How did New Orleans bootleggers keep the whiskey flowing during Prohibition? And what does a mysterious cypress tree deep in the Louisiana swamps have to do with it?

In Episode 3 of Below Sea Level, Joseph Quilio and master distiller Luka Cutura explore New Orleans' historic drinking culture, the impact of national Prohibition (1920–1933), and the legend behind Whiskey Tree Bourbon.

Master distiller Luka Cutura speaks on the rise of speakeasies and bootlegging, and why Louisiana's remote waterways provided ideal hiding places for moonshiners. Luka also shares the story of a legendary bald cypress tree in the Honey Island Swamp, believed to have served as a meeting point for illegal whiskey traders. This piece of Louisiana folklore inspired the name and story behind Whiskey Tree Bourbon, produced by Seven Three Distilling in New Orleans.

Topics covered:

• New Orleans' historic cocktail and drinking culture
• National Prohibition and Louisiana's underground liquor trade
• New Orleans bootleggers, speakeasies, and moonshiners
• The Whiskey Tree legend and Honey Island Swamp
• The history and inspiration behind Whiskey Tree Bourbon

Below Sea Level explores Louisiana history, culture, folklore, and the people who make the Pelican State unique.

Recorded at Seven Three Distilling, New Orleans, Louisiana.

Hosted by Joseph Quilio and Luka Cutura.

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