In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast presented by Liquor Barn, Matt and Mark spend some time hanging out with Ray Franklin, Founder & President of Staghorn, Owner of Garrard County Distilling Co. The guys talk with Ray about his background and experience, including starting a Distillery with the legend himself, Dave Pickerell, and how that experience led him to start Garrard County Distilling Co., how Staghorn was able to build one of the largest Distilleries in the US, Garrard...

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes listeners on a ride to Memphis, Tennessee to chat with Logan Welk President and Chief Operating Officer, from B. R. Distilling Company. Logan takes the Big Man on a ride learning about the Blue Note Whiskey and B. R. Distilling Company. They chat about Memphis and its love of whiskey in Juke Joints that belt out the blues and give the city soul. On the first half, they start the show with Blue Note Juke Joint, a straight bourbon whiskey...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast presented by Liquor Barn, Matt and Mark spend some time hanging out with Zach Johnston, Chief Brand Officer and Senior V.P. of International Sales, for Blackwood Distilling Co. in Versailles, Kentucky. The guys talk with Zach about his incredible background that saw him living in multiple countries over an extended period and working in the spirits industry in multiple roles, including an incredible stint most recently at Uproxx as their whiskey...

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief showcases the music of the Southeast Texas band Running on Credit.  This week Big Chief takes a breaks from distilleries and introduces listeners to Running on Credit. This band is straight out of the bayous of Southeast Texas and plays some beautiful country music together. From the soul touching lyrics of Sage Elmore to the smooth pedal steel guitar playing of Chase Curtis, this band has it all. Their music caught the Big Man’s attention,...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast presented by Liquor Barn, The Bourbon Life Crew (minus Stacey) spends some time hanging out together in The Bourbon Life Studios sharing some great pours and even better conversation. The Crew talks about whether blended whiskey should, or even could, make a comeback, whether brands are providing too much information on their labels these days and the importance of transparency, and whether premium, super-, and ultra-premium Bourbons are worth it. ...

In this Special Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast presented by Liquor Barn, The Bourbon Life Crew is on location at Liquor Barn – Hamburg in Lexington for their Annual Pappy/BTAC Raffle. The crew talks about the 2023 BTAC and Pappy line-up and the bottles that make up each collection, online versus in-person Bourbon releases, and which bottle each one of them would pick if selected as a winner in the raffle. They also taste and review the 2023 Eagle Rare 17-Year Old Bourbon, the 2023...

This week on The Whiskey Trip podcast, Big Chief takes listeners on a ride to Lexington, KY and chats with Macaulay Minton, President and Chief Alchemist for Dark Arts Whiskey House. Macaulay takes the Big Man on a ride learning about the 7 stages of Whiskey Alchemy and  how they sensed a void in the whiskey industry. Their team would unleash something truly magical. Dark Arts Whiskey House journey began with a revelation: the art of whiskey making is not just science, but an alchemical...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast presented by Liquor Barn, Matt and Mark spend some time hanging out with Dr. Pat Heist, Chief Scientific Officer, Co-Founder, & Co-Owner, of Wilderness Trail Distillery, in Danville, Kentucky. The guys talk with Pat about his impressive background that led him to start Wilderness Trail with his friend, and Co-Founder, Shane Baker, the incredible growth that the brand has experienced since its inception in 2012, and the recent buyout by Campari...

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes listeners on a ride to Kentucky and chats with Tripp Stimson, Director of Distillery Operations & Chief Whiskey Scientist for Barrell Craft Spirits. Tripp takes the Big Man on a ride learning about the history of Barrell Craft Spirits and their unrelenting drive to break the status quo of whiskey by blending products that explore different distillation methods, barrels, and aging environments. In the first half they start the show...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast presented by Liquor Barn, Matt and Mark spend some time hanging out in The Bourbon Life Studios with Danny Kahn, Master Distiller and Distillation & Aging Operations Director, from Sazerac.   The guys talk with Danny about his background and education and how his love for beer and the brewing process eventually led him to become Master Distiller at Barton 1792 and then to his new position with Sazerac, the incredible $1.2 Billion expansion that...

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes listeners on a ride to Hutto, Texas and chats with Jimmy Pierce, Master Hatter and Owner, of Jimmy Pierce Designs. The Big Man visits with one of his new sponsors, who just happens to be a Master Hatter, and who makes beautiful cowboy hats. Jimmy also loves whiskey so these two sit down to talk hats and whiskey. At the end of the Episode Big Chief is fitted for his first ever custom made cowboy hat. In the first half they sip on Crowed...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast presented by Liquor Barn, Matt, Mark, and Special Co-Host, Chad, spend some time hanging out in The Bourbon Life Studios with Matt Groves, Sales Director, for Augusta Distillery in Augusta, Kentucky. The guys talk with Matt about growing up in Augusta, Kentucky, as well as his past work experience, and how those factors combined to lead him back home to work for Augusta Distillery, the incredible amount of attention and recognition that they’ve...

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes listeners on a ride back to New Orleans, Louisiana and chats with Tracy and Barbara Napolitano, Founders of the New Orleans Bourbon Festival. Tracy and Barbara take the Big Man through the lineup of events for this year’s festival. From all the seminar speakers, Bourbon Dinners around The Big Easy, to the two-night Grand Tasting of over 80 distilleries. This is hands down the most educational whiskey festival you will ever experience. ...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast presented by Liquor Barn, Matt and Mark spend some time hanging out together in The Bourbon Life Studios, sharing some great pours and even better conversation. It’s been a while since it’s just been the two of them together in the studio. The guys talk about a few brands that they believe might be flying under everyone’s radar but that are putting out some great whiskey, the several different events that Mark has recently attended, including the...

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes listeners on a ride back to Austin, Texas and chats with Laura Papa, Director of Sales, and Marie Perez, Distiller, from Fierce Whiskers Distillery. Laura and Marie take the Big Man through the name and history of this grain to glass craft distillery. From a quote of Rutherford B. Hayes, “Austin is an inconsiderable village with Large Expectations…full of discharged ‘Rangers’…costumes of every variety. … Fierce Whiskers, gaming and...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast presented by Liquor Barn, Matt and Mark spend some time hanging out with Amir Peay, Owner, and Cody Giles, Head Distiller, at the James E. Pepper Distillery in Lexington, Kentucky. Amir was a prior guest on Episode 106 back in February 2022. The guys talk with Amir and Cody about their respective backgrounds and how they both got into the Bourbon industry, the incredible history of the James E. Pepper Distillery and Amir’s relentless efforts to see...

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes listeners on a ride to Austin, Texas and chats with Jason Harry, Brand Experience Manager, and Christian Wilhoft, Single Barrel Program Manager, from Still Austin Whiskey Co. Jason and Christian take the Big Man through the history of Still Austin, talking about using a 42-foot column rum still to make whiskey, their labels that are works of art, and their new Single Barrel Experience located in Lockhart, Texas. They start the show by...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast presented by Liquor Barn, the entire Bourbon Life Crew spend some time hanging out together in The Bourbon Life Studios enjoying some great pours and even better conversation. The Crew talk about the recently announced Garrard County Distilling Co. (which was built completely under everyone’s radar over the past couple of years) and their hiring of the one and only Lisa Wicker as their Master Distiller, the difference between palatized and ricked...

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes listeners on a ride to chat with fellow podcasters and hunters, the Bayou Dragons. The Bayou Dragons and Big Chief talk about growing up as country boys and their first experiences with whiskey. These guys show the big man that they love life to the fullest. Big Chief pulls out several allocated bottles like Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, Weller CYPB, Maker’s Mark Celler Aged and Old Fitzgerald 19 year to sip on throughout the show. To...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast presented by Liquor Barn, Matt and Mark spend some time with the one and only Mike Rowe, Descendant (his title not ours) of Knobel Whiskey. You might recognize Mike from his wildly successful hit TV Show, Dirty Jobs, or his incredible Podcast, The Way I Heard It, or his Best-Selling book of the same name. The guys talk with Mike about his background and growing up just outside of Baltimore, Maryland next door to his Pop, Carl Knobel, who had a huge...

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes you on a ride to Lexington, Kentucky and introduces listeners to RD1 Spirits. He chats with Co-Founder and Shareholder, Barry Brinegar. Barry and Big Chief sit down in front of a live audience at Longhorn Liquor in Beaumont, Texas to discuss how RD1 Spirits got started and discuss the history of the name. They also sample five single barrels with the help of the audience and pick a barrel to be released at Longhorn Liquor locations...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, Matt and Mark spend some time recording on location at Porch Kitchen & Bar in downtown Louisville, Kentucky with Dan McKee, Master Distiller of Michter’s. Dan was previously a guest on Episode 71 back in June 2021. The guys talk with Dan about his background and prior work experience, both inside and outside of the Bourbon industry, that eventually led him to Michter’s in 2014; the rich history of Michter’s which traces its original roots all...

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...

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...