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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
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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.

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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.

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We sit down with the Echo Spirits team to talk about how a Columbus, Ohio distillery builds award-winning rum, creative whiskey blends, and a bar that feels like home. Along the way we dig into sourcing versus grain-to-glass debates, how finishes can rescue tricky barrels, and why community matters more than competition.
• Columbus distillery community and why collaboration works
• Why Echo starts with rum and how the portfolio evolves
• Queen Share rum and the “saved cuts” distillation method
• San Francisco World Spirits Competition medals and what they signal
• Engineer Series blends as a limited, never-repeated workbench
• Picking favourites like Trail Mix and Bavarian Rhapsody
• Elusive herbal liqueur built for Chartreuse-style cocktails
• Designing a cocktail bar that stays casual and welcoming
• Two Cats canned cocktails and how RTDs get made
• The costs and risks of fast growth and staying in stock
• How barrel selection works and why rejects become new projects
• Finishing barrels with beer casks and the amburana learning curve
• Bottle Your Own Bourbon tour and hands-on bottling
• Echo Spirits On The Vine seasonal location and Ohio events
echo spirits.com follow us on Instagram Facebook as Echo Spirits also the bar at Echo Spirits on both of those platforms Echo Spirits on the Vine is our location up in Liberty Township Powell area that's also the social media for them Echo Spirits on the Vine

Something interesting is happening in Columbus, Ohio: craft distilleries are getting better, bolder, and more connected, and Echo Spirits is right in the middle of it. We talk with the Echo team and our Cleveland rep Matt Lysen about what it really takes to build a modern distillery brand when you’re small, bootstrapped, and trying to “bat above your weight” without losing what makes you special.

We get deep into rum and whiskey making, including Echo’s Queen Share rum, a flavor-packed, barrel-aged release built with a traditional “queen share” process and proven on a huge stage with medals at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Then we pivot to bourbon blending with the Engineer Series, Echo’s limited, never-repeated blends that treat barrels like ingredients in a chef’s kitchen. We also unpack what sourcing means today, why transparency matters, and why “what’s in the glass” still wins when the pricing is fair.

There’s plenty of real-world talk too: how a cocktail bar can feel like a neighborhood hangout while still serving upscale drinks, how the bar team created Elusive to solve a Chartreuse shortage problem, and why canned cocktails like Two Cats help reach new drinkers. If you’re planning a Columbus distillery trip, we cover Echo’s Bottle Your Own Bourbon experience and their seasonal Echo Spirits On The Vine spot for live music, outdoor pours, and summer energy.

If you like honest industry talk, award-winning spirits, and practical behind-the-scenes detail, listen through and share it with a friend who loves bourbon, rum, or great cocktails. Subscribe, leave a review, and tell us: do you care who distilled it, or only how it tastes?

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We catch up after boots-on-the-ground Ohio bottle signings and get Ross Cornelison on the phone while he drives back to Kentucky. We dig into what makes Barton 1792 so consistent, why the brand’s profile has shifted over time, then end with a full live Barrel Bottle Breakdown of 1792 Sweet Wheat.

• Meeting Ross Cornelissen in Ohio and why the state shows up big for bourbon
• Why Barton 1792 operates as a working distillery and keeps tours closed
• How Ross thinks about consistency through degree of maturation
• What goes into blending 1792 Small Batch as the flagship bourbon
• Building the 1792 12 Year blend and why it changes each year
• The reality of bottle signings and how Ross developed his signature
• Technical whiskey questions from fans including fermentation and sanitation
• Sweet Wheat deep dive: tasting notes, mouthfeel, proof talk and our 13/18 score
• Tips for flying with bottles and preventing breakage
• Matt Lysin’s Cleveland On The Rocks and what they review beyond bourbon

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Ross Cornelissen just spent days meeting Ohio whiskey fanatics and signing bottles, and we caught him on the road back to Kentucky to hear what that experience is really like from the master distiller’s seat at Barton 1792 Distillery. Along with our guest Matt Lysin from Cleveland On The Rocks, we talk through the moments that stick: the questions fans ask when they finally get face time with the person behind the bourbon, the stories people share about starting with 1792, and why Ohio might be one of the loudest bourbon states in the country.

We also get technical in a way that actually helps you drink smarter. Ross explains how he thinks about blending for consistency, why “degree of maturation” can matter more than a simple age number, and how open air rickhouses and warehouse placement shape flavor. We dig into the role of 1792 Small Batch as the flagship expression, plus how releases like Bottled In Bond, Full Proof, Single Barrel, and the 1792 12 Year come together with a bigger team than most people realize.

After the call, we bring it back to the glass with a live Barrel Bottle Breakdown of 1792 Sweet Wheat. If you love wheated bourbon, you’ll want our tasting notes, the proof debate, and the final score. We even swap real-world tips for traveling with whiskey so your best bottles survive baggage handling.

If you’re into bourbon, Barton 1792, Sazerac brands, barrel picks, or tasting notes you can actually use, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a bourbon friend, and leave us a five-star review on Apple Podcasts.

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We talk with Randy Prasse about why the Kentucky Bourbon Festival keeps selling out faster and how the team protects the general admission experience while still offering real VIP comfort. We get into the unglamorous details that make the weekend work, from gate flow and bottle lines to add-ons, education, and what is new for this year.
• tickets selling out and what the “sold out” numbers really mean
• why KBF prioritises GA first and keeps VIP co-mingling
• how COVID shaped the fenced footprint and current festival model
• distilleries upgrading tents, decor, and interactive activations
• bottle lines, sampling lines, and better cutoff communication
• entry gate fairness and adding a second GA gate
• featured distillery spotlight on New Riff
• new speakeasy style upgrades and small suite concepts
• cigar lounge ambitions and why it is polarising
• add-ons timing, lockers, shuttles, and premium education options
• bourbon tourism impact for Bardstown and repeat visitors
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Tickets vanish in a day and suddenly the Kentucky Bourbon Festival becomes a planning sport. We sit down with festival director Randy Prasse to unpack how KBF in Bardstown earned that demand, what actually changed after COVID, and why the smartest design choice is surprisingly simple: build the general admission experience first, then let VIP be a comfort upgrade without splitting the crowd into two different festivals. If you care about bourbon culture, bourbon tourism, and how the best whiskey events stay authentic at scale, this conversation delivers the blueprint.

We get specific about the stuff that makes or breaks a bourbon festival weekend: bottle lines, sampling lines, communicating inventory before people waste an hour, and improving gate flow so “fairness” is more than a slogan. Randy explains why capacity hasn’t quietly ballooned even when it feels tighter, how distilleries have expanded their footprints, and why the festival pushes brands to bring real engagement instead of a generic pour-and-smile setup. We also talk featured distillery New Riff, the “new product launch” energy KBF is aiming for, and the behind-the-scenes team dynamics that keep the whole thing running.

Then we look forward. Randy shares what’s new, including a speakeasy style upgrade that works like a mini VIP, potential corporate hospitality suites, and the expanding menu of add-ons like education sessions, cocktail and culinary experiences, lockers, and shuttles. If you’re trying to do KBF the right way, you’ll leave with a clearer plan and a better sense of what to prioritise. Subscribe, share this with your bourbon crew, and leave us a review, what’s the one festival change you’d make first?

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We sit down with Danny Polise from Penelope Bourbon to trace how a three-barrel experiment turns into a national brand built on obsessive blending and real boots-on-the-ground hustle. We dig into how sourcing, warehouse knowledge, and smart scaling shape flavor, then taste through new and upcoming bottles while talking festivals, charity blends, and what the next decade of bourbon could look like.
• the early Penelope bet at MGP and why three mash bills mattered
• learning blending through repetition rather than formal training
• selling in the early days and building a label that stands out
• the crossroads of distilling vs scaling and the MGP acquisition
• how tanker-scale batching improves consistency for core products
• light whiskey explained, why used barrels matter, hunting profiles by warehouse
• estate collection breakdown, single barrels, private select, Omega French oak finish
• naming sessions, gimmicks that still have a reason, and dream collaborations
• the F Cancer charity project and the annual blend-off format
• bourbon festivals, cigar blend talk, and what bottles to bring to KBF
• first tastes and details on the upcoming Penelope Classic bourbon and rye
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They walked into MGP like they were about to buy a million barrels and walked out with three. That’s the true starting point of Penelope Bourbon, and it sets the tone for a conversation that’s equal parts origin story, blending masterclass, and behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to build a whiskey brand that actually tastes different.

We’re joined by Danny Polise talk about how Penelope uses blending to escape the “standard sourced bourbon” profile by combining mash bills, chasing specific notes, and putting in the unglamorous reps. Danny breaks down how his process evolved from week-long blend marathons with endless iterations to a faster, sharper approach powered by tasting memory, barrel surveys, warehouse differences, and a constantly growing flavor encyclopedia. If you care about bourbon tasting notes, batch consistency, and how professionals decide what makes it into a bottle, you’ll hear the logic in real time.

Then we get into the big business inflection point: scaling. Danny explains why the MGP acquisition helped Penelope grow without losing its identity, how tanker-scale batching can improve consistency for flagship pours, and why small-batch releases still matter when you want precision. We also dig into light whiskey, the Estate Collection, Omega’s French oak finish, the F Cancer charity blend-off, festival plans, cigar blend talk, and a first look at the upcoming Penelope Classic Series with a 92-proof bourbon and a surprisingly bright 92-proof rye.

If you enjoy bourbon podcast deep dives, Penelope Bourbon details, MGP sourcing transparency, and practical blending insight, hit subscribe, share this with a whiskey friend, and leave us a review. What bottle or style should we taste next?

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We sit down with Mark Carter to talk about how Old Carter stays unmistakable batch after batch, from chewy caramel depth to that long, silky finish. We get into the real work behind very small blends, the Social Club experience, and why we chase “delicious” over age statements and hype.
• tasting through recent Old Carter releases and why bottles can open up over time
• what the Old Carter Social Club is and how lockers, appointments, and tastings work
• how Mark builds tiny blends and uses a blind tasting panel to choose winners
• double barreling with brand new barrels and how char levels shape flavor
• distilling history since 2017 and why keeping barrels “straight” matters
• mash bill range from high corn to rye and why older rye drinks better
• bourbon community culture, whiskey versus wine logistics, and lessons from both worlds
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Caramel you can chew, a finish that won’t quit, and a blender who treats barrels like instruments in a band. We’re joined by Mark Carter of Old Carter Whiskey to unpack how his team keeps a bold, recognizable profile across small batch bourbon, very small batch drops, and club only releases without watering anything down.

We talk through the Old Carter Social Club and why the membership model changes everything: tiny two barrel blends, 375ml formats that actually make sense for ultra limited whiskey, lockers, and tasting appointments that feel like a shared night with friends who care about the details. Mark explains how a blend earns the label, how his blind tasting panel makes final calls, and why “delicious” beats chasing proof or age for its own sake.

Then we go full nerd on double barreling done the hard way, meaning brand new oak barrels, multiple coopers, and char levels that help dial in viscosity, aromatics, and that signature toffee and caramel depth. We also get into mash bills, from high corn sweetness to older 95/5 rye, plus the real world “neck pour” debate and what shipping, heat, and oxygen can do to a bottle.

If you love barrel proof bourbon, blending talk, and behind the scenes whiskey decisions, hit play, subscribe, share this with your bourbon group, and leave a review with the Old Carter batch you’d pour for a friend.

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We dig into why 375ml bourbon bottles are suddenly everywhere and what that shift means for prices, access, and trying new whiskey without committing to a full bottle. Along the way we swap festival stories, call out standout distillery releases, and make the case for half bottles as the ultimate share-friendly format.

• New Orleans Bourbon Festival highlights, logistics and surprise moments
• Makers Mark barrel pick timeline and how releases get coordinated
• Why 375ml bottles help with rising bourbon costs and buyer hesitation
• How allocated and limited releases reach more people in half bottles
• Pocketable sharing bottles, travel wins and shelf-space reality
• Standout examples from Woodford, Old Forester 117, Jim Beam experimental series and Bardstown Cathedral
• Whether 375s feel special when the same whiskey exists in 750ml
• The business tradeoffs of more bottles, more corks and higher per-ounce pricing
• Comparing festival strategies, booth lines and bottle hunting expectations

Let us know what your thought is on 375s. Leave a comment before before, thumbs up, thumbs down, you know

Half bottles are making big waves in bourbon, and we have questions. When a distillery drops a 375ml instead of a 750ml, is that a sneaky way to charge more per ounce, or the smartest way to help more people actually taste the good stuff? We talk through the real-world math, the collector mindset, and the simple truth that most of us want variety without turning our home bar into a storage unit.

I’m joined by Matt from Cleveland On The Rocks, and we connect the 375ml trend to what we’re seeing at distilleries and bourbon festivals. We revisit the New Orleans Bourbon Festival experience, including how the layout, food, and producer access changes the whole weekend, then compare it to the Kentucky Bourbon Festival reality of booth lines and timed bottle drops. If you’ve ever planned a trip around an allocated release, you’ll recognize the strategy behind smaller formats.

Then we get specific: Old Forester 117 series, Woodford gift shop releases, Jim Beam’s experimental 375s, and the kind of special story-driven bottles that feel tailor-made for the half-bottle format. We also dig into why 375ml bottles can be the best “try before you commit” move for rum finishes, honey finishes, and other experiments, plus why they are built for sharing and traveling.

If you’re curious whether 375ml bourbon is a trend or the future of limited releases, hit play and weigh in. Subscribe, share the show with a bourbon friend, and leave a review with your take on half bottles.

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