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The Bourbon Road

The Bourbon Road

By: The Bourbon Road
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 The Bourbon Road is two friends sharing pours and good stories with interesting guests. Each week we sip on bourbon while talking with celebrities, musicians, chefs, authors, industry experts and everyone in between. If bourbon makes it better... or even the other way around, then we want to talk about it.© Copyright 2019 | The Bourbon Road LLC | All Rights Reserved Art Cooking Food & Wine Social Sciences
Episodes
  • 468. E.H. Taylor's Rule of the Regions

    468. E.H. Taylor's Rule of the Regions
    Nov 5 2025

    Host Todd Ritter flies solo in this special episode, taking listeners on a journey through the latest bourbon news and a deep dive into whiskey history. With Jim out of town, Todd kicks off the first half by tackling a massive slate of industry updates before sampling a unique experimental whiskey. He covers the Lost Lantern "Scotch Lover's" Fall 2025 collection, the nationwide expansion of Wyoming Whiskey's "Buffalo Bill Cody," Jim Beam's new Harden's Creek trio (Mushroom, Beaver, and Owl), and Jack Daniel's Distillery Series #15, a "Sweet Mash" Tennessee Whiskey. Todd also details new releases from Chicken Cock and Town Branch, Buffalo Trace's 9 millionth barrel milestone, and the bombshell news that Kirin is exploring the sale of the Four Roses distillery. The segment features a deep dive into the 2025 Buffalo Trace Antique Collection (BTAC), highlighting the new 15-year-old Colonel E.H. Taylor Bottled in Bond and a formidable 142.8-proof George T. Stagg.

    The first tasting of the day is the Remus Master Distiller Experimental Series Number One from MGP. This 9-year-old, 107-proof bourbon was aged in lightly charred and heavily toasted Seguin Moreau barrels made from staves seasoned outdoors for 24 months. Todd finds a big vanilla nose with a "wine funkiness," fig, and dark baking spices. The palate proves "soft and velvety" with notes of toasted marshmallow, chocolate, a hint of red wine, and a sweet, spicy finish of candied pecan and allspice.

    For the second half, Todd unearths a true gem for history nerds: a complete reading of a 1909 essay by none other than Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr., titled "The Rule of the Regions." Discovered in the University of Kentucky archives, the essay provides a fascinating look into the mind of the bourbon pioneer. Taylor boldly declares Kentucky bourbon superior to Scotch and Irish whiskeys, attributing this to the "Rule of the Regions"—specifically, the paramount importance of Kentucky's unique limestone water. He discusses the industry's massive (for 1909) $180 million value, the evolution from primitive wooden stills to scientific copper distillation, and the superiority of Kentucky's dry, ascending-proof aging methods. Most notably, he champions the Bottled-in-Bond Act as the ultimate guarantee of quality and authenticity, a protection he notes that Scotland and Ireland unfortunately lack.

    To accompany this historic reading, Todd tastes the Oaklore Story Series Number 2, an Oloroso Sherry Cask Finish 4 Grain Bourbon. Hailing from Matthews, North Carolina, this 95-proof blend of 5-to-6-year-old bourbons (70% corn, 10% rye, 10% wheat, 10% malted barley) is finished for 12-18 months in sherry casks. The whiskey shows a ruby tinge and offers a nose of raisin, wine, caramel, and vanilla. The soft palate features notes of black cherry, cocoa, sherry-driven nuttiness, and sweet dark fruits.

    Be sure to check out our private Facebook group, "The Bourbon Roadies" for a great group of bourbon loving people. You will be welcomed with open arms!
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    38 mins
  • 467. Tricks, Treats & Whiskey Neat: A Bourbon Road Halloween

    467. Tricks, Treats & Whiskey Neat: A Bourbon Road Halloween
    Oct 29 2025

    Join Jim and Todd in the "ghastly" Bourbon Road bar for a special Halloween episode filled with tricks, treats, and plenty of spirits! Instead of candy, their trick-or-treat bag is filled with five unique whiskey expressions shared by friends and sourced from local stops. It's a spooky season showdown as they taste through a diverse and high-proof lineup.

    First, they unlock Widow Jane The Vaults 2025. This year's release is dubbed "mythological," featuring bourbon aged a minimum of 15 years and finished in unique oak casks crafted from trees harvested near Amphilochia, Greece – a region known for lightning strikes. Bottled at 99 proof, the hosts find notes of grape, salted caramel, toffee, and a unique salinity on the nose, while the palate delivers complexity that drinks its age and punches above its proof.

    Next, they revisit Barrel Craft Spirits with their 12-Year French Oak Finish. A blend sourced from Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, and Wyoming, and bottled at 108.5 proof, this whiskey presents a bit of a "Jekyll and Hyde." The nose offers burnt caramel, nutty, and woody notes, while the palate surprises with creamy French vanilla sweetness and just a hint of tannin from the oak.

    The third pour is the Bardstown Bourbon Company Maison Ferrand Finish #2. This complex blend features Kentucky bourbons aged 9, 11, and 12 years, plus a 6-year Bardstown rye whiskey, all finished for 15 months in French oak cognac casks. At 111.8 proof, it delivers an intensely decadent, desserty palate rich with black cherry, vanilla, and dark fruit syrup notes like currant or raisin, contrasting slightly with its dusty oak and grape nose.

    Pour number four brings gasps of excitement: the Wild Turkey Master's Keep "Beacon". Rumored to be the final release in the venerated Master's Keep series, this 118-proof bourbon immediately impresses the hosts. They find the quintessential "Turkey funk" alongside deep notes of toffee, burnt orange citrus, cherry, molasses, clove, tobacco, and perfectly integrated oak. It's described as viscous, complex, and potentially the "perfect Turkey," taking their breath away.

    Finally, they tackle the first-ever Woodford Reserve Barrel Proof Rye. This barely-legal rye (53% rye) comes in at a hefty 125.1 proof. The nose reminds them of Corn Pops cereal with hints of rye spice, pepper, and mint. The palate delivers on the grain-forward notes, showcasing the rye character with cereal, clove, and a touch of leather, defining itself as a solid Kentucky-style rye.

    Jim and Todd wrap up the episode by comparing the five "treats" and selecting their top three favorites in their "winner winner chicken dinner" segment, capping off a hauntingly good tasting session.


    Be sure to check out our private Facebook group, "The Bourbon Roadies" for a great group of bourbon loving people. You will be welcomed with open arms!
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    57 mins
  • 466. Blending Masters: Inside Barrel Craft Spirits with Joe and Tripp

    466. Blending Masters: Inside Barrel Craft Spirits with Joe and Tripp
    Oct 22 2025
    Jim and Todd welcome Joe Beatrice, Founder, and Tripp Stimson, Chief Whiskey Scientist, from the highly acclaimed Barrel Craft Spirits to the studio. While their award-winning whiskeys have graced the show before, this episode offers listeners a chance to hear directly from the minds behind the brand. Joe and Tripp share the origin story of Barrel Craft Spirits, their unique philosophy as non-distilling producers (NDPs), and their intricate approach to sourcing, blending, and finishing exceptional spirits. The tasting kicks off with a Barrel Foundation Single Barrel release, clocking in at 105.8 proof. Tripp explains this expression builds upon their original Foundation bourbon (their first product bottled below cask strength at 100 proof). It involves selecting unique barrels, creating a micro-blend just above proofing strength, re-barreling that blend into a single cask, and allowing it further maturation in a specific rickhouse location before final bottling. This particular barrel, sourced from Indiana, offers delightful notes of stone fruit like peach and apricot. Next up is the Barrel Foundation Double Barrel. This takes select whiskeys used in the original Foundation blend (aged 5-9 years) and finishes them in new, heavily toasted American oak barrels. The result is a darker, richer expression compared to the single barrel, showcasing notes of milk chocolate, apple, and nuanced pepper, demonstrating the transformative power of a secondary maturation in toasted oak. Joe Beatrice then takes listeners back nearly 14 years to the brand's inception. He recounts a random distillery visit sparking the idea, quickly realizing he wanted to build a brand, not necessarily a distillery, focusing intensely on sourcing and blending the best possible liquid. He discusses the early days, embracing cask strength when few others did, championing transparency as an NDP during a time of consumer skepticism, and gambling on the idea that drinkers would crave variety and new experiences over consistency – a gamble that clearly paid off. Tripp Stimson shares his extensive background in biochemistry and spirits R&D, explaining how his path converged with Joe's. They bonded over a shared philosophy, recognizing the immense challenge and capital required to build a distillery versus the creative freedom and market potential of focusing on sourcing and blending expertise, drawing parallels to the esteemed merchant bottler tradition in Scotland. The conversation delves deep into the art and science of their blending process. The core team, consisting of Joe, Tripp, and Nick Christensen, starts with whiteboard concepts and intent but allows the whiskeys themselves to guide the final creation. They meticulously sample and catalog thousands of barrels, developing a unique shorthand to understand the characteristics imparted by different distilleries, mash bills, ages, yeast strains, distillation styles, cooperage, and even micro-climates from various maturation locations across the country. They speak of layering flavors like building a symphony, using different barrels (young and old) to "fill the gaps" across the palate – from the initial taste to the mid-palate complexity and the lingering finish – iterating until the blend reaches its optimal saturation point of complexity without any single component overpowering the others. They also explain their "derived mash bill" calculation, providing consumers with valuable data points even for complex blends. The third tasting features Barrel Bourbon Batch 37, a blend of 8-to-15-year-old bourbons from Kentucky, Indiana, and Tennessee, bottled at 111.38 proof. Joe describes these numbered batches as their flagship line, representing a high bar for their blending prowess. Tripp elaborates on the value of incorporating significantly aged whiskeys (like 15-year-old) not necessarily for the age statement itself, but for the specific, nuanced qualities they bring, balancing them with younger components to achieve a complete, well-rounded, and complex flavor profile that avoids being overly oaked. Finally, they pour the Barrel Cask Finish Series: Armagnac Finish. This series highlights the interaction between their whiskey blends and specific cask types. This expression uses bourbons aged 7-to-15 years, finished in Armagnac casks for up to two years. Tripp emphasizes their patient approach to finishing, sometimes waiting years for the whiskey and cask to fully integrate and reach their peak potential, rather than adhering to rigid timelines. The result is a rich, complex whiskey redolent with dark fruit notes like fig and raisin, perfect for contemplative sipping. Throughout the episode, Joe and Tripp offer fascinating insights into the evolution of the whiskey market, the rise of the educated consumer, navigating market fluctuations, and Barrel Craft Spirits' strategy of continuous innovation and quality across various price points. Be sure to check out our private Facebook ...
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    1 hr and 8 mins
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