On this week’s episode, Kevin Carlson returns to the show and takes total control of the conversation with a rapid-fire set of “whiskey myth-busting” questions that every enthusiast needs to hear. We tackle the age-old debate head-on: was bourbon actually better before the boom, or are we living in a golden era of variety and innovation? We break down whether the concept of a true “daily drinker” is officially dead for the enthusiast, and touch on the eternal battle of proof versus flavor. We argue why higher proof doesn’t automatically mean a better whiskey, because there are fan favorites like Michter’s 10 and Weller 107. Then there is the polarizing rise of American light whiskey and the truth behind age statements. We close things out by busting the romantic myths surrounding dusty bottles, the actual hands-on role of a modern Master Distiller, and whether the little guy stands a chance against heritage giants when releasing an ultra-premium bottle.

Show Notes:

• Comparing the lower prices and dusty availability of the past to today’s massive variety and diverse product landscape
• Analyzing how the explosion of available expressions has changed purchasing habits for casual vs. serious consumers
• Why every whiskey has an ideal balance point and how chasing high proofs can sabotage a spirit’s true profile
• The technical reality of the category and why it gets overhyped when marketed under the guise of traditional bourbon
• Why age statements act as a guide rather than a guarantee of quality for aging barrels in Kentucky climates
• How premium presentation impacts consumer perception and the fine line between creative finishing and masking weak distillate
• The operational reality of today’s heritage producers and why a corporate Master Distiller acts more like a ship captain than a hands-on operator

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Burnt Tavern’s new Kentucky bourbon from Chip Tate brings wild notes of kettle corn, nectarines, golden raisins, and smoky county fair vibes. A double oaked release with a seriously unique profile… but does the finish hold up?

DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.

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It’s This Week in Bourbon for June 5th 2026. Uncle Nearest May Have A Buyer, Saga Spirits behind True Story has two alleged lawsuits that just became public, and Four Roses Distillery is introducing Anthology, a new 21 year old bourbon.

Show Notes:

• Uncle Nearest receiver signs letter of intent to sell distillery and assets to Black-owned investment firm
• Wes Henderson’s saga spirits group faces $1.5M in debt lawsuits over Kentucky Castle project
• New Riff Distilling drops exclusive 10-Year-Old Bourbon and Rye for High Note Series
• Michter’s rolls out 10-Year Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Rye for June 2026
• James B. Beam Distilling Co. elevates classic brand with Old Grand-Dad 114 Single Barrel 7-Year
• MANORS Golf and Gentleman Jack launch A Gentleman’s Guide to Golf apparel and content partnership
• Bluegrass Distillers brings back highly anticipated blue corn program with new rye-inclusive mash bill
• Penelope Bourbon hits retail shelves with new Blackberry Old Fashioned ready-to-serve cocktail
• 15 STARS debuts First West Explorer, its first bourbon crafted from 100% in-house black corn distillate
• Knob Creek teams up with Huckberry for custom tote bag and Father’s Day pop-up at Grand Central Terminal
• Stoll & Wolfe partners with Alan Bishop to launch colonial-style Wolfe & Wilson Straight Rye
• Rolling Fork Spirits revives historic 1906 REWCO Rye brand with limited small-batch release
• Koopers Whiskey gears up for Father’s Day with rare 8-year-old Father’s Office Cigar Blend
• Adventure Spirits collaborates with Task Force 20 to release TF20 Bottled-in-Bond bourbon for veterans
• Four Roses Distillery introduces Anthology series with 21-year-old Chapter One: Origin
• Starlight Distillery announces estate-grown Indiana Straight 10-Year Reserve Bourbon at cask strength
• Wild Turkey honors Eddie Russell’s 45th anniversary with Russell’s Reserve 13 Year and custom documentary

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On this week’s Bourbon Community Roundtable, our panel is tackling one of the deepest geek-out topics in the entire whiskey world: the battle over barrel entry proof and how it has evolved over time. While the modern industry has largely settled into an efficiency-driven standard of 120 to 125 proof, we’re digging into the history to ask the ultimate question: did the industry get it completely wrong in 1962, and does the next decade of bourbon belong at 105? With Buffalo Trace dropping a massive new 15-year-old wheated bourbon at a 105 entry proof and Michter’s continuing to dominate the premium space with their signature 103 entry proof, we debate whether a lower entry proof creates a fundamentally superior water-wood-spirit interaction. We’re breaking down the financial temptation that drove the historical shift to 125 proof, the divide between casual drinkers and the hyper-informed enthusiast market, and examining real-world case studies from Wild Turkey, Maker’s Mark, and New Riff to see if low entry proof is a guaranteed flavor hack or if it still comes down to the skill of the producer.

Show Notes:

• How and why the industry legally moved from 110 to 125 proof in the early 1960s
• Analyzing how volume, barrel costs, and efficiency drove production changes over flavor considerations
• How lower entry proof alters wood interaction to deliver enhanced sweetness, complexity, and mouthfeel
• Distinguishing how everyday casual drinkers view production specs versus the hyper-focused whiskey enthusiast
• Examining experimental releases and standards from Michter’s, Buffalo Trace, New Riff, and Wild Turkey
• Predictions on whether craft innovation will force legacy heritage brands to lower their entry proofs

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Old Treasure Bourbon is here… and this 139 proof release drinks WAY easier than expected. Big chocolate, caramel, cereal milk vibes, and one seriously fun pour. Is this hidden gem worth hunting down?

DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.

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It’s This Week in Bourbon for May 29th 2026. New updates happening in the Uncle Nearest case, Wild Turkey brings back the Cheesy Gold Foil, and Bardstown Bourbon Company is going to Mars.

Show Notes:

• A federal judge has expanded Uncle Nearest’s receivership to investigate a secret $20 million loan from Jay-Z’s firm.
• Blending pioneer Nancy Fraley is retiring from Jos. A. Magnus & Co., leaving her legacy with Head Distiller Will Fabry.
• The Kentucky Bourbon Festival introduces a secure, face-value official ticket resale platform via TIXR.
• Filmland Spirits releases The Crimson Cask, a 90-proof noir-inspired bourbon exclusive to Kentucky.
• Blue Run Spirits collaborates with the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for a limited-edition 111-proof bourbon.
• Evan Williams launches officially licensed America250 commemorative whiskeys, donating $75,000 to Folds of Honor.
• Titanic Hotel Belfast partners with Titanic Distillery to launch an exclusive historic Quarter experience package.
• Heaven Hill designates its 2026 Grain to Glass lineup as the “Year of Wheat” across three limited expressions.
• Remus Bourbon introduces the Lou Gehrig Reserve, donating proceeds to the Live Like Lou ALS charity.
• Shortbarrel announces the return of Sapsquatch Bourbon, utilizing a unique two-stage maple finishing method.
• Bradshaw Bourbon rolls out personalized engraved gift sets for Father’s Day through late June.
• Heaven Hill releases a 10-year-old Rittenhouse Rye commemorative edition for America’s 250th anniversary.
• Buffalo Trace revives Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain and Cured Oak expressions for May 2026.
• Veteran-owned Four Branches Bourbon debuts Liberty Reserve to honor America’s Semiquincentennial anniversary.
• Proof & Wood announces Tumblin’ Dice 13-Year Rye, featuring a 95% rye mashbill at barrel proof.
• 15 STARS debuts First West Explorer, its first bourbon crafted from 100% in-house black corn distillate.
• Garrison Brothers launches the Ranch Reserve Series featuring PX and Oloroso sherry cask-finished Texas bourbons.
• Wild Turkey introduces the Austin Nichols Archives series, debuting with a 16-year-old “Cheesy Gold Foil” tribute.
• Bardstown Bourbon Company debuts a first-of-its-kind Japanese Single Malt co-aged blend with Hombo Shuzo.

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Whether you call it Seagram’s, LDI, MGP, or its official modern name, Ross & Squibb—the massive facility in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, is the undisputed backbone of the whiskey industry. On this episode, we sit down with Ian Stirsman, the Master Distiller steering the ship at this legendary production powerhouse. We tackle the distillery’s endless naming history head-on and trace Ian’s journey from a chemical engineer working in a paper mill to commanding one of the largest distillation footprints in the world. Ian delivers a technical masterclass on how they produce massive mash bills at an unbelievable scale, the history behind their iconic 95/5 rye recipe, and why vintage light whiskey is suddenly having a massive moment. Plus, we pull back the curtain on how their team approaches blending, warehouse aging, and wood selection for Ross & Squibb’s own rapidly growing premium house brands like George Remus and Rossville Union.

Show Notes:

• Why the industry still calls Ross & Squibb Seagram’s, LDI, and MGP
• Ian Stirsman’s journey from chemical engineering to the Lawrenceburg distillery floor
• The Dayton whiskey bar epiphany that revealed MGP’s true market dominance
• Moving from process engineer to managing a multi-spirit team operation
• Deconstructing the legendary 95/5 rye recipe and the lasting impact of Seagram’s documentation
• The history of light whiskey and why older expressions are suddenly booming with consumers
• How the team selects barrels for George Remus and Rossville Union
• Wood management, rickhouse microclimates, and creating the Remus Experimental Series
• The future of Ross & Squibb’s brand strategy, bottle club, and upcoming changes to the barrel program

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Dragon’s Milk Origin Toasted 2026C “A Breath of Fresh Air” brings a wild Madeira barrel finish layered with orange meringue, citrus, toasted sweetness, and surprisingly hoppy IPA vibes. Weird? Absolutely. Delicious? Maybe even more so.

DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.

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Ever wonder what it actually takes to build, run, and automate a distillery? On this episode, we sit down with someone unknown to most of the general population, but he’s on speed dial for every major prodocuer across the country. A 2023 Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame Inductee, and the owner of Distillery Engineering: Pete Kamer. We talk about Pete’s incredible journey from his early days learning the ropes at Four Roses to his milestone career of 27 years at Barton in Bardstown. The distilling world has its own unique engineering hurdles, especially as traditional floor operations transitioned into modern automation. Pete shares his masterclass take on adjusting flavor profiles through still design, yeast, and cuts, and why relying on an operator’s sight, smell, and hearing will always beat looking at a screen.

Show Notes:

• Pete’s career journey from Four Roses to his 27-year legacy at Barton in Bardstown
• The evolution of traditional distillery floor operations into modern automation
• Technical insights into manipulating whiskey flavor profiles through still design, yeast, and cuts
• Why sensory skills—sight, smell, and hearing—beat relying on control-room screens
• The mechanics and engineering hurdles of running a large-scale Kentucky distillery
• The physics and environmental factors that make duplicating the exact same whiskey impossible across different warehouses

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Onyx & Amber’s Guest Blender Series #1 is getting serious buzz… and we see why. A blend of 7–12 year barrels aged in Colorado, bringing peach tea, orange marmalade, brown sugar, and a smooth toasted coconut finish. Is this sleeper hitting above its weight?

DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.

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It’s This Week in Bourbon for May 15th 2026. Brown-Forman has officially rejected a $15 billion all-cash takeover bid from Sazerac, FBI Director Kash Patel is facing scrutiny with personalized bottles of Woodford Reserve, and Penelope Bourbon has announced Architects of Golf.

Show Notes:

• Brown-Forman rejects Sazerac’s $15 billion takeover bid to maintain family-owned independence
• Sixth Circuit strikes down Ohio’s unconstitutional ban on out-of-state wine shipping
• “Free Our Spirits” campaign launches to privatize North Carolina’s government-run liquor system
• FBI Director Kash Patel under fire for gifting personalized Woodford Reserve bottles
• Little Book Chapter 10 “All the Wiser” debuts with intuitive blending at 122.6 proof
• New Riff 2026 Single Malt features heirloom British barley and five-cask finishing
• Wenzel Distillery Batch 2 Sherry Barrel Finished Bourbon launches as a 119.1 proof limited release
• Green River Honey Finished Bourbon utilizes 100% local, raw honey inside the barrel
• Chattanooga Whiskey marks 10th Bottled in Bond vintage with new five-grain mash bill
• Maker’s Mark honors America’s 250th anniversary with patriotic red, white, and blue bottle
• Town Branch releases 6-Year Wheated Bourbon as its first dedicated wheat expression
• Penelope Bourbon debuts “Architects of Golf” trilogy featuring variable stave finishing intensity

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Ever wonder what’s really going on behind the counter of your local liquor store? On this episode we go back to the retail side of the business. We sit down with Bill Derham, the man behind Frankfort Avenue Liquors here in Louisville Kentucky to talk about his journey from the early days at Liquor World to building a standout store-and-bar destination. The retail world has its own hurdles like navigating inflation, shifting consumer trends, and how shops are handling the pressure of today’s market. Bill shares his take on the explosive rise of vintage spirits, the return of cocktail culture, and why building a community becomes key with rising competition. So whether you’re curious about how local retailers are keeping their shelves stocked or you just want to know the truth about the current state of the industry, Bill lays it all out for you here.

Show Notes:

• Bill’s transition from Liquor World to Frankfurt Avenue Liquors
• The crucial role of community in bourbon retail
• Insights into shifting consumer trends in the bourbon market
• The effects of inflation on pricing in liquor sales
• Addressing the competitive bourbon landscape and allocation challenges
• The growing interest in vintage spirits and craft cocktails
• The necessity of local relationships for liquor retailers
• Future plans and community engagement at Frankfurt Avenue Liquors

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The 2026 Maker’s Mark Wood Finishing Series: The Stewards Release leans hard into dessert vibes. Think toffee, nougat, and chocolate candy bar richness from toasted oak staves. Smooth, sweet, and seriously interesting… but does it stick the landing?

DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.

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It’s This Week in Bourbon for May 8th 2026. Tariffs between Scotland and the US have been removed, the American Craft Spirits Association (ACSA) has unveiled the Certified Craft Seal, and Stitzel Reserve 31-Year-Old Bourbon Whiskey.

Show Notes:

• President Trump pledges removal of 10% Scotch whisky tariffs to restore trade relations
• John McKillop releases novel Bourbon Brothers featuring rare real-world bottles
• Give 270 hosts Bourbon Strong 50-4-50 raffle benefiting Feeding America
• American Craft Spirits Association launches TTB-approved Certified Craft Seal
• Old Fourth Distillery rebrands spirits portfolio starting with Cane-Based Vodka
• Chicken Cock and Laird’s collaborate on Old Glory Rye and Apple Brandy blend
• Jack Daniel’s debuts ultra-premium Halo MK1 McLaren F1 Team collaboration
• Stitzel-Weller releases $3,000 Stitzel Reserve 31-Year-Old Bourbon at 163.2 proof
• 15 STARS debuts Kentucke County™ line to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary

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On this week’s Bourbon Community Roundtable, the team is throwing down over the biggest rumor to hit the industry in decades: Is Sazerac really trying to buy Brown-Forman for $15 Billion, or is this the ultimate PR stunt? We’re breaking down the health of these two giants and asking the tough questions: Does Brown-Forman actually need Sazerac, or is this just a shark smelling blood in the water? We dig into the strategic timing of the offer and the massive cultural divide between the two companies. From Sazerac’s “boots on the ground” influencer tactics to the legacy-driven machine of Brown-Forman, we analyze the financial mechanics that make this potential deal both fascinating and terrifying. One thing is for sure: the landscape of your local liquor store shelf might never be the same.

Show Notes:

• Sazerac’s potential acquisition of Brown-Forman: excitement and implications
• Financial dynamics and what they mean for both companies
• Brand loyalty’s role and its impact on bourbon consumers
• Predictions on the merger’s likelihood and challenges
• Comparing marketing strategies between Sazerac and Brown-Forman
• Regulatory considerations in the acquisition talks

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