The Bourbon Lens

The Bourbon Lens is a discussion amongst friends over bourbon. During this project, we look to explore the bourbon industry, learn more about our favorite spirit, and even interview bourbon industry insiders, makers, entrepreneurs, and business people. The Bourbon Lens is about all of this and more. We welcome you on this journey and found that the best way to document it is in podcast form. The Bourbon Lens is made up of 3 friends; Jake, Michael, and Scott. We have different backgrounds, but we all have ties to Kentucky, the bourbon capital of the world. We have all grown to have an appreciation for Kentucky’s native spirit and enjoy our time together over bourbon. We welcome you to pop that cork from your whiskey bottle and join us. We are always looking for show topics, discussion starters, and new whiskies to try. Contact us on social media or send us an email to: TheBourbonLens@gmail.com with ideas, comments, or questions.

47: The Alchemist of Indiana 12/02/2019

46: The Golden Gunfighter 11/25/2019

45: Crafting The American Dream 11/18/2019

45: Crafting The American Dream What is it like to run a small business in the Kentucky Bourbon industry? We sat down with the Owner and leather craftsman behind the BourbonWare brand. BourbonWare is the brainchild and nearly lifelong passion of Micah Sierp. Micah has been involved in the leather crafting trade for over 20 years and is proud to follow in his father’s trade. BourbonWare’s flagship product, the Lexington Rocks Glass was developed by Micah in 2007; a 13.5oz Libbey rocks glass which is tightly wrapped with an English Bridle leather sleeve. According to the brand, "Anything Else is Just a Glass." BourbonWare's story started when Micah convinced Woodford Reserve to buy a dozen of these glasses with their original Labrot & Graham logo. Woodford Reserve has been a strong supporter and customer ever since. In 2011, Micah took this glass creation and started BourbonWare. Today, you’ll see a variety of BourbonWare’s products in distilleries across the Bluegrass and beyond. BourbonWare features vegetable tanned English bridle leather from Wickett & Craig tannery in Pennsylvania and Libbey glassware. The next time you are in a gift shop, ask for BourbonWare. Grab a glass for yourself or as a gift, you’ll recognize the fine leather craftsmanship immediately. If you are interested in ordering, head to BourbonWare.com. Micah has generously given our listeners a 15% discount on his website; just use the COUPON CODE: BW15. Also, check out BourbonWare on Instagram. We would appreciate you giving us a 5 star rating on your podcast app of choice and please leave us a written review. This helps others discover our podcast and will help us expand our reach. Also, be sure to follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at TheBourbonLens@Gmail.com. Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts and see what we are up to. /episode/index/show/bourbonlens/id/12072536

44: Infinity Bottle War 11/11/2019

44: Infinity Bottle War It may not be Avengers: Infinity Wars, but we had a battle this week. We found out how difficult it is to blend whiskey. Each of us tried our hands at blending our own whiskey (blend recipes listed below) and we lined them up in a blind tasting. Find out who wins this week's challenge and who might need some more practice. Also, during the episode you'll learn how you can get your hands on these same whiskey blends to taste for yourself. Be sure to follow us on Instagram for more details. What is an "Infinity Bottle"? How the Infinity Bottle Became a Whiskey Nerd Obsession How to experience the glories of the Whiskey Infinity Bottle Infinity Bottle Tips Every Whiskey Drinker Needs an Infinity Bottle 1) Jake's Bottle Contents: Blantons Uncle Nearest Peerless Single Barrel Rye Buffalo Trace store pick Weller Special Reserve Weller CYPB Weller 12 Kentucky Owl Rye batch 2 Four Roses Small Batch Four Roses Small Batch Select EH Taylor Small Batch Paniolo Woodford Double Oaked store pick St Augustine Double Barrel Jim Beam Legent Angel's Envy Oloroso Sherry Cask High West - Double Rye High West - American Prairie High West - Campfire High West - Bourye High West - Yippie Ki Yay 2) Michael's Bottle Contents: Sazerac Rye Henry McKenna BIB Weller Antique107 Blantons Elijah Craig BP - Batch B Stagg Jr Wilderness Trail Rye Old Forester 1910 Peerless Rye single barrel EH Taylor Small Batch Knob Creek Single Barrel Eagle Rare Wild Turkey Rare Breed Willett Rye Pikesville Rye Makers Mark Cask Strength Evan Williams BIB Four Roses Small Batch Select 3) Scott's Bottle Contents: JTS Brown BIB Wild Turkey Rare Breed Russel's Reserve 10 Year Henry McKenna BIB Stagg Jr. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof A119 Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Early Times BIB 1792 BIB Single Barrel Store Pick Buffalo Trace Wilderness Trail Single Barrel Bourbon Rabbit Hole Heigold Virgin Bourbon 101 Proof - NAS Heaven Hill BIB - 6 Year Old We would appreciate you giving us a 5 star rating on your podcast app of choice and please leave us a written review. This helps others discover our podcast and will help us expand our reach. Also, be sure to follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at TheBourbonLens@Gmail.com. Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts and see what we are up to. /episode/index/show/bourbonlens/id/11984324

43: Drink Bourbon For A Change 11/04/2019

42: Bardstown Bourbon Co.'s Dan Callaway 10/28/2019

42: Bardstown Bourbon Co.'s Dan Callaway There is no "smoke and mirrors" when it comes to Bardstown Bourbon Company. This episode features an interview with Dan Callaway from Bardstown Bourbon Company. Dan is the Assistant Vice President of Customer Relations for Bardstown Bourbon and handles the customer facing side of the business as well as product development. We enjoyed several excellent whiskies from Bardstown Bourbon Company as we learned about their take on the future of the bourbon industry and how they intend to be a part of it in a big way. Dan shared the Discovery Series with us as well as some exciting new, fall releases from Bardstown, part of their Collaborative Series. Be sure to check out Dan on Instagram for some behind the scenes at Bardstown Bourbon Company (BBCo Official Instagram). Links: Bardstown Bourbon Company Website Whiskey We Enjoyed During this Episode Bardstown Bourbon Company Drops 3 New Collaborative Whiskeys Copper & Kings American Brandy Company Bardstown restaurant credits foreign exchange program for its recent success About Bardstown Bourbon Company: We operate one of the most sophisticated distilleries in the country, with a focus on transparency — all open spaces and clear glass — putting the science and craft of whiskey-making front and center for all to see. Our Collaborative Distilling Program brings together some of the most experienced distillers in the industry under one roof. This completely unique and inclusive process allows our customers to create alongside us and drives education, innovation, and experimentation. We produce nearly 40 unique mash bills for some of the finest whiskey and bourbon brands, including Jefferson’s, High West, Belle Meade, Hirsch, Calumet, James E. Pepper, Cyrus Noble, and many others. Thank You! We would appreciate you giving us a 5 star rating on your podcast app of choice and please leave us a written review. This helps others discover our podcast and will help us expand our reach. Also, be sure to follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at TheBourbonLens@Gmail.com. Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts and see what we are up to. /episode/index/show/bourbonlens/id/11799440

41: Single Barrel Bourbon Flight 10/21/2019

40: Urban Bourbon 10/14/2019

39: Four Roses Behind the Scenes 10/07/2019

38: Is Whiskey The Consensus? 09/30/2019

37: Travel Down The Bourbon Road 09/23/2019

36: Which Flagship Bourbon Is King? 09/16/2019

35: Inside the Speakeasy at Kentucky Peerless 09/09/2019

34: Ten Year Old Bourbon Battle 09/03/2019

33: Bourbon Straight from the Barrel 08/26/2019

32: Heading West for Whiskey 08/19/2019

31: Discover Bardstown Bourbon Company 08/12/2019

31: Discover Bardstown Bourbon Company The Bardstown Bourbon Company is looking to mix things up in the Bourbon and American Whiskey industry. It's taking on the big names like MGP (Midwest Grain Products) and becoming the new source of high quality spirits for non-distilling producers. The Bardstown Bourbon Co. is also producing its own products and is mixing in some into older bourbons to produce blends that drink like much older bourbons. We sample two bourbons being produced by Bardstown Bourbon Company, The Fusion Series and The Discovery Series. Hear our thoughts on each in the week's episode. SHOW NOTES AND LINKS: Blending whiskey and bourbon. Older aged products mixed with newer stock. Who does it? Smooth Ambler Contradiction High West Double Rye Spirits of French Lick -The Wheater Whistle Pig Farmstock Graton Distilling - Redwood Empire MGP Ingredients Stock Plunged as Aged-Whiskey Sales Dashed Spirits Mark Gillespie (@WhiskyCast) says: The key takeaway from that story was buried...when Gus Griffin told analysts that buyers were having trouble raising capital to buy large stocks of MGP's aged whiskey. Is that a short-term issue, or are investors starting to shy away from building new Bourbon brands? Craft Whiskey: Sourcing to Distilling Transition Smooth Ambler Contradiction At Smooth Ambler, after we began merchant bottling the whiskey we call Old Scout, it occurred to us that at some point it may be fun and interesting to blend a little of the delicious bourbon we source with the smooth and sweet wheated bourbon we distill here in West Virginia. With that notion in mind, Contradiction was born; a blend of whiskey we make with whiskey we do not. NDP, CDP, and Distillers -Rabbit Hole Blog MGP By Mashbill More MGP Whiskeys We would appreciate you giving us a 5 star rating on your podcast app of choice and please leave us a written review. This helps others discover our podcast and will help us grow. Also, be sure to follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at TheBourbonLens@Gmail.com. Visit our website BourbonLens.com to check out our blog posts and see what we are up to. /episode/index/show/bourbonlens/id/10857494