The Mash Up

Some like a low rye. Some like a high rye. Others like a barrel strength rye. This week we open a bottle of Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye. Does a mixture of rye spice and high proof play well together? Do classic bourbon notes come through in a rye? Our conversation spills over to Halloween trick-or-treat bars, pronunciations and is there a good overall year for bourbons? -------------------------...

Winter is coming. If you could bottle the holiday season, then this is your bottle. Traveling south this week is a bottle of Watershed Bottled in Bond bourbon. How does this craft bourbon stack up? What does the different Ohio weather climate bring to the bourbon table? To help round out this wreath are char levels, liquor stores NOT gouging and 1980’s country music. -------------------------- Soc...

What can you purchase in the same store as bath tissue, sheet cakes and milk chocolate almonds? It comes in a one liter bottle, it is shipped on a pallet and you do not need a membership to buy it. Give up?! This week we pop the cork on a bottle of Kirkland Signature Small Batch bourbon. Does this Barton sourced Costco bourbon have what it takes to drink neat? Will the Costco fanboys pass out from...

We made it to episode 25! This week we take a look back at our journey to get to this point. We also look at the road traveled by this weeks bourbon. This week, our around the world selection, is a bottle of Blanton’s Gold bourbon. How does the Gold status differ from the regular bottle? Is it worth the hype? To help fill time we talk about all the different variations of Blanton’s, does Buffalo T...

For those times when one barreling is not enough…simply add a second! Filling our glencairns this week is a bottle of Woodford Reserve Double Oak (WRDO) bourbon. Does finishing aged bourbon in a new barrel make that much of a difference? Will Michael pick out a special note*? Other conversation topics are double barrel expressions, unopened bourbon bottles and coffee versus espresso. -------------...

¡Hola y bienvenido a casa! Hello and welcome home. We are bringing you a special episode this week from the road. This week we are on location at Valentin Imperial Riviera Maya Report in Mexico. Our bottle this week is Ballantine’s Finest Blended Scotch Whisky. Will the peat be tolerable for the fellas? How will the hot and humid conditions favor for this whisky? Come and join us for this fun epis...

While eagles might be a rare sight, this bourbon use to be easy to find. Nowadays, it is only seen through allocations and store picks. This week we uncork a bottle of Eagle Rare (ER) store pick bourbon. From its wine shaped bottle to its classic notes, we re-explore this gateway bourbon. We also talk about this bottles age statement conspiracy, BT mash bill #1 and a very stingy Christmas gifter!...

It was only a matter of time before we would have to review this bourbon. After months and months of commenting on all of their store picks, we finally put it in the hot seat. With this weeks selection, we sampled a non-store pick bottle of Knob Creek Small Batch 12 year bourbon. Do the fellas have to eat their own words? This has the making of a crazy episode. Filling out the commentary are white...

What comes to mind when you think of private selection bourbons? Do you think of seared French curée? What about roasted French mendiant? If so, then do we have a bottle for you this week. Filling our glencairns is a bottle of Maker’s Mark Private Selection pick (MMPS SP) bourbon. Does this Maker’s product follow in the footsteps of their other higher proofs with an overflow of notes? What can we...

Black wax. Seven to eight year ago statement. A single barrel. This bourbon checks all the boxes for customer approval. The bottle of the week is Even Williams Single Barrel Vintage (EW SiB) bourbon. Does this bourbon preform well with all these boxes checked? Is there a disconnect between the nose and the palette? Following these scents is jury duty, dog doors and a bourbon calendar. ------------...

Can this bottle be considered a modern dusty?  We brought out a bottle of Jim Beam Distiller's Cut (JBDC) bourbon from the archives.  How does this bottle compare to the other variance in the Jim Beam bourbon catalog?  Is this a bottle to share with friends and family?  Other topics include the Kentucky Chew, the Jim Beam life cycle and wrestling. -------------------------- Socials IG: https://www...

From the state that gave us the Great Smoky Mountains, honky-tonks and flap jacks comes a new chapter in their generosity. We pop the cork from a bottle of Nashville Barrel Straight Rye Single Barrel Pick (Nashville Barrel Rye SiB SP). Does this bottle bring it like the Parthenon, Grand Ole Opry and Dolly. Can eight years be too old for a rye? How will it hold up in the SEC standings? Joining the...

Do you think red wine can enhance the flavor of a bourbon? If you answered yes, then do we have a bottle for you this week. This week we open a bottle of Thomas S. Moore Cabernet Sauvignon (Tommy Mo Cab) bourbon. Can the extra cask process really improve the flavors of an already developed bourbon? As we switch from red wine to our glencairn glasses, we discuss spring cleaning, pop-up cask distill...

Do you want something more than just a three grain bourbon mash bill? Do you feel like it is missing something? Well do we have the bottle for you. This week we tackle a bottle of Spirits of French Lick 4 Grain Bourbon. They take the main ingredient from oatmeal, oatmeal chocolate chip cookies and honey oat bread and add it to their mash bill; oats. The fellas try and put their finger on what this...

We go super local for our next selection. This week we selected a bottle of Bluegrass Distillers Single Barrel (SiB) bourbon. This two year old bourbon entices you to rethink what a young wheater can be. We also explore the fun area surrounding this distillery; the West Sixth area. Along with the distillery, it includes a brewery and several great eateries. We dive into barrel char and what it bri...

In this edition, we pop the cork on a bottle of Wild Turkey Rare Breed (WTRB) bourbon. This Turkey gobbles back at 116.8 proof as you sit back and enjoy the Kentucky hug. This is one of the lowest priced barrel proof bourbons you are going to find on your store shelves. This episode is packed with all sorts of goodness. From our outings to the historic Keeneland horse racing track to a turkey farm...

The fellas regroup after returning from hot off the beach from spring break 2k21. We open a bottle of Four Roses Small Batch Select (FRSMS). Can this first new offer from Four Roses in several years capture our hearts? Can too many bourbon recipes be a bad thing? The group has several updates, the Clyde May's style? and an awkward moment during recording. -------------------------- Socials IG: htt...

What has sun, surf and seltzer waters?  The answer is Michael on spring break.  We did not have time to get together before he left.  I am hopeful he will come back with good bourbon finds and stories to tell.  Stay tuned for next week. -------------------------- Socials IG: https://www.instagram.com/themashupky FB: https://www.facebook.com/themashupky TW: https://twitter.com/t...

Who said a four year old could not have character?  We tackle a bottle of New Riff Bottled in Bond Bourbon (New Riff BiB) in this edition.  This entry level bottle in the New Riff line up sure made us rethink a four year old bourbon.  From its mature notes to its long finish; we were all very surprised.  Pairing with the discussion, we talk about RTD (ready to drink) cans, Anth...

Happy tenth episode anniversary!  There is only one way to celebrate our tenth episode and that is with a ten year bourbon.  The gents crack open a bottle of Old Rip Van Winkle (ORVW) Bourbon.  Does the prestige of this bourbon line live up to its hype?  Can all three of us agree on this selection?  While sippin' we talk about golf adventures, barrel picks and craft bourbo...

The fellas uncork a bottle of Wordford Reserve Rye (WR Rye). This bottle is a fine example of the care WR takes in creating a newer profile for their line up. Good vibes are evident from the bottles first sip to almost the last sip. Along for the ride are adventures in running, a maximum age for ryes and Michael had two points. -------------------------- Socials IG: https://www.instagram.com/thema...

Mayday, Mayday, Mayday; The Mash Up’s inaugural bourbon tasting flight is coming in HOT!! The crew puts three offerings from the Heaven Hill (HH) namesake to a head-to-head-to-head comparison; HH 6 year green label, HH 6 year white label Bottled-in-Bond (BiB) and HH 7 year BiB. Who will be crowned the best and worst in show? Filling the cargo are budget bourbons, the new bottle lottery system and...

As the fellas emerge from their icy abodes, they pop the top of a Willett Pot Still Reserve (Pot Still) bottle.  Is this Pot Still constructed in a way to produce a high quality bourbon?  Does the shape affect our judgements?  Accompanying the conversation are Oreo sandwich creations, top five bourbon gift bottles and is Weller 12 being used as a bargaining chip in international affairs?!? -------...

Mother Nature - 1; The Mash Up - 0.  We were unable to get together this week due to a hat trick of winter storms.  We will see you all next week!

The gang cracks the red wax from one of the world’s most recognizable distilleries.  In this edition, we focus on a bottle of Maker's Mark Cask Strength (MMCS).  Does the allure of this higher proof offering have the potential for being a true sleeper in it’s category?  From the glencairn sippin', we talk about the Super Bowl, dreams of a Maker's Mark 12 year and the missed opportunities of the Ma...