Great American Whiskey Cookers

Some bourbons are hard to find...this is one of them. Back at MB Roland Distillery in Kentucky, we had the chance to experience a guided tasting of their highly sought-after Barker’s Mill Bottled in Bond Bourbon, led by Mary Beth and Paul. This is an allocated craft bourbon that doesn’t always make it to the shelf, making every pour that much more special. If you’re into Bottled in Bond bourbon, K...

Before the bottle… there’s the barrel. At Thornton Distilling Co., one whiskey stands above the rest, their American Single Malt. After years of aging, it’s finally ready for its first release. In this episode, we get a rare opportunity to taste this American Single Malt whiskey straight from the barrel, just before it’s bottled for the very first time. Rich, complex, and years in the making—this...

Friday Blind Tasting Challenge is back, and this one has a name as bold as its flavor. We’re putting Shortbarrel “The AfterSwarm” Double Barrel Toasted Straight Rye Whiskey, finished in honey casks to the test in a true blind tasting. It’s a mouthful to say… but does it deliver in the glass? No labels. No expectations. Just honest reactions and real rye whiskey tasting notes. 👉 Listen now to see...

Just outside Chicago, there’s a distillery where history and innovation come together. Located in Thornton, Illinois, Thornton Distilling Co. operates inside the oldest standing brewery in the state, blending deep roots in Prohibition-era history with a modern focus on American Single Malt whiskey. Set on historic Potawatomi land, this distillery is the only one we’ve seen with a natural artesian...

With over 2,300 bottles in the Whiskey University library, it’s rare to find something new… but we did. In this episode, we pour Colonel Craig Duncan of Whiskey University a rye whiskey he’s never had before, a true rarity. What makes it even more interesting? This rye is crafted using a Prohibition era recipe, staying true to how whiskey was made during that time. It’s bold, unique, and definitel...

One of the coolest whiskey bottles we’ve seen… but does it actually taste as good as it looks? In this Friday Blind Tasting Challenge, we put 13th Century Bourbon to the test—no labels, no bias, just a true blind review. The packaging might steal the show, but in the end, it’s all about what’s in the glass. 👉 Listen now to see if 13th Century Bourbon lives up to the hype—or if it’s all style and...

 Hidden in the heart of Louisville, Kentucky is a bourbon experience like no other. As you pass through the gates of Oxmoor Farm, the sheer scale of the property is breathtaking, especially knowing it sits right in the middle of the city. Step inside and you’re stepping into history. Sit at the same table where the Bullitt family once gathered, enjoy a traditional bourbon punch, and take in the st...

Friday Blind Tasting Challenge is back. This time, we’re putting Southern Star Paragon Single Barrel Bourbon to the test—thanks to friend of the show Chris, who brought it out for us to try. The catch? We’ve never had it before. No labels. No expectations. Just a true blind tasting to see how this single barrel bourbon stacks up. 👉 Listen now to hear our honest reactions, tasting notes, and wheth...

🥃 Friday Blind Tasting Challenge is back. This time, Jeff and Wes put Huling Station Straight Bourbon, crafted by Old Dominick Distillery in Tennessee to the test in a true blind tasting. Wes is already a fan of Old Dominick… but can he actually recognize it without the label? No hints. No bias. Just honest reactions and real tasting notes. 👉 Listen now to see if Huling Station Bourbon stands ou...

🥃 When passion meets precision, great whiskey follows. Sitting down with Dave Weglarz of StilL 630 Distillery is always a treat. His deep knowledge and passion for craft whiskey and distilling come through in every part of the conversation. In this episode, Dave breaks down his distilling process from start to finish, from carefully selected ingredients and sourcing, to the intentional decisions...

🥃 Friday Blind Tasting Challenge is back and this time we’re going Irish. The Big Human pulls out one of his favorite Irish whiskeys, Blue Spot, and puts it to the test in a true blind tasting. Joining us is friend of the show Chris, who usually sticks to bourbon. So the big question is… can this legendary Irish whiskey win over a bourbon fan? No labels. No expectations. Just honest reactions. 👉...

🥃 Sometimes you stumble onto something special. During our visit to Casey Jones Distillery in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, we were lucky enough to taste the very last bottle from one of their single barrels and it turned out to be quite the treat. Single barrel whiskeys can offer unique flavors you won’t find anywhere else, and this one definitely left an impression. In fact, it has us on the lookout...

🥃 Friday Blind Tasting is back and this time Wes from Patreon joins the challenge. In the glass is a Conviction Double Oak 1929 Bourbon… but there’s one catch. I’ve never tried it before. Double oak bourbons can bring big flavor, rich sweetness, and heavy oak influence, but does this one deliver when tasted completely blind? No label. No expectations. Just an honest first reaction. 👉 Listen now...

🥃 With more than 2,300 bottles in the Whiskey University library, you never know what hidden gem you might discover. During one of our tastings, an offhand comment somehow led us to a whiskey with the perfect name , “Off the Rails.” And when you find a bottle like that, you simply have to try it. Colonel Craig Duncan of Whiskey University pours us a sample and walks us through this unique whiskey...

This Friday, the guys go in blind with First West Toasted Bourbon, looking for that rich, toasted sweetness everyone talks about. It sounds delicious… but without the label, does it still impress? No hype. No hints. Just honest reactions. 👉 Listen now to see if that toasty goodness holds up in a true blind tasting.

🥃 You see Double Barrel Bourbons everywhere… but what about a Double Barrel Rye? Now imagine that rye is ranked among the top rye whiskeys in the USA. Would you try it? We did, and let’s just say, it delivers. Dave Weglarz of StilL 630 Distillery walks us through a guided tasting of this bold, layered, double-barreled rye, breaking down what makes it stand out in a crowded whiskey market. Spice....

🥃 Friday Blind Tasting Challenge is back. Jeff, The Big Human, and friend of the show Chris Damon go in completely blind as they taste a Hard Truth Sweet Mash Wheated Bourbon Bottled in Bond without knowing what’s in their glass. No labels. No hype. Just honest reactions. Will this Bottled-in-Bond wheater win them over? 👉 Listen now and hear if it earns their vote.

🌽🥃 Most craft distilleries follow the proven path. Pat Hoffmann didn’t. At Lonely Oak Distillery, he revived a rare heritage corn variety that only one U.S. farmer was still growing and now he’s the only distiller using it to make whiskey. This is true grain-to-glass craft whiskey, built from the ground up. And there’s another custom corn variety coming soon that was made especially for him. 👉...

🔥 Forced out of the distillery he built… so he built another. Zac Triemert didn’t waste time looking back. With less space but the same relentless passion, he opened a new distillery in Omaha’s Old Market and got right back to doing what he loves — making whiskey. This is a story of grit, comeback, and an entrepreneur who refused to quit. 👉 Listen how Zac turned a setback into his next chapter.

🔥 David vs. Goliath a rye whiskey edition. In this Friday Blind Tasting Challenge, we put big bourbon head-to-head with craft rye: 🥃 Bardstown Bourbon Co. Rye vs. 45th Parallel Rye 100. No labels. No bias. Just a true blind tasting to see how large-scale bourbon stacks up against small craft distilling. So which rye comes out on top? 👉 Listen, taste along, and see what we think.

🥃 Same whiskey. Different batches. Big differences. We had the chance to taste two releases from Crowded Barrel Whiskey Co. out of Austin, Texas—Eleanor Batch 3 and Eleanor Batch 14—side by side. Crowded Barrel is a non-distiller producer (NDP) with a sharp focus on one thing: flavor first. And comparing these two batches shows just how much a whiskey can evolve over time. A huge thanks to friend...

🥃 Ever discovered a whiskey you’d never even heard of — and it completely surprised you? In this episode, we dive into a guided tasting of Old Forge Bourbon from Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, uncovering the story behind this under-the-radar bottle and what makes it worth your attention. This was just one of several standout whiskies we experienced during our visit with Colonel Craig Duncan of Whiskey...

Every distiller has that one bottle. For Zac Triemert of Brickway Distillery, it’s his American Single Malt finished in an Oloroso Sherry cask—a whiskey that never has time to collect dust on the shelf. And once you taste it, you understand why. In this episode, Zac walks us through a guided tasting, breaking down what makes this whiskey so special: rich balance, layered sweetness, and a finish th...

🔥 Kentucky bourbon vs. Texas bourbon — which one wins? Milam & Greene set out to answer that exact question with their limited release called “The Answer.” This unique bourbon was distilled in Kentucky, then split in two — 🥃 half aged in Kentucky  🔥 half aged in Texas Same distillate. Same mash bill. Completely different climates. Friend of the show Chris brought this rare release for us to...

What would you do if you built a brewery from the ground up, helped change state laws, grew it into the largest craft brewery in the state—and then got voted off the island? Zac Triemert lived it. “I got whacked,” he says. What followed felt less like a business breakup and more like a setup by so-called partners to push him out of a thriving company. So what’s next—quit, get bitter, or walk away?...