This episode dives into Elijah Craig Kentucky Straight Rye — and the surprisingly confusing world of what “straight rye” actually means.

We break down the legal definition, taste profile, and why this particular rye is so approachable — especially for bourbon drinkers who aren’t usually fans of rye.

Along the way, we explore:

• What “barely legal rye” means
• Why rye can feel spicy or aggressive
• How mash bill changes flavour dramatically
• And why your taste in whiskey evolves over time

If you’ve ever struggled with rye… this is the episode that might change your mind.

This episode starts with a long-awaited moment.

We finally open a Peerless Double Oaked Bourbon, a bottle that’s been sitting on the shelf for a while, signed at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival and calling out to be opened.

We talk through what makes Peerless different as a distillery, including their sweet mash process, barrel-proof approach, and double oaked finishing. The result is a rich, dessert-like bourbon that easily stands alongside some of the best double oaked expressions out there.

From there, the conversation shifts.

We discuss a creator attempting to visit every stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and ask whether it’s actually possible to have a “bad” distillery experience.

It leads to a surprisingly hard question: What’s the least impressive distillery experience we’ve had?

And even then, the answer isn’t straightforward.

This episode is about great bourbon, memorable experiences, and why some distilleries, like Peerless, are worth going back to again and again.

00:00 Opening the bottle 00:45 What is Peerless Double Oaked 01:45 How Peerless is different 03:00 Colour and nose 04:15 First taste reactions 05:30 Why we opened it now 06:30 Bourbon trail creator discussion 08:00 Can you have a bad distillery 09:30 Least impressive experiences 11:30 Why Peerless stands out 13:00 Going back again 13:30 Wrap and cheers

This episode is a bit of a reset for us.

We’re drinking Jack Daniel’s Triple Mash, a blend of Tennessee whiskey, rye and American malt, and it opens up a conversation we probably should have had earlier.

What exactly is a “triple mash”? How does it taste? And how does Tennessee whiskey actually differ from bourbon?

We talk through the flavour, which is far more complex than expected, with notes of caramel, cinnamon, fruit and a surprising balance at 50% ABV.

From there, it turns into something bigger. Why have we avoided Jack Daniel’s for so long? Is that an Australian thing? And are we missing out on some genuinely great whiskey because of old perceptions?

We also dig into the Lincoln County Process, the definition of Tennessee whiskey, and the story behind Jack Daniel’s and Nearest Green, which is one of the most important and increasingly recognised stories in American whiskey.

And with an upcoming trip to Lynchburg, there’s more to come.

00:00 Opening the bottle 00:45 What is Triple Mash 02:00 Nose and first impressions 03:15 Cinnamon and caramel notes 04:30 Palate reaction 05:30 Banana and spice flavours 06:30 Avoiding Jack Daniel’s 07:00 Tennessee whiskey vs bourbon 08:00 Lincoln County Process explained 08:30 Nashville and Lynchburg plans 09:00 The Nearest Green story 09:30 Rethinking Jack Daniel’s

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.

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.

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.

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.

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