The Bourbon Life

In this episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, Mark and Matt sit down with Randy Prasse, President & COO of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, for a great conversation about one of the premier bourbon events in the world and what's ahead for the Festival. Across three segments, the guys dive into Randy's background, how he found his way into the bourbon industry, and what it takes to help lead and evolv...

Big Chief takes you deep into the heart of Texas whiskey country with Jake Clements , the man behind one of the most authentic gatherings in the Lone Star State—the Texas Whiskey Festival.   Set against the rugged, old west backdrop of Star Hill Ranch in Bee Cave , the 9th Annual Texas Whiskey Festival isn't just an event—it's a full-blown Texas whiskey family reunion. Weathered wood, dusty street...

In this episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, Mark and the crew are back in the studio for a laid-back, no-guest hang—just good bourbon, good stories, and plenty of unfiltered conversation. With Stacey and Chad out, the guys take full advantage of the opportunity to dive into a wide range of topics, from what's happening in the bourbon world right now to some classic behind-the-scenes banter that o...

This week, Big Chief heads out West to Fallon, Nevada and sits down with the heart and soul behind Frey Ranch Distillery, founders, farmers, and distillers, and husband and wife team, Colby Frey and Ashley Frey. This isn't just whiskey, this is dirt to glass, grown under big sky country and built with grit. The ride kicks off with a pour of Frey Ranch Straight Bourbon Whiskey, a true four grain ex...

This week on The Whiskey Trip , Big Chief rolls into the rhythm, heat, and soul of New Orleans with Kevin Alker, owner and distiller of Old Alker Distillery. This one hits different… it's got history in its bones, music in its step, and whiskey that carries a family legacy back to life. Long before Old Alker was filling bottles, the Alker name was moving wood… barrel staves flowing through New Orl...

On this episode of The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief sits down with Anthony DeYoung from Three Chord Bourbon, a brand founded by legendary guitarist Neil Giraldo. Built on the rhythm of rock and roll and the craft of blending whiskey, Three Chord brings the energy of music into every bottle. More than just a whiskey brand, Three Chord Bourbon is deeply connected to the music community and philanthropy....

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes the ride with Dina Coker, founder of Lythgoe Bourbon, and Steffani Scheurich, the brand's Master Blender. Together they dive into the story behind a bourbon brand that is bold, confident, and completely unapologetic—just like the woman who inspired it. Lythgoe Bourbon draws its spirit from Gertrude "Cleo" Lythgoe, often called the Queen of the...

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes listeners for a ride to Bryan, Texas to sit down with Caleb Clanton, founder and distillery manager of Hush & Whisper Distilling Company. What makes this episode stand out isn't just the whiskey, it's the building itself. Hush & Whisper operates inside a restored old JCPenney building in historic downtown Bryan, and the space carries serious A...

In this episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast , the entire TBL Crew is back together for a laid-back but lively roundtable that feels like you're hanging out in the studio with the guys. There's no formal guest this week— just good bourbon, honest opinions, and the kind of unfiltered conversation that only happens when the crew gets together. Across three segments, the guys catch up on what's been h...

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes listeners for a ride to San Antonio to sit down with Tim Crofton, the distiller behind Ranger Creek and a fellow Army Veteran. This episode goes beyond the glass. It is about service, transition, discipline, and building something meaningful after the uniform comes off. Founded in 2010, Ranger Creek was one of the first brewery and distillery...

This week on The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief sits down with President Mark Shilling and Head Distiller Brandon Onstott of Maverick Distilling for a conversation built on Texas history, independence, and whiskey that carries the weight of the Maverick name. The legacy of Samuel Maverick sets the tone early, independent, unbranded, and unapologetically Texan, and that same spirit shows up in every pour....

In this episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast , Mark and Matt welcome Barry and Tori Brinegar into The Bourbon Life Studios for a conversation that's equal parts bourbon history, industry insight, and good-natured chaos. Barry is well known across the whiskey world as the former Co-Founder and National Brand Ambassador of RD1 Spirits, and he's joined by his wife Tori—affectionately known around here...

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief sits down with Emiliano A. C. Guajardo, Head Distiller at Still Austin Whiskey Co., and Samantha Olvera, Distiller at Garrison Brothers Distillery, for a conversation that runs far deeper than what's in the glass. This episode is about whiskey, yes, but it is also about identity, roots, and the Mexican and Hispanic heritage that helped shape Texas l...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, Matt and Mark spend some time in The Bourbon Life Studios with April Catron, Brand Ambassador, and Junior Cecil, Co-Founder/Owner, of Southern Kentucky Distillery. The guys talk with April and Junior about their respective backgrounds and how they each ended up in the Bourbon industry, the story of how Southern Kentucky Distillery was created from a pas...

Big Chief takes the ride to Henderson Kentucky and sits down with Zach Hargis and Master Distiller Jacob Call for a deep and honest conversation about the resurrection of Silk Velvet Whiskey, a storied Kentucky label with roots that stretch back well over a century. Silk Velvet was once a household name, known for its smooth character and dependable quality during an era when whiskey was as much a...

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief sits down with April Weller Cantrell, widely known throughout the whiskey world as The Bourbon Baroness. A trusted voice in American whiskey and one of Big Chief's closest confidants in the industry, April brings experience, perspective, and straight shooting honesty to a conversation that is honest and deep, rooted in respect for the craft and the...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, The Bourbon Life Crew (minus Stacey) spend some time hanging out together in The Bourbon Life Studios sharing some great conversation and great pours. The Crew talk about the recent BourbonCon event that was just held in Lexington, KY for the 4 th year, some updated news regarding several troubled distilleries and brands and the impact that may have on...

This week on The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief heads into the rolling hills of East Tennessee to sit down with Stephen Callahan for a straightforward, no nonsense conversation about building whiskey the right way. The discussion is rooted in experience, patience, and respect for the craft, giving listeners an honest look at what it really takes to build a distillery with intention instead of chasing tre...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, Matt and Mark spend some time in The Bourbon Life Studios hanging out with our good friend and Bourbon Life Crew Member, Chad Watson, Blending & Operations Manager, for Rare Character. Chad was previously a guest on Episode 199. The guys talk with Chad about his background in retail and how his passion for Bourbon and writing reviews on Instagram led hi...

On this episode of The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief sits down with Clinton Dugan, co-founder and master blender of Short Barrel Bourbon out of Atlanta. Clinton dives into his approach to blending, barrel selection, and what it really takes to build a whiskey brand that stands out without chasing trends. This is a conversation rooted in patience, experience, and letting the whiskey speak louder than the...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, Matt and Mark spend some time in The Bourbon Life Studios hanging out with one of their favorite people in the Bourbon industry, the wonderful Ashley Barnes, Co-Founder & Master Blender, from The Blending House. Ashley was previously a guest on Episodes 144 and 249. The guys talk with Ashley about how she got started in the industry and the incredible e...

On this episode of The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief heads into the North Georgia mountains to sit down with distiller Randy Stamey at SharpTop Distilling Company in Jasper. The conversation explores SharpTop's Appalachian roots, hands-on approach to distilling, and the careful balance between honoring traditional mountain spirits and building a modern Georgia whiskey program grounded in patience and pu...

On this week's episode of The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief pulls up a chair with his brother Little Feather for a no-nonsense, end-of-year sit-down rooted in family, flavor, and hard-earned opinions. With a year of miles behind them and a table full of whiskey in front of them, the brothers look back on Big Chief's 2025 Whiskey Trail while taking on the challenge of naming Whiskey of the Year and Disti...

On this special holiday episode of The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief sits down with Doc Brown Farm and Distillery  founders Amy Brown and Paige Dockweiler for a conversation rooted in family, farming, and true grain to glass distilling. More than distillers, Amy and Paige are stewards of the land, driven by a shared determination to keep small scale farming alive at a time when doing things the right wa...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, the entire Bourbon Life Crew gets together for their Christmas Spectacular and The 15 Blinds of Christmas.  The Crew discusses the current state of the Bourbon industry and what appears to be some potential hard times coming for some brands, the different bottles that they have each purchased (or haven't purchased this year), and they also make their in...