Bourbon Turntable

This week is the triumphant return of Benjamin Eaves to Bourbon Turntable.  This time as a guest and not a co-host.  Ben and I catch up on his adventures as a distiller since joining Kentucky Artisan Distillers almost two years ago.

We taste four different whiskeys.  Two from Kentucky Artisan and also a 25 year old Calvados from Turner Wathen's Wayward Cask and a Chip Tate creation from World Whisky Society.

Ben and I talk about Tool - history, relevance, talent and music.  Ben also shares some of the music he's been listening to lately including Nick Cave, Hozier and Jennifer Knapp.

This was a fun time to catch up with Ben and I think you'll enjoy hearing his stories, the tastings we share and the music on our "turntable".

This is a special "happy birthday" edition of Bourbon Turntable's Solo Albums & Single Barrels.  

Happy birthday to Mick Jagger.  We explore Mick's first solo album "She's the Boss".

Happy birthday to Jason Brauner.  We congratulate Jason and Judy on the successes of Buzzard's Roost.

This week we welcome back Parker Barrow to Bourbon Turntable.  Parker Barrow has been on quite a roll in 2024.  Their "Back to Birmingham" video topped over one million views and they have been on a massive "What Momma Don't Know" tour.  

We catch up with them about all of this and get a sneak peak on what to expect for the rest of the year.  

You can keep up with the band on Facebook and Instagram.  All of their music is available on your favorite streaming services and You Tube.

With Megan being from Alabama and Dylan being from Maryland, we taste whiskeys from both states during the show: Dettling Bottled-in-Bond from Alabama and Sagmore Spirits Double Oak Rye from Maryland.

Our friend Chris Tapp of The Cold Stares rejoins Bourbon Turntable this week.  We look back together and celebrate the 5th anniversary of the "Ways" album and the 10th anniversary of "A Cold Wet Night and a Howling Wind".  

Chris and I also talk about his upcoming solo album "Green". An album inspired by Peter Green and the guitar Chris owns that was once owned by Peter.

We also dive into the next album from The Cold Stares, "The Southern".

Chris and The Cold Stares have a lot going on right now and this show is chocked full of great stories, musical reminiscing, and the things that the future may hold.

We also drink some interesting spirits.  We start with a new offering from World Whiskey Society and Chip Tate and then enjoy Death in the Afternoon absinthe from Key West Trading Co.

In this episode I am riding solo, so I decided to talk about a great solo album and a great single barrel.

The solo album is Sting's "The Dream of the Blue Turtles" and the single barrel is a Russell's Reserve pick.  

I get into some background and some opinion on both the album and the bourbon.  I hope you'll enjoy it!

Welcome back to Bourbon Turntable, Turner Wathen!

Turner started Rolling Fork Spirits in 2016 and immediately started bring high quality Caribbean rum to the heart of Bourbon Country.  He has added several unique rum-based offerings over the last few years.

Now he has also started Wayward Cask - sourcing French spirits such as Calvados and Armagnac.  

We talk about Rolling Fork and Wayward Cask and also run down the biggest hits in music from 1983, the year Turner was born.

Be sure to follow Rolling Fork and Wayward Cask on Instagram.

Christi Atkinson joins me this week as we take a departure from whiskey to bring the first in a series of shows on gin.  Gin is far from just "kissing a Christmas tree" and Christi takes us through various styles of gin that displays the complexity and variety offered by gin.

We taste seven different gins in this episode:  Castle & Key London Dry Gin, Castle & Key Roots of Ruin Dry Gin, Spirits of French Lick Old Tom Gin, Plymouth Navy Strength Gin, St. George's Botanivore Gin, Franklin Distillery Southern Gin and Dayton Barrel Work Armagnac Finish Gin. 

Christi and I also talk about music, baseball and reminisce about some of our whiskey adventures.  

Stephanie McNew Burton is an author of two cocktail books, a mainstay on the ABV Network, a host of her Highly Spirited Podcast, and much more.  She is also this week's guest on Bourbon Turntable.

Stephanie and I discuss all the different projects she has going on while sipping on some cocktails that she has featured on her podcast.

We also talk about one of Stephanie's other passions: murder ballad!  As a bonus for me, it was fun to catch up with a friend.

You can find Stephanie's show on Spotify, Apple and all other podcast platforms.  Her books are available on Amazon.

Johnny Toms is the lead singer for Van Winkle & the Spirits.  VW&S uses complex instrumentation and thick harmonies to produce a remarkably rich sound that is great fun to listen to.  The band crosses genres from country to southern rock to Americana.  Johnny and I talk about their self-titled debut album as well as their first release for the new album, "Still Out West".

We enjoy pours of Yellowstone Toasted Barrel and Bardstown Bourbon Co. bottle-in-bond bourbon.  So...no "Van Winkle" was on the tasting menu, but you can learn how the band got it's name!

Ken Schreiner is launching AJ Schreiner Spirits in July and is my guest on this week's Bourbon Turntable.  AJ Schreiner Spirits is dedicated to the family's history in distilling (dating back to before prohibition) while bringing something unique to the spirits landscape.  

In this episode you'll learn about the rye blend and gin products that will soon be on the market from AJ Schreiner.  Serving as blender (of the rye) and distiller (of the gin) is our friend, Alan Bishop.  Ken brought Alan on in the early stages of the formation of AJ Schreiner Spirits.

Ken and I also talk about music ranging from Oasis to Pearl Jam to Stevie Ray Vaughan and much more.