The Scotchy Bourbon Boys

Send us Fan Mail We catch up after boots-on-the-ground Ohio bottle signings and get Ross Cornelison on the phone while he drives back to Kentucky. We dig into what makes Barton 1792 so consistent, why the brand’s profile has shifted over time, then end with a full live Barrel Bottle Breakdown of 1792 Sweet Wheat.  • Meeting Ross Cornelissen in Ohio and why the state shows up big for bourbon  • Why...

Send us Fan Mail We talk with Randy Prasse about why the Kentucky Bourbon Festival keeps selling out faster and how the team protects the general admission experience while still offering real VIP comfort. We get into the unglamorous details that make the weekend work, from gate flow and bottle lines to add-ons, education, and what is new for this year.  • tickets selling out and what the “sold ou...

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Danny Polise from Penelope Bourbon to trace how a three-barrel experiment turns into a national brand built on obsessive blending and real boots-on-the-ground hustle. We dig into how sourcing, warehouse knowledge, and smart scaling shape flavor, then taste through new and upcoming bottles while talking festivals, charity blends, and what the next decade of bourbon...

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Mark Carter to talk about how Old Carter stays unmistakable batch after batch, from chewy caramel depth to that long, silky finish. We get into the real work behind very small blends, the Social Club experience, and why we chase “delicious” over age statements and hype.  • tasting through recent Old Carter releases and why bottles can open up over time  • what the...

Send us Fan Mail We dig into why 375ml bourbon bottles are suddenly everywhere and what that shift means for prices, access, and trying new whiskey without committing to a full bottle. Along the way we swap festival stories, call out standout distillery releases, and make the case for half bottles as the ultimate share-friendly format.  • New Orleans Bourbon Festival highlights, logistics and surp...

Send us Fan Mail We head to Chicago to taste Koval Distillery and dig into how two PhDs built a grain to bottle “black sheep” whiskey brand that helped revive city distilling. Then we run a full tasting and score the Four Grain Single Barrel that hits us with banana bread sweetness and a finish that keeps us debating.  • how Koval returns distilling to Chicago after Prohibition  • who Dr Robert Bi...

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Steve Lambert from Leather and Oak Spirits to get real about what makes Ohio whiskey special when it is built from grain genetics up instead of hype. We taste through the logic behind 100% corn bourbon, pot still texture, and the hands-on experiments that keep small-batch releases consistent while still interesting.  • why grain genetics and yeast set the flavor f...

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Wendy Peveich, founder and blender behind Archer Eland, to talk about building a rye whiskey brand that flies the Ohio flag and still competes on flavor, proof, and value. We taste through four distinct rye expressions and dig into why rye is so hard to make, so easy to misunderstand, and so rewarding when it’s blended with intent.  • New Orleans Bourbon Festival...

Send us Fan Mail We run our first-ever Irish whiskey blind for St Patrick’s Day and rank five pours using a nose, taste, guess, and score system. The winner surprises us, so we reveal the lineup, talk through the key flavour notes, and finish with a full barrel bottle breakdown plus a quick lesson on what legally counts as bourbon.  • setting the rules for a true blind with no hints  • introducing...

Send us Fan Mail We catch up with Tracy and Barb Napolitano as they lay out the biggest upgrades to New Orleans Bourbon Festival, from a new self-contained downtown venue to a rooftop Grand Tasting with sweeping views of the city and the Mississippi River. We also dig into the dinners, ghost tours, VIP judging, seminar lineup, and the barrel picks that support charity while keeping the whole weeke...

Send us Fan Mail We celebrate Irish whiskey’s roots, its collapse and comeback, and how Ohio became a hotbed for great bottles. We taste and score Bua Imperial Stout Finish, then mix an Irish Mule with maple and a Guinness Old Fashioned topped with vanilla foam. • Irish whiskey heritage from monks to Bushmills  • Four core styles and triple distillation explained  • Why Ohio’s shelves now carry de...

Send us Fan Mail We trace Michter’s from its 1753 Pennsylvania roots to a Kentucky rebirth built on low entry proof, heat-cycled warehouses, and ruthless quality control. We taste a 2019 Toasted Barrel Sour Mash, debate the brand’s most defining bottle, and share memories with Dan McKee and Andrea Wilson. • sponsor spotlight for Middle West Spirits • agenda: Michter’s journey, bottle-your-own reca...

Send us Fan Mail We blend fairways, flavor, and smoke with Brian Bailie of Golf Cask, exploring how golf, whiskey, and cigars create a deliberate pace and a richer way to spend time together. From Irish pubs to private barrel picks, we map the culture, the pairings, and the growing community. • five pillars of Golf Cask: golf, whiskey, cigars, travel, community • designing “whiskey golf trails” fr...

Send us Fan Mail We share how Whiskey Thief keeps its farm soul while growing in Louisville and nationwide through direct-to-consumer shipping. We taste a nine-year rye, dig into pot still craft, and map the rising whiskey hub shaping the city’s scene. • why grow and stay the same is the goal • how the urban tasting room mirrors the farm vibe • what pot distilling demands from a skilled team • whe...

Send us Fan Mail We chart Alan Bishop’s leap from an established distillery to Old Homestead, how he rebuilt his stills, and why he’s doubling down on experiential spirits. We taste and unpack Wickliffe Bell at 139.2 proof—peat-smoked oats, smoked apples, clean cuts, and a rest that polishes without erasing character. • Reinvention after French Lick and owning the build at Old Homestead • Pot stil...

Send us Fan Mail We taste presidential-labeled pours, unpack how to judge whiskey beyond politics, and dive into Dark Arts’ global wood program, pricing choices, and plans for Noble Arts. The talk moves through Lexington’s revival, industry alliances, and bourbon’s power to bring people together. • judging whiskey on liquid quality not labels • guest’s background, global sourcing, and neat-pour ph...

Send us Fan Mail We chase one core question: does the whiskey in the bottle live up to the story. Dark Arts’ chief alchemist Macaulay Minton joins us to talk rare woods, fair pricing, Lexington’s revival, and why bourbon still works as social glue across differences. • focusing on liquid over labels and hype • Dark Arts’ global wood program and toast design • neat-first philosophy and hospitality...

Send us Fan Mail Gregg Snyder Master distiller of 4 Branches Bourbon and Tiny trace bourbon’s cycle from the late 1970s decline to today’s surplus, explaining why growth leveled, not crashed. Along the way we unpack ownership shifts, the rise of sourcing and blending, oak supply myths, and why premium whiskey still holds strong. • market cycles from decline to correction • Seagram’s consolidation...

Send us Fan Mail Two friends return to the mics with health updates, family news, and a shared pour of Old Forester President’s Choice. We dig into Barrel #133 at 115.3 proof, break down the nose, body, taste, and finish, and give it a 17 out of 18 with clear reasons why. • context on President’s Choice relaunch and heritage • Ohio allocation versus distillery-only releases • barrel #133 stats, ag...

Send us Fan Mail We compare Early Times Bottled in Bond from 2022 and 2025, decode laser codes to date bottles, and unpack what changed after Sazerac moved production to Barton 1792. We score both pours using the Old Louisville barrel bottle breakdown and land on a surprising tie with different strengths. • Bottled in Bond rules clarified and why they matter • Early Times history from 1860 to the...

Send us Fan Mail We sit down with Macaulay Williams to explore how Duck Club blends culture, craft, and sharp pricing, from a $29.99 92 proof sipper to a $39.99 110 proof High‑Brass. The talk ranges from rickhouse science to market oversupply, with a clear stance on blending, transparency, and conservation. • origin story of Duck Club and the hunting clubhouse ethos • Riley Green as co‑founder and...

Send us Fan Mail We explore how a five-year whiskey aged in used cooperage becomes something new when layered with over two dozen botanicals. Kieran Walsh shares the path from wine and High West to Big Easy Whiskey and why he designed an 86 proof pour that opens on ice, thrives in a toddy, and avoids sugary shortcuts. • philosophy of enhancing whiskey rather than masking it • used cooperage to bal...

Send us Fan Mail We taste Ohio’s exclusive Woodford Reserve Double Oak Barrel Proof single barrel release, explain what makes it different from the 94-proof staple, and score Barrel #5 using our Barrel Bottle Breakdown. We also share community updates, weather-scrambled plans, and next week’s guest lineup. • OHLQ’s first barrel-proof single barrel of Double Oak and why it matters • How the second...

Send us Fan Mail We taste Yellowstone’s new Recollection Series and score it 15 out of 18 while tracing the brand’s roots, the bottle’s historic design, and where limited releases fit in a changing bourbon market. We also break down industry news on Luca Mariano and Jim Beam’s Claremont pause. • eight-year, 110-proof Yellowstone Recollection profile and tasting • bottle design inspired by historic...

Send us Fan Mail We weigh the promise and pitfalls of celebrity whiskey while tasting Steph Curry’s Gentleman’s Cut from Boone County, scoring it 14/18 and debating price, authenticity, and staying power. The tour story, the mash bill, and the finish that surprises anchor a frank review. • celebrity whiskey motives, reach, and risks • Boone County partnership and production details • mash bill, ag...