Bourbon Podcast

Released in February 2026, the King of Kentucky Small Batch is a premium, limited-release bourbon from Brown-Forman, featuring a blend of 12-to-18-year-old barrels. The 2026 series introduced three distinct batches (105, 107.5, and 110 proof) with a $299 SRP. It offers12-year aged, high-proof, complex flavors with a 75% corn, 15% rye, and 10% malted barley mash bill. Cheers!

Brad Boswell is the Chief Executive Officer of Independent Stave Company, a leading manufacturer of oak barrels and staves for the beverage industry.As CEO, Brad oversees the strategic direction and overall operations of the company, driving innovation and growth within the plastic, packaging, and containers sector. With a proven track record of success, he previously served as the President of Independent Stave Company, where he was responsible for expanding the company's global footprint and diversifying its product portfolio.

(Per breakingbourbon.com)-Bernheim Original Wheat Whiskey is named in honor of the Bernheim Distillery in Louisville, Kentucky. Bernheim Distillery was founded in 1992 by United Distillers (who became Diageo in 1997), and then sold to Heaven Hill and renamed Heaven Hill Bernheim Distillery in 1999. It would later become Heaven Hill’s primary distillery after the 1996 distillery fire destroyed Heaven Hill’s Bardstown Distillery along with 90,000 barrels of whiskey. Cheers!

(Per BreakingBourbon.com)-In the spring of 2018, Brown-Forman finally answered fans' calls to release a high proof Woodford Reserve Batch Proof Bourbon. Now, more than 7 years later, the company has decided to release a high proof version of their standard Woodford rye. This release seems unexpected, as the standard Woodford Rye is often overshadowed by its more well-known bourbon counterparts and various limited edition bourbon offerings that the company delivers. This new limited-edition release is presumably intended to be an ongoing series and will most likely see future releases carrying various proof points, much like Batch Proof Bourbon does. Cheers!

Highly acclaimed, high-proof (often 125–135+ proof) bourbon noted for rich, intense flavors of caramel, brown sugar, oak, and baking spices. It is generally considered excellent, earning ratings around 8.5/10 to 87/100, offering a, complex, and sometimes hot, "Kentucky hug". Cheers!

Pappy 12: Highly coveted 90.4-proof (45.2% ABV) Kentucky straight wheated bourbon, known for its balanced, smooth profile featuring notes of caramel, vanilla, and oak. While the MSRP is approximately $149.99, high demand drives secondary market prices often exceeding $1,000.Highly sought-after, wheated bourbon from Buffalo Trace known for its 12-year aging process, 90 proof, and smooth profile with notes of lanolin, almond, vanilla, and oak. It is generally considered a premium yet accessible "allocated" bourbon, with a retail price around but often selling for much more on the secondary market.Cheers!

The Willett Family Estate Small Batch Bourbon is a commingling of two classic Willett family mash bills. A new addition to the Willett family of brands with legendary roots and fresh elegance. Both mash bills enter the barrel at 125 proof with a final bottling proof to vary among batches based on the discretion of Master Distiller and fifth generation whiskey maker, Drew Kulsveen. Cheers!

Highly sought-after, limited-edition Kentucky bourbons and ryes, especially the "Christmas Dream" release, known for rich holiday spice, dark fruit notes (like eggnog, cinnamon, clove, cherry), and complex profiles, often from older, rare casks bottled by Preservation Distillery for Japanese export or select markets, making them prized collector's items. These unique bottlings offer intense, flavorful experiences, with aromas and tastes reminiscent of festive baking and classic Christmas candies. Cheers!

Highly anticipated, limited-edition, cask-strength Texas bourbon, released in December 2025, notable for its extreme 146.4 proof (73.2% ABV) and aged at least 8 years, offering rich notes of burnt wood, spice, dried fruits, and toasted marshmallows from its unique Texas aging, with only 10,000 bottles available globally at an SRP of around $250. Cheers!

Merry Christmas! Each limited edition of William Heavenhill is a unique expression of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. For William Heavenhill, distilling was a family tradition. By some accounts Heavenhill’s Corn Whiskey supplied Bardstown’s historic Talbott Tavern in the early 1800s. But our connection to his legacy runs even deeper. The limestone spring Heavenhill used to make his Bourbon was the same spring that inspired our original name—Old Heavenhill Springs Distillery.

Chris Fletcher is Vice President, Master Distiller and Director of Distillery Operations at the Jack Daniel Distillery. In this role, he uses an extensive knowledge of the whiskey-making process to supervise and ensure the world’s top-selling whiskey is both in constant supply and true to Jack’s guiding belief that “Every day we make it, we’ll make it the best we can.” Chris is one of only a handful of individuals to have held the title of “Master Distiller” in the distillery’s history, which began production in 1866. A native of Lynchburg, Tennessee, he is proud to accept the enormous responsibility that comes with having one of the most envied jobs in the world. Chris joined the Jack Daniel Distillery first as a tour guide, coming home to work summers during his college years. After earning a degree in chemistry, he gained a complete knowledge of production at Jack Daniel’s including milling, mashing, fermenting, distillation, mellowing and maturation, all passed down first-hand by his grandfather, the late Master Distiller Frank “Frog” Bobo, and other Jack Daniel’s employees with decades of experience. After his stint in Lynchburg, Chris worked for Brown-Forman Corporation in Louisville, Kentucky on Jack Daniel’s quality control. Following two years of gaining valuable experience working for distilleries across North America, he returned to the Jack Daniel Distillery in 2014. This experience primed him to spearhead the quality operation at Jack Daniel’s. Chris plays a key role in any potential new offerings and considerations from the distillery.As the grandson of Bobo, making Jack Daniel’s TennesseeWhiskey comes naturally to Chris. He recalls visiting his grandfather at the distillery, following closely at his heels and hearing stories about those who came before them. Chris’s first memory of the distillery is watching his grandfather make sour mash and operate the stills. Fletcher not only has a foothold into the heritage and authenticity of Jack, but he also brings a fresh approach to product innovation. As his grandfather often reminded him, the incredible growth Jack Daniel’s has experienced since his days at the distillery is a result of the process and quality controls established by its founder.

The mighty Sam Bronfman, Seagram’s first master blender, revolutionized the art of blending as he built his Seagram Company into a massive spirits empire. Their Master Blender, Drew Mayville, comes from this Seagram master blender lineage. Before he came to Sazerac, Mayville was the last master blender at Seagram’s and his mentor was Seagram Master Blender Art Dawe, who worked directly with Sam Bronfman. Mayville created this perfect blend through experimentation and precision and it is fittingly bottled at their Old Montreal Distillery in Montreal, Quebec. Cheers!

A limited-edition rye whiskey from High West Distillery that continues its annual winter release series, which is inspired by Shakespeare's play. The 2025 release was crafted from a blend of straight rye whiskeys and finished in ruby and tawny port barrels, resulting in a luxurious, fruit-forward whiskey with notes of spice, plum, and dried fruit. Cheers!