This week on the Bourbon Showdown Podcast, we welcome the one and only Dr. Patrick Heist of Wilderness Trail!This episode is a full-on master class for whiskey geeks—packed with fermentation talk, production deep dives, yeast strains, sweet mash, and the story of how Dr. Pat and his partner Shane Baker became known as the “Science Guys of Bourbon.” We walk through Wilderness Trail’s entire core lineup—the bourbon, the wheated bourbon, and the rye—before doing what we always do when we’re talking to good people about good whiskey… we DRINK IT. Dr. Pat breaks down how each expression is artfully crafted to showcase Wilderness Trail’s signature flavor definition and meticulous attention to detail all while walking me through the past, present and future of the brand on this weeks Bourbon Showdown Podcast! So pour a glass and get ready for a whiskey deep dive with one of the best in the business. Dr. Pat takes us to school on this week’s Bourbon Showdown Podcast!
This week on the Bourbon Showdown Podcast, we welcome back Pete Barger and Southern Distilling Company to talk all things American Single Malt and North Carolina whiskey! Fresh off being named Distillery of the Year by the American Distilling Institute, Pete takes us through everything Southern Distilling has cooking right now—from their new American Single Malt to their Cask Strength, honey-barrel-finished bourbon.It’s a fantastic episode packed with North Carolina whiskey, big flavor, and great conversation on this week’s Bourbon Showdown Podcast!
This week we welcome Bruce Russell and Wild Turkey back to the show to talk all things Master’s Keep! It’s been a minute since I sat down with Bruce, but we figured the last Master’s Keep was a good reason to get together and talk some Turkey! Him and I discuss what went into this final Master’s Keep: Beacon, how it is truly a family affair and acts as the proper send off to a collection his father started so many years ago! We talk about how he has been on the Beacon world tour, he is just getting back from Australia and Europe where he’s been waving the Wild Turkey flag and spreading the good word that is the 2025 Master’s Keep. Then we pop the top on Beacon and I gotta tell you guys, this is a testament to everything people love about Turkey and the good work Bruce has been putting in on some of the best Wild Turkey offerings we have seen in recent years. It’s a helluva an episode on this week’s Bourbon Showdown so buckle up and get ready, its Wild Turkey day on The Bourbon Showdown Podcast!
This week we welcome Penelope Bourbon and long time friend of the show Co-founder and master blender, Danny Polise back to the Bourbon Showdown! We go through the brands history, some of the mega whiskey hits they have had, how they are absolutely rocking the ready-to-drink category in 2025 and of course their current line-up of Estate Collection whiskey! We pop the top on their new Estate Collection Omega, an amazing 11 year whiskey that has been finished in French oak, and Danny lets me know what’s next for Penelope on this episode of the Bourbon ShowdownPodcast!
This week we welcome 15 Stars Founders Rick and Ricky Johnson to The Bourbon Showdown to talk about the newest addition to the brand, First West Bourbon! They walk me through what led them to create these new whiskeys and the thought process that continues to drive innovation at 15 Stars, we talk mash bill, we talk age statements, we talk blending and barrel finishes and then we drink that whiskey! We drink through the small batch, the toasted oak and the extra aged, breaking each expression down and talking about the what and why that went into each bottle, while also looking at the future of the brand and what Rick and Ricky have in store for 15 Stars moving forward! It’s a full flavor episode this week on the bourbon showdown that I think everyone is going to enjoy!
This week we welcome Dan Callaway from Bardstown Bourbon Company to The Bourbon Showdown Podcast, him and I crack open their new Discovery Series 13 and the Ferrand II from their Collaborative Series as he walks me through what went into each expression, the history of the company, his path to whiskey and what we can expect next from Bardstown Bourbon Company.
This week, we welcome Chief Blender, Meghan Ireland and Research & Development Distiller Mitch Mahar from WhistlePig to the Bourbon Showdown to talk all things Boss Hog! We dive into the new Boss Hog XII: Feather & Flame, and let me tell you guys, this one is something special! We drink through this Mesoamerican inspired rye whiskey that’s been finished in a pulque curado de cacao barrels and they explain to me all the intricacies involved in making that happen. I love the innovation and the outside the box thinking that goes into every Boss Hog and this one is a delicious pour of whiskey, so buckle up and get ready because we are taking you to the WhistlePig farm in Vermont for some Boss Hog XII on todays Bourbon Showdown Podcast!
This week, we welcome Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall back to the show! We sit down for a big pour of Woodford’s new Batch Proof Rye and she walks us through how it came to fruition and all the amazing things she’s been doing since becoming Master Distiller. It’s a Batch Proof Rye conversation on this week’s Bourbon Showdown Podcast!
This week we welcome Joseph A. Magnus back to the show which means the return of Master Blender Nancy Fraley! This episode she brings with her Head Distiller Will Fabry and the three of us sit down and talk all things whiskey and all things Joseph A. Magnus! Nancy of course synonymous with good whiskey across the industry and Will, coming out of the gate strong and taking the future reigns at Magnus, this is a great conversation for anyone that loves good whiskey! We go through the history of Joseph Magnus, the man, the whiskey and how Nancy has brought a brand back to life using the original whiskey as her DNA building blocks. We talk about her journey through the whiskey world and highlight Wills rise through the whiskey ranks. It’s a master class on all things whiskey this week as the 11th season continues on The Bourbon Showdown Podcast!
This week we welcome Maker’s Mark, Master Distiller, Dr. Blake Layfield to the Bourbon Showdown, as we kick off season 11 with a big pour of Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2025! Blake and I do a deep dive not only on this delicious pour but on all things Maker’s Mark. We go through the brands history, his path to whiskey and how he became Master Distiller of one of the most recognizable brands in the world. We talk about whiskey innovation, his philosophy on innovation and brand consistency as well as what he has in store for the future of Maker’s Mark, all while enjoying a pour of this years Cellar Aged goodness! It’s a full flavor, high proof start to the Season 11 on this weeks Bourbon Showdown Podcast!
This week we welcome Four Roses Master Distiller, Brent Elliott back to the show to celebrate his 10th year as Master Distiller and 20th year at Four Roses! Brent reflects on two decades in whiskey—how the industry has grown, how Four Roses helped lead the single barrel movement, and how the brand continues to set the standard for quality bourbon. We crack open the 2025 Limited Edition Small Batch, a blend of 13- and 19-year-old whiskeys, as Brent walks us through what makes this year’s release so special. It’s a flavor-packed episode full of insight, history, and a toast to Brent’s incredible journey in bourbon on this weeks Bourbon Showdown Podcast!
This week on The Bourbon Showdown Podcast, we’re joined by Bushmills Master Blender Alex Thomas and Stranahan’s Head Blender Justin Aden. Together, we dive deep into the art of blending and what it takes to create your favorite whiskeys. Along the way, we sip through some incredible American Single Malts and Irish Whiskeys—ranging from 10 to 21 years old—while exploring the craft, challenges, and passion behind each pour. If you’ve ever wanted to be a fly on the wall as two experts break down their process, this is the episode for you. It’s a double-stop whiskey road trip to Ireland and Colorado on this week’s Bourbon Showdown!
This week we welcome Joseph O’Sullivan, Master Distiller at Minden Mill in Nevada and him and I sit down and talk about his Estate process for making whiskey, how he oversees every step of the grain-to-glass process on one estate – nothing is outsourced which is why when you drink Minden Mill, you are tasting whiskey that can only come from MINDEN MILL. We break down how estate distilling creates a one of a kind whiskey brand, the challenges and rewards of this process and how the end result is worth the extra effort when you take that first sip of whiskey goodness. This is a super fun episode, Joe is a great guy steeped in whiskey knowldge, we go back in time to when he started in the game and he walks me through how he went from sitting under the learning tree of American Single Malt pioneer Steve McCarthy to standing up Minden Mill! It’s a whiskey road-trip to Nevada on today’s Bourbon Showdown Podcast!
This week we welcome Christian Huber from Starlight Distillery to the Bourbon Showdown! The Master Distiller and a 7th Generation Distiller for Starlight Distillery, him and I sit down and we do a deep dive on Starlight, Indiana whiskey and how his family have been making spirits highlighting that farm to bottle mentality for generations. We pop the top on Starlight’s new 10 year Bourbon whiskey, their 10 year American Single Malt and their Honey Reserve! It’s a great whiskey conversation that I think you guys are really going to enjoy, specifically I think this is a conversation for my whiskey nerds as we travel to Indiana on this weeks Bourbon Showdown Podcast!
On this weeks episode of The Bourbon Showdown Podcast, we welcome Jeff Feist and Calumet Farm Bourbon! That’s right, the delicious Centennial release 18 year Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey that everyone is talking about... The possible best whisky of 2025 is here! Jeff and I sit down, crack a bottle and talk through how Calumet is one of the best whiskey’s that you may haven’t heard of, but need to know! We go through the backstory of this brand steeped in equestrian heritage and how it went from raising thoroughbreds to making whiskey. How they came out of the gate swinging with a 10 year offering and how they have built a reputation of taking good, solidly aged whiskey to market. All of that while sipping and discussing one of the best damn pours I have had this year… and as the Wise Man Paul Heyman would say, That’s not a prediction that’s a spoiler as Jeff as we drink through this delicious 18 year offering on this weeks Bourbon Showdown Podcast.
This week we are talking to Blake Jones, Julian Jones, and David McIntyre the founders of West Fork Whiskey Company. We do a deep dive on what it means to be a distiller in Indiana and how they have built this distillery to create a whiskey brand focused on 100% Indiana grain-to-glass spirits. We talk about their Old Hamer Bourbon and what led them to the decision to double down on their dedication to Indiana grains and create a bourbon with a mash of 99% corn and how they are using this corn not as a base but as flavor creator and a head turner for this delicious Indiana bourbon. We talk about how they got started, how they had to push the envelope and learn while making and then we dive into their Straight Bourbon whiskey, their Double-Oaked, their Cask Strength and their new 10 year Old Hamer which let me tell you is something special! Its a trip to Indiana on this weeks Bourbon Showdown and I can’t wait for you guys to hear this conversation!
This week we are taking you to Bardstown Kentucky and The Bourbon Capital Alliance! We sit down with Sam Lacy, the Executive Director of the Bourbon Capital Alliance and he walks us through how it got started, how he got involved and how it has become one of the premier whiskey destinations on the bourbon trail. We talk about not only the Alliance but the Bourbon Capital Academy as well, and Sam explains how the Academy is giving bourbon lovers the opportunity to expand their whiskey IQ, while enjoying some of the best damn whiskey on the scene. It’s a lot of good whiskey conversation on this weeks Bourbon Showdown Podcast!
This week we welcome the Founders of Four Branches Bourbon to the Bourbon Showdown! We sit down with co-founders RJ Casey and Harold Underdown as well as whiskey legend and raconteur Gregg Snyder to do a deep-dive on Four Branches Bourbon. Rj and Harold walk me through the history of this veteran owned brand and the meaning behind it, as well as how each branch of the military is represented and honored in its makeup and Gregg walks me through how this whiskey got to be as good as it is! We celebrate 4 grain and Four Branches on this weeks Bourbon Showdown Podcast!
This week we welcome Master Distiller, Ross Cornelissen from 1792 back to The Bourbon Showdown! We do a deep dive on all things 1792 as he walks me through the history of the brand and everything they have in store for the future. He opens up the doors to the Barton 1792 Distillery and him and I drink a lot of good whiskey on this weeks Bourbon Showdown Podcast!
This week we welcome Master Taster, Melissa Rift from Old Forester back to The Bourbon Showdown as we talk all things President’s Choice! We do a deep dive on the newly released President’s Choice Bourbon and President’s Choice Rye as Melissa walks me through the history of these elusive offerings and the process that goes into making them so damn good! It’s a great conversation on this weeks show, so pour yourself up a big pour of Old Forester and get ready as Melissa and I take you on a President’s Choice roadshow on this weeks Bourbon Showdown Podcast!