ChiTuckyBourbonBrothers

Send us Fan Mail Maker’s Mark 101 sounds like a tiny step on paper, but that extra proof and extra $10 can mean very different things depending on how you actually drink bourbon. We break down the Maker’s Mark mash bill (yes, Tony knows it by heart), talk about why a wheated bourbon tastes so sweet and smooth, and explain how the standard 90 proof, Maker’s Mark 101, and Maker’s Mark Cask Strength...

Send us Fan Mail We disappear for a couple months, then come back with the kind of update that only makes sense to bourbon people: we moved the entire whiskey apartment. That means a new, speakeasy style space in the Chicagoland area, more room to host friends, and a bar setup we’re genuinely proud of. It also means hauling roughly 400 bottles up to a third floor with no elevator, with help from o...

Send us Fan Mail A bourbon brand changes hands for $775 million and we still have to answer the only question that matters: how does it taste in the glass? We crack open Four Roses Single Barrel (red label) OESK at 100 proof, talk price and value at the $50 mark, and give you the kind of honest bourbon review you would hear from a friend across the table. We dig into the story behind the label too...

Send us Fan Mail A bourbon can be rare, expensive, and still disappoint. That’s why we finally went for it and put Jefferson’s Presidential Select 18 Year in the glass, the kind of “unicorn bourbon” people whisper about at whiskey bars and chase at auctions. This pour is tied to Stitzel-Weller barrels, distilled in 1991, bottled at 94 proof, and loaded with the kind of backstory that makes collect...

Send us Fan Mail The bourbon world loves a loud debate, and Elmer T. Lee seems built to start one: is it a smooth classic that earned its reputation, or is it an “allocated” name that rides on scarcity and Buffalo Trace hype? We pour a 90 proof single barrel sour mash and give you the honest read, including why some drinkers call it too simple while others will happily pay double or triple retail...

Send us Fan Mail A rye that drinks like a bourbon doesn’t come along every day. We tracked down the Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye that snagged Whiskey Advocate’s top spot and put it through a full, honest taste test—then geeked out on why this release hits different. Think 12 years and 3 months in wood, 108 proof, and a mashbill that leans Heaven Hill classic. On the nose we found roasted nuts and...

Send us Fan Mail A beat you can feel, a pour you can taste. We start with Outkast to set the mood, then turn to a Four Roses Single Barrel, Barrel Strength OESK that sparks a full-on exploration of how four letters can steer your bourbon journey. Our bottle is a 10-year, 4-month store pick at 116 proof, and it delivers the kind of balance that makes you sit up: maple and cherry on the nose, a firs...

Send us Fan Mail After trading allocated bottles from historic brands, and a question every bourbon fan wrestles with: when does hype outpace the pour? We put E.H. Taylor Bottled-in-Bond from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection on the table after swapping out a Pappy 10 (Old Rip) and some cash to find out if the first-ever 100-proof BTAC earns its secondary price—or simply its place in history. W...

Send us Fan Mail A single barrel Tennessee Whiskey with a blue label. We crack open Jack Daniels Single Barrel Heritage Barrel and follow the trail doubling Jack Daniel's standard toasting time to that unmistakable Tennessee smoothness, asking why this release hits sweeter on the tongue, flares pepper through the mid-palate, and settles into a tobacco echo that begs for a square of chocolate...

Send us Fan Mail A trusted favorite doesn’t always hit the same—and that’s exactly why we poured Elijah Craig Barrel Proof C925 and talked through what’s changing in bourbon right now. We start with the big headline: Jim Beam plans to halt production at its main distillery for 2026. Instead of doom, we see a rational move in a market correcting after years of explosive demand. Tariffs, softer expo...

Send us Fan Mail A Tennessee farm kid turned bourbon influencer, Syrena—known as @shortstuffbourbon—joins us for a pour that stirs opinions and memories. We kick off with her roots in Tennessee, where corn isn’t just a crop but a bridge to whiskey, and trace how that background shaped her approach to tasting, teaching, and building a welcoming corner of whiskey Instagram. From there, we explore th...

Send us Fan Mail Cold nights, classic rock, and a high proof pour that refuses to behave. We’re joined by Adam, the mind behind The Whiskey Social app, to unpack how running a Tennessee pizza restaurant franchise with 400-plus whiskey lists turned into a location that finally fixes the collector’s headache: out-of-date bar menus, scattered bottle notes, and no easy way to find the best pours in a...

Send us Fan Mail The list dropped and the takes are hot. We kick things off with the new Whiskey Advocate Top 20—Elijah Craig A925 at the top, Oban 15 sliding in at number two, and a well-earned spotlight on Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged—then we turn the conversation toward a bottle that always hit the spot: Weller Full Proof. If you’ve ever wondered how proof and filtration change a bourbon’s soul, th...

Send us Fan Mail A Galway street corner, a chance hello to Adam Duritz, and a sunglasses-off moment with Courtney Cox set the scene before we pour something special: Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2025. We start with the nostalgia and then zero in on why this release feels different—same mash bill, new dimension—thanks to a cool limestone cellar that slows the dance between spirit and wood. We break dow...

Send us Fan Mail A 15-year, 135-proof legend on the table with a harmonica legend in the chair—this one hits from the first clink. We invited our bandmate Marc to the studio and opened a 2023 George T. Stagg from the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection, then followed the whiskey wherever it led: into the heart of Chicago blues, the chaos of a second-row Zeppelin show in ’75, and the craft behind carr...

Send us Fan Mail A red phone booth with a secret code, a member-run whiskey sanctuary with thousands of bottles, and a high-wheat bourbon that turns into our new house pour—this one moves fast and lands where it counts. We kick off with Nashville’s speakeasy culture and the remarkable Whiskey House, a community hub that raises serious money for charity while reminding us why whiskey is best shared...

Send us Fan Mail A hiking-and-biking escape on Lake Superior collides with a neon-lit Vegas weekend—and it all funnels into a glass of Widow Jane Vaults 2024. We open with two very different trips that reveal how our tastes and habits have evolved: early mornings over late nights and a sportsbook booth that turns 50 screens into a day-long living room. That perspective sets up a timely shift into...

Send us Fan Mail Buried in the storied history of American whiskey lies an untold tale of innovation, mentorship, and the extraordinary impact of one man—Nearest Green. As the first African American master distiller in the United States, Green's legacy was nearly lost to time until the creation of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. In this episode, we crack open the Uncle Nearest Black Label Sing...

Send us Fan Mail Bourbon and pop music collide in this spirited exploration of Booker's Barry's Batch, where Mike and Tony find common ground as unlikely Megan Maroney concert-goers before diving into serious whiskey territory. Named after former Jim Beam Chairman and CEO Berry Bearish, who led the company for over 40 years before his passing in 2024, this limited release bourbon comes &...

Send us Fan Mail When bourbon crosses borders, something magical happens. Four Roses Super Premium represents a fascinating cultural exchange—a Kentucky distillery crafting something uniquely positioned for Japanese palates. This rare expression, never officially distributed in America, reveals how whiskey adapts to different cultural preferences. After uncorking this elusive bottle with Japanese...

Send us Fan Mail We are exploring Heaven Hill's newest offering in the celebrated Old Fitzgerald lineup—the 7-year Bottled in Bond expression that's making waves for its accessibility and exceptional quality.  As we crack open this stunning bottle, we trace the remarkable heritage of Old Fitzgerald from its 1870 origins serving rail lines and private clubs to its time under Pappy Van Win...

Send us Fan Mail Imagine a time when a Kentucky statesman would haul barrels of bourbon over the Appalachian Mountains to Washington DC, using America's native spirit to broker political deals. According to Congressman Andy Barr, Henry Clay's famous ability as "The Great Compromiser" had a secret ingredient: Kentucky whiskey that "lubricates the wheels of government."...

Send us Fan Mail The worlds of baseball and bourbon collide as Mike and Tony taste the limited-edition Remus Babe Ruth Reserve, a premium offering that blends America's pastime with craft distilling. This special release captures both the spirit of the Great Bambino and MGP's renowned high-rye expertise in a bottle that baseball fans and whiskey enthusiasts alike will appreciate. What ha...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you take 300-year-old French oak trees selected for Notre Dame Cathedral's restoration and turn them into bourbon barrels? Dan Calloway and Pete Marino of Bardstown Bourbon Company join us to reveal the remarkable story behind their Cathedral French Oak Barrel Finish - a whiskey that connects French architectural history with Kentucky distilling expertise. &...

Send us Fan Mail ChiTucky Bourbon Brothers take a deep dive into the newest release of Buffalo Trace's legendary Sazerac 18 Rye Whiskey, a cornerstone of their coveted Antique Collection. After years of mixed reviews, this 2024 expression marks a triumphant return to form that has whiskey enthusiasts buzzing with excitement. We explore the fascinating history behind this elusive spirit, from...