Aussie Bourbon Lovers

This episode is about a whiskey with a story that changed after we bought it. We’re drinking Treecraft Small Batch American Whiskey, picked up directly from a small distillery on Treasure Island in San Francisco Bay. At the time, it stood out because it was local, unusual, beautifully packaged, and worth supporting. It wasn’t a favourite pour then, and it still feels a little young now, but the story behind it has become far more meaningful. Since that visit, Treecraft has shut down. That means this bottle has become something rare: a whiskey from a distillery that no longer exists. We talk through what it tastes like today, why the nose and palate feel so different, whether more barrel time might have changed everything, and why trying and supporting small distilleries is still worth doing, even when the end result isn’t perfect. This one also turns into a broader reflection on the people who take a chance on distilling, the stories they create while they’re doing it, and why some bottles matter for more than just the liquid inside them. Chapters 00:00 No pop and first impressions 00:45 Treecraft Small Batch American Whiskey 01:30 Why it’s not bourbon 02:10 Treasure Island and the distillery visit 03:40 Buying the bottle to support them 05:30 Finding out Treecraft shut down 06:20 Nose vs palate 07:00 Should it have stayed in the barrel longer 07:35 Supporting small distilleries 0:800 Young whiskey and what distillate matters 09:05 Redwood Empire and future trips 09:20 A toast to the people who have a crack

This is a different kind of episode and an extra long one, because Ashley Barnes takes us deep into the actual process of blending bourbon at The Blending House in Kentucky. Ashley is the Master Blender here, and instead of simply pouring us a finished whiskey, she walks us through how a real blend comes together. Starting with 18 barrels, she explains how she evaluates them, separates them into flavor groups, and builds them back up into something balanced, expressive and true to the intended profile. We talk about base notes, fruit notes, top notes, vanilla-forward barrels, and why some barrels are better as single barrels while others need to be part of a bigger blend. Ashley also explains how blending can work across mash bills, how she can often predict when a barrel will nose-dive with age, and why proofing is one of the biggest turning points in the whole process. Along the way, she shares the chemistry behind flavor, how compounds behave differently in ethanol and water, why she lets blends rest before making decisions, and how she brings in outside palates to challenge her assumptions and refine the final product. If you’ve ever wondered how a bourbon brand keeps its flavour profile consistent, or how much work really happens behind the scenes before whiskey hits the bottle, this episode is a proper masterclass. Chapters 00:00 Why this episode is different 00:45 Meet Ashley Barnes 02:00 Starting with 18 barrels 04:30 Separating flavor groups 05:45 Evaluating barrels 07:15 Vanilla, corn and chemistry 09:15 Blending across mash bills 10:45 Predicting ageing performance 12:00 Learning from legends 14:15 Tasting the base blend 15:30 Mixing paint and building flavor 16:15 Vanilla-forward barrels 17:30 Single barrels vs blend-friendly barrels 19:30 Letting others taste the work 20:45 Why technique matters 22:10 The “dump and pray” blend 23:30 Same barrels, different result 24:45 Gathering outside feedback 26:00 Letting a blend rest 27:10 Finding the perfect proof 28:00 Holiday Toast and flavour goals 29:30 Keeping detailed notebooks 30:30 Final thoughts

This episode is all about rethinking rye whiskey. We’re drinking WhistlePig 10 Year Small Batch Rye, a Vermont whiskey that helped change our minds about rye. WhistlePig started as a non-distilling producer, sourcing whiskey before eventually building its own distillery. Under the guidance of legendary Master Distiller Dave Pickerell, the brand became one of the most recognised names in American rye. The whiskey itself is surprisingly fruity and approachable. We’re picking up apricot, nectarine, spearmint freshness, white chocolate sweetness and a gentle pepper spice on the palate. Along the way we talk about why rye grows better in northern climates, how bourbon drinkers often evolve into rye drinkers, and the growing whiskey tourism scene including WhistlePig’s impressive tasting experience in Louisville called The Vault. Most importantly, we talk about how one bottle can completely change your opinion about a style of whiskey. If you’ve ever said “I’m not a rye drinker”, this episode might convince you otherwise. Chapters 00:30 WhistlePig 10 Year Small Batch Rye 01:10 The WhistlePig backstory 02:00 What an NDP is 03:00 Stone fruit notes on the nose 04:00 White chocolate and mint notes 05:00 Fruity palate with pepper spice 06:30 The Liquid Death collaboration 07:00 Where rye grows best 07:30 WhistlePig’s Louisville tasting experience 08:40 Becoming a rye drinker 09:20 Gateway rye whiskeys

We’re cracking open a New Riff Single Barrel from Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2025, signed by Master Distiller Brian and chosen as a  Distiller’s Row pick. New Riff built its name on transparency and tradition, non chill filtered, bottled in bond releases, and a commitment to quality. This single barrel clocks in at 116 proof and delivers deep caramel, dried fruit, leather and earthy richness from nose to finish. But the bigger question we explore is this: when you’re surrounded by incredible bourbon at a festival like KBF, how do you decide which single bottle gets the precious luggage space? We unpack what makes a single barrel special, whether blends are actually more reliable, and whether the market is starting to feel saturated with “single barrel” labels that don’t always carry the same meaning. This one stood out not because it shouted the loudest, but because it felt balanced, layered, and genuinely unique. Chapters 00:00 The pour and the signature 00:45 New Riff’s backstory 02:00 Philosophy – non chill filtered and bottled in bond 03:10 Nose – Werther’s and leather 04:45 Palate – caramelized date richness 06:00 Choosing one bottle at KBF 08:00 Unique vs too different 09:30 Single barrel vs blend

This episode is about more than bourbon. It’s about travel, memory, and the way a bottle can take you straight back to a moment in time. We’re drinking the Maker’s Mark Singapore City Expression from the Wood Finishing Series, one of the international airport exclusives that can only be purchased in that specific city. Using Maker’s unique stave finishing process, this release builds on the familiar Maker’s profile but layers in rich cherry confectionery notes, milk chocolate, custard sweetness and gentle spice. We unpack how the stave finishing works, why these bottles are surprisingly difficult to get, and what makes airport-exclusive bourbon hunting such a strange and wonderful challenge. Most of all, we talk about how certain bottles carry personal meaning. This one takes us straight back to a family holiday in Singapore, late nights, incredible food, and a few slightly questionable footwear decisions outside a bar. Sometimes the best story in the glass is your own. Chapters 00:10 The pop and first impressions 00:40 What the Singapore City Expression is 01:50 How Maker’s stave finishing works 03:10 Tasting notes – cherry and chocolate 04:40 What makes this different to standard Maker’s 06:00 Airport-only exclusives explained 07:40 The Singapore family trip memories 09:00 Why Maker’s is always approachable 10:40 Sentimental bottles and storytelling 12:00 Can you still find these

Denver Cramer is back, and we’re finishing a bottle the right way: on the mic, with a Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye (2016). We talk about the signature Michter’s profile and why it hits so consistently. Denver’s take is simple and convincing: barrels, careful temperature control during ageing, and that lower barrel entry proof mindset that prioritises flavour over efficiency. Then we get nerdy about glassware. Denver explains what the glass is doing by pushing off volatile alcohol so the flavours show up cleaner, which becomes immediately relevant when we wildly underestimate the proof. From there it turns into a broader conversation about rye. Why it’s harder to distil, why a truly great rye is rare, and how the real world of whiskey includes commercial decisions: barrels that don’t fit the “house profile”, blending constraints, and why some great liquid never becomes the product people expect. If you’ve ever wondered why Michter’s feels so recognisable, this one connects a lot of dots. Chapters 00:00 Intro and bottle kill 00:26 Michter’s Barrel Strength Rye (2016) 00:55 Why rye is difficult to distil 01:15 The Michter’s profile 01:55 Proof guess and reveal 02:28 What the glass is doing 03:00 Passion vs commerce 03:30 Do we actually like rye? 04:50 Secret samples and rye rabbit holes 05:35 Barrels that don’t fit the profile 06:40 Why Denver loves Michter’s 07:35 The “no 10-year release” philosophy 09:10 Picking Michter’s in a blind tasting

This episode is a little different. We’re drinking Casey Jones Cinnamon Cut Whiskey, a pour that doesn’t pretend to be subtle and doesn’t try to be bourbon. The aroma hits instantly. Cinnamon scrolls, bakery air, full-bodied spice. If you love cinnamon, this one is impossible to ignore. We unpack the incredible Prohibition-era story of Casey Jones, the master still maker whose square copper stills were designed to be portable and fit into getaway vehicles. Today, the brand is being revived by the family using the final still Casey himself built. We also break down the two bourbon rules this whiskey deliberately breaks, why it’s labelled as a whiskey instead of a bourbon, and why starting with real bourbon before adding natural cinnamon, vanilla and clove makes all the difference. This isn’t Fireball. It’s smoother, richer, and more intentional. It might even be the perfect gateway whiskey for someone who loves cinnamon but hasn’t quite found their way into bourbon yet. Chapters 00:00 Pour and first impressions 00:40 Cinnamon on the nose 01:45 Why we bought this bottle 02:30 Casey Jones and Prohibition stills 03:40 Square still design and portability 04:45 The bourbon rules it breaks 06:10 Why it’s a cinnamon cut whiskey 07:10 Gateway whiskey conversation 08:30 Fireball comparison 09:45 Who this is for

We’re back at Bardstown Bourbon Company with Jake Sulek in the Heritage Library to taste the Origin Series High Wheat, the newest addition to Bardstown’s flagship lineup. This one pushes wheated bourbon into a big territory, with 39% wheat and only 53% corn in the mash bill. Jake walks us through what makes a bourbon “wheated”, why wheat tends to drink softer than rye, and the flavour lane he gets from this bottle: stone fruit, baked peaches, crème brûlée, lemon cake, and a mellow, easy-sipping finish. Then we go deep on one of the most interesting parts of the conversation: barrel entry proof and why Bardstown fills this whiskey at 108 proof, far lower than the 120 proof used across the rest of the Origin series. The key idea is solubility: some oak compounds dissolve better in water and some dissolve better in alcohol, which means entry proof can influence whether you pull more wood sugars (caramel, butterscotch, toffee) versus more vanillin. We also talk about Bardstown’s custom distilling program (300+ partners), and the very real experiment happening in their glass-fronted warehouse, where sunlight and heat exposure could be creating entirely new ageing outcomes over time. Chapters 00:00 Back in the Heritage Library 00:25 Origin High Wheat overview 00:55 Wheated bourbon basics 01:40 What wheat contributes to flavour 02:40 Low barrel entry proof explained 03:20 Water vs alcohol extraction 03:50 Ageing water in a barrel? 04:40 Proof reveal and why it drinks easy 05:30 Rye vs wheated preferences 06:05 “Barrel-aged water” as a concept 06:35 Custom distilling program 07:10 The glass rickhouse wall 08:20 Why the experiment matters

This episode is all about barrels and why they matter more than most bourbon drinkers realise. While sipping Booker’s bourbon, we unpack our visit to Independent Stave Company in Kentucky. From hand-selecting oak staves to steam-bending barrels with no glue, the craftsmanship behind every barrel blew our minds. We talk through why barrels are built the way they are, how different distilleries specify their own unique barrel profiles, and why something as simple as seasoning time can dramatically change flavour. We also learned something surprising. An empty barrel has a shelf life. Once it’s made, it needs to be filled quickly or it starts losing its ability to function properly. It’s a detail we’d never considered before and it completely reframed how we think about bourbon production. If you’ve ever wondered why two bourbons made from similar mash bills can taste wildly different, this episode gives you a big part of the answer.   Chapters: 00:00 Opening pour and Booker’s 00:45 Why barrels are everything 01:40 Visiting Independent Stave Company 02:45 From tree to stave 04:10 Building barrels without glue 05:45 Steam bending oak 07:10 Distillery barrel specifications 08:40 The two-week barrel window 09:45 Why cooperage tours matter 10:10 Final thoughts on wood and flavour

We’re back in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky with Greg from Larrikin Bourbon Company to taste a fresh release that just launched at the Bourbon Festival: Larrikin Cigar Lounge. It’s a nine-year-old, high-rye bourbon built from five finishing barrels, including French cognac, Spanish Madeira, maple syrup barrels, and Brazilian jackfruit wood, plus the smallest possible “whisper” of Ambarana to make the whole blend snap into place. Greg explains why the goal was to get the Ambarana on the nose without letting it take over the palate, and why Cigar Lounge is designed as that end-of-the-day, after-dinner pour whether or not you ever touch a cigar. We also get into what a “cigar blend” actually means (and doesn’t mean), what flavors show up when you taste it, what’s coming next at Larrikin (including a surprisingly good American Light Whiskey around 145 proof), and why Kentucky’s bourbon industry has such a strong culture of generosity and camaraderie. Plus a classic Jimmy Russell story that says everything about the community here.   Chapters 00:00 Back at Larrikin in Lawrenceburg 00:35 Cigar Lounge release details (age, proof, high rye) 01:10 “What is a cigar blend?” 02:00 The five finishing barrels 02:45 The Ambarana “whisper” 04:05 Tasting reactions and dessert notes 06:10 Why Cigar Lounge needed cigar-blend DNA 07:05 Next release: American Light Whiskey explained 09:05 Aussie culture and bourbon culture 10:10 Kentucky distilleries helping each other 11:35 Jimmy Russell stories 13:45 Wrap and where to find Larrikin

We’re kicking off the year with a bourbon that doesn’t come from Kentucky, and that’s exactly why we wanted to talk about it. This episode features Fray Ranch straight bourbon whiskey from Fallon, Nevada. A true farm-to-bottle operation where every grain is grown, malted, distilled, and bottled on site. That approach gives this bourbon a flavour profile that surprised us straight away, with bright fruit notes, a waxy mouthfeel, and a personality that feels genuinely different. From there, the conversation opens up into plans for the year ahead. Distilleries we want to visit, trips we’re planning around bourbon, and why meeting other bourbon lovers in Australia has become one of the most rewarding parts of the journey so far. A relaxed start to the year, a bottle with a great story, and a reminder that some of the most interesting bourbons live well outside Kentucky. Chapters 00:10 Opening pour and a bold choice 00:45 Why this bourbon isn’t from Kentucky 01:50 First tasting impressions 03:00 What makes Fray Ranch farm-to-bottle 04:30 Growing and malting grains on site 06:10 Why this bottle matters to us 07:30 Bourbon travel plans for the year 09:00 The Aussie bourbon community 10:00 Final thoughts and cheers

This is a different kind of Aussie Bourbon Lovers episode. There’s no pop, no pour, and no whiskey consumed during the recording. While visiting Michter’s in Shively, Kentucky, we spent the day with Dan McKee and Andrea Wilson and surprised them with something unexpected: Australian chocolate. We brought Cadbury Caramello Koalas and Cadbury Furry Friends and asked them to pair each chocolate with Michter’s whiskeys. What followed was not polite answers or throwaway suggestions. It became a genuinely insightful exploration of flavour, texture, sweetness, and balance, and an eye-opening look at how professionals think about pairing whiskey with food. This episode is funny, warm, and surprisingly educational, and it perfectly reflects the curiosity and joy that runs through everything Michter’s does. If you want to play along at home, grab a couple of Michter’s expressions, some Aussie chocolate, and see where your palate takes you. Recorded in Shively, Kentucky with Dan McKee and Andrea Wilson.

Merry Christmas from Aussie Bourbon Lovers. For this special Christmas Day episode we crack open a gift bottle: an Angel’s Envy Whiskey Hunt Australia single barrel pick. Angel’s Envy is famous for its port finished bourbon and it’s easy to find in Australia, but this one is different. It’s a single barrel pick chosen by the Whiskey Hunt team, and it arrives in a bottle that just feels made for gifting. We talk about why Angel’s Envy has become such a well known finished bourbon, why we love the novelty and sweetness of finished whiskey, and why barrel picks are one of the most fun ways to drink something familiar in a completely unique way. Merry Christmas and cheers. Chapters 00:00 Merry Christmas and the bottle pop 00:35 What this bottle is and why it’s a great gift 01:10 Angel’s Envy, port finishing and why it’s everywhere in Australia 02:10 Finished bourbon, the tour experience and why it’s fun 03:15 Nosing and tasting, and the “nose vs palate” surprise 04:25 Plum and Christmas spice notes arrive 05:35 Cinnamon bark and where the heat hits 06:30 Creamy jammy texture and mouthfeel 07:20 Why Aussie barrel picks are worth chasing 08:30 Price, scarcity and the single barrel dilemma 09:30 Merry Christmas wrap

We’re back at the Bardstown Bourbon Company with Jake Sulek, the experience and education manager, recording in the Heritage Library surrounded by dusty bottles and stories from Kentucky’s whiskey past. We’re tasting the Origin Series Rye, a minimum six year rye that’s produced, aged and bottled at Bardstown Bourbon Company and available in Australia. While the mash bill looks familiar at 95 percent rye and 5 percent malted barley, the flavour comes from a finishing barrel designed for innovation. The conversation turns to whiskey history. Jake shares stories about defunct distilleries around Bardstown, preserved warehouses still used today, what Prohibition did to the industry, how brands consolidated afterward, and how the bourbon glut pushed Kentucky down to just nine active distilleries by the year 2000. If you want a rye that feels different, or you love the history behind American whiskey, this episode is for you. Podcast chapters 00:00 Back at Bardstown with Jake Sulek 00:27 Origin Series overview 00:59 Mash bill and why this rye is finished 01:20 The cherrywood barrel challenge 01:55 Zebra barrel and infrared toasting 02:52 What flavours cherrywood and toasting bring 03:12 Tasting notes and the rye that doesn’t burn 04:26 Label transparency and what you’re drinking 05:01 Single barrel and cast strength talk 05:36 Heritage Library and defunct distilleries 07:14 Prohibition impact 08:28 Rebooting distilleries after Prohibition 09:17 The bourbon glut and the year 2000 low point 11:08 Growth across Kentucky and the US 11:22 Cheers and wrap

To close out the year we pour a Larrikin single barrel Delta 5 from Kentucky, signed by Greg, and use it as the starting point for a chat about our bourbon highlights from 2025. The idea was simple. Each of us had to choose a bourbon of the year and then pick a single bourbon memory that fits inside 120 seconds. In practice it was a lot harder, because 2025 has been full of ridiculous opportunities, generous hospitality and moments we never imagined we would have. If you have enjoyed following along with our trips, tastings and distillery visits this year, this episode is an easy, end of year reflection with two special pours and a look ahead to 2026.

We visit the Blending House in Kentucky and sit down with Ashleigh Barnes, the master blender behind Lucky Seven and Curley. Ashleigh brings us the New Yorker, an Amburana finished bourbon that tastes like hummingbird cake, oatmeal cream pies and dessert in a glass. She explains how she manages such a powerful finishing wood by tasting at day five, pulling liquid at the exact moment it peaks, and reusing the same barrels to create deeper and more controlled layers. Ashleigh also walks us through the new blending and bottling facility, the innovative rick houses and the approach to scaling without losing craft. She tells stories about the teams she works with, the people she blends for, and the festival moments that make the bourbon world feel like family.   Chapters: 00:13 The perfect pop 00:49 Meeting Ashleigh at the Blending House 01:23 What Amburana really does 02:23 Dessert notes and childhood memories 04:47 Building the blending facility 06:11 Rick houses and innovation 07:42 Blending and meeting drinkers 09:10 Bourbon, stories and family 10:35 Ashleigh’s path through Buffalo Trace and Four Roses 11:30 The Elmer T. Lee project 12:17 Keeping memories in every bottle We talk through her background at Buffalo Trace and Four Roses, the skills she learned from legendary mentors, and the moment she helped blend the commemorative Elmer T. Lee release. It is a conversation filled with flavour, memory and joy, and the perfect look at what it means to shape a bourbon from idea to bottle.

We’re back at Star Hill Farm in Kentucky, sitting in the Heritage Room at Maker’s Mark, joined by Dr. Blake Layfield, the master distiller and head of innovation and blending. It’s the perfect day for bourbon, and Blake takes us through one of the most fascinating tastings we’ve ever done on the show. In front of us are three glasses that tell the whole story of Maker’s Mark: the classic cask strength expression that represents the founders’ original taste vision, an eleven and a half year over-aged barrel that shows what happens when oak and tannin push a whiskey outside those guardrails, and finally the new Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged release, a blend of eleven, thirteen and fourteen year old whiskey that is rich, dark and complex without drifting into bitterness. Blake explains how Maker’s Mark has kept the same mash bill, yeast and process since 1953 and why they focus on intensity, velocity, complexity and finish instead of simply naming tasting notes. He talks about what makes wheat spice feel so different to rye spice, why age is not a measure of quality in American whiskey, and what “age to taste” really means inside the distillery. We hear the story of the limestone cellar, why dynamiting a hill changed what was possible for Maker’s Mark, and how the Cellar Aged project shows a new dimension of the classic house style. Blake also lifts the curtain on their blending process, where weeks of blind tasting eventually shape each year’s release. If you’ve ever wondered how far Maker’s Mark can push maturity, what really happens in their warehouses, or why Cellar Aged tastes the way it does, this episode is a brilliant deep dive right from the source.     Chapters: 00:00 Welcome from Star Hill Farm and the Heritage Room 00:13 Introducing Dr Blake Layfield and why this room matters 00:35 Heritage, culture and what makes Maker’s Mark unique 01:08 Returning to Maker’s, where you first fell in love with bourbon 01:20 Three glasses on the table and what each one is 01:50 Glass 1: Maker’s Mark Cask Strength and the founder’s taste vision 02:32 How Maker’s has kept the same recipe since 1953 03:00 How Blake thinks about tasting: intensity, velocity, complexity and finish 04:10 Cherry notes from the yeast and wheat spice versus rye spice 05:49 Mash bill details and why the high malted barley is unusual 06:11 Velocity in the glass and how aroma meets you halfway 06:46 The history of classic 45 percent Maker’s and the first innovation, Maker’s 46 08:10 Opening up Cask Strength as a regular offering 08:36 Glass 2: an eleven and a half year over aged Maker’s Mark at cask strength 09:30 Why age is not automatically better and how American oak can take over 11:08 Tannins, dryness and the “I want water” reaction 12:16 Learning that bitterness and astringency are a choice, not a requirement 13:19 Talking about hand rotation, ricked barrels and low entry proof 14:09 Age to taste, not to a number 15:10 The limestone cellar and the birth of Maker’s Mark 46 16:10 Glass 3: Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged, dark, rich and complex, no bitterness 17:26 Aroma and flavor of Cellar Aged, bright cherry to dark cordial cherry 18:05 How long it spends in warehouses versus the cellar 18:33 Year by year blends and showing what cellaring can do to flavor 19:04 Inside the blending team and how they choose the final profile 19:45 Beth’s winning streak and Rob Samuels’ final sign off 20:32 How old can the cellar go, and where they expect the inflection point

In this episode of Aussie Bourbon Lovers we crack open Wild Turkey Master’s Keep Revival a barrel finished bourbon that sparks one big question should you drink it or collect it? We are joined by Denver Cramer from Denver & Liely who tells the story of being paid by Wild Turkey’s owners, Campari not in cash but in bottles, two of every Master’s Keep release. Together we talk about What Master’s Keep is and where Revival fits in the series Why barrel finishes do not always taste like the label suggests and why that is sometimes the whole point Eddie Russell’s experimentation and what Bruce Russell might bring next Why Wild Turkey has such a huge following in Australia especially through RTDs and mixers How to move from cans to special pours and really taste what Turkey can do Denver’s favourite distillery memory drinking old Dusties with Bruce at Wild Turkey Which Wild Turkey bottles are great value in Australia including Wild Turkey 12 Year and Wild Turkey 101 We also dig into how mood, timing and glassware change the experience why some bottles do not land on night one and then become magic on another night. If you love Wild Turkey, or you are just starting to explore beyond RTDs this episode is a relaxed, honest chat about flavour, memories and why these bottles matter.

In this episode of Aussie Bourbon Lovers, we taste O.H. Ingram River Aged Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — a bourbon that ages on a floating barge on the Mississippi River. We discuss how the movement of water, temperature fluctuations, and humidity create a completely different aging environment, producing a rich, smooth, and surprisingly “juicy” bourbon that feels far older than its four years. From the story of O.H. Ingram to the science behind river aging and our own tasting notes, this episode explores how a simple idea ... putting bourbon on a barge, has turned into one of the most fascinating aging experiments in Kentucky.   Chapters: 00:00 – Opening pour & introducing O.H. Ingram River Aged Bourbon 01:00 – The story behind Ingram and its floating rickhouses on the Mississippi 02:30 – Tasting begins – vanilla, lemon tart and creamy pastry notes 04:00 – Explaining river aging: temperature swings, humidity & movement 06:00 – Colour and maturity from constant barrel contact 08:00 – Why motion matters: the science behind “liquid in motion” 10:00 – Does it taste like Green River Bourbon? We compare 12:00 – Gimmick or genius? Our verdict on river aging

Recorded at Michter’s Shively Distillery in Kentucky, this episode features a sit-down with Master Distiller Dan McKee and Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson — two icons of modern bourbon. We dive into the origins of Michter’s Toasted Sour Mash Whiskey, the innovation that helped spark the toasted barrel movement, and taste it alongside the classic US*1 Sour Mash. Dan and Andrea share insights on Michter’s meticulous small-batch process, why they age “to taste” instead of by age statement, and how they keep consistency at the core of everything they bottle. Plus — a lighthearted conversation about toasted marshmallows, Bourbon Heritage Month, and what makes Michter’s one of Kentucky’s most beloved distilleries. If you love bourbon history, innovation, and authenticity, this one’s for you.