Bourbon Lens

We're exploring whiskey on ice. Hockey Hall of Famer, Ed Belfour, has launched his own whiskey brand and we had the opportunity to sample two of their whiskies.  We were honored to have the opportunity to interview 1999 Stanley Cup Champion, Eddie the Eagle.  During this week's podcast we discuss: Ed's Canadian roots, his love for Canadian Rye Whisky, and these being the inspiration behind Belfour...

Were you sad to see Yippie Ki-Yay bid farewell from the High West lineup?  We sit down with High West Whiskey Production Manager, Isaac Winter, to understand the decision behind this classic bottle leaving the line up and what the brand has in store next!  We discussed the full lineup of High West Whiskey and point out some of our favorites.  High West calls Utah home and Isaac convinced Jake and...

Four Gate Whiskey Company recently released Batch 6 and 7 of their whiskey series and were nice enough to send us some samples to check out.   Batch 6 is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon finished in Cognac and Rum Casks and Batch 7 is their first release of a Rye Whiskey.  If you haven't already listened to Episode 58 , be sure to check out that podcast interview with the brand owners, Bill Straub and...

On this week's episode we sit down with High Wire Distilling owner and founder, Scott Blackwell, to discuss their unique ways for distilling some fine whiskey and Jimmy Red Corn. Scott comes from a culinary background. After selling his bakery to General Mills, Scott and his wife pursued their dream of starting a craft distillery located in Charleston, SC. Scott wanted to bring his culinary experi...

There's no question that twice-barreled bourbons are becoming more popular.  However, a large majority these of bourbons are being finished in used barrels which previously contained wine, rum, or brandy.  Some, such as the two bourbons we are discussing today are finished in a second, virgin charred oak barrel. We discuss the ever-popular Woodford Reserve Double Oaked and compare it to a bourbon...

He's the ultimate Wild Turkey fan and he's just released a new book on the history of Wild Turkey. You may know David Jennings better as "Rare Bird 101".  He joins us on this week's episode to "talk Turkey".  Wild Turkey's history is unique and full of rich family traditions.  This is all detailed in the new book, American Spirit: Wild Turkey Bourbon from Ripy to Russell.   We enjoyed the book and...

A true whiskey lifestyle brand. We are joined by Aston LaFon, Co-Founder of 18.21 Man Made , to discuss the whiskey lifestyle and his men's grooming company.  How do men's products fit into a whiskey lifestyle?  Their brand was inspired by the bootlegging of Prohibition and customizing grooming products to fill a void in the market. The 18.21 Man Made namesake is an homage to the 18th Amendment wh...

American Single Malt Whiskey is on the rise and Wanderback Whiskey is right in the middle and playing a unique role. Phil Downer, Founder of Wanderback Whiskey, joins the Bourbon Lens to discuss the growing market category and what inspired him to create his unique brand.  Wanderback produces hand-crafted, limited edition American single malt whiskeys in Hood River, Oregon. Instead of making a fla...

"It ain't just a bourbon. It's a damn fistful."  We had a great time with Anthony Bohlinger, National Brand Ambassador for Fistful of Bourbon. Fistful of Bourbon is a new, national release bourbon from William Grant & Sons. You may be more familiar with the company known for Scotch brands like Glenfiddich and The Balvenie (as well as Hendrick's Gin and  Sailor Jerry rum), but this is the compa...

Bruce Joseph, Master Distiller of Hotaling & Co., joins us to discuss one of the original craft rye whiskies post-Prohibition.  Old Potrero emerged out San Francisco after a few brewers decided to try their hand at distillation in the mid-1990s.  Hotaling & Co. (formerly the Anchor Distilling Company) produces several rye whiskies under the Old Potrero namesake. This unique rye whiskey is...

We are joined by Alexander Berezowski, founder of My Cigar Pack and Cigar Yard, to talk cigars. We discuss the parallels in cigar culture and the world of whiskey as well as what makes the modern cigar smoker different. Alexander generously shared some fine cigars with us to pair with our whiskies of choice. Alexander is a driven entrepreneur who is constantly striving to bring the world's best ci...

We had a great time learning the history of Jefferson's Bourbon, sourcing whiskey in Kentucky, and sending bourbon on trips around the globe.  Trey Zoeller, Founder of Jefferson's Bourbon, joins us for a great evening enjoying two of Jefferson's popular offerings, Jefferson's Ocean Aged at Sea and Jefferson's Reserve Pritchard Hill Cabernet Cask Finish.  We also talked about a little friedly compe...

Michael and Scott catch up over some bourbon and discuss some exciting, upcoming releases in the whiskey world.  We also discuss our hopes in getting back out on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail as COVID-19 has dealt a heavy blow to the tourism industry. We would appreciate you giving us a 5 star rating on your podcast app and please leave us a written review. This will help others discover our podcast...

Have you ever wondered what it's like to be a firefighter and first responder at one of the world's largest bourbon distilleries? This week, we sit down with Jim Beam Fire Chief Kevin Mercer and some whiskies from Knob Creek. You'll hear all about the fire department and some details about distillery operations at The James B. Beam Distilling Co.  And hear our thoughts on the new Knob Creek 12 Yea...

We line up 4 single barrel, store picks of the ever-popular Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon.  We also discuss life during the Covid-19 quarantine.  The quarantine has provided us with an opportunity to sample some great and some unique whiskies.  The four picks we sampled are from: A) Louisville Bourbon Club/Evergreen Liquors, B) Bottles Unlimited, C) Liquor Barn, and D) Keg Liquors Indiana We th...

On this week's episode we sit down with Chattanooga Whiskey Co-Founder and CEO Tim Piersant. Their signature Tennessee High Malt whiskey is made up of four grains including 3 specialty malts that provide a unique and very complex flavor profile (which, is a technically a Straight Bourbon also). Tim walks us through the history of distillation in the city of Chattanooga and the role they played in...

Branching out and exploring Australian Whisky in this week's episode with David Vitale, Founder of Starward.  Starward Australian Whisky was founded in 2007 but recently released in the US with two solid expressions; Nova Single Malt Whisky and Two-Fold Double Grain Whisky. We were able to enjoy both of with Founder David Vitale via Skype. Since its Australian debut in 2016, Starward Nova has rece...

Self-proclaimed "Whiskey Farmers", Colby Frey and Ashley Frey recently introduced their first bourbon and have staked their claim in the craft bourbon space.  Frey Ranch Distillery is a true ground-to-glass "whiskey farm" and distillery located in Northern Nevada's Lake Tahoe Watershed, where the Frey family has been farming since 1854. The 1,500-acre Frey Ranch is owned and operated by fifth-gene...

On this week's episode we take a trip to Starlight, Indiana to visit the Starlight Distillery located at Huber's Orchard & Winery. Huber's is most known for their world-famous wine and entertainment at the winery. We were met by co-owner and Master Distiller Ted Huber and his son and associate distiller, Christian Huber. They were kind enough to give us a private tour of the distillery and sha...

It is hard to identify the flavors and aromas of whiskey without experiencing those flavors and aromas first.  This is where the Nose Your Bourbon Kit comes into play.  Chris Walters has created a bourbon nosing kit to help bourbon fans identify the various elements of bourbon aromas and tastes. The compact, travel-ready kit includes 18 different vials of some of the most common smells you may dis...

We're discussing a new style of whiskey for us, American Single Malt Whiskey.  And who better to talk with than Westland Distillery, co-founders of the American Single Malt Whiskey Commission.  We discuss what makes an American Single Malt Whiskey and the efforts to ratify a definition on a national level to protect the whiskey category.   We enjoyed 3 of Westland's single malts; American Oak, She...

Is there more to Irish Whiskey than a shot of Jameson on St. Patrick's Day?  We have a lineup of several different Irish Whiskies and found ourselves in uncharted territory as bourbon fans. Thank you to the contributors who helped make this episode possible. Irish Whiskey Glass Ltd. coordinated with Distillery Products to provide us with some beautiful Túath Irish Whiskey Glasses . These are desig...

In honor of International Women's Day and Women's History Month, we sat down with a very influential woman in the Kentucky Bourbon world.  Peggy Noe Stevens has played a huge role in crafting Kentucky's bourbon-ism culture and creating bourbon-centric experiences for many thousands of guests in her career.  Even if you didn't know her name before today, you definitely know her work if you've ever...

What is it like trying to make a name for yourself in the Kentucky Bourbon industry?  Learn about running a small, family-owned business, risk tasking, and networking in Kentucky. We sat down with Rich Finck, Owner and Founder of Kentucky Straight Ice, "The Official Ice of Bourbon". Whether you add water, ice, bitters, or coke to your bourbon, you are bound to enjoy your favorite spirit more when...

On this week's episode, The Bourbon Lens travels to the historic Beaumont Inn in Harrodsburg, KY to sit down with Kentucky Owl Co-founder, Dixon Dedman. Dixon resurrected his great-great grandfather, Charles Mortimer Dedman's whiskey brand that had fallen victim to prohibition in the early 1900's. The Kentucky Owl name laid dormant until Dixon had the idea to revitalize the family brand.  Kick bac...