing for a contemplative smoke.

What to try: Cigar Blend Bourbon. One of the first cigar blend bourbons on the market finished in a rotating mix of secondary casks from Armegnac to Sherry.

Still Austin

Fraley began working with Still Austin in late 2013 and continues to advise on blending and maturation to this day. Still Austin makes many award-winning Bourbons and rye whiskeys, many of which use pedigreed grains, and all the grains used at this distillery are grown in Texas. Their rye whiskey is made using Brasetto Rye, and they’ve got Bourbons made with red corn, blue corn, and white corn. Texas is an incredibly complex environment for whiskey-making with many highly variable microclimates, making whiskey maturation a significant challenge, one that Nancy Fraley is uniquely equipped to handle.

What to try: The Artist Rye. A 100% rye whiskey made from grains grown in Texas.

Ironroot Republic

Fraley co-taught a class with Hubert Germain-Robin in which Robert Likarish, Founder of Ironroot Republic Distilling in Denison, Texas, was present, and the pair hit it off. Likarish employs many of Germain-Robin and Fraley’s techniques of elevage and slow water reduction in the maturation and blending of spirits. In its 11-year history, Ironroot Republic has won numerous awards including World’s Best Bourbon and World’s Best Corn Whiskey from the World Whiskies Awards.

What to try: Harbinger Bourbon. Winner of the 2020 World’s Best Bourbon award (even against Kentucky Bourbons!) at the World Whiskies Awards.

J. Henry & Sons Distilling

Fraley is the Master Blender Emeritus for the J. Henry & Sons, a USA Today Top 10 Favorite Craft Whiskey brand for 2024. The Wisconsin distillery grows its own grains on the family-owned Henry farm, including a coveted red corn crafted into an award-winning 20 barrel small batch Bourbon that utilizes Fraley’s slow water reduction method for blending. The Bourbon’s four-grain mash bill boasts numerous heirloom grains at 64% red heirloom corn, 14% heirloom Glacier Winter Wheat, 14% heirloom Spooner Rye, and 8% Malted barley.

What to try: Small Batch Bourbon. This award-winning whiskey shows off Fraley’s blending skills, even with heirloom grains that are often difficult to work with.

Seven-Three Distilling

New Orleans is best known for Bourbon Street and the sheer quantity of bourbon consumed there, and now Seven-Three Distilling is making New Orleans-produced spirits a thing. Its Bywater Bourbon takes barrels of Bourbon distilled in Kentucky, matures them in New Orleans, and then combines them with barrels of bourbon distilled in New Orleans, tracing the heritage of Bourbon history from the days when barrels of whiskey made their way down the river to the bustling metropolis. Fraley began her work with this brand blending an Irish-American whiskey for them in 2017 and has since worked as their Master Blender. The distillery’s Whiskey Tree High Rye Bourbon recently won Double Gold with a score of 99 at the San Francisco International Spirits Competition.

What to try: Bywater Bourbon.  New Orleans is incredibly hot and humid and doesn’t experience the colder temperatures of a standard whiskey maturation environment, making Fraley’s approach to maturation and blending crucial to this whiskey’s success.