Smooth Ambler Spirits
Who is crazy enough to start a whiskey company from scratch, in the hills of West Virginia, in a world filled with hundred-year-old Kentucky distilleries? Folks with a fiercely independent spirit, that’s who.
At Smooth Ambler, tradition isn’t a recipe we follow. Our company is literal proof of solid Appalachian know-how. That’s when the hard working, creative, and resourceful folks of West Virginia come together to make something beautiful (and damn good) that no one else thought possible.
Author: Caroline Porsiel
Caroline Porsiel is a master distiller and liqueurist based in East Ellijay, Georgia. She founded House of Applejay, a fine spirits and liqueur distillery, in 2022 with her mother, Sabine, crafting award-winning products like Applejay from Ellijay, Mt. Frozen Knob Vodka, and Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. The distillery won a 2024 Best of Georgia Award and a 2025 Double Gold Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its Winter Cherry Mountain Liqueur. As a founding member of the AMBRU Campaign, launched in 2020, Porsiel advocates for the global recognition of American Brandy and Rum. She continues to drive innovation in the craft spirits industry from her active distillery in the heart of Georgia’s apple country.
