Bourbon Lens

Jake Norris was the founding head distiller of Stranahan's Colorado Whiskey and later of Laws Whiskey House. He joins Jake Lewellen on The Bourbon Lens to talk about the Curated Barrel Project, his direct-to-consumer, cask-finished bourbon series.Jake Norris covers:How he went from Stranahan's and Laws to building his own Colorado distilleryA hybrid still design: a continuous column stripper paired with a 4-plate pot columnWhy Colorado's altitude, microbiome, and locally grown grain shape the whiskeyThe Curated Barrel Project: eight quarterly releases of 7-year-old high-rye bourbon, including an unfinished control, an oloroso sherry cask finish, and a port cask finish still to comeThe vinyl-record idea behind each release: a handwritten zine, a Spotify playlist, and 50-person chef-driven warehouse dinnersWhy whiskey isn't dying, just repositioning, and why he is "anti-snobbery"Learn more at thecuratedbarrelproject.com⏱️ Chapters0:00 Meet Jake Norris1:17 From Stranahan's to Laws Whiskey House3:16 Building his own distillery5:24 Continuous column + pot column design9:22 Colorado terroir, altitude & local grain16:29 Watercolor, whiskey & learning your still18:13 Origin of the Curated Barrel Project24:26 The vinyl record idea, zines & playlists29:16 The releases: control, oloroso & port32:11 Membership & warehouse dinners34:30 Whiskey's future & anti-snobbery36:54 Where to find Curated Barrel ProjectSubscribe🔔 Subscribe for more weekly discussions, tastings, and bourbon insights from the Bourbon Lens community.📸 Follow on Instagram: @bourbonlens🌐 Visit: www.bourbonlens.comMerch: https://bourbon-lens-shop.printify.me/productsDiscord: https://discord.gg/pd6ys5nRSUHashtags#BourbonLens #JakeNorris #CuratedBarrelProject #ColoradoWhiskey #BourbonPodcast #WhiskeyPodcast #Bourbon #CaskFinish #CraftDistilling #Stranahans #HighRyeBourbon #WhiskeyKeywordsJake Norris, Curated Barrel Project, Colorado whiskey, Stranahan's founding distiller, Laws Whiskey House, bourbon podcast, whiskey podcast, craft distilling, cask finish bourbon, oloroso sherry cask bourbon, port cask finish, high rye bourbon, direct to consumer whiskey, craft distillery startup, hybrid column pot still, whiskey club membership, whiskey zine, anti-snobbery whiskey, whiskey market 2026, Bourbon Lens

Is rye whiskey having a moment? Jake Lewellen reviews Proof & Precedent, a brand-new 11-year-old straight rye whiskey from Illinois bottled at 121.6 proof (60.8% ABV). It's a small batch blend of Illinois ryes, created with Brian Harris of Sipping Corn, Matt Cusack, and Marcus Neiman.In this Five Minute Fridays tasting, Jake covers:🥃 Why rye is surging, with Angel's Envy's Peach Brandy Cask finished rye, Silverthorn's 13-year, Dark Arts' 15-year, and Joseph Magnus' batched rye🥃 Nose: apricot, peach, brûléed sugar, candied orange, honeysuckle, and a "hot toddy" aroma🥃 Palate: fruit cocktail syrup, star anise, warm baking spices, and heavy oak on the finish🥃 Why this high-rye rye drinks with the complexity of a high-rye bourbon, which makes it a good pick for bourbon drinkers who find rye too spicy🥃 Jake's verdict: one of the top rye whiskeys he's had in 2026⏱️ Chapters0:00 Intro: a new Illinois rye from Proof & Precedent0:42 Why this release matters1:10 Rye whiskey is having a moment2:02 Nose: apricot, peach & candied orange2:53 First sip: 121.6 proof4:13 Verdict: rye for bourbon drinkers5:15 Final thoughts & ratingHave you tried Proof & Precedent? Tell us in the comments!🔔 Subscribe for more weekly discussions, tastings, and bourbon insights from the Bourbon Lens community.📸 Follow on Instagram: @bourbonlens🌐 Visit: www.bourbonlens.comMerch: https://bourbon-lens-shop.printify.me/productsDiscord: https://discord.gg/pd6ys5nRSUHashtags#ProofAndPrecedent #RyeWhiskey #IllinoisWhiskey #WhiskeyReview #BourbonLens #FiveMinuteFridays #StraightRye #BarrelProof #WhiskeyTasting #BourbonCommunityKeywordsProof and Precedent, Proof & Precedent review, Proof and Precedent rye whiskey, Illinois rye whiskey, 11 year old rye whiskey, 121.6 proof whiskey, straight rye whiskey, high proof rye, small batch rye, rye whiskey review, new whiskey release 2026, best rye whiskey 2026, rye whiskey tasting notes, Sipping Corn, Brian Harris, Matt Cusack, Marcus Neiman, rye whiskey for bourbon drinkers, Five Minute Fridays, whiskey podcast, bourbon podcast, bourbon review, Bourbon Lens, Jake Lewellen

How did Bardstown go from a quick distillery stop to a true bourbon destination? Bourbon Lens hosts Jake and Scott sit down with Sam Lacy, Executive Director of the Bourbon Capital Alliance (BCA), to break down the growth of Bardstown bourbon tourism, from new hotels and downtown tasting rooms to the Bourbon Capital District, where you can carry your drink from bar to bar.Sam shares the story behind the Bourbon Capital Alliance, the nonprofit uniting 10 partner distilleries, and how National Bourbon Week grew from a 30-minute lawn ceremony in 2018 into an eight-day event in 2026. He also shares new data showing bookings from 37 states and 70% of them from out of state.You'll also hear about the new Bourbon Capital Diplomat Certification Program, a hospitality course that teaches bartenders and servers about bourbon, Bardstown history and proper pours. We get into why it matters, what Jake and Scott scored on the exam, and what's coming for National Bourbon Week 2027.⏱️ Chapters0:12 – Welcome and meet Sam Lacy1:17 – What the Bourbon Capital Alliance does2:41 – How the BCA started (2016–2026)5:34 – New hotels, restaurants and the premium shift downtown7:37 – The Bourbon Capital District (open carry downtown)8:33 – Downtown tasting rooms: Chicken Cock, Old Steel House, Boundary Oak, The Bard14:14 – The history of National Bourbon Week18:53 – 2026 data: 37 states, 70% out-of-state bookings23:19 – The Bourbon Capital Diplomat Program35:24 – Why proper glassware and "pour, not shot" matter41:06 – What's next for National Bourbon Week 202749:16 – How to sign up: Academy, Guild and National Bourbon WeekResources mentionedBourbon Capital Academy (Diplomat Program, $75): BourbonCapitalAcademy.comNational Bourbon Week: NationalBourbonWeek.comBourbon Capital Guild (member lottery): BourbonCapitalGuild.comSubscribe for more weekly discussions, tastings, and bourbon insights from the Bourbon Lens community.Follow on Instagram: ⁨@bourbonlens⁩Visit: www.bourbonlens.comMerch: https://bourbon-lens-shop.printify.me/productsDiscord: https://discord.gg/pd6ys5nRSHashtags#BourbonLens #Bardstown #BourbonCapitalOfTheWorld #NationalBourbonWeek #BourbonTourism #BourbonPodcast #KentuckyBourbon #BourbonTrail #BourbonCapitalAllianceKeywordsBardstown bourbon tourism, Bourbon Capital Alliance, Sam Lacy, Bourbon Capital of the World, National Bourbon Week 2027, Bourbon Capital Diplomat, Bourbon Capital Academy, Bourbon Capital Guild, Bourbon Capital District, Bardstown Kentucky, Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Bardstown distilleries, Bardstown tasting rooms, Bardstown hotels, things to do in Bardstown, bourbon certification program, bourbon education, bourbon hospitality training, Potter Jane Distilling, Limestone Branch, Heaven Hill, Maker's Mark, Lux Row, Bardstown Bourbon Company, Kentucky Bourbon Festival, bourbon podcast, Bourbon Lens, Jake Lewellen

Steve Beam of Limestone Branch joins Bourbon Lens to pour and break down the brand-new 2026 Yellowstone 101, a limited edition blend of 14 and 8 year old Kentucky straight bourbon double finished in Ruby and Tawny port casks.Steve shares how he builds these limited releases from scratch: sourcing barrels through brokers, buying the port at the liquor store to test flavor pairings, blending in graduated cylinders, and why he "makes bourbon that I like to drink." Jake and Steve trade tasting notes (blackberry, cocoa nibs, charred oak, dark fig, and a peanut butter and jelly finish), and Steve explains why Limestone Branch is narrowing its focus to core products in 2026 and beyond.Also in this episode: 🥃 The hand-painted Recollection Series, recreated from a late-1800s porcelain barback bottle found on eBay 🇺🇸 The US 250th Lady Liberty release: hand-picked single barrels in a throwback cylinder tube 📜 154 years of Yellowstone, sold continuously even through Prohibition ⏱️ Why a single LTO takes 18 months to 2 years from first idea to bottle 🥃 How Steve drinks whiskey: neat, wide-nosing glass, never on iceWhether you're a longtime Yellowstone fan, a port-finish curious sipper, or planning a stop at the distillery in Lebanon, Kentucky, this conversation is a great look at the craft behind one of bourbon's oldest brand names.Timestamps: 0:00 Welcome and Limestone Branch's 2026 focus 3:47 154 years of Yellowstone 5:15 The hand-painted Recollection Series 8:43 The US 250th Lady Liberty bottle 11:30 Yellowstone 101: how the limited editions are made 17:38 Tasting notes: nose, palate, finish 25:06 Blending vs. finishing: how this one was built 32:53 How long an LTO takes 34:24 What's next for Limestone Branch🔔 Subscribe for more weekly discussions, tastings, and bourbon insights from the Bourbon Lens community. Follow on Instagram: ⁨@bourbonlens⁩ Visit: www.bourbonlens.com Merch: https://bourbon-lens-shop.printify.me/products Discord: https://discord.gg/pd6ys5nRSU#YellowstoneBourbon #Yellowstone101 #LimestoneBranch #SteveBeam #BourbonLens #BourbonReview #PortFinish #KentuckyBourbon #BourbonPodcast #WhiskeyPodcast #LimitedEditionBourbon #BourbonTasting

This week on Thursday Thoughts, Jake sits down with Coby and Ben Franzini, co-founders of Chevalier Casks, to unpack one of the least understood — but most critical — corners of the bourbon industry: bulk spirits. Ben is also a co-owner of Bluegrass Distillers, and Coby spent 25 years as a commercial banker in central Kentucky before moving into bourbon finance, giving the two a unique combined view of how barrels actually move through the industry.The conversation covers how distilleries quietly offload excess barrel inventory, why privacy matters so much in these deals, and how the wholesale barrel market has shifted dramatically in the last 18 months — with prices on some aged barrels dropping from thousands of dollars to a fraction of that. That shift, they argue, is opening the door for a new wave of small, independent bourbon brands who can finally make the math work again.In this episode:What "bulk spirits" actually means and why it keeps bourbon on shelvesHow Chevalier Casks and Bluegrass Distillers work togetherWhy distilleries sell barrels quietly — and why privacy is starting to matter less for some brandsHow barrel prices have shifted in the last 18 months, and what it means for small brandsWhat trends are showing up in demand right now (hint: wheated bourbon)How Chevalier Casks' online marketplace works for both buyers and sellersThe hidden costs (storage, tax, insurance, freight) brands often don't budget forHow a new brand can get started working with Chevalier CasksSubscribe to Bourbon Lens for more conversations with the people shaping the bourbon industry.Approximate Timestamps0:00 – Intro: what bulk spirits are and why they matter1:19 – How Chevalier Casks got started3:24 – How Chevalier and Bluegrass Distillers work together5:23 – How barrels quietly move from distillery to broker7:00 – Privacy, NDAs, and why some brands now talk openly about sourcing10:49 – How barrel prices have shifted in the last 18 months13:29 – Why it's a good time again to start a small bourbon brand15:48 – How NDPs actually buy lots (and how fast double-digit ages move)19:57 – What's trending: wheated bourbon and blending strategies26:23 – Getting started with Chevalier Casks28:9 – The hidden costs of building a brand (storage, tax, freight)29:37 – How Chevalier's online marketplace works for buyers and sellers