Bourbon Lens

Wrapping up Bourbon Heritage Month at Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, KY.  We're joined by Steve Beam, Master Distiller, to chat about his latest Limited Edition release of Yellowstone Bourbon and the Master Distiller Road Tour schedule. 

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there.  

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

Links:

• Courier Journal Feature on Limestone Branch Distillery
• 87: Yellowstone Bourbon and Limestone Branch
• Limestone Branch Distillery
• Limestone Branch Distillery Announces 2022 Yellowstone Limited Edition Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey - BevNET.com
• Limestone Branch Distillery Launches Yellowstone Family Recipe - BevNET.com

We are joined by Marcus Niemann to discuss his involvement in Kentucky To The World, a non-profit which celebrates the accomplishments of Kentuckians across the globe.  Kentucky To The World is having a major fundraiser to cap off Bourbon Heritage Month and we want you to grab a ticket to support a great cause and have the opportunity to win some rare bourbon.  Full details on the campaign can  be found below, but how about a chance to win a Four Roses 2017 Limited Edition 50th Anniversary Small Batch Bourbon (frequently referred to as the "Al Young Bottle").  The Grand Prize pack is worth over $7,000 and only 500 tickets will be sold. Bourbon Lens has donated two bottles from our Lux Row Barrel Picks, single barrels of Rebel Wheated Bourbon and Ezra Brooks which will be released this fall. Don't miss this opportunity; and talk about great odds!

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there.  

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

Learn more about the "Best of Bourbon Raffle 2" 

Don't miss your chance to win rare bourbon expressions during our celebration of #BourbonHeritageMonth on Tuesday, Sept. 27, from 6 to 8 pm during our Bourbon Social at The Local Seltzery prior to the live prize drawing at 7:30 pm.

Our second bourbon collection grand prize features a standout selection of six unique expressions from iconic Kentucky bourbon brands. 

Additional prizes include Misc Goods Co. Black Ceramic Flask with two decks of KTW Illustrated Playing Cards and Lux Row Distiller's Collection Rebel Bourbon Bottles with tasting glass set. 

To enter to win one of our prizes, purchase your tickets for $50 each at the link in bio now through Sept. 27th.

Visit www.kentuckytotheworld.org/raffle-rules for official rules and regulations. Open to the general public, ticket purchasers and the person named on a ticket must be at least 21 years of age at the time of purchase and reside in Kentucky.

Offer void where prohibited by law. License # EXE-0002505. This event is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Instagram.

Learn more about the Best of Bourbon Raffle 2 

Recording inside the Vintage Whiskey Library at Bardstown Bourbon Co., we sit down with Head Distiller Nick Smith. Enjoy this week's podcast as we talk about Bardstown's "coming of age" whiskies (own distillate) that will release in the very near future and their blending and Collaboration Series of whiskies. 

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there.  

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

We're back for Episode 11 of "Off Hours with Bourbon Lens" featuring Jackie Zykan with Hidden Barn Whiskey and two-time former guest of Bourbon Lens Podcast. This episode is brought to you by Off Hours Bourbon. Off Hours Bourbon is made for the moments in between. After a long week or just because. Find the time and the moments in between. Find them with us in the Off Hours.

Find out more about Off Hours Bourbon on their website.

This has been another production of Bourbon Lens LLC.  Thank you for your continued support.

Scott & Jake
Bourbon Lens

Jake and Scott are kicking off Bourbon Heritage Month with some of the bourbons they'll be seeking to add to their shelves. Which bourbon releases are you most excited for this month? Any exciting new or limited releases you can't wait to find? Let us know by sending us a message on social media or via our website.  And happy hunting!!

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there.  

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

We're talking Texas Whiskey with Balcones Distilling.  Balcones is located in Waco Texas and is known as the producer of "The Original Texas Whisky".  We're excited to discuss what makes Texas unique; it's definitely more than its hot weather too.  We're joined by Gabe RiCharde, the Director of Spirits at Balcones Distilling, where he has worked for nearly six years. Gabe has had a hand in many of the unique whiskies coming out of Waco, including one of the wildest whiskies we've tried in a long time; Big Baby, a Bottled in Bond, 5 year Corn Whisky, aged entirely in tequila casks.  We also discuss Balcones' Pot Still Bourbon, a great kickoff to Bourbon Heritage Month.  

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there.  

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

About Balcones:

Born and bred in Waco, Texas, Balcones Distilling is an award-winning distillery that marries centuries of distilling tradition with the bold, original flavors of Texas. Synonymous with quality and innovation in the whisky industry, Balcones is known for emphasizing high-quality ingredients and drawing authentic influences from all over Texas. To date, the distillery has earned over 550 national and international tasting awards and accolades for their whiskies and spirits.

In 2008, Balcones was nothing more than an idea driven by a passion to create something original and authentic, right here in the Heart of Texas. It all started in an old welding shop under a bridge in Waco. For the next year, we replaced the roofing, knocked out walls, laid brick, cut pipes, installed copper pot stills from Portugal, and shoehorned a whisky distillery inside that quaint building. Proud of what we had accomplished on our own, we began distilling in 2009.

Links:

• Balcones Distilling 
• Bourbon Lens Review of Balcones "Big Baby" Tequila Cask Corn Whisky 
• Balcones Distilling: The Barrel Nerds - American Whiskey Magazine
• 142: What is Driving the Texas Whiskey Boom? - Bourbon Lens
• Industry reacts to American single malt whiskey designation proposal
• Bourbon Lens Instagram - Balcones Big Baby Review
• Balcones Distilling and ZZ Top's Tres Hombres Whisky Returns to Shelves - BevNET.com
• Waco's Balcones Distilling Is Rightly Proud Of Its Lineage. | Central Track
• All 8 Balcones Whiskies, Blind Tasted And Ranked
• Why American Single Malt Is The Whiskey Industry's New Frontier

We're back for Episode 10 of "Off Hours with Bourbon Lens" featuring Sam Montgomery, National Brand Ambassador for Bardstown Bourbon Company. Find out what keeps Sam motivated and how she finds time to relax between her travels and her daily efforts to elevate Bardstown Bourbon Co and her craft cocktail game. This episode is brought to you by Off Hours Bourbon. Off Hours Bourbon is made for the moments in between. After a long week or just because. Find the time and the moments in between. Find them with us in the Off Hours.

Find out more about Off Hours Bourbon on their website.

This has been another production of Bourbon Lens LLC.  Thank you for your continued support.

Jake & Scott
Bourbon Lens

Jake sits down with one of his favorite brands to talk with High West Distillery's Brendan Coyle.  Brendon, Master Distiller, talks about High West's evolving core lineup and limited release schedule.  What makes High West Whiskey unique and why does it have a cult-like following?  Grab yourself a bottle of High West next time you see it on a shelf and find out! 

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there.  

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

About High West:

High West Distillery was founded in 2006 by David Perkins and his wife, Jane. David, a former biochemist, was inspired to open his own distillery after seeing the parallels between the fermentation and distilling process and his own work in biochemistry during a trip to a whiskey distillery in Kentucky. In 2004, David and his family relocated to Park City, Utah to begin their new venture, where they began distilling in 2007. They chose Park City because of David's love of the Old West and Utah's little-known whiskey history.

High West began with humble roots, opening a small, 250-gallon still and Saloon in an historic livery stable and garage. What was once a small operation in downtown Park City has grown to be an internationally-recognized, award winning brand.

Links:

• High West Whiskey

• 82: High West Whiskey - Bourbon Lens

• 98: A Midwinter Night's Dram by High West Whiskey - Bourbon Lens

• High West American Single Malt 2021 Review - Bourbon Lens

• Park City's High West Distillery pledges $1M to western land preservation 

• High West Master Distiller Explains Blending Sourced and Own-Made Whiskey - Whisky Advocate

• Interview: Head To The Rockies For High West Distillery Whiskey Inspiration

• Interview: High West Master Distiller Brendan Coyle on The Future of American Single Malt Whiskey – COOL HUNTING®

• How High West Is Made | Huckberry

• High West, a Utah distillery, proudly drags the whiskey industry's dirty little secret out of the shadows — Quartz

We're back for Episode 9 of "Off Hours with Bourbon Lens" featuring David Mandell, the man behind many projects in the heart of Bourbon Country; Bardstown Kentucky.  David is co-founder of Bardstown Bourbon Co. and is currently with Stoli Group/Kentucky Owl and is the Chairman of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival. Jake sits down with David to find out how he turns off his business mind and finds time for himself. This episode is brought to you by Off Hours Bourbon. Off Hours Bourbon is made for the moments in between. After a long week or just because. Find the time and the moments in between. Find them with us in the Off Hours.

Find out more about Off Hours Bourbon on their website.

This has been another production of Bourbon Lens LLC.  Thank you for your continued support.

Scott & Jake
Bourbon Lens

About David Mandell:

David Mandell is the co-founder and former President & CEO of The Bardstown Bourbon Company, ("BBCo"). At BBCo, Mandell created, launched, and managed the company's Napa-valley bourbon distillery destination experience in Bardstown, Kentucky. Mandell led the development and operation of what is now one of the largest and most sophisticated whiskey distilleries in the United States. Producing custom rye, whiskey and bourbon for prominent brands including Jefferson's, High West, Belle Meade, Hirsch and many others through its one-of-a-kind Collaborative Distilling Program. Mandell was also responsible for the development and launch of the Company's bourbon brands, full-scale restaurant and bar, and visitors center. During his tenure at BBCo, Mandell served on the Board of the Kentucky Distillers Association, the Bourbon Capital Community Alliance, and currently serves on the Kentucky Bourbon Festival Board of Directors. Mandell is a shareholder of BBCo.

Our guest this week is Bobby DeMars, founder and CEO of Blind Barrels. Bobby developed Blind Barrels as a quarterly blind tasting experience that ships straight to your door. Blind Barrels is an exploration of the craft whiskey scene of America and we were excited to test our palates. Blind tastings remove any "label bias" that whiskey drinkers may encounter when tasting their whiskies and we've found that blind tasting is one of the best ways to get serious about learning whiskey.  Sign up for a one off box, or save some extra cash by signing up for a year's subscription of 4 unique tasting lineups. Check them out at BlindBarrels.com.

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there.  

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

Follow  us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at [email protected].

Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts, or even purchase your own Bourbon Lens tasting glass or t-shirt.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

About Blind Barrels:

Blind Barrels was born to disrupt the whiskey industry, by showcasing American craft whiskey that don't make their way to liquor store shelves due to distribution limitations. Our blind tastings are all about discovery, education, removing brand bias, and supporting smaller distillers who are making some amazing, innovative, and delicious products.

Every quarter (March, June, September, and December), a premium tasting box will ship to Blind Barrels members, which includes four 50 mL samples, labeled Samples A, B, C, and D. The box will also include an introduction to the club, a tasting table, and a QR Code and link to learn what spirits are in each sample - distillery, mash, abv, tasting notes, distillery back story. If a member discovers a new whiskey they wish to add to their cabinet or share with their friends, shipping discounts are available for full bottle purchases in our Bottle Shop. Members will have access to rare offerings from Craft distilleries, including rare and limited selections from American craft distilleries.

About Bobby DeMars:

Bobby DeMars is the Founder & CEO of Blind Barrels - a blind whiskey tasting subscription that is disrupting the industry's current distribution model by showcasing American craft distilleries, ones which rarely get the shelf space they deserve. The recent quarantine brought about blind whiskey tastings with friends, and DeMars saw an opportunity for a startup unlike any other in the alcohol industry. These blind tastings are all about discovery, education, removing brand bias, and, of course, supporting smaller distillers that are making some amazing handmade products. Each quarter, subscribers get to test their senses by tasting and discovering hard-to-try-or-find craft whiskey brands - ones that deserve to be discovered.

A former USC football player (1997-2001), DeMars is an award-winning filmmaker whose documentary, "The Business of Amateurs" (2016), took on the NCAA's exploitation of college athletes and the prevalence of brain trauma inherent to college football. He is on the oversight committee for the National College Players Association (NCPA). Both the film and the NCPA have been instrumental in passing laws for college athlete rights, including the Supreme Court ruling in 2021 that opened the door for college athletes to make money from their Name Image Likeness (NIL).