The Mash Up

We wanted to roll into episode 300 with pomp and circumstance, but instead, we settled on what we know best - doing some blinds. In this short, Anthony and Kenny blind each other in front of a live studio audience. While we didn't have a blow out bash to celebrate 300, we still had a lot of fun and we want to thank each and every one of you for supporting us. -------------------------- Socials...

Sugarlands Distilling Company is nestled in the foothills of Gatlinburg, TN. Even though they are a company that originally focused on moonshine, they have been getting noticed for their unique rye whiskey. Roaming Man is a cask-strength pot distilled rye whiskey, made from locally sourced grains and crafted in the largest copper pot still in the United States. Even though the first release of roa...

The 2025 release of Four Roses SMBLE is 109 proof and is a blend 13 year (OBSV, OESV, OBSK) and 19 year (OESV) bourbons. In what seems like an like an annual exercise, we taste and review this limited release and give you our honest thoughts. Spoiler alert: our opinions on this one are anything but straightforward. We are joined again by our good friend Paul and we thank him for providing this bot...

Shortbarrel is an Atlanta-based bourbon company whose bottles started hitting the shelves in 2021. Founded by a tight-knit group of bourbon enthusiasts, Shortbarrel specializes in crafting very unique offerings with the whiskey nerd in mind. In 2023, Shortbarrel purchased the Old Fourth Distillery and they have plans to open a flagship bar and retail shop in Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Internationa...

For this short, we decided to taste and review two brand new bottles from Woodford. The 2025 edition of the Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection is called "Sweet Oak Bourbon" and it started as regular Woodford distillate before aging 7 years in Chinkapin oak barrels. Coming in at 110.4 proof, this new release retails for 179.99 (700ml). The second bottle we reviewed from Woodford is a br...

Maker's Mark Cellar Aged debuted in 2023 to much acclaim and it was announced that this would be an annual limited release from the brand, showcasing the best of their aged whisky stocks. When we reviewed 2024 version of this bourbon(E192), it became clear that the profile of this whisky would be different each year. Fast forward to the current episode - we taste and review the 2025 version of...

Despite the fact that we are behind when it comes to tasting all the blind samples that members of our community have sent, in this week's short, we tackle two blinds that were sent in from Kris. Can we guess age, proof, and distillate once again? Trying things blind is one of our favorite things to do, even though it's incredibly tough. We are thankful to Kris for providing these samples...

Even though we tend to gravitate toward our own state when it comes to brown liquid, we got a lot of love for our neighbors to the south in Tennessee. Jack Daniel's is a brand that is steeped in history and tradition and we've been delighted at how they've expanded their offerings in recent years. In this episode, we taste and review the brand new Jack Daniel's Heritage offering wh...

For this week's short, we focus on Stranahan's recent "Founder's Release" which is a blend of 8-11 year American Single Malt Whiskey finished for 1-4 years in ex-Bourbon and ex-Blonde ale casks. Carrying a 12 year age statement and coming in at 120 proof, this whiskey is like nothing we've ever tasted before. Is that a good or bad thing? You'll have to listen to find...

In the very first episode of The Mash Up Podcast, we tasted and reviewed Sazerac Rye. Just a few short years and a couple episodes later, we were delighted to hear that Saz/BT was releasing a 100 proof version of this rye whiskey. Developed in response to demand from bartenders and whiskey enthusiasts, this innovative expression is designed to offer enhanced flavor, versatility and control in cock...

Bardstown Bourbon Company has quickly established itself as a juggernaut in Kentucky bourbon production. Even though they will run the still for just about anyone, they are also doing some very innovative things with blending and wood finishing. This most recent distillery reserve release is a blend of 9- to 18-year-old whiskeys from Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee that are blended and finished f...

The Master's Keep series from Wild Turkey has been an annual release that we look forward to. This is why we were surprised to learn that the most recent release, Beacon, will be the last in the series. Beacon is meticulously blended 10 and 16 year old barrels from different places on the Wild Turkey campus. The blend showcases distillate from father and son and this is the first time that a M...

This is one of the most exciting shorts we've ever recorded. David Jennings is not only a good friend of the podcast, but he is also the proprietor or Caleb's Crossing and Raconteur Rye. This coincides with the newest releases from both brands. The fourth releases from Raconteur are actually two bottles: Gemini I (Indiana) and Gemini II (Kentucky). Both of these expressions are 95/5 ryes w...

Burnt Church Distillery is the pride of Bluffton, South Carolina. Before it was Burnt Church, the road in the heart of Old Town Bluffton was known as Palmer’s Stretch. This rye whiskey pays tribute to the people and a specific period in time in the low country. Burnt Church was one of the brands that was part of the Hoochenanny Music and Whiskey festival that we were part of. In this episode, we t...

According to a big box retailer, Peter E Hart's Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon is aged 8 years and has a unique mashbill using Honey'd Wheat and Honey'd Malted Barley. Due to this unique mashbill, the flavors are said to be "robust and smooth" at a very healthy 112 proof. So how does it actually taste? We'll be the judge of that. Join us for this short as we taste and...

You'd have to go all the way back to episode 17 to find the first time we ever tasted and reviewed anything from Nashville Barrel Company (NBC). Back then we could have never imagined that we would have our own barrel picks from NBC. Recently, Kenny took a trip down to Nashville and selected two Kelvin barrel MGP bourbons and one founders OG rye. Even though these were selected by Kenny, this...

Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is a signature product from Heaven Hill that first released in 2013. Typically, this release happens three times during each calendar year. The most recent release, B525 has received some very positive reviews by most in the whiskey community. In fact, many have claimed that this batch is up there with some of the all time great batches. What do think? Is this the return...

Over the last couple of weeks, we've started to release our very own hand selected barrel picks. A good majority of our community has been clamoring for us to give some tasting notes and discuss what we picked. There is no sugar coating it, in this episode, we cover a lot of ground. We taste, discuss, and review our upcoming barrel picks, but we also mix in some listener blinds. This episode i...

Fort Hamilton Distillery is located in Brooklyn, New York and was founded in 2016 by Alex Clark and his wife Amy Grindeland. We caught up with this dynamic duo during our recent trip to the Hoochenanny Whiskey and Music festival. Fort Hamilton strives to make an array of spirits, but the brand was founded on the premise of creating authentic New York style rye that was popular before prohibition....

You've heard us talk about Four Roses Single Barrel / Barrel Strength picks many times over. The fact that we've never reviewed one for the podcast is just plain crazy. This week, we taste and review a pick from Bros Liquor in California. Our very own Kenny Mills was part of the pick team. So, tune in to hear our thoughts about this 9.5 year, 122.4 proof OESQ recipe barrel pick. It's s...

We promised that we would actually stick to our word this week and record a "short" episode. However, Kenny threw in one of his classic curveballs. As you will notice, this episode is completely blind. You don't know what the bottle is so you'll just have to listen to find out what bourbon we reviewed and what we thought about it. If this works out, we might do more episodes just...

Michter's Legacy Series celebrates the foundational roots and heritage of the brand through two different whiskeys. Shenk's Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey honors John Shenk who founded what would become the Michter's brand all the way back in 1753. Bomberger's Declaration Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey honors the time period when the Michter's distillery was known as Bombergers...

New Era Whiskey and Spirits (NEWS) is new and local non-distiller producer and many people have no idea who they are. Even though they been in business for a little under a year, they generated a lot of unintentional hype when one of their first releases sold for an unbelievable amount on Unicorn Auctions. For this episode, we sit down with one of the with co-founders of NEWS, Zane Brammell. Zane...

The Jim Beam distillery recently resurrected a legend and released Old Grand Dad Bottled in Bond with a 7 year age statement. This return of age statements to bonded products is a recent trend that we have seen from many legacy distillers. Even though OGD used to carry an 8 year age statement, the return of the product to the shelf with an 7 year age statement and with an MSRP of $40 has been met...

Once only available at the distillery in Louisville, Old Forester President's Choice is now available nationwide. Also, for the very first time, rye is now part of the lineup. Join us this week as we review the most recent bottles to release in the Old Forester President's Choice series. Donning the seal of approval from Campbell Brown (President of Old Forester), this highly sought after...