Bourbon Lens
309 episodes - English - Latest episode: 10 days ago - ★★★★★ - 105 ratingsBourbon Lens is the podcast for every whiskey drinker. During this project, we look to explore the whiskey and bourbon industry, learn more about our favorite spirit, and interview industry insiders, makers, entrepreneurs, and business people. We welcome you on this journey with us.
Bourbon Lens was founded by Jake and Scott from Louisville, Kentucky. We have grown our appreciation for Kentucky’s native spirit and look to learn all that we can about every type of whiskey. We welcome you to pour a glass of whiskey and join us. We are always looking for show topics, discussion starters, and new whiskies to try. Contact us on social media or send us an email to: [email protected] with ideas, comments, or questions.
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Episodes
59: Kentucky Owl and Dixon Dedman
February 24, 2020 06:00 - 1 hour - 68.1 MBOn this week’s episode, The Bourbon Lens travels to the historic Beaumont Inn in Harrodsburg, KY to sit down with Kentucky Owl Co-founder, Dixon Dedman. Dixon resurrected his great-great grandfather, Charles Mortimer Dedman’s whiskey brand that had fallen victim to prohibition in the early 1900’s. The Kentucky Owl name laid dormant until Dixon had the idea to revitalize the family brand. Kick back and enjoy our conversation with Dixon, as we talk about growing up in his family’s Beaumont ...
58: Four Gate Whiskey Company
February 17, 2020 06:07 - 1 hour - 78.6 MBA big thank you this week to Bill Straub for inviting us into his home to share his whiskey with the The Bourbon Lens. We sat down with Bill Straub and Bob D'Antoni, co-founders of Four Gate Whiskey, and explored the history of their brand as well as their unique take on whiskey. Four Gate is known for its collaborations with Kelvin Cooperage, a craft barrel maker in Louisville Kentucky. Four Gate produces unique batches of barrel-finished, barrel proof, and limited release American Whiskey...
57: Angel's Envy Founder Wes Henderson
February 10, 2020 06:05 - 32 minutes - 29.6 MBOn this week’s episode, we sit down with the co-founder of Angel's Envy, Wes Henderson, as we discuss the inspiration of the brand and the Angel’s Envy product line. Wes is the son of bourbon hall of famer, Lincoln Henderson. Wes and Lincoln had a vision to start their own independent distillery and make unique products by barrel finishing their hand-crafted whiskey. On this episode, we discuss everything from their standard product offerings to their limited edition Cellar Collection releas...
56: Mother-Daughter Distilling Duo
February 03, 2020 06:07 - 53 minutes - 49.2 MBMichael enjoyed some whiskey from Christine Riggleman (aka Hooch Mama) and Lauren Riggleman Weller (Baby Hooch). Thanks to one of our fans, PCWhiskey on Instagram, we were introduced to this Mother-Daughter distilling duo from Silverback Distillery. Learn more about the Silverback team and their lineup of whiskey in this week's episode. Christine and Lauren make a great team and provide a great perspective on life as a growing distillery. Additionally, Silverback is active in their fight ...
55: Weller Bourbon Blind Flight
January 27, 2020 06:07 - 1 hour - 55.8 MBWheater Madness and Weller Bourbon! It has been exactly one year since we released our first podcast and this week’s episode is a bit of free-for-all. And what better bourbon to discuss than Weller, "The Original Wheated Bourbon". We discuss voting for The Rock for President, old school pro wrestling, the bourbon secondary market, Conor McGregor fandom, and the wild world of Weller Bourbon. Listen in as we blind taste Weller’s standard lineup to find our favorites. We tasted Weller Special ...
54: Taconic Double Barrel Maple Bourbon
January 20, 2020 06:07 - 33 minutes - 38.8 MBToday's episode features the limited release Double Barrel Maple Bourbon from Taconic Distillery. Michael and Scott also dive into the world of Whiskey Instagram and how we see things changing on the platform. The Double Barrel Maple Bourbon is the 115 proof release and it was barreled in Catskill Mountain Sugarhouse maple syrup barrels. We also compared it to Taconic's Mizunara finished bourbon from Episode 48. Enjoy today's episode and be sure to keep an eye out for the whiskies comin...
53: Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon
January 13, 2020 06:05 - 33 minutes - 30.5 MBThe three of us are back together again and we have 3 barrel proof bourbons ready to go. This time, we taste a flight of the 2019 offerings of Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. Heaven Hill released three high proof, 12 year old bourbons in 2019, as they do every year of their popular Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon. The Batches are as follows: RELEASE DATE BATCH NO. PROOF January 2019 A119 135.2 May 2019 B519 ...
52: Rye Whiskey Flight Fight Challenge
January 06, 2020 06:08 - 51 minutes - 46.8 MBOn this week’s episode, while Scott is out for the birth of his new son, Jake and Michael take time to reflect back on The Bourbon Lens' first year and highlights for us in 2019, and oh yeah, put some rye whiskies to the test. We put eight rye whiskies through the rye flight challenge. Comparing the match-ups by proof, we sipped some really fine rye whiskey, and one that was a real letdown, who will it be? Rye Flight Fights: Bulleit Rye 12 Year (92 Proof) vs. Colonel EH Taylor Strai...
51: Denver and Liely Glassware Interview
December 30, 2019 06:06 - 57 minutes - 52.9 MBOn this week’s episode Michael sits down with glassmaker Denver Cramer, co-owner of Denver & Liely. Denver & Liely is a company founded by two engineers in Melbourne, Australia with a passion for designing spirits glasses that enhance the drinker’s connection with the spirit they are consuming. This episode takes a trip down memory lane as we discuss Denver’s passions and life journeys that have been inspirational for his success. We discuss his decision to quit his day job and pursue the...
50: The Perfect Christmas Bourbon Gift Guide
December 23, 2019 06:07 - 1 hour - 55.2 MBThe Bourbon Lens version of a Christmas Gift Guide. Gift guides can be found everywhere on the internet, but this podcast episode is a fresh spin on that idea. We take several “Whiskey Friend” stereotypes and suggest bottles of whiskey for each. Some of these gifts might be serious, most are sarcastic, but you’re sure to find the perfect whiskey bottle to gift your friends. Here’s the listing of those typical “Whiskey Friend” stereotypes: Whiskey Tater The guy who calls Old RIP Van W...
49: Broken Barrel Whiskey
December 16, 2019 06:00 - 1 hour - 55.2 MBOn this week’s episode we sit down with Broken Barrel Whiskey Founder and CEO, Seth Benhaim. Seth started the Infuse Spirits Company in 2012 when he was 25 years old. The Infuse Spirits line focuses on naturally infusing and blending spirits with natural fruits and spices. Seth's passion for infusing spirits led him to become the youngest brand owner to ever win Best-in-Show and Double-Gold at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. While the Infuse Spirits line primarily focuses on...
48: Taconic's Mizunara Finished Bourbon
December 09, 2019 06:05 - 40 minutes - 36.7 MBFrom Buffalo Trace to The Big Apple. Brandon Collins, Head Distiller for Taconic Distillery, joins us for this week's episode of The Bourbon Lens. Brandon moved on from his role at one of the most recognizable distilleries in world to take on craft distilling in New York state. Taconic Distillery is located 90 miles north of New York City and is gaining ground by their willingness to experiment with excellent barrel finishes and their ability to produce high quality bourbon and rye whiskey...
47: The Alchemist of Indiana
December 02, 2019 06:10 - 43 minutes - 39.4 MBWe sat down with Distiller Alan Bishop and Jolee Kasprzak from The Spirits of French Lick Distillery in West Baden Springs, Indiana. We recorded this episode on location in the Spirits of French Lick Barrel Chai (Warehouse) while enjoying some of their Lee W. Sinclair 4 Grain Bourbon. This is a distillery that truly embraces it motto, "Respect the Grain." Find out why Alan Bishop dislikes being called a Master Distiller and prefers “Alchemist” instead. Alan is a wealth of knowledge on the ...
46: The Golden Gunfighter
November 25, 2019 06:05 - 42 minutes - 39 MBStephen Gould, Owner of Golden Moon Distillery & Gun Fighter Whiskey, joins The Bourbon Lens Podcast. Stephen has close to 30 years of distilling experience. Golden Moon and Gun Fighter are Stephen's brands and he is looking to grow in the industry. Stephen has also collaborated with many others including the Legend, Dave Pickerell. His expertise is not limited to whiskey; Stephen enjoys creating several unique and historical spirits. You'll find Stephen distilling gin, absinthe, and many mo...
45: Crafting The American Dream
November 18, 2019 06:01 - 50 minutes - 53 MBWhat is it like to run a small business in the Kentucky Bourbon industry? We sat down with the Owner and leather craftsman behind the BourbonWare brand. BourbonWare is the brainchild and nearly lifelong passion of Micah Sierp. Micah has been involved in the leather crafting trade for over 20 years and is proud to follow in his father’s trade. BourbonWare’s flagship product, the Lexington Rocks Glass was developed by Micah in 2007; a 13.5oz Libbey rocks glass which is tightly wrapped with ...
44: Infinity Bottle War
November 11, 2019 06:33 - 57 minutes - 83.1 MBIt may not be Avengers: Infinity Wars, but we had a battle this week. We found out how difficult it is to blend whiskey. Each of us tried our hands at blending our own whiskey (blend recipes listed below) and we lined them up in a blind tasting. Find out who wins this week's challenge and who might need some more practice. Also, during the episode you'll learn how you can get your hands on these same whiskey blends to taste for yourself. Be sure to follow us on Instagram for more details. ...
43: Drink Bourbon For A Change
November 04, 2019 06:05 - 34 minutes - 50 MBWe dive into a set of samples sent to us by Bourbon Charity. This is a blind tasting to find the best bourbon under $30. Bourbon Charity is an organization which is utilizing bourbon to benefit several non-profit and charitable organizations. “Drink for A Change” is one of their mottos and this latest effort will benefit the Prostate Cancer Foundation, Children's Tumor Foundation, Fisher House Foundation, Boys and Girls Club of East Valley, and Charity: Water. Learn more about Bourbon...
42: Bardstown Bourbon Co.'s Dan Callaway
October 28, 2019 05:22 - 52 minutes - 77.6 MBThere is no "smoke and mirrors" when it comes to Bardstown Bourbon Company. This episode features an interview with Dan Callaway from Bardstown Bourbon Company. Dan is the Assistant Vice President of Customer Relations for Bardstown Bourbon and handles the customer facing side of the business as well as product development. We enjoyed several excellent whiskies from Bardstown Bourbon Company as we learned about their take on the future of the bourbon industry and how they intend to be a part...
41: Single Barrel Bourbon Flight
October 21, 2019 04:35 - 46 minutes - 66.2 MBWe line up 3 single barrel bourbons from Jake's whiskey collection this week. The newcomer, Kentucky Peerless Bourbon, takes on the ever-popular EH Taylor Single Barrel from Buffalo Trace and the ultra-aged 18 year old Elijah Craig from Heaven Hill. We also discuss the benefits of small batch and blending vs. single barrel bourbons. Find out how each ranked in our blind tasting episode of single barrel bourbons. SHOW LINKS: Elijah Craig 18-Year-Old Single Barrel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Col...
40: Urban Bourbon
October 14, 2019 06:00 - 50 minutes - 46.3 MBA Chicago whiskey enthusiast is gaining popularity on Instagram. We sat down with Chris aka UrbanBourbonist on Instagram and discuss bourbon tourism in Louisville, Instagram as a social media platform, and how Chris is utilizing the platform with his live stream interviews of those in the whiskey industry. Chris is also an Executive Bourbon Steward and discusses his experience with the training through The Stave and Thief Society. Biography: Chris Blatner is a whiskey enthusiast from Chic...
39: Four Roses Behind the Scenes
October 07, 2019 06:05 - 52 minutes - 48.2 MBWe paid a visit to The Four Roses Bourbon Distillery in Lawrenceburg Kentucky. Four Roses Quality Manager, Marcus Niemann, sat down with us in the sensory lab and we sipped some very rare bourbon while learning more about the people and the bourbons behind the brand. Be sure to check out Four Roses the next time you are in Kentucky. More information can be found at FourRosesBourbon.com. We would appreciate you giving us a 5 star rating on your podcast app of choice and please leave ...
38: Is Whiskey The Consensus?
September 30, 2019 06:00 - 32 minutes - 30.8 MBWe sat down with some whiskey and had a great discussion with Matthew Evans. Matthew is the founder/owner of Whiskey Consensus. He has devoted a lot of time and effort to growing an Instagram account into a brand. Whiskey Consensus is a website dedicated to easy-to read and honest bourbon and whiskey reviews and high quality photography. We encourage you to check out WhiskeyConsensus.com to find your next whiskey bottle; we think you'll like their no-nonsense approach to whiskey reviews. Al...
37: Travel Down The Bourbon Road
September 23, 2019 06:00 - 1 hour - 97.4 MBTwo bourbon podcasts collide. The result is some great conversation and a lineup of 5 cask strength rye whiskies. We sat down with Jim and Mike (aka Big Chief) from The Bourbon Road Podcast for this week's collaboration episode. In an effort to mix things up, we decided to kick back with bourbon's rival, rye whiskey. If you enjoyed today's episode, be sure to subscribe to The Bourbon Lens for future episodes and be sure to check out The Bourbon Road Podcast at TheBourbonRoad.com and on a...
36: Which Flagship Bourbon Is King?
September 16, 2019 06:00 - 39 minutes - 36.4 MBA blind tasting of some of the most widely available bourbon whiskey from Jim Beam, Four Roses, Evan Williams, and Buffalo Trace. In honor of Bourbon Heritage Month, we explore the flagship whiskey of some of Kentucky's biggest bourbon makers. Bourbons Tasted include: A. Jim Beam "White Label" 80 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey No age statement - approximately 4 years old or greater B. Four Roses "Yellow Label" 80 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey A blend of ...
35: Inside the Speakeasy at Kentucky Peerless
September 09, 2019 06:01 - 57 minutes - 55.8 MBWe sit down with some fine bourbon and have a conversation with whiskey maker Caleb Kilburn. Caleb Kilburn is the Master Distiller at Kentucky Peerless Distilling Company. We would appreciate you giving us a 5 star rating on your podcast app of choice and please leave us a written review. This helps others discover our podcast and will help us expand our reach. Also, be sure to follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestion...
34: Ten Year Old Bourbon Battle
September 03, 2019 07:01 - 44 minutes - 40.3 MBA battle of ten year old bourbon whiskey. An Elijah Craig store pick goes head-to-head against Henry McKenna Bottled In Bond. How did it fair? Find out as Scott and Michael compare the two bourbons from Heaven Hill. Michael also tested Scott with a blind tasting of Early Times Bottled-in-Bond. Does it hold up for Scott? We would appreciate you giving us a 5 star rating on whichever podcast app you are listening and please leave us a written review. This helps others discover our po...
33: Bourbon Straight from the Barrel
August 26, 2019 07:01 - 30 minutes - 27.9 MBGrab your favorite bourbon or whiskey and listen as we discuss our experience on a private distillery tour at Jim Beam. The Jim Beam Fire Chief showed us around The James B. Beam Distilling Co. and their Craft Distillery. We sampled a 9 year old Knob Creek straight from the barrel; a unique whiskey tasting experience. We discuss what the Jim Beam has in the works for the future as they look to expand their reach even further as the world’s #1 bourbon brand. Special thanks to Fire Chi...
32: Heading West for Whiskey
August 19, 2019 07:01 - 28 minutes - 26 MBToday, we take a trip out west to the High West Distillery. We sample 6 different High West whiskies and provide our impressions of the products and the brand. High West Whiskey We would appreciate you giving us a 5 star rating on your podcast app of choice and please leave us a written review. This helps others discover our podcast and will help us grow. Also, be sure to follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestion...
31: Discover Bardstown Bourbon Company
August 12, 2019 07:01 - 53 minutes - 49.4 MBThe Bardstown Bourbon Company is looking to mix things up in the Bourbon and American Whiskey industry. It's taking on the big names like MGP (Midwest Grain Products) and becoming the new source of high quality spirits for non-distilling producers. The Bardstown Bourbon Co. is also producing its own products and is mixing in some into older bourbons to produce blends that drink like much older bourbons. We sample two bourbons being produced by Bardstown Bourbon Company, The Fusion Seri...
30: Stay Bonded with Heaven Hill
August 05, 2019 07:03 - 34 minutes - 31.3 MBDo we still need "bottled-in-bond"? Stay Bonded! The motto of Bernie Lubbers, the "Whiskey Professor" and brand ambassador for Heaven Hill Distilleries. Bernie is a wealth of knowledge of all things bourbon and The Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897. We attended a tasting event at Liquor Barn recently and we are reporting back on the event. We discuss the products we sampled and compared. We also discuss some of Bernie's insight into the recent news from Heaven Hill, 7 year Bottled-In-Bond. He ad...
29: Brandy in Bourbon Country
July 29, 2019 07:12 - 36 minutes - 33.5 MBA detour from the Kentucky Bourbon Trail for the podcast. We toured Louisville's only brandy distillery, Copper and Kings, for this week's episode of the podcast. We discuss how to make brandy and how Copper and Kings is innovating and staying relevant in the city that runs on bourbon. Copper & Kings does not ignore the influence of Bourbon in this city and they embrace it in some of their processes. Copper & Kings utilizes sonic aging, the process of rapidly aging spirits using sound waves...
28: Do Not Call it Bourbon!
July 22, 2019 07:41 - 42 minutes - 39.1 MBWhatever you do, do not call it Bourbon!! It's Tennessee Whiskey and they get very protective of the name. Although Tennessee Whiskey and Bourbon might share some characteristics, do not confuse the two. Rival states and rival whiskies. What is Tennessee Whiskey and how does it differ from Bourbon? Find out in today's episode. Flight of Whiskey from Tennessee: Uncle Nearest 1856 George Dickel Bottled in Bond What is Tennessee Whiskey? Lincoln County Process The Science Behin...
27: Does Bourbon Age Matter?
July 15, 2019 07:00 - 32 minutes - 29.8 MBAre age statements on whiskey labels a thing of the past? Or are they making a comeback in the bourbon world? We have seen distilleries remove age statements from bottles over the years, but it seems that some distilleries are making a return to the practice. Are age statements valuable to you and your purchasing decisions for bourbons? We discuss the relative importance of age statements to other types of whiskies, including Scotch Whisky. Show Links: Knob Creek to Restore 9 Year A...
26: Whiskey Making at Michter's Distillery
July 08, 2019 07:01 - 53 minutes - 49.1 MBHappy Michter's Monday! We love bourbon and visiting bourbon distilleries. On this week's episode, we feature our tour of the new Michter's Fort Nelson Distillery in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky. We've toured a lot of facilities and we always find something that sets a distillery tour apart from the rest. Sometimes its the process of whiskey making, other times it's the history of the American whiskey maker. Find out more in this episode. We would appreciate you giving us a 5 star ...
25: Patience in Bourbon Making
July 01, 2019 07:00 - 44 minutes - 40.7 MBWe discuss the brand new bourbon from Kentucky Peerless Distilling Company. Peerless decided to never source their whiskey and have had a lot of success with their rye whiskey. Their bourbon has been aging for 4 years and is finally ready for release to the public. We grabbed a bottle and will give our thoughts on the bourbon as well as Kentucky Peerless as a brand. We also discuss Heaven Hill Distillery and the re-release of their Bottled in Bond Bourbon. With one additional year of ag...
24: Rise & Fall of a Rickhouse
June 24, 2019 07:07 - 33 minutes - 30.7 MBThe bourbon industry was hit with some bad news when a portion of a multi-story rickhouse collapsed at Owensboro's O.Z. Tyler Distillery. We discuss this and some other bourbon news in this week's episode. Facebook cracks down on bourbon sales and the bourbon secondary market is scrambling. The new visitor center for the Bulleit Distillery is opening on June 25, 2019 in Shelbyville Kentucky. And finally, the Dant Family is re-entering bourbon production and we are always excited to hear ab...
23: Bourbon Brand Revival
June 17, 2019 07:03 - 40 minutes - 37.1 MBAs promised, The Bourbon Lens visits another distillery as part of its summer travel plans. This week, we discuss the James E. Pepper Distillery in Lexington, KY. There is some history to this revived brand and while we discuss some of it, we recommend you visit and learn more for yourself. There is also a connection to Woodford Reserve for the Pepper Distillery and the Pepper lineage. We discuss what makes a great tour and provide our recommendations. Check the show links below for more...
22: Ditching Bourbon For Summer?
June 10, 2019 07:03 - 48 minutes - 44.3 MBThe whole crew is back and enjoying some bourbon together. The weather is changing and summer is near. We discuss whether bourbon is a summer drink or if we should mix up our drink of choice for the next few months. Do you lean towards bourbon on the rocks or a bourbon cocktail? Or do you find a lower proof bourbon to sip neat? We also discuss what happens when you go off the deep end and pour yourself vodka or tequila. We have some summer plans in xgofd, which will include some disti...
21: Whiskey Industry: Insiders & Influencers
June 03, 2019 07:04 - 56 minutes - 51.4 MBGrab your favorite bourbon and pour a glass as we invite a recurring guest to the podcast. Landon from The Brothers Bourbon Instagram joins us to discuss the current trends in whiskey marketing. We discuss a transition from less traditional forms of media to the influencer marketing of today. Is this trend harmful to the bourbon industry, or is this just a sign of the times for all industries? We discuss the Fyre Festival and the sour taste the scam brought to critics of influencer and soc...
20: The $20 Bourbon Challenge
May 28, 2019 07:22 - 50 minutes - 46.4 MBWe've hit a milestone in podcasting. This bourbon podcast has hit 20 Episodes and we are happy to toast some whiskey to our listeners and followers. In this episode, Michael and Scott challenged themselves to find a bourbon for $20 that they've never had before. We try to figure out if some whiskies are overpriced or if cheap bourbon is cheap for a reason. Scott picked up a less well known Bourbon from Heaven Hill, Evan Williams 1783, and Michael grabbed a bottle of Ezra Brooks 90 proof bo...
19: My Bourbon is Under U.S. Government Supervision?
May 20, 2019 10:09 - 36 minutes - 33.3 MBBottled-in-Bond. What does this designation mean when it is on a bourbon or whiskey label? Are you more or less likely to pick up a bottle of liquor when it states that it is "under U.S. Government Supervision"? We discuss the Bottled-in-Bond Act and whether the law's requirements are still necessary today or if it is just a marketing gimmick. Scott shares why this is one of his favorite types of whiskey. Craft distillers are starting to produce "bonded" products, does it set them apart fr...
18: Run Four (the) Roses: Bourbon Tasting
May 13, 2019 10:00 - 55 minutes - 51 MBFour Roses Bourbon and the Kentucky Derby! It's a great time to be in Kentucky for bourbon lovers. The Kentucky Derby is here and a new bourbon just released from Four Roses. We discuss some of the events surrounding the Greatest Two Minutes in Sports. And we partake in a side-by-side whiskey tasting of Four Roses Small Batch Bourbon and their newest product, Small Batch Select. Learn about the alphabet soup of the Four Roses brand and their different flavor profiles. Show Topics - ...
17: Controversial Whiskey Making
May 06, 2019 11:09 - 47 minutes - 43.7 MBWe discuss the controversial aging process of double barreled whiskeys and "bourbons". Does this aging process produce higher quality whiskey than traditionally aged whiskey? Is this a fad or a trend that will gain in popularity? We also dive into how much science is too much science when it comes to making whiskey. And finally, will flash or rapid aging ever gain the acceptance of purists in the industry? SHOW LINKS: Understanding the Nightcap - What is your nightcap drink of choice? ...
16: Japanese Whisky: Far From Kentucky
April 29, 2019 11:02 - 1 hour - 64.6 MBWe put the bourbon away for a night and explore Japanese whisky thanks to a friend. Landon from The_Brothers_Bourbon on Instagram joins us for the podcast. We discuss some of the differences between various whisk(e)y from around the world, including scotch, bourbon, and Japanese Whisky. Landon was generous enough to share some samples of Hibiki Harmony and a 12 year old Yamazaki Single Malt Whisky. We also discuss how to grow your Instagram following while maintaining connections with ...
15: What Makes Good Bourbon?
April 22, 2019 11:07 - 40 minutes - 37.3 MBThe winner of our Tournament of Whisky is finally announced. If you've stayed up with us on Instagram and our live feed, you may already know the winner. We discuss the "controversy" surrounding our pick for best whiskey from our 16 selections. We also discuss if larger bourbon producers, like Woodford Reserve and Jim Beam, have a stigma in the industry. We dive into another controversial product head on and debunk any negativity towards it. And Jake hits us with the quote of the week whe...
14: Falling For April Fools - Was Whiskey to Blame?
April 15, 2019 11:02 - 54 minutes - 49.8 MBIt's April, Fools! Scott pulls one over on Michael and Jake for April Fools Day in embarrassing fashion. We also continue the Tournament of Whiskey, completing our 1st round of 16 whiskies. We announce the Elite 8 of our tournament. Listen along as we give a full recap of our notes on each whiskey and why we advanced each one to the next round. There were definitely some surprises in this tournament so stay tuned to see what advanced and which were upset early! The Elite Eight is set: F...
13: Best Whiskey in The World?
April 08, 2019 11:11 - 57 minutes - 52.7 MBWe recorded this podcast on International Whisk(e)y Day and discover that there is an important purpose for this day. It is not just another "Hallmark Holiday". We also discuss our thoughts on the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, which recently named its "Best in Show Whiskey": Heaven Hill's Henry McKenna 10 Year, Bottled In Bond, Single Barrel Bourbon. We also discuss the opening matchups of our own Tournament of Whiskey and whether we were surprised by any of the whiskies. Find...
12: Whiskey Madness - Tournament of Whiskey
April 01, 2019 11:07 - 34 minutes - 31.3 MBIn the style of March Madness and the NCAA Basketball Tournament, the Bourbon Lens creates a bracket of 16 whiskies from our home bars. We discuss the regions, seeding, and matchups of the 1st Annual Bourbon Lens Tournament of Whiskey. Matchups by Region: 4 Regions (names only, not indicative of whiskey type) Rye Thomas H. Handy (1) JTS Brown BIB (16) Weller 107 (8) E.H Taylor Small Batch BIB (9) Finished Bourbon Angel’s Envy Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish (4) Legent (13) K...
11: Legent: Is it the Real Deal?
March 25, 2019 11:22 - 41 minutes - 37.7 MBWith the St. Patrick's Day holiday, what do we think about Irish Whiskey? Should we try Proper Twelve? We discuss a bit of nostalgia with WWF and WCW wresting. And the crew weighs in on Jim Beam's newest whiskey, Legent, a collaboration between Jim Beam and Suntory. Find out our thoughts on whether Legent can bring the Japanese whiskey drinkers to bourbon. And finally, we reveal our March Madness Tournament of Whiskey. Whisky Advocate discusses Legent Be sure to follow us @Bour...
10: Down The Rabbit Hole
March 18, 2019 11:05 - 40 minutes - 37 MBThe fellas take a trip to up-and-comer craft distiller Rabbit Hole Distillery. Rabbit Hole is located in Downtown Louisville, Kentucky and they are taking a more modern approach to the bourbon industry. We discuss our experience, their whiskies, and their Overlook Cocktail Bar and event space that will be open to the public as a swanky new place to hang out and socialize on weekends. Cheers! Rabbit Hole Distillery Be sure to follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. ...