The Bourbon Road

Join Jim and Todd in the "ghastly" Bourbon Road bar for a special Halloween episode filled with tricks, treats, and plenty of spirits! Instead of candy, their trick-or-treat bag is filled with five unique whiskey expressions shared by friends and sourced from local stops. It's a spooky season showdown as they taste through a diverse and high-proof lineup. First, they unlock Widow Jane The Vaults 2...

Jim and Todd welcome Joe Beatrice, Founder, and Tripp Stimson, Chief Whiskey Scientist, from the highly acclaimed Barrel Craft Spirits to the studio. While their award-winning whiskeys have graced the show before, this episode offers listeners a chance to hear directly from the minds behind the brand. Joe and Tripp share the origin story of Barrel Craft Spirits, their unique philosophy as non-dist...

Jim and Todd take the show on the road to the beautiful Elkwood Farm in Midway, Kentucky, home of Bluegrass Distillers. They sit down with friend of the show Sam Rock for his third appearance to discuss the distillery's incredible evolution and taste through a stellar lineup of their unique whiskeys. Sam shares the story of their new home, a historic farm they purchased in 2020 and transformed int...

In a very special episode, host Todd Ritter travels back in time to sit down with a true titan of the bourbon industry: the ghost of Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. himself. Taking a brief leave from his permanent residence in the Frankfort Cemetery, the Colonel joins the show to tell his incredible life story in his own words. He recounts his early life, from being orphaned as a child and sent to live w...

Jim and Todd are back together in the Bourbon Road bar for a tasting flight of five unique whiskeys, along with a roundup of the latest bourbon industry news. They kick off the night with the Brothers Bond Regenerative Grain Bourbon. This 92-proof, four-year-old expression is a four-grain blend of wheated and high-rye bourbons from 70 barrels hand-selected by founders Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesl...

Jim is back from his worldly travels, and he's not just returning to work—he's returning to bourbon after a two-week hiatus filled with Belgian beers and French wine. He recounts his trip through Amsterdam, Brussels, Germany, and Paris with original Bourbon Road co-host Randy, from backpacking and train travel to attending the World Belgian Beer Festival. He's joined by Todd and longtime friend of...

This week, host Todd Ritter flies solo while Jim Shannon is on vacation in Europe. He's joined by special guests Dude Pool and JD Fritches, two of the hosts from the popular Bourbon Hunters podcast. The guys kick things off by tasting their very first legacy distillery barrel pick as a podcast, a fantastic Old Forester 100-proof single barrel selected from Warehouse I, floor two. The second pour o...

Join hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter at the Corner Rick House for a powerhouse sample review show on The Bourbon Road. The guys are finally catching up on their sample backlog and are tasting four tremendous, high-profile whiskeys that listeners will not want to miss. From a coveted annual release to a unique cigar blend and a Mizunara-finished masterpiece, this episode is packed with incredible...

Join hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter on another episode of The Bourbon Road podcast, recorded live from the Corner Rick House in Frankfort, Kentucky. They are joined by a special returning guest and friend of the show, Diane Strong, for an exclusive preview of the highly anticipated 2025 Bourbon on the Banks Festival. Diane gives listeners the ultimate insider's guide to the festival, taking pla...

In this episode of The Bourbon Road, hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter hit the road and set up their mics at the beautiful RD1 Distillery in Lexington, Kentucky. It's a return visit for RD1—last featured in Episode 340—but this time, things have evolved. The distillery has expanded its footprint, sharpened its brand, and doubled down on innovation in wood finishing. Joining the conversation are Ba...

This week, hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter venture down a sweeter path on The Bourbon Road podcast for a truly decadent and educational experience. They are joined by a very special guest, Nicole Patel, the founder and master chocolatier of the Austin-based Delysia Chocolatier. In a fascinating twist, Nicole reveals that her journey to becoming a chocolatier began after earning a master's degree...

In this community-powered tasting, The Bourbon Road hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter dive into five fan-voted pours—each selected by members of their Bourbon Roadies Facebook group. With a lineup that spans both heritage and experimental releases, this episode explores everything from elegant bottled-in-bond bourbons to wheat whiskeys with a modern twist. The journey begins with Old Fitzgerald 7-...

In this region-spanning tasting session, The Bourbon Road hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter guide listeners through four American whiskeys that each bring something unique to the table. From the high plains of Wyoming to the oak-rich rickhouses of Kentucky and the bold, sun-soaked warehouses of Texas, this episode offers a full-flavored exploration of how place and process shape the final pour. Fi...

In this special episode of The Bourbon Road , hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter reunite with returning guest Rob Carter at the beloved Rare Eagle Bar for a crowd-powered tasting experience unlike any other. But this time, the listeners have spoken—literally. The episode features five top-shelf, extra-aged bourbons selected through a Bourbon Roadies community vote. Each pour has over a decade of ma...

In this globe-trotting episode of The Bourbon Road , hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter are joined once again by Rob Carter , one-third of the "Maltmigos," for a single malt tasting session that travels from the Himalayas to the Highlands. Though Amzie couldn't make the show this time, the malt trio powers forward from their tasting post at The Corner Rickhouse in Frankfort, Kentucky. The spotlight...

In this captivating episode of The Bourbon Road , hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter sit down with Rabbit Hole founder Kaveh Zamanian at the distillery's stunning downtown Louisville location for a twofold journey: one through the glass, and one through time. Their guest isn't just a master distiller and entrepreneur — he's now an author, and his new book, Mother of Bourbon: The Greatest American W...

In this episode of The Bourbon Road, Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter return for Part Two of their deep dive into Lost Lantern's 2025 Summer Collection — and this time, it's all about the rye. The duo tastes through a curated lineup of four standout rye whiskeys, plus a bonus pour, delivering flavor notes, backstories, and some playful banter along the way. The tasting kicks off with Far North Spirits...

In this week's episode of The Bourbon Road , Jim and Todd settle into the Bourbon Road Bar with four exciting pours—all part of Lost Lantern's 2025 Summer Collection . Known for spotlighting unique, independently bottled whiskeys, Lost Lantern returns with a compelling lineup that champions estate distilleries —those growing their own grains and crafting whiskey that truly reflects a sense of plac...

In this episode of the Bourbon Road podcast, hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter are joined by Joe O'Sullivan, Master Distiller at Minden Mill Distilling, for an in-depth exploration of their unique Nevada-born spirits . This episode offers a fascinating look into the world of estate distilling, where Minden Mill grows 85% of its own grains right in the challenging high-altitude climate of Nevada, j...

In this relaxed and whiskey-rich episode of The Bourbon Road , hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter take a well-earned pause from their recent travels and barrel picks to enjoy a night of good conversation and even better pours. Broadcasting from the Bourbon Road Bar in Simpsonville, Kentucky, the duo dives into a curated flight of four whiskeys—two bourbons and two ryes—with a monster of a surprise...

This week on The Bourbon Road, Jim and Todd sit down with Julian Jones of West Fork Whiskey, an emerging Indiana distillery making bold moves in the American whiskey scene. In a rare twist, the trio kicks things off with a reverse-proof tasting—starting strong with Old Hammer Cask Strength Bourbon. Julian shares the story behind West Fork's grain-to-glass mission, the challenges of building a craf...

In this episode of The Bourbon Road, hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter sit down in Frankfort, Kentucky, with filmmaker and bourbon enthusiast Bo Cumberland . Known to fans of the show and followers of the Bourbon Road Facebook community, Bo is the creative mind behind the documentary Frankfort, Kentucky: The Heart of Bourbon , a project highlighting the deep roots and vibrant community surrounding...

Hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter, feature special guest David Sandlin, bourbon historian and owner of House of Commons in Frankfort, Kentucky . This episode, affectionately dubbed "Crazy Eights," embarks on a fascinating tasting journey through five different versions of Wild Turkey 8-year bourbon . The hosts and David analyze various expressions, starting with the recently released 2025 Wild Tur...

This episode of the Bourbon Road podcast features Jim Shannon (traveling in Denver, Colorado) interviewing Al Laws of Laws Whiskey House. Laws shares the history and philosophy behind his Denver-based distillery, emphasizing their grain-to-glass approach using heirloom Colorado grains like Centennial white wheat and San Luis Valley rye. He discusses the mash bill of their flagship Four Grain Bourb...

Hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter, connecting remotely from Colorado and Kentucky respectively, discuss recent happenings in the bourbon world and taste a couple of whiskies. Jim is in Colorado Springs for a Derby party, having flown out of Louisville on Derby Day. He mentions winning an exacta on the Derby race. He is sipping on Woodford Reserve Distiller's Select 90.4 proof, the annual Derby bot...