Maker's Mark continues to surprise all of us with the absolute onslaught of special releases. For a brand that previously only focused on their core products and special collectible bottles, this expansion of the product line has been a welcomed surprise. For this short, we taste and give our thoughts on this brand new "lost" recipe which features the triumphant return of the Roasted French Mocha Stave. Discontinued and replaced with the Roasted French Mendiant Stave, the Mocha Stave did not...

It's a momentous occasion! The newest version of Jack Daniel's Coy Hill is here and we will tell you whether you should pass, try, or buy on this coveted bottle. Coy Hill first released in 2021 and immediately became a darling of the whiskey community. The barrels used for this release come from the Coy Hill barrel house which is on the highest elevated rolling hill on the Jack Daniel Distillery property. Because of the elevation, the most extreme temperature changes take place, leading to...

We couldn’t think of a better way to spend our 200th episode than to discuss how bourbon can be used for charitable purposes. Medicinal Whiskey Charity is a 501(c)(3) organization that was founded by a group of healthcare workers in Georgia and South Carolina in 2020. Since its inception, MWC has raised an astounding $1.5 million total for numerous charitable purposes. For this episode, we are joined by Drs. Malay Shah and Michael Huang who are based in Lexington, KY and also serve as board...

Michter's Legacy Series celebrates the foundational roots and heritage of the brand through two different whiskeys. Shenk's Homestead Sour Mash Whiskey honors John Shenk who founded what would become the Michter's brand all the way back in 1753. This years release of Shenk's is a predominately rye whiskey that is finished in naturally dried french oak barrels for 24 months. Bomberger's Declaration Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey honors the time period when the Michter's distillery was known...

In episode 126, we did a deep dive on 13th Colony Double Oaked Bourbon. This unique expression has been one of the most sought after (yet polarizing) releases of the past few years. Just recently, we got together with some friends to talk about the upcoming "Best of" tasting which has become a tradition. In compiling the potential prospects for the competition, our friend Jordan decided to crack his bottle and share it with us for this short. In addition to our opinions about this new...

All of you lovely people out there have been asking for this episode for quite some time. In 2022, Green River Bourbon made it's long awaited return (or debut). Green River was founded in 1885 (KY-DSP-10). Despite a very fruitful start and many accolades for their bourbon, the distillery fell into disarray by the 1950s and was only recently resurrected. Since returning to the market, enthusiasts have been speaking the praises of the brand and bourbon beginners have been impressed with the...

Recently, we surpassed 100K listens across our entire catalogue of episodes. Steven decided to surprise us by sharing an absolute heavyweight of bottles: William Larue Weller (from 2018). Coming in at 125.7 proof, this release of WLW received excellent reviews and is regarded as one of the better versions of this spirit in recent years. Join us as we taste and review this absolute treat of a bottle and reminisce on the journey thus far. Thank you all for your continued support of the podcast....

CNB stands for Camp Nelson Rickhouse "B." The most recent (and third) release of Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse bourbon draws on stocks of whiskey from the famed Camp Nelson campus which is just outside of our homebase in Lexington, KY. If you take a gander back to episode 121, you will see that we compared both the "C" and "F" releases. In true Mash Up fashion, we started out the night hoping to simply review this newest release in the Russell's line. However, Kenny had other ideas and...

Jim Beam has been releasing limited edition bottles faster than we can keep up with. As a result, we thought it would be appropriate to review two brand new releases that are being discussed a lot: Old Grand-Dad 16 Year and Booker's The Reserves (2024 release). Both of these whiskeys are produced by Jim Beam, but they have different mashbills and there are significant differences in both age and proof. But, how do they taste? You'll have to listen to find out. Even though this is a "short"...

This episode is special because it marks the comeback of our comrade Steven. How did we welcome him back? By reviewing a classic barrel proof bourbon. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof is a signature product from Heaven Hill that first released in 2013. As most know, this product releases three times throughout the year. For this week, we got our hands on the brand new C924 batch. With the newish age statement, this batch is 11 years old comes in at 129 proof. Over the years, we've said that ECBP Is...

Back in episode 123, we tasted and reviewed the 2023 version of the Marker's Mark Cellar Aged bourbon. Thanks to Jason from Arsenic Culture, this episode focuses on the 2024 version. While this is supposed to be a Tuesday short episode, it turned into a medium episode thanks to a lot of blinding. Before we even got into the MM, we did a blind to help out one of our friends. Instead of a quick review, we decided to blind the current version of Cellar against its predecessor. As always, a ton...

The Little Book series is something we've become accustomed to looking for every fall bourbon season -- so we were extra surprised when we saw this new release called "The Infinite." The first release of this new annual extension of the brand features distillate that comes from each of the three generations of the Noe family. But how does it taste and how does it compare to other LEs that we've tasted from Beam? Our buddy Jason from Arsenic Culture joined us again to help us review this most...

The Starlight Distillery in Indiana is quickly becoming know for producing excellent and unique whiskeys. In this short episode, we taste a very special Starlight Single Barrel Bourbon that was selected by our good friends at bourbonoutfitter.com. If that isn't enough, we also taste and review a Starlight Bourbon finished in Pear Brandy Casks that was selected by a private group and provided by one of our listeners. If that really really isn't enough, then we have a surprise Kenny Mills blind...

During a recent conversation, we "discovered" that most of us didn't have experience with Bardstown Bourbon Company and their extensive series of products. A couple weeks ago, one of our listeners was in town for the Kentucky Bourbon Festival and was nice enough to leave us a generous sample of Bardstown Bourbon Discovery Series # 12. This blend consists of 6-14 year old and carries an ABV of 57.6%. To help us taste and review this bourbon, our friend Jason Hale from Arsenic Culture joined....

River Roots Barrel Company started just one year ago and they've already managed to generate a lot of hype and attention in the bourbon community. For this episode, we hang with co-founders of River Roots, Ryan Lintz and Tom Gray. Everyone involved with River Roots has connections to Cleveland, Ohio, which home base for this up and coming bourbon brand. Ryan and Tom have different backgrounds, but their love of whiskey brought them together and they aspire to find the best spirits in the...

On September 10th, 2024, the family of Jimmy Russell, the employees of Wild Turkey, and whiskey enthusiasts from all over the world celebrated the 70th anniversary of Jimmy's time at Wild Turkey. Jimmy started with the distillery back in 1954 and is the oldest living master distiller in spirits. To celebrate this milestone, Wild Turkey created an 8 year 101 proof bourbon which is representative of everything that Jimmy holds dear about this beloved spirit. The best part? It carries an MSRP of...

This week we give our quick take on this Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Travelers' Exclusive Tennessee Whiskey. This is an uncommon variant of Jack and it's only available at travel retail locations (Duty-Free Shops). Rumored to be aged between 5-6 years, this is a bottled-in-bond whiskey that comes in at 100 proof and is selected from the barrels at the top floor of the rickhouses at Jack Daniels. This exclusive was launched in 2015 to replace the brand's Silver Select bottling. Tune in to see...

Fresh Bourbon is for everyone! Started in 2017 by co-owners Tia and Sean Edwards, Fresh Bourbon is an African American owned brand that is right here in Lexington, Kentucky. The bourbon itself has a unique four grain mashbill that includes honey malt. The Fresh Bourbon Distillery was recently opened in the downtown Lexington area. They have an awesome tasting room and plans to expand the footprint and be an entertainment destination. But, how does the bourbon taste? You'll have to listen to...

We've had the opportunity to do some really cool stuff since we started this journey with all of you. However, this conversation is one of the best we've had yet. For this episode, we had an epic share and conversation with Bruce Russell of Wild Turkey, Dan Shook and Sean Paisley of the famed YouTube channel Bourbon Junkies, and Ryan Alves of Bourbonoutfitter.com/JHOB. Many have said that whiskey is best shared with friends and this conversation is proof of that. Dan and Sean discuss their...

The 18th release of the Parker's Heritage Collection is very unique. It features a 14 year old malt whiskey which is finished for four months in deconstructed cognac barrels. The result? You'll have to listen to find out. This isn't the first time Heaven Hill has used malt or cognac finishing in the Parker's series so we were very eager to dive into this one. The conversation is equally as riveting as the whiskey review with Kenny discussing a recent barrel selection at Wild Turkey that is...

In the past, if you were lucky enough to pick a barrel of Elijah Craig at Heaven Hill, chances are that it was watered down to 94 proof. For the last few years, stores and private groups have had the option of selecting at 94 proof or opting for true barrel strength. Recently, Anthony has the opportunity to help the good folks at Jackson's Wine and Spirits select two barrels of Elijah Craig at barrel proof. Jackson's is family owned liquor store right here in Lexington, KY and they always...

This week we decided to switch things up a bit and let you know what it's like when we get together for a good ole bottle share. In this episode, we taste and review some new products from Heaven Hill (Grain to Glass) and also share some blind pours. This is something that we typically do when we aren't recording. Once again, we are joined by our friend and fellow podcaster, Maasak. As always, hilarity ensues as the guys test their palates, tell dad jokes, and discuss a wide variety of topics...

On episode 157 of The Mash Up, we introduced and reviewed Raconteur Rye which is a blended rye whiskey collaboration brought to us by none other than David Jennings (Rare Bird 101) and the good folks over at the WoodWork Collective. Raconteur Rye Batch # 1 was very well received. It sold out instantly and left people clamoring for more. Well...the wait is almost over. Raconteur Rye Batch # 2 will be released in September! Once again, this rye whiskey starts as an MGP product which is expertly...

This week we welcomed back an old friend on the podcast to help us taste and review the most recent chapter of Little Book. In previous episodes, we reviewed Little Book chapters 3 & 6 and have been pleasantly surprised by these rather unique and great tasting blends. But, will the streak continue? Little Book Chapter 8: The Path Not Taken is a blend of 7 different whiskeys (predominately rye) and comes in at 118.2 proof. But how does it taste? We give our honest and best assessment. In...