Send us Fan Mail

We catch up after boots-on-the-ground Ohio bottle signings and get Ross Cornelison on the phone while he drives back to Kentucky. We dig into what makes Barton 1792 so consistent, why the brand’s profile has shifted over time, then end with a full live Barrel Bottle Breakdown of 1792 Sweet Wheat.

• Meeting Ross Cornelissen in Ohio and why the state shows up big for bourbon
• Why Barton 1792 operates as a working distillery and keeps tours closed
• How Ross thinks about consistency through degree of maturation
• What goes into blending 1792 Small Batch as the flagship bourbon
• Building the 1792 12 Year blend and why it changes each year
• The reality of bottle signings and how Ross developed his signature
• Technical whiskey questions from fans including fermentation and sanitation
• Sweet Wheat deep dive: tasting notes, mouthfeel, proof talk and our 13/18 score
• Tips for flying with bottles and preventing breakage
• Matt Lysin’s Cleveland On The Rocks and what they review beyond bourbon

www.scotchybourbonboys.com for all things, scotchy bourbon boys. Whether you listen to us or you watch us, make sure that you find a way to show your support, whether it's become a member, subscribe, become a member, do leave super chats on on YouTube, and go to the Apple podcast thing and just write a nice little review for us, give us five stars and get our rating up.

Ross Cornelissen just spent days meeting Ohio whiskey fanatics and signing bottles, and we caught him on the road back to Kentucky to hear what that experience is really like from the master distiller’s seat at Barton 1792 Distillery. Along with our guest Matt Lysin from Cleveland On The Rocks, we talk through the moments that stick: the questions fans ask when they finally get face time with the person behind the bourbon, the stories people share about starting with 1792, and why Ohio might be one of the loudest bourbon states in the country.

We also get technical in a way that actually helps you drink smarter. Ross explains how he thinks about blending for consistency, why “degree of maturation” can matter more than a simple age number, and how open air rickhouses and warehouse placement shape flavor. We dig into the role of 1792 Small Batch as the flagship expression, plus how releases like Bottled In Bond, Full Proof, Single Barrel, and the 1792 12 Year come together with a bigger team than most people realize.

After the call, we bring it back to the glass with a live Barrel Bottle Breakdown of 1792 Sweet Wheat. If you love wheated bourbon, you’ll want our tasting notes, the proof debate, and the final score. We even swap real-world tips for traveling with whiskey so your best bottles survive baggage handling.

If you’re into bourbon, Barton 1792, Sazerac brands, barrel picks, or tasting notes you can actually use, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a bourbon friend, and leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts.

Add for SOFL

If You Have Gohsts

Support the show

https://www.scotchybourbonboys.com

The Scotchy bourbon Boys are #3 in Feedspots Top 60 whiskey podcasts in the world https://podcast.feedspot.com/whiskey_podcasts/

Send us Fan Mail

We talk with Randy Prasse about why the Kentucky Bourbon Festival keeps selling out faster and how the team protects the general admission experience while still offering real VIP comfort. We get into the unglamorous details that make the weekend work, from gate flow and bottle lines to add-ons, education, and what is new for this year.
• tickets selling out and what the “sold out” numbers really mean
• why KBF prioritises GA first and keeps VIP co-mingling
• how COVID shaped the fenced footprint and current festival model
• distilleries upgrading tents, decor, and interactive activations
• bottle lines, sampling lines, and better cutoff communication
• entry gate fairness and adding a second GA gate
• featured distillery spotlight on New Riff
• new speakeasy style upgrades and small suite concepts
• cigar lounge ambitions and why it is polarising
• add-ons timing, lockers, shuttles, and premium education options
• bourbon tourism impact for Bardstown and repeat visitors
www.scotchybourbonboys.com for all things Scotchy Bourbon Boys, merchandise, Glenn Cairns, everything
Drink responsibly, don’t drink and drive, and go out and live your life uncut and unfiltered

Tickets vanish in a day and suddenly the Kentucky Bourbon Festival becomes a planning sport. We sit down with festival director Randy Prasse to unpack how KBF in Bardstown earned that demand, what actually changed after COVID, and why the smartest design choice is surprisingly simple: build the general admission experience first, then let VIP be a comfort upgrade without splitting the crowd into two different festivals. If you care about bourbon culture, bourbon tourism, and how the best whiskey events stay authentic at scale, this conversation delivers the blueprint.

We get specific about the stuff that makes or breaks a bourbon festival weekend: bottle lines, sampling lines, communicating inventory before people waste an hour, and improving gate flow so “fairness” is more than a slogan. Randy explains why capacity hasn’t quietly ballooned even when it feels tighter, how distilleries have expanded their footprints, and why the festival pushes brands to bring real engagement instead of a generic pour-and-smile setup. We also talk featured distillery New Riff, the “new product launch” energy KBF is aiming for, and the behind-the-scenes team dynamics that keep the whole thing running.

Then we look forward. Randy shares what’s new, including a speakeasy style upgrade that works like a mini VIP, potential corporate hospitality suites, and the expanding menu of add-ons like education sessions, cocktail and culinary experiences, lockers, and shuttles. If you’re trying to do KBF the right way, you’ll leave with a clearer plan and a better sense of what to prioritise. Subscribe, share this with your bourbon crew, and leave us a review, what’s the one festival change you’d make first?

Add for SOFL

If You Have Gohsts

Support the show

https://www.scotchybourbonboys.com

The Scotchy bourbon Boys are #3 in Feedspots Top 60 whiskey podcasts in the world https://podcast.feedspot.com/whiskey_podcasts/

Send us Fan Mail

We sit down with Danny Polise from Penelope Bourbon to trace how a three-barrel experiment turns into a national brand built on obsessive blending and real boots-on-the-ground hustle. We dig into how sourcing, warehouse knowledge, and smart scaling shape flavor, then taste through new and upcoming bottles while talking festivals, charity blends, and what the next decade of bourbon could look like.
• the early Penelope bet at MGP and why three mash bills mattered
• learning blending through repetition rather than formal training
• selling in the early days and building a label that stands out
• the crossroads of distilling vs scaling and the MGP acquisition
• how tanker-scale batching improves consistency for core products
• light whiskey explained, why used barrels matter, hunting profiles by warehouse
• estate collection breakdown, single barrels, private select, Omega French oak finish
• naming sessions, gimmicks that still have a reason, and dream collaborations
• the F Cancer charity project and the annual blend-off format
• bourbon festivals, cigar blend talk, and what bottles to bring to KBF
• first tastes and details on the upcoming Penelope Classic bourbon and rye
www.scotchyburbonboys.com for all things Scotchy Bourbon Boys, contact me directly or just buy it off the website. Whether you listen to us, like, or watch us, make sure that you leave good feedback, become a member, subscribe, do all those fun things, and drink responsibly, don’t drink and drive

They walked into MGP like they were about to buy a million barrels and walked out with three. That’s the true starting point of Penelope Bourbon, and it sets the tone for a conversation that’s equal parts origin story, blending masterclass, and behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build a whiskey brand that actually tastes different.

We’re joined by Danny Polise talk about how Penelope uses blending to escape the “standard sourced bourbon” profile by combining mash bills, chasing specific notes, and putting in the unglamorous reps. Danny breaks down how his process evolved from week-long blend marathons with endless iterations to a faster, sharper approach powered by tasting memory, barrel surveys, warehouse differences, and a constantly growing flavor encyclopedia. If you care about bourbon tasting notes, batch consistency, and how professionals decide what makes it into a bottle, you’ll hear the logic in real time.

Then we get into the big business inflection point: scaling. Danny explains why the MGP acquisition helped Penelope grow without losing its identity, how tanker-scale batching can improve consistency for flagship pours, and why small-batch releases still matter when you want precision. We also dig into light whiskey, the Estate Collection, Omega’s French oak finish, the F Cancer charity blend-off, festival plans, cigar blend talk, and a first look at the upcoming Penelope Classic Series with a 92-proof bourbon and a surprisingly bright 92-proof rye.

If you enjoy bourbon podcast deep dives, Penelope Bourbon details, MGP sourcing transparency, and practical blending insight, hit subscribe, share this with a whiskey friend, and leave us a review. What bottle or style should we taste next?

Add for SOFL

If You Have Gohsts

Support the show

https://www.scotchybourbonboys.com

The Scotchy bourbon Boys are #3 in Feedspots Top 60 whiskey podcasts in the world https://podcast.feedspot.com/whiskey_podcasts/

Send us Fan Mail

We sit down with Mark Carter to talk about how Old Carter stays unmistakable batch after batch, from chewy caramel depth to that long, silky finish. We get into the real work behind very small blends, the Social Club experience, and why we chase “delicious” over age statements and hype.
• tasting through recent Old Carter releases and why bottles can open up over time
• what the Old Carter Social Club is and how lockers, appointments, and tastings work
• how Mark builds tiny blends and uses a blind tasting panel to choose winners
• double barreling with brand new barrels and how char levels shape flavor
• distilling history since 2017 and why keeping barrels “straight” matters
• mash bill range from high corn to rye and why older rye drinks better
• bourbon community culture, whiskey versus wine logistics, and lessons from both worlds
go to uh oldcarterwhiskeyco.com
let's do the www.scotchybourbonboys.com for all things scotchy bourbon boys

Caramel you can chew, a finish that won’t quit, and a blender who treats barrels like instruments in a band. We’re joined by Mark Carter of Old Carter Whiskey to unpack how his team keeps a bold, recognizable profile across small batch bourbon, very small batch drops, and club only releases without watering anything down.

We talk through the Old Carter Social Club and why the membership model changes everything: tiny two barrel blends, 375ml formats that actually make sense for ultra limited whiskey, lockers, and tasting appointments that feel like a shared night with friends who care about the details. Mark explains how a blend earns the label, how his blind tasting panel makes final calls, and why “delicious” beats chasing proof or age for its own sake.

Then we go full nerd on double barreling done the hard way, meaning brand new oak barrels, multiple coopers, and char levels that help dial in viscosity, aromatics, and that signature toffee and caramel depth. We also get into mash bills, from high corn sweetness to older 95/5 rye, plus the real world “neck pour” debate and what shipping, heat, and oxygen can do to a bottle.

If you love barrel proof bourbon, blending talk, and behind the scenes whiskey decisions, hit play, subscribe, share this with your bourbon group, and leave a review with the Old Carter batch you’d pour for a friend.

Add for SOFL

If You Have Gohsts

Support the show

https://www.scotchybourbonboys.com

The Scotchy bourbon Boys are #3 in Feedspots Top 60 whiskey podcasts in the world https://podcast.feedspot.com/whiskey_podcasts/

Send us Fan Mail

We dig into why 375ml bourbon bottles are suddenly everywhere and what that shift means for prices, access, and trying new whiskey without committing to a full bottle. Along the way we swap festival stories, call out standout distillery releases, and make the case for half bottles as the ultimate share-friendly format.

• New Orleans Bourbon Festival highlights, logistics and surprise moments
• Makers Mark barrel pick timeline and how releases get coordinated
• Why 375ml bottles help with rising bourbon costs and buyer hesitation
• How allocated and limited releases reach more people in half bottles
• Pocketable sharing bottles, travel wins and shelf-space reality
• Standout examples from Woodford, Old Forester 117, Jim Beam experimental series and Bardstown Cathedral
• Whether 375s feel special when the same whiskey exists in 750ml
• The business tradeoffs of more bottles, more corks and higher per-ounce pricing
• Comparing festival strategies, booth lines and bottle hunting expectations

Let us know what your thought is on 375s. Leave a comment before before, thumbs up, thumbs down, you know

Half bottles are making big waves in bourbon, and we have questions. When a distillery drops a 375ml instead of a 750ml, is that a sneaky way to charge more per ounce, or the smartest way to help more people actually taste the good stuff? We talk through the real-world math, the collector mindset, and the simple truth that most of us want variety without turning our home bar into a storage unit.

I’m joined by Matt from Cleveland On The Rocks, and we connect the 375ml trend to what we’re seeing at distilleries and bourbon festivals. We revisit the New Orleans Bourbon Festival experience, including how the layout, food, and producer access changes the whole weekend, then compare it to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival reality of booth lines and timed bottle drops. If you’ve ever planned a trip around an allocated release, you’ll recognize the strategy behind smaller formats.

Then we get specific: Old Forester 117 series, Woodford gift shop releases, Jim Beam’s experimental 375s, and the kind of special story-driven bottles that feel tailor-made for the half-bottle format. We also dig into why 375ml bottles can be the best “try before you commit” move for rum finishes, honey finishes, and other experiments, plus why they are built for sharing and traveling.

If you’re curious whether 375ml bourbon is a trend or the future of limited releases, hit play and weigh in. Subscribe, share the show with a bourbon friend, and leave a review with your take on half bottles.

Add for SOFL

If You Have Gohsts

Support the show

https://www.scotchybourbonboys.com

The Scotchy bourbon Boys are #3 in Feedspots Top 60 whiskey podcasts in the world https://podcast.feedspot.com/whiskey_podcasts/

Send us Fan Mail

We head to Chicago to taste Koval Distillery and dig into how two PhDs built a grain to bottle “black sheep” whiskey brand that helped revive city distilling. Then we run a full tasting and score the Four Grain Single Barrel that hits us with banana bread sweetness and a finish that keeps us debating.
• how Koval returns distilling to Chicago after Prohibition
• who Dr Robert Birenker and Dr Sonat Birenker Hart are
• what grain to bottle means in a small urban distillery
• why organic and kosher production changes expectations
• four grain mash bill with oat malted barley rye and wheat
• rye whiskey notes with pepper heat and creamy mouthfeel
• bourbon notes and why it shines in cocktails
• wheat whiskey at higher proof and why it feels “toasted”
• Old Louisville Whiskey Company barrel bottle breakdown scoring
• why 375ml bottles make collecting and tasting easier
go to Apple Podcasts, find us, and leave a good review
Plus, you can become a member on Facebook, you could become a member on on YouTube. Please do that

Chicago doesn’t get enough credit for shaping American spirits, so we’re heading straight into Koval Distillery, a modern craft producer that helped bring distilling back to the city in 2008. John Ritt joins me as we break down Koval’s origin story: two PhDs leaving established careers, betting on whiskey, and building a grain to bottle operation focused on consistency, creativity, and ingredient driven flavor. Koval also leans into a rare stance for American whiskey: certified organic and kosher production, plus mash bills that refuse to play it safe.

Then we taste. We crack into a Koval sampling pack and work through Four Grain, Rye, Bourbon, and Wheat Whiskey with real time notes and plenty of debate. The Four Grain is the shocker. With no corn and a mix of oat, malted barley, rye, and wheat, it lands like confectioners sugar and banana bread in a Glencairn, sweet without feeling syrupy. The rye brings grassy aromas and a pepper flake finish, the bourbon shows a bolder bite that makes us think “Old Fashioned ready,” and the wheat whiskey drinks big and toasty at higher proof.

We finish by choosing a winner for our Old Louisville Whiskey Company barrel bottle breakdown and talk about why Koval works best when you stop comparing it to Kentucky and start appreciating regional American whiskey on its own terms. We also get into cocktail potential, a quick hack for blending bourbon and rye, and why 375ml bottles might be the most practical move for collectors who actually want to drink what they buy. If you enjoy craft distillery tours, Chicago whiskey, Koval Four Grain, and honest tasting notes, hit play, subscribe, share the show, and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts.

Add for SOFL

If You Have Gohsts

Support the show

https://www.scotchybourbonboys.com

The Scotchy bourbon Boys are #3 in Feedspots Top 60 whiskey podcasts in the world https://podcast.feedspot.com/whiskey_podcasts/

Send us Fan Mail

We sit down with Steve Lambert from Leather and Oak Spirits to get real about what makes Ohio whiskey special when it is built from grain genetics up instead of hype. We taste through the logic behind 100% corn bourbon, pot still texture, and the hands-on experiments that keep small-batch releases consistent while still interesting.
• why grain genetics and yeast set the flavor floor
• tasting white dog to understand the true foundation
• how a 100% corn mash bill changes aging needs
• barrel toast and char choices that drive caramel and toffee notes
• pot still oils and viscosity vs column still output
• batching and proof targets that stay approachable
• Mill Street history and what it taught about process
• handmade limoncello at scale using lemon peel oils
• enzymes, amylase, sugar conversion, and cleaner fermentation
• yeast trials, residual sugar, and shaping rye whiskey character
• rapid stave testing to avoid long aging mistakes
• managing inventory, growth pressure, and staying small on purpose
• Hilliard support, tasting room plans, and how to book tours
• the rye plus limoncello cocktail that unexpectedly works
• cigar pairings that match sweet corn bourbon

A great bottle doesn’t start in a barrel. It starts with decisions most people never see: grain genetics, yeast behavior, cut points, and whether you’re willing to taste your spirit before oak makes it pretty. We’re joined by Steve Lambert of Leather and Oak Spirits in the Columbus area to talk about the new wave of Ohio craft distilling and why “grain to glass” is more than a slogan when you’re running a small pot still and betting everything on flavor.

We dig into what makes Leather and Oak stand out in the bourbon world: a 100% corn mash bill. Steve explains why corn can be the hardest grain to mature, how barrel toast and a heavy char can build deep caramel, butterscotch, and toffee notes, and why proofing to that sweet spot keeps the whiskey approachable without going thin. Along the way, we get nerdy in the best way about fermentation enzymes like amylase, how sugar conversion affects yield and taste, and why subtle yeast differences can reshape a rye whiskey profile.

Then we take a hard left into something we didn’t expect to love: handmade limoncello and how alcohol acts as a solvent, pulling oils from lemon peel the same way whiskey pulls vanillin and tannins from oak. It leads to one of our favorite moments: mixing their rye with their 80-proof limoncello and accidentally finding a genuinely balanced cocktail. If you care about Ohio bourbon, pot still whiskey, small batch distilling, and real behind-the-scenes process, you’ll want this one.

Subscribe, share this with a whiskey friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show. What should we name that rye-limoncello drink?
www.scotchybourbonboys.com for all things, Scotchy Bourbon Boys.
www.leathernoaks.com.
Make sure you follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and X, along with listen to us on Apple, iHeart and Spotify and anywhere else that you can listen to podcasts.

Add for SOFL

If You Have Gohsts

Support the show

https://www.scotchybourbonboys.com

The Scotchy bourbon Boys are #3 in Feedspots Top 60 whiskey podcasts in the world https://podcast.feedspot.com/whiskey_podcasts/

Send us Fan Mail

We sit down with Wendy Peveich, founder and blender behind Archer Eland, to talk about building a rye whiskey brand that flies the Ohio flag and still competes on flavor, proof, and value. We taste through four distinct rye expressions and dig into why rye is so hard to make, so easy to misunderstand, and so rewarding when it’s blended with intent.

• New Orleans Bourbon Festival reception and what “finger on the pulse” really looks like
• Wendy’s shift from cardiovascular nurse practitioner to whiskey industry work
• Why she chooses rye over bourbon and what makes rye distillation difficult
• Archer Eland’s 100% rye approach and how malted rye fits the process
• Solstice as the 104-proof entry bottle and the Rye-Rita cocktail idea
• Aurora as the “problem child” blend and the Northern Lights naming story
• Cashmere as a cask strength rye that surprises bourbon drinkers
• Suede as a one-off release plus the 9-11 barrel birthday meaning
• How warehouse placement and maturation timing shape flavor
• Why stainless steel stops maturation and what oxidation can still do
• Upcoming limited drops including 14X1B and where releases will land

Ohio rye doesn’t need permission from Kentucky, and Wendy Peveich is living proof. We’re joined by Wendy, the founder and blender behind Archer Eland rye whiskey, fresh off the New Orleans Bourbon Festival, where she put her brand in front of drinkers who swear they “hate rye” and watched the room change sip by sip. She shares how judging spirits, traveling the festival circuit, and learning to read palates helped her refine a whiskey brand built on intention, transparency, and real value at the shelf.

Wendy’s story starts in an unexpected place: she spent years as a cardiovascular nurse practitioner, then used whiskey as a creative outlet during the stress of COVID. That curiosity turned into barrel curations, market-building work, and finally a leap into entrepreneurship. We dig into why she chose 100% rye (rye plus malted rye) instead of chasing a crowded bourbon lane, what makes rye so difficult to distill, and why “green” minty notes and spice don’t have to be a dealbreaker when blending is done with discipline.

Then we taste the Archer Eland lineup: Solstice as the approachable 104-proof entry point (plus a rye margarita twist), Aurora as a deeper rye-forward pour with Northern Lights inspiration, Cashmere as a cask strength curveball that can fool bourbon drinkers, and Suede as a one-off “happy accident” she refuses to recreate. We also get into warehouse maturation, how rye can swing season to season, why stainless steel stops aging, and what’s coming next with limited time offerings and future finished rye innovation.

If you’re into rye whiskey, craft distilling, Ohio whiskey, or simply want a smarter way to think about blending and barrel maturation, subscribe, share this with a rye skeptic, and leave us a review. Which of the four profiles would you reach for first?
www.scotchyburbidboys.com
No matter what, make sure that whether you watch us or listen to us, make sure you leave us good feedback.

Add for SOFL

If You Have Gohsts

Support the show

https://www.scotchybourbonboys.com

The Scotchy bourbon Boys are #3 in Feedspots Top 60 whiskey podcasts in the world https://podcast.feedspot.com/whiskey_podcasts/