ABC/Randy HolmesMetallica has released a statement mourning the unexpected death of Dave Pickerell, an acclaimed whiskey distiller with whom the metal legends collaborated on their recently released Blackened American Whiskey.
“The Metallica family is stunned and in disbelief at the loss of our friend and partner, Dave Pickerell,” the statement reads. “He was not only a mentor and friend, we considered him a member of Metallica. We learned so much from Dave in the all too brief time we had together. But more than anything, Dave was our good friend and we will miss him tremendously.”
According to writer Fred Minnick, editor-in-chief of the Bourbon+ magazine, Pickerell died Thursday in San Francisco. “He was a true whiskey rock star,” Minnick writes of Pickerell.
“In his passion for his craft, we found a truly kindred soul,” Metallica writes. “Dave lived to see people enjoy what he created, and we enjoyed every minute of our collaboration on our Blackened Whiskey with him. And judging by the smile on his face whenever we were together, we think the feeling was mutual.”
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