Pioneers of the Pour: Georgie & Fabrizio on Whisky, Craft, and The Heart Cut Journey

We love discovering people who share our commitment to craft, detail and elevating everyday rituals — so it was a real pleasure to sit down with Georgie and Fabrizio, the passionate duo behind independent whisky bottler The Heart Cut. With decades of experience between them and a deep love for storytelling through flavour, their releases are as much about people and provenance as they are about the whisky itself.

#07 American Single Malt Whiskey and our Fluted Double Old Fashioned Glass

Q - We’re so thrilled to have the opportunity to sit down with you, Georgie and Fabrizio, and ask some questions. Let’s start with your journey - can you share a bit about how you got to where you are today and what led you starting The Heart Cut?

A - Thanks for having us! 

Between us, we’ve spent decades immersed in the drinks industry. I (Georgie) have dedicated the past 15 years to working with whisky - I hold a second degree in distilling and have had the privilege of working globally with some of the industry's greats, including Diageo, Bacardi, and LVMH. And Fab brings a wealth of experience from across the drinks world - from agency work to bartending to collaborating directly with drinks brands.

At the heart of it all? We love whisky. There are so many incredible distilleries producing exceptional spirit, but not all of them get the spotlight they deserve. That’s what inspired us to create The Heart Cut - to champion whisky makers around the world and hand-pick single casks alongside them. Each cask we release tells a story of people and provenance - and delivers the kind of flavour that makes you stop mid-sip.

Q - What’s one surprising thing about your whisky or brand that you wish more people knew about you?

A  - We’re constantly in conversation with distilleries, searching for casks that have that “wow” factor - the ones that truly sing as single casks. What sets us apart is that we don’t work with cask brokers or middlemen. And honestly, we don’t think any other independent bottler can say that with the same conviction. Every release is the result of a direct, collaborative partnership with the distillery.

Q - How important is it to you to choose the right distilleries to collaborate with, and how do you go about finding new and exciting ones?

A - It’s everything. We spend a lot of time building relationships, visiting distilleries, and understanding their ethos. We’re looking for producers who share our obsession with flavour and quality, and those that wear their provenance on their sleeve. 

And we find new ones speaking to people - asking what the last dram or story of a distillery was that made them go ‘wow’. Then we start the research, the relationship building and exploring what could be.

Q- You’ve worked with so many brilliant distilleries in the short time you’ve been in a brand - is there one that stands out as especially significant, and what’s the story behind it?

A - Our latest cask release from Fielden is particularly special - one we’ve had in the works for about six months. We kept hearing whispers about “Cask 292” from the Fielden team. Every time we spoke to someone there, they’d say, “You’ve got to try 292.” So we did - and decided to bottle it on the spot.

It’s a Rye Whisky that spent over two years finishing in a 45-year-old ex-solera Oloroso sherry cask from Sanlúcar de Barrameda, and tastes of salted caramel, banana chips, toasted walnuts, and honeycomb. It’s one of the most complex and delicious sherry cask whiskies we’ve ever tasted.

Q - For anyone new to whisky or feeling a bit put off by the traditions and stereotypes that can come with it, what’s one piece of advice you’d share to help ease them in? And which of your whiskies would you suggest as the ideal introduction?

A - Honestly - go to a whisky bar! Some of our favourites across the UK are DRAM, Cut Your Wolf Loose in Brighton, Spirited Bristol, Grain + Glass in Birmingham, the Bow Bar in Edinburgh, and The Pot Still in Glasgow. Talk to the team behind the bar - they’re incredibly knowledgeable and can guide you to a dram that fits your taste. And if you don’t like it? That’s completely fine. Try something else, or try the same dram again on a different day. 

As for where to start with ours - go for #11, our collaboration with J.J. Corry. It’s sunshine in a glass and all vanilla custard danish pastry.

Q - Your brand is already making waves in the industry, is there anyone in the drinks world you’d love to collaborate with next, and what makes them such a dream partner?

A - So many! While we were ideating The Heart Cut we made a ‘wouldn’t it be cool if…’ dream list of distilleries. And we’ve managed to work with all of them from that original list - but that list, through conversations, research and more ‘what if’ moments keeps growing. 

One collaboration we’re incredibly excited about is with Florentis, a new Italian distillery led by Enrico Chioccioli Altadonna. Coming from a winemaking background, he’s maturing his spirit in Super Tuscan and Vin Santo casks, blending the worlds of wine and whisky in fascinating ways. Watch this space in early 2026… 

Q- The Richard Brendon tagline is Finer Dining, Every Day —  what does that mean to you in the context of The Heart Cut’s philosophy and tasting experience?

A - To us, it’s all about elevation. Making every moment count. We believe in less but better - choosing the whisky that’s going to enhance the moment, or even become the moment itself.

Q - Which Richard Brendon piece is your personal favourite, and what makes it special to you?

A - When we were just starting The Heart Cut, we were talking with our friend and photographer Addie Chinn about the perfect whisky glass - and your Fluted Double Old Fashioned Tumbler immediately caught our eye. It’s become our go-to. When we’re off the clock and simply enjoying a dram, that glass is our go to. It has a beautiful weight to it, feels luxurious, and just makes that whisky moment even more special.

Q - What’s your favourite – and maybe slightly surprising – food and whisky pairing?

A - Our #10 from White Peak - a lightly smoked single malt fully matured in a Tawny Port cask - pairs amazingly with bacon Frazzles. More classically, we love whisky with chocolate - it’s a timeless pairing for a reason.

Q - When you’re off-duty and enjoying a bit of downtime, cooking or making your favourite dish or pouring your favourite single cask, is there a song or artist you always play to set the mood?

A -We actually create a playlist for every release! Once the kids are in bed and we’re planning our next release, we’ll pour a dram and start putting together a playlist that reflects the whisky’s vibe. You can find the playlist for our next Fielden release [here].