Bourbon Podcast

Preston is the fourth generation member of the Van Winkle family to enter into the bourbon business. He is the great grandson of iconic bourbon maker Julian P. “Pappy” Van Winkle, Sr. and son of current Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery President, Julian P. Van Winkle, III.Louise Van Winkle BreenRecycling lady and bill payer--not necessarily in that order. She manages the back end of the business (the books, accounting, finances, etc.), HR and oversee daily operations.Favorite cocktail: definitely tequila on the rocks with a splash of Freshies margarita mix. Cheers!

Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Four Grain Bourbon has returned for 2026 as an ongoing annual limited release from Buffalo Trace Distillery. Bottled-in-Bond at 100 proof (50% ABV) and aged for 10 years. Notes of sweet caramel, vanilla, cherry candy, oak, and clove spice, with the wheat adding softness and the rye providing structure. Cheers!

A legendary, highly coveted Bottled-in-Bond expression from Buffalo Trace Distillery. Revered by collectors as a true "unicorn" bottle, this unprecedented 17-year-old masterpiece was crafted from Buffalo Trace’s iconic low-rye Mash Bill #1. It pays homage to the meticulous standards of the "Father of the Modern Bourbon Industry," Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr.What sets the original Cured Oak apart is an extraordinary focus on barrel engineering. Standard white oak barrel staves are typically seasoned for six months. For this special project, the white oak staves were left to air-dry in the open elements for a full 13 months before being coopered into barrels. This extended, more-than-doubled curing period allowed natural weather cycles and microbes to deeply alter the wood's composition. The process reduced harsh wood tannins while drawing immense terpene development to the surface.The result is a bourbon that pulled deep, highly localized complexities from the wood during its nearly two decades of slumber inside the historic, steam-heated Warehouse C. Cheers!

Old Charter Oak "Finest Oak" is crafted at Buffalo Trace Distillery, honoring the historic Old Charter brand established by Adam and Ben Chapeze in 1874. The bourbon pays tribute to the iconic white oak trees that have long shaped the character of American whiskey, emphasizing the critical role of oak in flavor development. This expression is part of the Old Charter Oak series, which explores how different oak origins and barrel treatments influence the final bourbon. Cheers!

The fifth installment in Heaven Hill's annual limited-edition Heritage Collection series. Released in early 2026, it stands as the oldest bourbon featured in the collection to date, crafted from roughly 270-275 barrels originally distilled in 2003 and aged on the upper floors of Bardstown's famous Rickhouse Y.