Send us Fan Mail

We get honest about what really builds bourbon flavor and why the barrel may be the single most important ingredient after distillation. We compare bourbon rickhouses to wine cellars, then bring in cooperage expertise on toast, char, white oak chemistry, and why great barrels still cannot fix bad spirit. 
• how oak drives extraction, oxidation, colour, and mouthfeel 
• why bourbon must use new charred oak and how entry proof and char levels shape outcomes 
• what char actually does versus what toasting creates in the wood 
• why wine producers chase stability with caves, humidity, and gentle oak influence 
• how used wine barrels become tools for whiskey finishing and flavour twists 
• why American white oak works, including tyloses and leak resistance 
• how air-drying staves reduces harsh tannins and bitter phenolics 
• why warehouse location, heat swings, and monitoring matter for maturation 
• what fermentation choices and distillation cuts change before the barrel even starts 
Remember www.scotchyburbonboys.com. For all things Scotchy Bourbon Boys, we got Glenn Karen's, we got t-shirts. Just check out our website. 
Make sure you do things like leave super chats or become members or leave good feedback, especially on Apple. Those five-star reviews immensely they help us out so much. 

The barrel is not just where whiskey sits. It is where whiskey becomes bourbon. We go deep on barrel influence in bourbon, whiskey, and wine, starting with the basics: new make comes off the still clear and raw, and oak brings the colour, sweetness, spice, and texture that people actually chase in a great pour. We break down how extraction, oxidation, and temperature swings drive flavour, why bourbon can pull 60 to 80 percent of its character from the barrel, and what details like barrel entry proof, char level, and even barrel size do to maturation and the angel’s share.

Then we zoom out and compare two totally different philosophies of aging. Bourbon rickhouses embrace environmental extremes, hot summers, cold winters, and big swings that force spirit into and out of the wood for faster, more aggressive interaction. Wine cellars and caves aim for stability, cooler temperatures, controlled humidity, and a lighter touch, because wine is delicate and easy to throw off balance. We also talk about why wineries reuse barrels for years until they become neutral, and why those used wine barrels can be so interesting for finishing whiskey, adding dark fruit and layered complexity without pretending it is “better,” just different.

Greg Schneider joins with real cooperage and maturation insight, including why American white oak works (hello, tyloses), how toasting converts wood chemistry into caramel and vanilla notes, and why char acts more like a charcoal filter than a flavour generator. We also get into natural air-drying, tannin management, cost trade-offs, and why no barrel can rescue bad distillate. If you love bourbon barrel aging, whiskey maturation, cooperage craft, and the truth behind cask finishing, this one is for you. Subscribe, share the episode with a bourbon friend, and leave us a five-star review so more people can find the show.

voice over Whiskey Thief

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 hang out with Dave Bob from Lexington Brewing & Distilling and get a guided walk through Town Branch, from the visitor center that feels like an Irish street to the barrels that shape everything. Along the way we taste through beers, bourbons and American single malts and end up stunned by a single barrel with raspberry, vanilla and butter notes we can’t stop talking about. 
• what it feels like to arrive at Town Branch and start a tour 
• Pierce Lyons’ Irish roots, yeast legacy and why it still matters 
• how Bourbonola went from Prohibition story to 12% RTD 
• why the brewery and distillery combo changes the tasting experience 
• beer highlights including Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale and vanilla barrel cream ale 
• the barrel thieving tour and why tasting from the barrel hits different 
• the core whiskey lineup from 90 proof bourbon to True Cask batches 
• Overproof 104 as a bartender-focused blend for cocktails at home 
• a live barrel pick on air and the single malt that steals the show 
• what we want to see next in Ohio distribution and upcoming releases 
make sure that you leave good feedback, become subscriber, member, top shelf on on uh YouTube 
Drink responsibly 
don’t drink and drive 

You can learn a lot about bourbon from a label, but you learn a lot more when someone who lives in the rickhouse walks you through it. We sit down with Dave Bob from Lexington Brewing & Distilling and let him take us inside Town Branch, a true brewery-distillery that feels equal parts Kentucky Bourbon Trail stop and Irish whiskey hideaway. From the moment you step into the visitor center, the place is built for discovery and Dave explains why that “experience design” is just as intentional as what goes into the barrel.

We dig into the Pierce Lyons story, the Irish roots behind Town Branch, and the yeast-driven mindset that shaped everything from their American single malt whiskey to their Kentucky straight bourbon. Then we go deep on Bourbonola: how a Prohibition-era idea became a modern 12% ready-to-drink bourbon cola, why the team built a custom cherry cola flavor to match their whiskey, and what makes it stand apart from the usual canned collabs.

The night turns into a live barrel pick, tasting multiple single malt and bourbon samples on air. We talk True Cask (their cask strength bourbon batches), Overproof 104 for cocktails, the barrel thieving tour, and the rare moment when a single barrel stops the conversation cold with notes like raspberry, vanilla icing and butter. If you care about barrel picks, Lexington bourbon tours, American single malt, or finding the best value cask strength bourbon, this one is for you. Subscribe, share this with a whiskey friend, and leave a review with the barrel note you’d chase first.

voice over Whiskey Thief

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 taste and score Weller 12 bottle by bottle, then zoom out to why Buffalo Trace keeps winning even as the bourbon market cools. We dig into the $1.2B expansion, the aging-time reality behind “scarcity”, and how marketing and mindset shape what we think we taste.
• Weller 12 barrel-to-bottle breakdown across nose, body, taste and finish
• proof talk and why 90 proof changes the experience
• Buffalo Trace expansion details and what they actually change
• why allocated bourbon stays tight despite more production
• 2026 to 2032 outlook for availability, lines and secondary prices
• Eagle Rare lineup talk and what Eagle Rare 12 signals
• Chicago vs Ohio distribution stories and bottle-hunting reality
• Traveler debate and how blind tasting flips assumptions
• why exclusivity and packaging can matter as much as flavour
• a deep dive on ultrasonic-in-barrel maturation ideas with American Metal Whiskey
www.scotchybourbonboys.com for all things Scotchy Bourbon Boys. Make sure that you follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and X, and also on Apple, iHeart, and Spotify, and if you're on Apple, leave really, really good five-star reviews with a review, and if you're on YouTube, become a member.

Buffalo Trace just finished a massive expansion and yet Weller, Blanton’s, Eagle Rare, and E.H. Taylor still feel like they vanish the moment they hit a shelf. We get honest about why that contradiction isn’t really a contradiction at all, and what it means for anyone chasing allocated bourbon over the next few years.

We start with a full Weller 12 tasting and score it the Scotchy Bourbon Boys way: nose, body, taste, and finish. Expect straight talk on the buttery butterscotch profile, the dusty oak and cherry notes, and the big question that always comes up with Weller 12: does 90 proof hold it back, or is that softness exactly why it works? From there we connect the glass to the bigger market, including why some Buffalo Trace releases drink “premium” even when the proof looks modest on paper.

Then we zoom out to the bourbon industry trends heading into 2026 and beyond: the $1.2B Buffalo Trace expansion, the unavoidable aging lag that keeps demand ahead of supply, and why secondary prices and lotteries still rule access. The roundtable brings heat too: Eagle Rare 12 chatter, Chicago availability stories, the Traveler whiskey debate, and a reminder that blind tasting can embarrass even confident palates. We also welcome Greg to unpack a wild concept: ultrasonic sound waves inside a barrel to enhance maturation for American Metal Whiskey.

If you care about Buffalo Trace, allocated whiskey, Weller, Eagle Rare, and where the bourbon market is heading, this one’s for you. Subscribe, share with a bourbon friend, and leave us a five-star review so more people can find the show.

voice over Whiskey Thief

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 set up inside High Bank’s barrel-filled war room and taste Whiskey War through a full brunch pairing that changes what we smell, taste, and remember. We also break down how blending, proof, and finishing choices shape a bottle, plus why the restaurant experience matters as much as the whiskey.
• quick intros with Tony, Dylan, James, and chef Eric at the Grandview location
• why a distillery restaurant and great cocktails drive repeat visits
• the three High Bank locations and how each vibe stays unique
• the speakeasy trend as an “escape” experience for whiskey fans
• how Whiskey War is blended for taste, affordability, and availability
• why blending has shifted from hiding flaws to building quality
• pairing 88 proof Whiskey War with burrata, peach jam, and balsamic
• stepping up to barrel proof with chorizo rangoons and spicy ranch
• what double oaking changes and why it works with berry pancakes
• pairing hot honey chicken biscuits with Double Double releases
• how Amburana finishing works, why it moves fast, and how they control it
• favorite pairings and what we’d want to try next

You can find us at uh sealbox.com or website, highbankdistillery.com.
Brunch food that actually makes whiskey taste different is rare, and we build a full lineup to prove it from the barrel house at High Bank Distillery in Columbus, Ohio. Sitting in their “war room” surrounded by barrels, we talk with the team behind Whiskey War and walk through how a distillery can turn tasting into a real experience, not just a drink at the bar.

We dig into what makes Whiskey War work as a modern blend, why consistency and affordability matter, and how today’s whiskey market is changing what’s possible at the same price point. Then we get hands-on with proof and process: regular Whiskey War versus barrel proof, what double oaked releases add, and why “double double” style expressions keep winning attention. Along the way we hit the bigger debates that whiskey fans love, including blending for quality, the rise of finished whiskey, and how a brand can experiment without losing its core profile.

The food pairing is the centerpiece: burrata with peach jam and balsamic, chorizo rangoons with spice, berry pancakes that unlock vanilla and syrup notes in double oaked whiskey, and a hot honey chicken biscuit that shows how oak and proof can mellow heat while amplifying depth. We also talk speakeasy culture, High Bank’s three locations (Grandview, Gahanna, Westerville), and the kind of hospitality that keeps people coming back.

If you love whiskey tasting, bourbon blending, barrel proof releases, double oaked whiskey, and smart whiskey and food pairing ideas, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a friend who needs a new Columbus distillery stop, and leave a review with the best whiskey pairing you’ve ever had.

voice over Whiskey Thief

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 chase the real engine of whiskey flavor by breaking down fermentation from mash temperatures and enzymes to yeast behavior and the distiller’s beer that feeds the still. Then we pivot from science to the glass with a George Dickel 15-year Tennessee whiskey single barrel review, including how charcoal mellowing shapes what we taste. 
• our sponsor and community updates plus where to watch and listen 
• grain-to-sugar basics, starch conversion, mash temperature control 
• alpha amylase and beta amylase, why enzymes matter for fermentable sugars 
• yeast fermentation, alcohol plus CO2 plus heat plus flavor compounds 
• why distillers guard yeast strains and monitor pH, oxygen, contamination 
• fermentation’s link to ethanol fuel, rockets, aviation, and modern biofuels 
• Lincoln County Process explained, charcoal mellowing as subtractive filtering 
• George Dickel 15 OHLQ single barrel breakdown, nose-body-taste-finish score 
make sure you like, subscribe, follow, share, become a member 

Fermentation is the step most whiskey fans skip past and it might be the step that decides everything. We walk through the bourbon fermentation process from the moment cereal grains hit hot water to the moment yeast turns sugar into alcohol, heat, and the flavor compounds you later call cherry, spice, fruit, or funk. If you’ve ever wondered why mash temperature matters, what enzymes like alpha amylase and beta amylase actually do, or why distillers treat yeast strains like treasure, we lay it out in plain language with a real-world distiller mindset.

Then we take a sharp turn into a wild connection: the same fermentation science that builds whiskey also shows up in fuel history and modern biofuel research. Ethanol has powered more than good times, and seeing “grain, sugar, yeast, energy” as biology plus engineering makes the whole craft feel bigger than a barrel warehouse. We also talk about why fermentation can be the most underestimated stage of distilling, even when everyone loves to debate aging, maturation, and wood.

To bring it back to the glass, we run a full barrel bottle breakdown of a George Dickel 15-year Tennessee whiskey single barrel (OHLQ selection). We cover the Lincoln County Process, charcoal mellowing, and how filtration plus age can deliver a gorgeous nose but a more muted, char-forward palate and finish. If you like detailed tasting notes and honest scoring, you’ll get plenty to react to.

Subscribe wherever you listen, share this with a whiskey friend who loves the “why,” and leave us a review with your take: can you taste fermentation character in a finished whiskey?

voice over Whiskey Thief

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 hand Watershed the keys and let Ryan Venrick run our first distillery-led blind tasting, and we learn fast that we’re not as good at guessing as we think. The reveals turn into a real lesson on slow water reduction, finishing choices, and how Watershed is reshaping Ohio bourbon from the barrel up. 
• Ryan’s career path from bottling line to blending and barrel management 
• Why Watershed’s bourbon portfolio changed after the mash bill shift 
• Blind tasting format and why pairing samples exposes process differences 
• Apple brandy finish side-by-side with crash dilution vs slow reduction 
• How slow water reduction affects mouthfeel, perceived proof, and flavor 
• Bottled-in-bond vs toasted bourbon and what “toasted” is meant to add 
• Uncut Unfiltered Batch 7 reveal and why proof placement matters in tastings 
• Nochino finished bourbon and the labor of harvesting unripe walnuts 
• The elevage program and why only a small number of distilleries do it 
• Watershed closing the restaurant and building new on-site experiences 
• What’s coming next: OHLQ single barrels, fall finishes, maple finale, Japan tease 
• Blending philosophy: start with a base then shape with “one trick pony” barrels 
www dot scotchyburbonboys.com for all things scotchy bourbon boys make sure you check us out we've got glenn's we've got t-shirts we've got bourbon balls and then make sure you follow us on facebook instagram youtube and axon along with apple iheart and spotify and anywhere else you listen or watch us no matter what make sure you leave good feedback become a member definitely support us in any way that you can and support the brands that we bring on like when you see these brands support them support ohio support whoever it is but because support them because good bourbon equals good friends and good times don't drink and drive drink responsibly and live your life uncut and unfiltered 

Crash dilute or slow reduce, can you actually taste the difference? We bring on Ryan from Watershed and hand him full control of a five-pour blind tasting built to show where Watershed has been and where their bourbon is headed. The curveball: two glasses are the exact same apple brandy finished whiskey at the exact same proof, but diluted two different ways. Once you hear what’s happening in those barrels, you’ll never think about proofing water the same way again.

From there we work through the lineup and put names to what our palates are telling us: a core Bottled-in-Bond, a limited toasted bourbon done with a short, targeted finish, and a final punchy reveal that lands at 123 proof with Uncut Unfiltered Batch 7. Along the way we get into the real “why” behind mouthfeel, perceived heat, oak extraction, and how slow water reduction can preserve flavor compounds and create a more cohesive pour. If you love blind tastings, barrel finishes, and nerdy whiskey process talk that stays practical, this one delivers.

We also zoom out to the bigger story of Ohio whiskey. Ryan shares how Watershed is building an elevage-style program, why scaling techniques like slow reduction is hard, and what’s next as they invest in better visitor experiences like a blending class and a bottle-your-own option. We talk upcoming OHLQ single barrels, the fall finishing series, and why the maple finish is designed for balance, not syrup.

Subscribe, share this with a bourbon friend who swears they can

voice over Whiskey Thief

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 cross borders for a Cinco de Mayo pour that rewrites what whiskey can be when the grain, the place, and the people drive the process. With Sierra Norte’s Doug French, importer Bob Murphy, and our Whiskey Doctor Randy Ford, we dig into rainbow corn whiskey, heritage agriculture, and how Oaxaca shapes flavor from seed to barrel.
• why Sierra Norte moves from mezcal into 100% corn whiskey as a way to use and protect native Oaxacan corn 
• how reviving endangered corn varieties supports farmers, creates local jobs, and builds community pride 
• what “rainbow corn” means and why different corn colours create distinct whiskey flavour profiles 
• Oaxaca farming realities, rainy-season growing, drought risk, and traditional corn-beans-squash planting 
• pot still distillation, open-air fermentation with wild yeast, and why slow distilling keeps grain character 
• barrel strategy with used French oak wine barrels, re-charring, and managing accelerated aging in warm climates 
• how Mexican whiskey fits into a crowded US market and a Mexico market that still leans toward tequila, mezcal, and Scotch 
www.scotchybourbonboys.com for all things scotchy bourbon boys. Make sure you check out all of our whiskey. No matter whether you listen to us or watch us, make sure that you leave us good feedback, become members.

Mexico doesn’t just make tequila and mezcal. We sit down with Doug French of Sierra Norte in Oaxaca, plus importer and distributor Bob Murphy and our own Whiskey Doctor Randy Ford, to unpack a whiskey story built on native corn, hard farming realities, and a distilling philosophy that keeps the grain doing the talking. If you’ve ever assumed “real whiskey” starts and ends in Kentucky, this one challenges that fast.

We get into what makes Sierra Norte’s corn whiskeys so distinctive: single-varietal expressions made from different colours of native corn, plus the wild-sounding “rainbow corn whiskey” created from multicoloured kernels that can’t be cleanly sorted. Along the way we talk terroir in plain terms: Oaxaca’s water scarcity, rainy-season growing, drought risk, and the traditional corn-beans-squash approach that helps fields stay productive. The bigger takeaway is that heritage agriculture and craft spirits can reinforce each other when the market rewards farmers for keeping rare seeds alive.

Then we go inside the build: pot still distillation, open-air fermentation with natural yeast, and aging choices designed for balance rather than heavy wood. Doug explains how used French oak wine barrels, re-charring, and careful barrel management can shape a corn-forward whiskey in a warmer climate where aging can move faster. We also touch the business side of world whiskey, from the oversupplied US market to why whiskey remains a smaller category inside Mexico, and how distribution and online shipping help niche bottles find the right drinkers.

If you’re curious about Mexican whiskey, corn varietals, and what “Whiskey Without Borders” really tastes like, press play, share this with a whiskey friend, and leave us a review so more people can find the show.

voice over Whiskey Thief

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 bring Kentucky Derby energy to the mic and talk about why this race hits different when bourbon tradition is part of the build-up. Along the way we trade Woodford Reserve notes, argue cocktail culture, and lock in our picks for win, place, and show.

• Kentucky Derby history and why it feels like a full-day event 
• Woodford Reserve as the official Derby bourbon and what makes the annual releases fun 
• Double Oaked flavour notes and why proof and barrel picks matter 
• Bourbon versus the Derby as Kentucky’s biggest cultural signal 
• Mint julep facts plus the case for skipping the mix and sipping good bourbon 
• Derby legends like Secretariat and the Triple Crown context 
• Watching on TV versus being there in person 
• Betting basics including win, place, show and why long shots are tempting 
• Our final picks for Saturday plus the bourbons we would pair with a win 

ScotchyBourbonboys.com for all things, Scotchy Bourbon Boys. 
If you're listening on Apple, make sure that you give us a five-star review. 

The Kentucky Derby is only two minutes long, but the build-up is a full-day rollercoaster and bourbon is part of the reason. We lean into the history, the hype, and the Kentucky pride that makes Churchill Downs feel like a national stage, then we follow the trail straight into what’s in your glass. From Woodford Reserve’s role as the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby to the way commemorative bottles and barrel picks turn into traditions of their own, we keep it grounded, curious, and opinionated.

We also get honest about Derby drinking culture. Is Derby Day really about sipping bourbon neat, or is it built for cocktails and pageantry? We talk mint juleps, the silver cup, the staggering weekend numbers behind the “official drink,” and why some bourbon fans would rather pour a great whiskey and skip the sugar and mint entirely. Along the way, our friend Greg Snyder drops helpful Woodford Reserve facts and a memorable julep take that you will not forget.

Then we shift to what everyone secretly came for: betting and picks. We break down the basics of win, place, and show, why exacta and trifecta bets pull people in, and why long shots are often the most fun way to ride the Derby. After we walk through the odds board, we lock in our choices and even match a celebratory bourbon to our winning horse, because that’s how you turn a race into a ritual.

If you’re watching from home, hosting a Derby party, or just looking for a smarter way to enjoy Kentucky Derby bourbon season, hit play. Subscribe, share this with a bourbon friend, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

voice over Whiskey Thief

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 mix a smoked old fashioned that riffs on Dr Pepper flavor using burnt sugar syrup, cherry and chocolate bitters, and a heavy smoke cap that hangs over the glass. Then we run a full barrel bottle breakdown on Elijah Craig 15 Year Single Barrel and put it head-to-head with Elijah Craig 18 to settle the oak debate.
• Race weekend chatter and why spring kicks off better sipping
• Dr Pepper style smoked old fashioned build with exact pours bitters and cherries
• Smoking technique that keeps the smoke layer thick and stable
• Barrel aging a batched cocktail idea for summer hangs
• Black Diamond plans including train car barrel aging and live content
• Elijah Craig 15 Year single barrel review with nose body taste finish scoring
• Why Elijah Craig 15 feels more balanced than Elijah Craig 18 for many palates
www.scotchyburbonboys.com for all things Scotchy Bourbon Boys, Glenn Karen's t-shirts, everything like that 
Make sure that you check us out on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube 
Apple, iHeart, and Spotify, any place that you listen to podcasts, oh, we're there 
Make sure good bourbon equals good friends 
good whiskey and good friends equals good times

A smoked old fashioned that lands in the neighborhood of “Dr Pepper 23” sounds like a gimmick until you watch the build and taste it with us. We start with race-day energy, porch weather, and the kind of relaxed hang where one good drink can carry you through a long event. Then we turn it into a practical cocktail walkthrough: a bigger whiskey pour than the usual old fashioned, burnt sugar simple syrup for a deep toasted sweetness, cherry bitters and chocolate bitters for a dessert-like edge, plus those “dirty” cocktail cherries that get even better after they sit in the glass.

The technique is the point. We talk ice, stirring, and why chilling first makes the smoke sit on top like a visible layer instead of disappearing right away. We also share simple smoker tips that help you avoid scorching chips or blasting them out of the holder. If you like smoked cocktails, bourbon cocktails, or old fashioned variations, you will leave with a repeatable home setup you can actually pull off on a weeknight.

Then we shift from mixology into a full bourbon review and tasting notes: Elijah Craig 15 Year Single Barrel at 108 proof. We score it across nose, body, taste, and finish, and we get specific about what shows up in the glass: cherry, caramel, vanilla, apple, cinnamon, and that crucial oak balance that keeps everything bright instead of turning bitter. Finally, we compare it directly to Elijah Craig 18 and talk about the bigger question every bourbon fan runs into: when does “more age” stop improving the whiskey?

If you enjoy honest bourbon podcasts, single barrel breakdowns, and the kind of conversation that feels like sharing a pour with friends, subscribe, share this with a whiskey buddy, and leave a review so more people can find the show.

voice over Whiskey Thief

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 hang out with Stephen Canepa and Troy Bolotnik from FilmLand Spirits and dig into how they built a whiskey brand around vintage movie poster storytelling without sacrificing what matters in the glass. We taste their Moonlight Mayhem and Rise Of The Robots, talk blending philosophy, and hear why they obsess over labels, transparency, and the long-term connection with drinkers. 
• why Filmland Spirits launches bourbon in Kentucky and California 
• the origin story of blending bourbon culture with film and screenwriting 
• designing labels like real movie posters with scripts, bios, and Easter eggs 
• using AI for mockups while keeping a creative and quality standard 
• the Crimson Cask Kentucky-exclusive reveal and what makes it different 
• how they source MGP and blend in small batches for a signature profile 
• limited releases like Quadraforce and the risk of multi-state blending 
• tasting notes and what “Extended Cut” means for cast strength 
• why their rye leans minty, citrusy, and sweet instead of harsh spice 
• barrel-aged cocktails at home and how proof changes an old fashioned 
check us out at filmlandspirits.com. And also we’re on all the social platforms at filmlandspirits. We definitely encourage you to go chat with the filmologist on our website. If you’re interested in purchasing, just ask it for discounts. www.scotchybourbonboys.com for all things Scotchy Bourbon Bourbon Boys. Make sure that you leave us good feedback. Go to Apple, leave us good reviews. That five out of five star thing helps 
A whiskey label catches your eye once. A whiskey story makes you pick it up. A great pour makes you come back, and that’s the bet Filmland Spirits is making. We sit down with founders Steve Kanepa and Troy Blatnik to unpack how they built a craft bourbon and rye brand that treats each bottle like a vintage B-movie poster, complete with character bios, hidden Easter eggs, QR-code trailers, and original screenplays written for every release.  

We get into the real nuts and bolts too: sourcing and blending MGP bourbon and rye, aging and bottling in Kentucky, and why “small batch” can mean seven to twelve barrels instead of thousands. Troy and Stephen share how they chase consistency without going generic, what judges have rewarded in blind tasting competitions, and why they refuse to let packaging distract from liquid quality. Along the way, we talk AI in whiskey marketing and label art, not as a magic button, but as a tool with real creative and cost tradeoffs.  

Then we taste. Moonlight Mayhem Extended Cut brings that cast strength depth and long finish, while Rise Of The Robots Extended Cut rye lands surprisingly minty and sweet with notes that spark a real debate. We also reveal the Kentucky-exclusive Crimson Cask with a film-noir vibe, and we dig into distribution realities like Ohio control-state challenges and what a future Filmland tasting room could look like.  

If you like bourbon podcasts, rye whiskey deep dives, and the intersection of storytelling and spirits, hit play, subscribe, share this with a fellow whiskey nerd, and leave us a review so more people can find the show.

voice over Whiskey Thief

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/