Libsyn Directory

213: Honoring A Legacy with Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey

Release Date: 02/13/2023

296: Our Trip to New Riff Distilling with Jay Erisman

Bourbon Lens

Scott and Jake travel to Newport Kentucky to visit New Riff Distilling and sit down with co-founder Jay Erisman. We kick back inside the Aquifer Bar to discuss New Riff’s history, their whiskey portfolio, and what’s ahead now that the distillery recently celebrated its 10th anniversary. In this episode, we taste New Riff Bottled in Bond Bourbon, Silver Grove Bourbon, Malted Rye, and their 8 Year Bourbon. Stay tuned to Bourbon Lens for more coverage of New Riff coming soon, including their second batch of Kentucky Single Malt and their Whisky NRD tasting courses currently...

295: Four Roses New Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon for 2024

Bourbon Lens

We continue our coverage for Bourbon Heritage Month as we explore Four Roses Bourbon, including their new . We are joined by Brent Elliott, Master Distiller for Four Roses Bourbon Distillery. We discuss Brent’s process for crafting this limited edition bourbon, the , the distillery’s commitment to quality and tradition, and the recent announcement of an expansion of the Four Roses Bourbon recipe lineup. What is your favorite Four Roses recipe or release? About Four Roses: Established in 1888, Four Roses combines two mashbills with five proprietary yeast strains to distill...

294: James B. Beam Distilling Co. is Celebrating a Big Milestone

Bourbon Lens

We’re kicking off National Bourbon Heritage Month with one of the legendary distilleries of Kentucky Bourbon. We’ve traveled to James B. Beam Distilling Co. to chat about the Homeplace, located in Clermont, Kentucky and their 90th year at that location. Alex Bowie, Director of Homeplace Experience at James B. Beam Distilling Co. sits down with Jake and Scott inside the Historic Beam House. We discuss how Beam has evolved its Homeplace over the last 90 years, the importance of adapting to the evolving bourbon tourist, and some of the innovations coming from this historic...

293: Heaven's Door Whiskey and The Last Refuge

Bourbon Lens

We travel to The Last Refuge in Louisville’s NuLu neighborhood to visit the future brand home of Heaven’s Door Whiskey. We are joined by Adam Edwards, National Brand Ambassador, to discuss the inspiration behind the brand, Bob Dylan’s art and music, and their portfolio of whiskeys. We are thankful for your support over the last 5 years. We must give the biggest shoutout to our growing Patreon Community of supporters! As always, we'd appreciate it if you would take a few minutes time to give us feedback on Bourbon Lens podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5...

292: The Journey and Alchemy of the Whiskey JYPSI Brand

Bourbon Lens

Bourbon Lens is joined by Raj Alva, Co-Founder of Outsiders Spirits, and Ari Sussman, renowed whiskey-maker, to discuss their project Whiskey JYPSI. We discuss the origin story of the brand, including co-founder Eric Church, how his music inspires the direction of the brand, and what’s in store for their future. We are thankful for your support over the last 5 years. We must give the biggest shoutout to our growing Patreon Community of supporters! As always, we'd appreciate it if you would take a few minutes time to give us feedback on Bourbon Lens podcast. If you enjoy our content,...

291: Exploring Tamdhu Whiskies from Ian MacLeod Distillers

Bourbon Lens

Jake takes a deep dive into Scotland in this week’s episode featuring Tamdhu Single Malt Whisky. He’s joined by Gordon Dallas, Brand Development & Advocacy Director for Tamdhu, for an informative and enlightening comparative tasting of a portion of the Tamdhu portfolio of sherry cask whiskies. We are thankful for your support over the last 5 years. We must give the biggest shoutout to our growing Patreon Community of supporters! As always, we'd appreciate it if you would take a few minutes time to give us feedback on Bourbon Lens podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider...

290: Exploring the Unique Releases of the World Whiskey Society

Bourbon Lens

Jake is joined by Chris Barton, Master Blender for World Whiskey Society, to talk about the unique whiskey offerings that comprise the collection of WWS releases. Jake tastes the single barrel release of Doc Holliday 7 Year and the latest Japanese Single Malt release crafted in collaboration with Chip Tate. The WWS also has a new series that pays tribute to We are thankful for your support over the last 5 years. We must give the biggest shoutout to our growing Patreon Community of supporters! As always, we'd appreciate it if you would take a few minutes time to give us feedback on...

289: Blue Note Bourbon is the New Fuel of the Pros of Pickleball

Bourbon Lens

The Bourbon Lens is joined by Logan Welk, President and Chief Operating Officer of B.R. Distilling Company. B.R. Distilling is known for their portfolio of Blue Note Bourbon and Rye Whiskeys. Logan has moved up the ranks at Blue Note and is well-versed in the ins-and-outs of the business of bourbon and brand-building. We also discuss whether Blue Note Bourbon and Rye will help improve your pickleball game, on the heels of their recent announcement of becoming the official bourbon of Major League Pickleball. Join us for this insightful and inside-look at growing a bourbon brand. We are...

288: Tasting Two of Wild Turkey's New Limited Release Whiskeys

Bourbon Lens

Jake and Scott sit down with two new, rare releases from Wild Turkey Distillery. The guys talk about their recent trip to Wild Turkey and taste and . A big thank you to the PR team for Wild Turkey and Russell's Reserve who helped maked this episode possible by providing generous samples of these two limited releases. We are thankful for your support over the last 5 years. We must give the biggest shoutout to our growing Patreon Community of supporters! As always, we'd appreciate it if you would take a few minutes time to give us feedback on Bourbon Lens podcast. If you enjoy our...

287: James B. Beam is Flexing its Muscles in the Whiskey World

Bourbon Lens

Jake and Scott share a few pours of whiskey in this week’s “Hosts-Only” podcast episode of Bourbon Lens. We discuss all things Beam and the powerhouse that is We kick off the discussion with , Beam’s latest rebranding of their 7 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Then we kick it up a notch in proof and flavor with the before wrapping up the discussion with . What is your favorite whiskey from The James B. Beam Distilling Co.? About Jim Beam: Jim Beam is the world’s best-selling bourbon, crafted by eight generations of family distillers since 1795. Fred Noe, Jim...

More Episodes

Our guest this week is Victoria Eady Butler, Master Blender for Uncle Nearest Premium Whiskey. Victoria had a rather unconventional path to the whiskey world, but her story is a great one and we were excited to have this opportunity. She’s honoring the legacy of her Great-Great-Grandfather in her role as the Master Blender of one of the top trending brands in American Whiskey. Uncle Nearest honors the world's first-known African American master distiller, Nearest Green. It was the first spirits brand in the world to be named after a Black American. Their portfolio is the Most Awarded Bourbon and American Whiskey of 2019, 2020 & 2021. We were excited to feature Uncle Nearest and Victoria in this week’s episode. We hope you enjoy!

Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you’re there.

We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show.

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Check out our BourbonLens.com to read our blog posts, whiskey news, podcast archive, and details on our upcoming single barrel picks.

Cheers,
Scott and Jake
Bourbon Lens

About Victoria Eady Butler:

Victoria Eady Butler is a relatively new face in the spirits world, but whiskey is in her blood. The Great-Great-Granddaughter of Nearest Green. African-American master distiller on record, Butler is the Master Blender of the award-winning Unce Nearest Premium Whiskey. Victoria oversees the blending process of Uncle Nearest whiskeys as well as the selection of all 1820 Single Barrels. Butler also serves as a member of Uncle Nearests executive team and oversees the Nearest Green Foundation, a 501(s)(3) non-profit organization that provides scholarships to Nearest Green's descendants that is funded, in part, by the sales of Uncle Nearest whiskey.

Butler blended the very first batch of 1884 Small Batch Whiskey, which launched in July 2019, and was appointed Master Blender in November 2019 after the immense success of the first two batches. Since then, Butler has taken many courses to hone her skills, including becoming an Executive Bourbon Steward through Stave & Thief Society in Louisville, KY, the first bourbon certification program recognized by the bourbon industry.

Prior to joining the Uncle Nearest team in March 2019, Butler worked as an Analytical Manager with the Regional Organized Crime Information Center in Nashville, which she joined upon graduating Middle Tennessee State University with a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice. Butler had just retired from a more than 30-year tenure when Fawn Weaver, Co-Founder and CEO of Uncle Nearest, approached her about becoming involved in the Uncle Nearest brand. The opportunity to carry on her family legacy first-hand and to help to concrete Nearest's name in history was one that she couldn't pass up.

Butler is a mother, grandmother and a Tennessee native, currently residing in Murfreesboro, TN located just 20 miles up the road from the current Nearest Green Distillery. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with friends and family and volunteering with several non-profit organizations. She's also a proud member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.

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