The Mash Up

Southern Distilling Company was founded in 2013 and their spirits has been getting quite a bit of attention lately. This week, we take our talents to back to the south and explore what might be North Carolina's worst kept secret. For this episode, we sip and review a bottle of Southern Star Paragon Single Barrel Cask Strength Wheated Bourbon. Coming in at 4 years old and 110.7 proof - will thi...

It's a big week on the Mash Up. Not only are we reviewing one of the hottest bottles in the land, but we are also welcoming back our brother in bourbon, Steven. 13th Colony Distillery has been around since 2009, but they gained massive notoriety last year when they released their double oaked bourbon. We got our hands on the most recent version of this bottle and couldn't wait to crack it....

Maryland-style rye came roaring back onto the scene over the past few years and one of the companies most closely associated with its resurgence is Sagamore Spirit. Founded in 2013 by Under Armour CEO Kevin Plank, Sagamore Spirit Distillery is in the heart of Baltimore, Maryland and has a history that is tied to champion thoroughbred horses and limestone-filtered water. Sounds a lot like Kentucky....

In episode 107 of our podcast, we tasted Elijah Craig Barrel Proof batch B523 which was the first in the history of the release to carry a sub 12 year age statement. The newest batch of ECBP (C923) has been one of the most hyped due to the fact that it carries a whopping 13 year, 7 month age statement. This "technically" makes it the oldest release of this product to date. Instead of our...

Something special happened at Star Hill Farm in Loretto, Kentucky this past month. After many years speculation, Marker's Mark finally released something loyal enthusiasts and newbies alike have been waiting for. Marker's Mark Cellar Aged is a blend of 11 and 12 year old bourbons that started off aging in traditional rickhouses and was then moved to a temperature controlled cellar to finis...

You know that we favor Kentucky - almost to a fault. When we heard that Garrison Brothers annual Cowboy Bourbon release was gonna be hazmat, that definitely got our attention. Join us this week as we taste and review one of the self-proclaimed finest whiskies to come from Texas. In 2006, the Garrison Brothers distillery was granted the first stiller's permit for bourbon outside of Kentucky and...

In 2021, it was announced that Wild Turkey's Camp Nelson "C" warehouse would be decommissioned. Though this was done for safety reasons and due to the age of the building, it left turkey lovers a bit bewildered as this warehouse had a reputation for housing some excellent single barrels through the years. On the heels of this news, Wild Turkey announced a brand new release: Russell’s...

Just last year, rumors were swirling that the Old Fitz Decanter Series was being discontinued. Many wondered what was next for the long revered and beloved Old Fitzgerald bourbon brand. However, in the midst of the speculation, Heaven Hill surprised us all when they announced the "Spring 2023" decanter series release of Old Fitz. Coming in at 10 years old, this bottle marks the 11th nati...

These week, we used our midwestern sensibilities and traveled to north to the Great Lakes State to taste and try a bourbon that was gifted to us during a recent barrel pick experience. From just north of the Motor City, Valentine Distilling Co. burst onto the scene a few years ago by sourcing some excellent MGP distillate. During that time, they were also barreling their own liquid. Is this juice...

"The original wheated bourbon" has been the focal point of our podcast in the past, but we've never rated and reviewed this variant of the Wellerz product line. Weller Antique 107 is somewhat of a modern classic bourbon that is passionately referred to as OWA (old weller antique). While this whiskey is abundant in many states, it seems to be more elusive in Kentucky these days. But i...

Sláinte! Top o the mornin to ya! This week, we taste and review our first Irish whiskey of the podcast. Is it Jameson or Proper Twelve? No...we had to go straight to some of the oldest stuff that we could find: Redbreast 27 Year Old Irish Whiskey. You may have walked past this bottle many times since it carries a hefty price tag...but, was that a good decision? You'll have to listen to find ou...

Rice Whiskey? Really? Is this some kind of joke? Our partners over at bourbonoutfitter.com surprised us and sent this bottle so you know that we had to give it a try. Seeking something unique to do with their rice crop, J.T. Meleck Distillers came up with the idea to first make a rice vodka and then quickly moved on to making whiskey. Coming in at 122.5 proof, this 100% rice whiskey was aged 5 yea...

Amburana finishing has taken the bourbon world by storm. However, not everyone is on board with this latest craze. People seem to either love or hate it. Last week, we traveled out west to taste a finished bourbon and this week we stick to our own backyard. RD One Spirits, established right here in Lexington, KY in 2020, is a relatively new craft distiller that is making a splash in the bourbon wo...

Normally we stay within the state of Kentucky, but this week we ventured far out West to Sonoma County, California to taste and review Ammunition Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Cabernet Sauvignon Barrels. The folks at Daylight Wine and Spirits were winemakers first and quickly turned their attention to bourbon. Even though they have been producing bourbon since 2017, none of us had heard of...

Back in episode 62, we asked if you had read any good books lately? Fast forward to present day, this week is no different. For this episode, we taste and review Little Book Chapter 06: To The Finish. Little Book was created by Freddie Noe and has quickly become a favorite of the fall bourbon release season. In this episode, the guys talk vacation to LA and ultimately ponder if a 4-5 year old heav...

Some people have called this the best allocated bourbon of 2022. Others claimed that it was overrated. We are here to settle the debate once and for all! This week we crack open a bottle of Parker's Heritage Double Barreled Blend Bourbon. This is the 16th offering in this series from the Heaven Hill Distillery that honors the legacy of former master distiller Parker Beam. The double barreled b...

Happy fRYEday! We've been on quite the Heaven Hill kick lately. The bottle that we open for this week's episode is Rittenhouse Rye BIB that was selected by a local store here in Lexington, KY. Join us as we discuss many exciting things which include an impromptu tequila tasting, an exciting new partnership, and Anthony's absentmindedness when it comes to tasting. Is the Rittenhouse pic...

When you think of Florida - what comes to mind? Surely it’s sunny beaches and top quality oranges. Probably the last thing that anyone associates Florida with is bourbon. However, a distillery located in the heart of America’s oldest city is seeking to change that. St. Augustine Distillery, which was established in 2013, produces numerous spirits and one of its most popular products is Florida Str...

Finally, Steven has come back…to @themashupky podcast! For this momentous occasion - we have a special bottle that some might refer to as a “treasure.” Blanton’s Takara Black single barrel bourbon whiskey is produced right in our backyard (Frankfort, Kentucky) and then exported over to Japan where it has been enjoyed for many years. Thanks to a generous new neighbor, we were about to get our hands...

Bernheim Barrel Proof Wheat Whiskey is newest edition to Heaven Hill's barrel proof series, joining Larceny and Elijah Craig. This new offering is between 7-9 years old and clocks in at a hefty 118.8 proof. Similar to it's other barrel proof counterparts, this wheated barrel proof offering is set to be released three times a year. Will the love fest for Heaven Hill continue? Or will the fe...

Heaven Hill recently announced that Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon would no longer carry a 12 year age statement. Instead, each batch will have a variable age statement which can be higher or lower than 12 years depending on which barrels make up each batch. This news upset a lot of whiskey geeks, especially since Heaven Hill has become famous for dropping/reinventing age statements over the pa...

The Railbird Music Festival in Lexington, Kentucky debuted in 2019 and has quickly become one of the most anticipated annual events for lovers of music and bourbon alike. After some hiccups and extremely hot weather in 2022 left concert goers bewildered, this years version of Railbird looks like it could be the best yet. For this week, we got our hands on one of the many single barrel picks that w...

When it comes to bourbon whiskey - there are so many things to explore which is why we love bourbon so much. This week, we taste and review a relatively new offering from Buffalo Trace which is a Kosher Wheat Recipe Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Partnering with the Chicago Rabbinical Society, this whiskey debuted in 2020 as one of the first mainstream Kosher Whiskey offerings. Each barrel of Kosher Wh...

You spoke and we listened! This week, we have another action packed episode that involves malted whiskey! Founded in 2021 by Pablo Moix and Peter Nevenglosky, Rare Character Whiskey Company has bottled some unique and rare whiskeys, building a cult like following in the process. In this episode, we taste and review !4! different Kentucky Straight Malt Whiskeys from Rare Character's "Excep...

Old Louisville Whiskey Co. is a family owned business that strives to deliver premium whiskies to ALL. The husband and wife duo, Amine and Beth Karaoud, are self-proclaimed “whiskey aficionados'' and they have spent the last few years building a whiskey brand that honors both the rich history of the Old Louisville neighborhood as well as the long-standing tradition of Kentucky bourbon maki...