The Bourbon Life

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes you on a ride to Baltimore, Maryland and introduces listeners to Old Line Spirits. He chats with Co-Founder and Owner, Mark McLaughlin.

Mark and Big Chief discuss how Old Line got started and how these two Navy aviators wanted to create bold, new spirits with distinct character and unmatched quality. Driven by a spirit of adventure and camaraderie, Old Line’s spirits embody their mantra: Bold Stories, Bold Spirits. These two veterans are committed to making America’s best single malt.

They start the show with a dram of their Flagship 95 American Single Malt that the big man describes as cinnamon candy with a little citrus. They then move to the Navy Strength 114. Legend has it that Navy Strength spirits was shipped at 57% ABV because if it happened to spill on gunpowder, the powder would still light. Big Chief calls this the best American Single Malt he has ever tasted.

In the second half these two pour a glass of Madeira Cask Finish American Single Malt Whiskey. At 100-proof, it’s robust yet balanced - perfect neat or over a single cube of ice. To finish the show like old, retired sailors, they share a pour of Case 1 Rum Original. Aged for seven to eleven years in used bourbon barrels, this rum showcases rich, natural notes of vanilla and butterscotch, complemented by subtle hints of pineapple and coconut.

This ride on The Whiskey Trip once again showcases the rise of American Single Malt on the Whiskey landscape.

Cheers!

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, Matt and Mark spend some time hanging out with Mike Sherman, Vice President, of Vendome Copper & Brass Works in Louisville, Kentucky.

The guys talk with Mike about his background and his decision at a fairly young age to join the family business, the rich history of the Vendome brand which was started in the early 1900’s by Mike’s great-grandfather, and the incredible growth of the company over the past 25 years and what the future looks like for Vendome.

They also taste and review three expressions – all of which are made using Vendome stills – including Bardstown Bourbon Company Origin Series Bourbon, Sugarlands Distilling Co. Roaming Man Tennessee Rye Whiskey Batch 12, and Old Forester 1920.

This Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast is sponsored by Liquor Barn, Limestone Farms, Porch Kitchen & Bar, Bluegrass Distillers, The Stave Restaurant, Three Chord Bourbon, and District 7 Social.

Check out all of our amazing sponsors online at: 

www.liquorbarn.com 

www.limestonefarms.com

www.porchlouisville.com      

www.bluegrassdistillers.com                  

www.thestavekentucky.com 

www.threechordbourbon.com

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes you on a ride to Washington, Pennsylvania and introduces listeners to Liberty Pole Spirits. He chats with Founder and Owner, Jim Hough.

Jim and Big Chief discuss The Whiskey Rebellion of 1794 that pitted farmers and distillers of Western Pennsylvania against George Washington and a new nation. Jim shares how his craft distillery takes you back to those meeting houses and taverns of the rebellion and how they serve tavern-style food and cocktails made from their Monongahela Rye Whiskey.

They start the show with a dram of Liberty Pole Wheated Bourbon that the big man describes as a honey bun in a glass. They then move on to the Monongahela Rye with a mash-bill of 61% Rye, 13% Red Winter Wheat, 13% Rye Malt and 13% Malted Barley to finish the first half. For Big Chief, it brings back memories of ribbon candy at his grandmother’s house.

In the second half these two pour a glass of Peated Bourbon. This unique and rare mash-bill is what this show is all about - finding a whiskey from a craft distillery that will dazzle the big man’s palate. The guys finish the show with a splash of Bourbon Cream. Perfect in the morning with coffee or in the evening to pour over some cake to give it a kick.

This ride on The Whiskey Trip showcases whiskey history and how it helped shape our nation.

Cheers!

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, Matt and Mark spend some time hanging out with Conor O’Driscoll, Master Distiller for Heaven Hill, while recording a show in front of a live audience at BourbonCon in Lexington, Kentucky. Conor was previously a guest on Episode 53.

The guys talk with Conor about his extremely impressive background and how that led him to become Master Distiller at Heaven Hill, the wonderful history of Heaven Hill Distillery and the Shapira family who own the Distillery, and all of the recent expansion at Heaven Hill and what that means for the future of the brand.

They also taste and review Heaven Hill 7-Year Old Bottled in Bond, a Rittenhouse Rye Single Barrel Store Pick, and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Batch C923.

This Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast is sponsored by Liquor Barn, Limestone Farms, James E. Pepper Distilling Co., Bluegrass Distillers, The Stave Restaurant, Three Chord Bourbon, and District 7 Social.

Check out all of our amazing sponsors online at: 

www.liquorbarn.com 

www.limestonefarms.com     

www.jamesepepper.com

www.bluegrassdistillers.com                  

www.thestavekentucky.com 

www.threechordbourbon.com

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes you on a ride to England and introduces listeners to Never Say Die Bourbon. He chats with Co-Founder, Brian Luftman.

Brian shares the story of a thoroughbred foal who was about to die and was given a shot of Bourbon to revive its spirit and a legendary journey would begin for a racehorse and a whiskey brand.

Listen to how a Queen watches this American horse that’s 33-1 odds win one of the largest races in England.

Throughout the show Brian and the big man sip and savor Never Say Die Small Batch. This Kentucky Straight Bourbon has a mash-bill of 75% corn, 21% rye and 4% malted barley. At 95 proof Big Chief likes the sweetness of this whiskey reminding him of a caramel kettle corn sweetness and orange zest.

This ride on The Whiskey Trip showcases how horse racing and Bourbon whiskey are intertwined in history.

Cheers!

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, the Bourbon Life Crew spends some time hanging out together in The Bourbon Life Studios enjoying some great pours and even better conversation.

They each make their predictions for what they think we will see as trends in the Bourbon industry in 2024, talk about this weekend’s BourbonCon event in Lexington, and they each share their favorite Bourbons/Ryes from 2023.

They also taste and review Chattanooga Whiskey’s Experimental Batch 35 Centenary Cask, Ponfeigh Distillery’s Westsylvania Rye, and an older Knob Creek Single Barrel Bourbon.

This Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast is sponsored by Liquor Barn, Limestone Farms, James E. Pepper Distilling Co., The Stave Restaurant, Three Chord Bourbon, and District 7 Social.

Check out all of our amazing sponsors online at: 

www.liquorbarn.com 

www.limestonefarms.com     

www.jamesepepper.com             

www.thestavekentucky.com 

www.threechordbourbon.com

This week on The Whiskey Trip podcast, Big Chief takes you on a ride to Fallon, Nevada and introduces listeners to Frey Ranch Distillery. He chats with farmers, ranchers, and founders, Colby and Ashley Frey.

Colby and Ashley share their story with Big Chief and listeners. They were looking for ways to showcase their farms’ grains and their passion for whiskey. What was born was a brand that has caught the attention of the whiskey community.

In the first half Big Chief, Colby and Ashley start by sipping Frey Ranch Bourbon that’s a four grain mash-bill that’s been aged 5 years. They finish the first half with a Frey Ranch Rye whiskey which is 100% slow-grown winter rye.

In the second half they start with the Farm Strength Uncut Bourbon. This is how the Frey’s drink their whiskey on the farm. They finish the show with their Smoked Grain Series that is an American Single Malt, smoked with Nevada peat.

This ride on The Whiskey Trip showcases American Farmers that have made true grain to glass, craft-distilled whiskey.

Cheers!

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, Matt and Mark spend some time hanging out with three-time guest, Rebecca Burnworth, Founder & Owner, of The Stave and District 7 Social. Rebecca was previously a guest on Episodes 4 & 61.

The guys talk with Rebecca about everything that has been going on at The Stave since she last appeared on the show, including bringing in a new Chef and developing a new menu, the difficulty of running a restaurant through the pandemic and the feeling that 2024 is the year that we all seem to finally be getting back to normal, and all of the cool things that are waiting for guests at her new establishment, District 7 Social, located in the Distillery District in Downtown Lexington.  

And in the spirit of Dry January, and at Rebecca’s request, they also taste and review (neat and in cocktails) Spiritless Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Spirit, Spiritless Kentucky 74 Non-Alcoholic Cinnamon Whiskey, Ritual Zero Proof Whiskey Alternative, and Ritual Zero Proof Aperitif Alternative

This Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast is sponsored by Liquor Barn, James E. Pepper Distilling Co., The Stave Restaurant, Three Chord Bourbon, and District 7 Social.

Check out all of our amazing sponsors online at: 

www.liquorbarn.com 

www.jamesepepper.com             

www.thestavekentucky.com 

www.threechordbourbon.com

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes you on a ride to Chico, California and introduces listeners to Golden Beaver Distillery. He chats with fellow U.S. Coast Guard veteran, Founder, and Owner, Kris Koenig.

Mike Kellogg from California Waterfowl Association Veterans Hunt Program also joins Big Chief and Kris. A portion of each Golden Beaver bottle sell goes to support this amazing program.  The Big Man, Kris, and Mike discuss Calrose Rice, the golden beaver, and how both are important to the Pacific Waterfowl Flyway and the local environment.

In the first half Big Chief, Kris and Mike start by sipping on the distillery’s award winning moonshine and then move on to the Pacific Flyway Whiskey which is made with a 100% Calrose Rice mash-bill and then aged in charred American oak barrels.

In the second half they start by sipping on a Big Chief barrel pick of Pacific Flyway Bourbon Whiskey that is a four grain of corn, rye, rice and malted barley. This short barrel went quick. To finish the show, they sip on the Honey Run, which is a rye whiskey from MGP sweetened with California Honey.

This ride on The Whiskey Trip lets Big Chief support an amazing veteran program that ensures America’s finest get a chance to experience the outdoors.

Cheers!

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, Matt and Mark spend some time hanging out with a true Kentucky treasure – 8-time James Beard Foundation Nominee, Chef Ouita Michel from Holly Hill & Co. and the Holly Hill Restaurant Group.

The guys talk with Ouita about how her original plan to attend law school in New York City after graduating from the University of Kentucky changed when she decided instead to attend the Culinary Institute of America (where she also met her husband), how she and her husband decided to move back to Kentucky and purchase the Holly Hill Inn and how that one restaurant has now blossomed into a restaurant group with 7 additional restaurants and a bakery over the past 22 years, and her more recent Holly Hill and Co. venture which incorporates food culture, agriculture, and the arts to develop a sense of community through the restaurants, events, and other fun items like her new Bourbon Tasting Game.

They also taste and review Woodford Reserve Bourbon, Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon, and Old Forester 1920.

This Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast is sponsored by Liquor Barn, James E. Pepper Distilling Co., The Stave Restaurant, Three Chord Bourbon, and District 7 Social.

Check out all of our amazing sponsors online at: 

www.liquorbarn.com 

www.jamesepepper.com             

www.thestavekentucky.com 

www.threechordbourbon.com