The Bourbon Life

On this episode of The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief sits down with Anthony DeYoung from Three Chord Bourbon, a brand founded by legendary guitarist Neil Giraldo. Built on the rhythm of rock and roll and the craft of blending whiskey, Three Chord brings the energy of music into every bottle. More than just a whiskey brand, Three Chord Bourbon is deeply connected to the music community and philanthropy. The company supports music education, independent artists, and nonprofit organizations, often partnering on charitable initiatives. From Giving Tuesday campaigns supporting Music Is Art to special releases benefiting organizations like the Johnny Strange Foundation, the brand uses whiskey as a platform to give back to the creative world that inspired it. The ride begins with Flipside, a 90 proof Triple Wood bourbon that showcases layered maturation and depth. The added wood influence gives the whiskey complexity while remaining smooth and approachable to start the show. To close out the first half, Big Chief and Anthony pour Strange Collaboration, a 99 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon finished in Pinot Noir barrels. The wine barrel finish brings a unique twist, introducing subtle fruit notes and soft tannins that complement the classic bourbon backbone. The second half starts with Riot, a 100 proof Double Bonded Blend that delivers bold flavor and balance. Like a great rock song, it carries both intensity and harmony in every sip. They finish the episode with U-Edited, a true rockstar of the lineup. This Blended Straight Bourbon Whiskey is uncut, unfiltered, and bottled at 118 proof, delivering a powerful and full-bodied pour. After tasting it, Big Chief says the U-Edited is so impressive it could be a serious contender for his Whiskey of the Year. From music and mash bills to blending and philanthropy, this episode dives deep into how Three Chord Bourbon merges the spirit of rock and roll with the art of whiskey. Pour yourself a glass, turn the volume up, and Take the Ride with Big Chief on The Whiskey Trip.

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes listeners for a ride to Bryan, Texas to sit down with Caleb Clanton, founder and distillery manager of Hush & Whisper Distilling Company. What makes this episode stand out isn't just the whiskey, it's the building itself. Hush & Whisper operates inside a restored old JCPenney building in historic downtown Bryan, and the space carries serious Art Deco character. Clean geometric lines, bold architectural details, tall ceilings, and the kind of craftsmanship you just don't see in modern construction. The bones of that building tell a story. Thick walls, hidden rooms tucked behind unexpected doors, a penthouse, and even a rooftop dance floor from decades past. It's history layered into every inch of the structure. It feels industrial, elegant, and gritty all at the same time. That presence matters. The atmosphere rivals distilleries anywhere in the world. Scotland has its stone dunnage warehouses. Kentucky has its rolling rickhouses. Japan has its minimalist precision. Bryan, Texas has a restored Art Deco landmark filled with working stills and aging barrels. You can't fake authenticity like that. It's earned over time. They open the episode with Hush & Whisper's rye whiskey, bold, spice forward, structured, and balanced. Caleb talks about how Texas heat works those barrels differently and how managing that environment inside a historic building takes awareness and patience. The rye shows backbone without losing refinement. From there, they pour a single barrel of that rye. No blending. No smoothing edges. Just one barrel telling its own story. The oak pushes harder, the spice sharpens, and the individuality shines through. Caleb explains how barrel placement inside the building influences maturation and why single barrels are the truest expression of what they do. In the second half, they taste a rye bourbon that isn't quite ready yet. It's honest, developing, full of potential, but not rushed. Caleb speaks candidly about discipline in a market that often pressures distillers to release early. Time is the one ingredient you cannot shortcut, especially in Texas. They close with their gin, clean, botanical forward, and intentional. It proves that the craftsmanship happening inside those Art Deco walls isn't limited to brown spirits. Balance, precision, and confidence carry across the entire lineup. An old department store turned distillery. Secret rooms. Art Deco architecture. Texas heat shaping barrels inside historic walls. Hush & Whisper stands shoulder to shoulder with distilleries around the world, not because it tries to copy them, but because it leans fully into what it is. Pour a glass and Take the Ride.

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes listeners for a ride to San Antonio to sit down with Tim Crofton, the distiller behind Ranger Creek and a fellow Army Veteran. This episode goes beyond the glass. It is about service, transition, discipline, and building something meaningful after the uniform comes off. Founded in 2010, Ranger Creek was one of the first brewery and distillery combinations operating under one roof in Texas. They were putting barrels away before Texas whiskey had national momentum and before American single malt became a headline. They built this brand in South Texas heat that does not forgive shortcuts. Barrels expand, contract, and mature aggressively. You either stay disciplined or you lose control of the process. Ranger Creek chose discipline. Tim and Big Chief talk about how military service shapes leadership inside a distillery and how that mindset carries into daily operations. As fellow veterans, they also discuss the Department of Defense SkillBridge program and Ranger Creek's role in helping transitioning service members find purpose in the craft industry. Giving veterans a pathway from service to skilled trade is not just smart. It is leadership in action. The first pour of the episode was State and Republic Wheated Bourbon. Wheat brings a rounded sweetness and approachability, but Texas oak still drives structure and backbone. It represents the steady foundation of Ranger Creek's bourbon program and the control required to age whiskey in a climate that accelerates everything. Next came the Distiller's Vault Rye Whiskey. This pour shifted the tone. Rye carries natural spice and intensity, and Texas maturation amplifies it. Black pepper, baking spice, oak, and heat layered together with authority. The Vault series allows Tim to showcase barrels with bold character while still maintaining balance. This rye had grit. It demanded attention. In the second half, the conversation moved into American single malt, a category Ranger Creek has been serious about long before it gained mainstream attention. Texas Landmark The Original No. 2 American Single Malt delivered roasted malt, dark chocolate notes, and structure built for Texas aging. It is confident, direct, and distinctly Texan. Then came the 307 Tricentennial Series Single Malt. Aged in apple brandy barrels and then finished for 4.5 days in an Amburana barrel, it became something layered and memorable. The apple brandy influence brought fruit and sweetness, while the Amburana added cinnamon, baking spice, and warmth. Apple strudel in a glass. That 4.5 day finish required precision. Too long and it dominates. Just right and it transforms the whiskey. We closed with the Texas Landmark Cask Strength Mesquite Smoked Single Malt. This was the exclamation point of the episode. Mesquite smoke is bold and unmistakably Texas, but here it was controlled and intentional. The smoke wrapped around the malt instead of overpowering it. At cask strength, it delivered depth, intensity, and a finish that stayed with you. It might be the best single malt I have ever had. This episode is about Ranger Creek's history, evolution, and the work behind every barrel. It is about service, transition, heat, discipline, and building legacy in Texas. Good whiskey. Hard work. Real leadership. Take the ride.

In this episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, Mark and Matt welcome Barry and Tori Brinegar into The Bourbon Life Studios for a conversation that's equal parts bourbon history, industry insight, and good-natured chaos. Barry is well known across the whiskey world as the former Co-Founder and National Brand Ambassador of RD1 Spirits, and he's joined by his wife Tori—affectionately known around here as the First Lady of Bourbon. Across three segments, the guys dig into Barry's journey through the bourbon industry, the founding and growth of RD1, and what life looks like after stepping away from a brand he helped build from the ground up. Barry shares behind-the-scenes stories from the road as a brand ambassador, lessons learned building a bourbon company, and a few tales that probably shouldn't be repeated—but thankfully were anyway. Tori jumps in with her perspective on life in the bourbon world, keeping Barry grounded, and what it's really like being married to a guy whose job revolves around whiskey. As always, the pours are flowing and the reviews are honest. This episode features tastings of: Henry McKenna 10 Year Bottled in Bond Stagg Jr. Batch 12 Jack Daniel's Single Barrel Barrel Proof Rye There's plenty of laughter, a few strong opinions, and a whole lot of great bourbon conversation in this one. Pull up a chair, pour yourself something neat, and enjoy a fun, candid sit-down with one of bourbon's most recognizable personalities—and the woman who keeps him in line. This Episode is sponsored by District 7 and The Kitchen Table at the James B. Beam Distilling Co.

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, Matt and Mark spend some time in The Bourbon Life Studios with April Catron, Brand Ambassador, and Junior Cecil, Co-Founder/Owner, of Southern Kentucky Distillery. The guys talk with April and Junior about their respective backgrounds and how they each ended up in the Bourbon industry, the story of how Southern Kentucky Distillery was created from a passion for making moonshine and their unique process that involves Cherrywood, and the success that this relatively young distillery has already had with its releases and its inclusion on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and the Kentucky Moonshine Trail. They also taste and review quite a few expressions from Kentucky Southern Distillery including their Turby's Kentucky Cherrywood Wheated Bourbon at 90 Proof and 106 Cask Strength, their soon to be released Turby's Kentucky Cherrywood Rye Mashbill Bourbon at 90 Proof and 108.2 Cask Strength, and their only sourced product, Long Ridge High Rye Kentucky Straight Bourbon. There may have also been some moonshine and other goodies poured up in between too. This Episode is sponsored by District 7 and The Kitchen Table at the James B. Beam Distilling Co.

This week on The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief sits down with April Weller Cantrell, widely known throughout the whiskey world as The Bourbon Baroness. A trusted voice in American whiskey and one of Big Chief's closest confidants in the industry, April brings experience, perspective, and straight shooting honesty to a conversation that is honest and deep, rooted in respect for the craft and the people behind it. In the first half of the show, Big Chief pours the new Shiner Texas Bourbon from K. Spoetzl Distillery. This single barrel release at 112 proof showcases bold Texas character and opens the door to a thoughtful discussion on grain, climate driven maturation, and where Texas bourbon fits within the broader American whiskey conversation. The second half sees the glasses change. Big Chief sips on Sazerac Rye Full Proof, digging into high proof rye spice, structure, and intensity, even hinting that this pour may have the chops to compete as a Whiskey of the Year contender. Alongside him, the Baroness pours Shakertown Spirits whiskey, offering a heritage driven counterpoint that deepens the conversation around balance, tradition, and thoughtful production. As always, this episode goes beyond tasting notes. It is about truth, perspective, and supporting the people building American whiskey the right way. At its heart, this conversation is a reminder to slow down, be present, and appreciate the moment. A shared pour becomes a pause, a reflection, and a quiet connection to something greater than ourselves. Pour a glass, settle in, and take the ride with Big Chief and the Baroness. Cheers

This week on The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief heads into the rolling hills of East Tennessee to sit down with Stephen Callahan for a straightforward, no nonsense conversation about building whiskey the right way. The discussion is rooted in experience, patience, and respect for the craft, giving listeners an honest look at what it really takes to build a distillery with intention instead of chasing trends. In the first half of the episode, they sip on S.E. Callahan's Distiller's Select Straight Bourbon Whiskey, an expression that represents the core of the Tennessee Hills house style. The nose opens with familiar and inviting notes of vanilla, honey, milk chocolate, and toasted oak. On the palate, flakey pastry and sweet vanilla cream lead the way, supported by warm baking spices that add depth without overpowering the pour. The finish carries medium long with a rich, viscous linger and noticeable baking spice that keeps you coming back. As they taste, Stephen talks through barrel selection, proofing decisions, and balance, offering real insight into how this bourbon comes together and how he knows when a whiskey is ready. In the second half, the glass shifts to the Tennessee Hills Madeira Cask Finished Bourbon, where thoughtful finishing takes center stage. Rich, smoky oak anchors the whiskey, followed by layers of ripe stone fruit and toasted hazelnut. A subtle wine driven sweetness from the Madeira cask settles in and lingers, adding complexity while allowing the bourbon underneath to remain the star of the show. It is a finish that feels intentional and restrained rather than flashy. The episode closes with a broader conversation about East Tennessee whiskey roots, lessons learned along the way, and the role community plays in building something that lasts. It also serves as a reminder of why supporting craft whiskey matters. These are the producers putting quality first, honoring tradition, and taking the long road so the whiskey in your glass has a real story behind it. Pour a glass, settle in, and take the ride with Big Chief.