By The Bourbon Lens
4.7
105105 ratings
The podcast currently has 328 episodes available.
In this episode of Bourbon Lens, hosts Jake and Scott sit down with Fawn Weaver, the trailblazing founder of Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. Fawn takes us on a journey through her remarkable story—how she discovered the legacy of Nathan “Nearest” Green, the first African-American master distiller, and how she turned that discovery into the globally recognized whiskey brand, Uncle Nearest.
Fawn also shares insights into her newly released book, Love & Whiskey: The Remarkable True Story of Jack Daniel, His Master Distiller Nearest Green, and the Improbable Rise of Uncle Nearest, which honors Nathan Green’s contributions to the craft and spirit of whiskey. We dive deep into how the book came to be, the challenges of uncovering hidden history, and the importance of celebrating the unsung heroes of the bourbon industry.
On top of the conversation, we’re excited to announce a special giveaway of one copy of Fawn’s book, Love & Whiskey! Head over to our Instagram page for a chance to win a copy of Fawn’s new book and dive deeper into the story of Nearest Green.
Tune in for an inspiring, insightful, and thought-provoking episode as we celebrate history, bourbon, and the power of storytelling with Fawn Weaver.
Episode Highlights:
- The journey that led Fawn to create Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey
- The story behind discovering Nathan Green's legacy and his impact on the American Whiskey industry
- The inspiration and process behind Fawn’s new book, Love & Whiskey.
- The significance of honoring Nearest Green and his role in shaping whiskey
- Don’t forget to head to Instagram to enter our giveaway for a copy of Fawn’s new book.
Follow Us:
- Instagram: @BourbonLens
- Twitter: @BourbonLens
- Website: http://www.bourbonlens.com
Don’t forget to rate, review, and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts!
This week, we’re talking about Barton 1792 Distillery and 1792 Bourbon. Master Distiller Ross Cornelissen joins Bourbon Lens to talk about the workhouse bourbon distillery. Barton 1792 is a historic distillery in the Bourbon Capital of the World and owned by Sazerac Company. We discuss three limited releases from Barton 1792, including Sweet Wheat, Aged Twelve Years, and Thomas S. Moore Port Cask Finished Bourbon.
Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you’re there.
We are thankful for your support over the last 6 years. We must give the biggest shoutout to our amazing community of Patreon supporters! As always, we'd appreciate it if you would take a few minutes time to give us feedback on Bourbon Lens podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 Star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a written review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.
Follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and X. Also, consider supporting Bourbon Lens on Patreon for some of the behind the scenes, to earn Bourbon Lens swag, join the Bourbon Lens Tasting Club, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or guest suggestions, please email us at [email protected].
Check out BourbonLens.com to find our blog posts, whiskey news, podcast archive, and whiskey reviews.
Cheers,Scott and JakeBourbon Lens
About Barton 1792 Distillery:
Barton 1792 Distillery was established in 1879 and continues today as the oldest fullyoperating distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. Situated in heart of bourbon country on 196 acres, Barton 1792 Distillery boasts 29 barrelaging warehouses, 22 other buildings including an impressive still house, and the legendary Tom Moore Spring.
About Sazerac:
With over 400 years of history, Sazerac is one of the world’s largest distilled spirits companies. Now in the fourth generation of the current family ownership, Sazerac strives each day to bring the finest spirits to consumers and communities around the world.
Over 500 of the world’s most extraordinary brands are part of the Sazerac portfolio, including 1792 Bourbon, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Eagle Rare, Weller, The Last Drop Distillers, Fireball Cinnamon Whisky, Southern Comfort, Wheatley Vodka, Meyers’s Rum, White X Cognac, Sazerac de Forge Cognac, Paddy’s Irish Whiskey, and many more.
Sazerac is also the steward of many fine distilleries internationally, including Barton 1792 and Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky, United States; Domaine Sazerac de Segonzac in Cognac, France; Paul John Distillery in Goa, India; and Lough Gill Distillery in County Sligo, Ireland. Additional impressive locations can be found in New Orleans, Montréal, London, Cork and Sydney, to name a few.
To learn more visit 1792bourbon.com or sazerac.com.
We’re joined by multi-Platinum country music artist, Dierks Bentley, in this special episode of Bourbon Lens. Dierks recently wrapped up his Gravel & Gold Tour and is firmly planted back in Nashville preparing for his next album. We had the privilege to sit down with Dierks to talk about his newest project, Row 94 Whiskey. Row 94 is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey distilled at the historic Green River Distilling Company. Dierks aims for Row 94 to be the bourbon you reach for when you’re enjoying a night with friends, listening to live music, or pouring a whiskey neat to celebrate. Flexible enough for a red solo cup or your nicest whiskey glassware, Row 94 isn’t going to break the bank at its $40 price point either. Sit back, relax, and enjoy this week’s episode of Bourbon Lens featuring Dierks Bentley. And don't miss our GIVEAWAY in partnership with ROW 94 and Dierks Bentley!!!
GIVEAWAY DETAILS:
We are excited to be giving away an autographed Dierks Bentley acoustic guitar with launch of our podcast featuring ROW 94 Whiskey.
If you are interested in winning this authentic guitar, you must:
Winner will be selected on Instagram live at 9pm ET Sunday November 3rd! Best of luck!
Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you’re there.
We are thankful for your support over the last 6 years. We must give the biggest shoutout to our amazing community of Patreon supporters! As always, we'd appreciate it if you would take a few minutes time to give us feedback on Bourbon Lens podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 Star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a written review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.
Follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and X. Also, consider supporting Bourbon Lens on Patreon for some of the behind the scenes, to earn Bourbon Lens swag, join the Bourbon Lens Tasting Club, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or guest suggestions, please email us at [email protected].
Check out BourbonLens.com to find our blog posts, whiskey news, podcast archive, and whiskey reviews.
Cheers,Scott and JakeBourbon Lens
About ROW 94 Whiskey
Named after the year Bentley moved to Nashville and Music Row, ROW 94 celebrates his personal journey. The whiskey’s logo features a thunderbird, symbolizing strength, freedom, and Bentley’s dedication to hard work and authenticity—values reflected in every bottle.
About Dierks Bentley
Dierks Bentley has been a staple of country music for over 20 years, known for blending country with bluegrass. Beginning with his debut single and instant-classic hit “What Was I Thinkin’” in 2003, Bentley’s unique sonic influence and warm vocal rasp have paved the way for the perennial hitmaker, known first and foremost for creative integrity. His career has produced eight Number One albums, 22 No. One songs, eight billion global streams and three CMA Awards – plus 15 GRAMMY® nominations and membership in the historic Grand Ole Opry. In addition to music, Bentley is an entrepreneur, with ventures like the Desert Sun Apparel collection.
For more information on Dierks Bentley and ROW 94, visit dierks.com.
On a recent trip to Myrtle Beach we crossed paths with Jason Queen as he was working to promote his bourbon in South Carolina. Jason shared a bit of history with us and a whiskey too. That chance meeting and conversation inspired this latest episode of the Bourbon Lens Podcast. Jason, a serial entrepreneur and conservationist purchased Cook’s Mill, an old grist mill in order to restore this once thriving mill. That goal set him on a path to creating a whiskey that is focused paying homage to North Carolina’s past. Sit back and buckle in for the latest episode of the Bourbon Lens.
Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you’re there.
We are thankful for your support over the last 6 years. We must give the biggest shoutout to our amazing community of Patreon supporters! As always, we'd appreciate it if you would take a few minutes time to give us feedback on Bourbon Lens podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 Star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a written review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.
Follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and X. Also, consider supporting Bourbon Lens on Patreon for some of the behind the scenes, to earn Bourbon Lens swag, join the Bourbon Lens Tasting Club, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or guest suggestions, please email us at [email protected].
Check out BourbonLens.com to find our blog posts, whiskey news, podcast archive, and whiskey reviews.
Cheers,Scott and JakeBourbon Lens
About Jason Queen & The Brand
Cook's Mill Whiskey owner and founder Jason Queen is also the owner and broker at Monarch Realty in Raleigh, NC. Given his profession, Jason has an inherent interest in historic preservation, which he shares with his wife, Jeanne. For their 10th anniversary, Jason purchased Cook's Mill, an abandoned grist mill that acted as a community gathering place particularly during the Regulator Movement in the 1770s, from Preservation North Carolina so they could restore and preserve it together. While assessing the disrepair and the efforts needed to salvage and revitalize the mill, sacks of heirloom grain were discovered in the mill and inspected by the Agriculture Department of NC State. From there, the idea to reintroduce these heirloom grains to farmlands through whiskey production was born to celebrate the rural heritage of the mill and North Carolina.
The Story Behind Cook’s Mill Whiskey
Cook’s Mill Whiskey originated after founder Jason Queen, who is also the owner and broker at Monarch Realty in Raleigh, NC, purchased an abandoned 1700s grist mill from Preservation North Carolina, which is located halfway between where he and his wife grew up, as a 10-year anniversary gift for his wife. Both having an inherent interest in historic preservation, the idea was to restore and preserve the piece of history together. Inspired by other craft brands and his background in restaurants and hospitality, Queen decided to create a bourbon whiskey made from corn grown, harvested, distilled and bottled in the state - with a portion of the proceeds going back to the cost of restoring the mill.
The brand is named for that pre-Revolutionary Alamance County grist mill, which is one of only two remaining grist mills of the original 41 in Mebane County. Inspired by the proud tradition of farming and distillation in North Carolina, Cook’s Mill officially released in October 20202 after years of being kept a secret. A straight bourbon whiskey aged in new white-oak charred barrels, Cook’s Mill’s first iteration blends supreme flavor as a 3-year-old bourbon made with NC native corn and a dose of history.
Across the state, the team worked on farming myriad non-GMO heirloom corns native to NC to yield ideal bourbon whiskey flavor profiles. To do so, Queen and his team partnered with experts at NC State who have dedicated their careers to native NC heirloom corns. The team isolated seven heirloom corns housed in a university vault in small amounts and offered them to Queen and his team for them to grow.
“These are real true heirloom seeds, original genetic varieties of these corns, that we have unique ownership of,” says Queen, “and there are only like a handful of some of these corns. They’ve never been commoditized—you can’t get them out of a catalog.” In fact, he explains, they were probably used by the pre-Prohibition NC moonshiners and distillers—and allowed to go out of production because of the dense GMO corns that are so much easier to grow.
We are celebrating a BIG milestone this week as we release the 300th Episode of Bourbon Lens. Old Forester and Brown-Forman were gracious enough to invite Jake and Scott to Whiskey Row to celebrate. Bourbon Lens is joined by Melissa Rift and Caleb Trigo from Old Forester to discuss the historic brand, its legacy and future, and to toast our milestone with the 2024 Edition of Birthday Bourbon. We couldn’t think of a better choice for celebrating this milestone episode and thank the team at Brown-Forman and Old Forester for their support all these years. As we celebrate this milestone, we also want to thank all of our listeners over the past 6 years, our Patreon supporters, and each of the brands that have helped make Bourbon Lens a success. Cheers to you and the next 300 Episodes!
Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you’re there.
We are thankful for your support over the last 6 years. We must give the biggest shoutout to our amazing community of Patreon supporters! As always, we'd appreciate it if you would take a few minutes time to give us feedback on Bourbon Lens podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 Star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a written review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.
Follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and X. Also, consider supporting Bourbon Lens on Patreon for some of the behind the scenes, to earn Bourbon Lens swag, join the Bourbon Lens Tasting Club, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or guest suggestions, please email us at [email protected].
Check out BourbonLens.com to find our blog posts, whiskey news, podcast archive, and whiskey reviews.
Cheers,Scott and JakeBourbon Lens
For more details on Melissa Rift and Caleb Trigo and the critical roles they play at Old Forester, check out these posts at BourbonLens.com:
It’s the question that every whiskey enthusiast has been asked: What’s the one bottle of whiskey you keep on your bar? Since one bottle clearly wouldn’t make a great podcast, we decided to up the ante a bit and decided to build the Ultimate 5 Bottle American Whiskey Bar. Jake and Scott run through how they would build their whiskey bar if only afforded 5 slots. We’ve given ourselves criteria in hopes of finding a bottle for every niche and occasion. We run through our choices for 1) best everyday whiskey, 2) best cocktail whiskey, 3) high proof whiskey, 4) Top Shelf whiskey, and 5) a “wild card” whiskey of our choice to round out the bar. What do we pick? Tune in to find out. And be sure to reach out to us on social media and share your #5BottleWhiskeyBar.
Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you’re there.
We are thankful for your support over the last 5 years. We must give the biggest shoutout to our growing Patreon Community of supporters! As always, we'd appreciate it if you would take a few minutes time to give us feedback on Bourbon Lens podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 Star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a written review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.
Follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and X. Also, consider supporting Bourbon Lens on Patreon for some of the behind the scenes, to earn Bourbon Lens swag, join the Bourbon Lens Tasting Club, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or guest suggestions, please email us at [email protected].
Check out BourbonLens.com to read our blog posts, whiskey news, podcast archive, and whiskey reviews.
Cheers,Scott and JakeBourbon Lens
It’s been a wild season of new whiskey and bourbon releases and we’re catching up on some of the ones you may have missed. The press releases have been coming in fast and furious of late and Bourbon Lens is doing our best to keep you abreast of all the news. We recap some of the most exciting releases from the heritage Kentucky distilleries, the best distilleries both inside and outside of Kentucky, and even some celebrity brands that have the whiskey world talking. As always, be sure you’re following along at BourbonLens.com for all the latest news and notes of the whiskey world.
Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you’re there.
We are thankful for your support over the last 5 years. We must give the biggest shoutout to our growing Patreon Community of supporters! As always, we'd appreciate it if you would take a few minutes time to give us feedback on Bourbon Lens podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 Star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a written review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.
Follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and X. Also, consider supporting Bourbon Lens on Patreon for some of the behind the scenes, to earn Bourbon Lens swag, join the Bourbon Lens Tasting Club, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or guest suggestions, please email us at [email protected].
Check out BourbonLens.com to read our blog posts, whiskey news, podcast archive, and whiskey reviews.
Cheers,Scott and JakeBourbon Lens
Artwork Generated by Artificial Intelligence
Scott and Jake sit down to debrief after a long weekend at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival. We discuss some of our favorite pours and experiences from yet another memorable Festival. We must give a shoutout to our AirBnB housemates who joined us to celebrate and to all our listeners who introduced themselves over the weekend. We wrap up this recap episode with some tips to consider as you plan your trip to the 2025 Kentucky Bourbon Festival on September 5 - 7, 2025. Thank you to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, its board and staff, and Estes PR for inviting us to the Festival to cover the events and festivities of the weekend.
Image Credit: BourbonBlog.com's Tom Fischer
Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you’re there.
We are thankful for your support over the last 5 years. We must give the biggest shoutout to our growing Patreon Community of supporters! As always, we'd appreciate it if you would take a few minutes time to give us feedback on Bourbon Lens podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 Star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a written review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.
Follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and X. Also, consider supporting Bourbon Lens on Patreon for some of the behind the scenes, to earn Bourbon Lens swag, join the Bourbon Lens Tasting Club, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or guest suggestions, please email us at [email protected].
Check out BourbonLens.com to read our blog posts, whiskey news, podcast archive, and whiskey reviews.
Cheers,Scott and JakeBourbon Lens
Scott and Jake travel to Newport Kentucky to visit New Riff Distilling and sit down with co-founder Jay Erisman. We kick back inside the Aquifer Bar to discuss New Riff’s history, their whiskey portfolio, and what’s ahead now that the distillery recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. In this episode, we taste New Riff Bottled in Bond Bourbon, Silver Grove Bourbon, Malted Rye, and their 8 Year Bourbon. Stay tuned to Bourbon Lens for more coverage of New Riff coming soon, including their second batch of Kentucky Single Malt and their Whisky NRD tasting courses currently scheduled at the distillery.
About New Riff:
Fiercely independent and unabashedly innovative: New Riff Distilling starts with time-honored sour mash methods and bottled-in-bond standards, creating new riffs on old traditions since 2014. Located in Northern Kentucky — the gateway to bourbon country — the independently-owned distillery produces award-winning bourbon, rye, single malt whiskey and gin. Bourbon and rye are also available in single barrel selections, and the distillery boasts a popular private barrel selection program offering quarter, half and full barrel picks complete with personalized labels. New Riff sources its water from an alluvial aquifer under the distillery, accessed via a 100’ deep private well and providing cold, clean and mineral-rich water perfect for whiskey making. The public-facing spaces in the distillery, renovated in 2023, include the Riff Shop with customizable gifting options and locally sourced artisan goods; and The Aquifer Tasting Room, located on the third floor of the distillery, featuring signature cocktails, flights, and pours of New Riff’s entire portfolio of award-winning spirits including rare, limited-edition, and distillery-exclusive releases.
About Jay Erisman:
Jay Erisman is vice-president of strategic development and co-founder of New Riff Distilling. A home brewer who became a fine spirits expert and then a self-taught distiller, Erisman is nicknamed New Riff’s “chief blender and palate.” He focuses on grains and raw ingredients, cooperage, aging strategies, product development and regulatory compliance. An expert in pot still distillation, Erisman also spearheads the distillery’s gins. Previously, Erisman served as fine spirits manager at The Party Source.
We continue our coverage for Bourbon Heritage Month as we explore Four Roses Bourbon, including their new Limited Edition Small Batch release for 2024. We are joined by Brent Elliott, Master Distiller for Four Roses Bourbon Distillery. We discuss Brent’s process for crafting this limited edition bourbon, the 10 different recipes of Four Roses Bourbon, the distillery’s commitment to quality and tradition, and the recent announcement of an expansion of the Four Roses Bourbon recipe lineup. What is your favorite Four Roses recipe or release?
About Four Roses:
Established in 1888, Four Roses combines two mashbills with five proprietary yeast strains to distill and age 10 distinct bourbon recipes, each with its own unique flavor profile. With distilling and warehousing operations in Lawrenceburg and Cox’s Creek, Kentucky, respectively, Four Roses is available in all 50 states. This past year, Four Roses has received 54 awards, including 2 Double Platinum medals, 3 Platinum medals, 9 Double Gold medals and 22 Gold medals from esteemed competitions such as the American Whiskey Masters and Whiskies of the World.
About Brent Elliott, Master Distiller for Four Roses Bourbon Distillery:
Brent Elliott became Master Distiller at Four Roses in September 2015 and has been involved in producing award-winning premium Bourbons since he began working with the company in 2005. As Master Distiller, Elliott ensures that each bottle of Four Roses is handcrafted with the same passion and quality that the brand has maintained since 1888. Elliott’s years of experience with Four Roses include everything from applying his Chemistry degree in production, to formulating Four Roses’ 10 distinct Bourbon recipes and hand-selecting barrels for award-winning bottlings that the brand has become known for around the world. Elliott also frequently travels on behalf of the brand, sharing his deep industry and brand knowledge through tastings, seminars, training sessions and events.
Named Master Distiller/Blender of the Year at the 2020 Icons of Whisky America award ceremony, Elliott is particularly proud of Small Batch Select, the distillery’s newest permanent product-line extension since 2006, and the biggest addition to the storied history of the 132-year-old brand since he became Master Distiller. Since its release, Small Batch Select was ranked No. 3 in Whisky Advocate’s Top 20 Whiskies of 2019 – the highest-rated Bourbon on the list – and also earned Category Silver for Kentucky Bourbon at the 2020 World Whiskies Awards. A native of Owensboro, Kentucky, Elliott resides in Frankfort Kentucky with his wife, Amy, and their two children.
The podcast currently has 328 episodes available.
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