Send us Fan Mail

We crack open a J Rieger Co private stock single barrel bourbon and chase the story behind how it was picked, bottled, and shared. Along the way, we pull on threads from Kansas City whiskey rules to sweet mash fermentation, then land on whether the regular shelf bottle is an easy buy.

• what a private select single barrel program looks like at the distillery
• filling your own bottle on tour and signing the barrel guest book
• the Rieger hospitality center and the adult sized slide
• J Rieger Co origins in 1887 and the mail order whiskey era
• the “Oh So Good” tagline and why labels carry history
• Kansas City whiskey as a category and why sherry addition matters
• gin basics and the difference between London dry and modern American styles
• tasting notes on a six year, ~129 proof bourbon that drinks softer than expected
• mash bill talk and why 30% rye does not always read as spicy
• sweet mash vs sour mash explained with a sourdough starter analogy
• why we want people in Ohio to buy the $40 bottle so the lineup expands
• how the club helps us learn the difference between good whiskey and great whiskey

If you want more great content and other perks, be sure to support the show by clicking the link in the show notes.
We can be reached on our website, whiskey tasterspa.com, with any ideas for the show.

Support the show

Website:www.whiskeychaserspod.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcast
Insta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/
TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcast
Thanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan Mail

We pour Elijah Craig’s first Barrel Proof Rye and get stuck on one detail that changes everything: 12 years old, “uncut,” and somehow only 108 proof. We chase the science, argue about hype versus reality, and land on why this bottle feels like an outlier even if it is technically what the label says.

• why Elijah Craig rye has a reputation as a “barely rye” pour
• what makes A925 unusual as a 12-year “barrel proof” rye at 108 proof
• how entry proof, warehouse placement, humidity, and time can proof down a barrel
• tasting notes including thin body, limited rye character, and almost no finish
• Stonehenge tobacco pairing and why it still does not rescue the pour
• whether the release is a money grab or a warehouse space clearing move
• how pricing and “barrel proof” labeling change expectations
• who might actually enjoy this as a bridge rye for bourbon drinkers
• what we think the label should have said to make the bottle make sense
• where we draw the line between business realities and a real lack of passion

If you want more great content and other perks, be sure to support the show by clicking the link in the show notes.
We can be reached on our website, whiskey tasterspama.com, with any ideas for the show.

Support the show

Website:www.whiskeychaserspod.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcast
Insta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/
TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcast
Thanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan Mail

We pour Cedar Ridge Double Barrel Rye Batch 2 and get honest about what we love, what feels thin, and why a short finish can hold a bottle back even when the flavor is good. We also crack an aged bag of pipe tobacco and end up in a surprisingly deep debate about what “finished” should mean in American whiskey.
• the origin of the “Quintessential” name and why smart naming works
• American single malt whiskey trends, pricing, and why big launches cooled off
• opening an older vacuum-sealed tobacco bag and what aging does to moisture and aroma
• Cedar Ridge double barreled rye basics, mash bill talk, and tasting notes on spice and stone fruit
• the difference between double barreled and finished whiskey, and why definitions get messy
• why new American oak dominates bourbon, plus thoughts on maplewood and other woods
• value at $55, whether we would replace the bottle, and why limited craft releases create urgency

If you want more great content and other perks, be sure to support the show by clicking the link in the show notes.
We can be reached on our website, whiskey tasterspa.com, with any ideas for the show.

Support the show

Website:www.whiskeychaserspod.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcast
Insta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/
TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcast
Thanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan Mail

We finally get Steve back behind the mic, then crack open Watershed Rye Batch Three, and it immediately resets our idea of what Ohio rye can be. Between a 143.1 proof gut-punch of flavor and a long-awaited tin of Esoterica Plum Cake, we end up talking about scarcity, lotteries, and why some bottles demand patience.

• Steve’s return after tax season and what we’re pouring
• Watershed Rye Batch Three first impressions and why it tastes “vastly different.”
• The shock of 143.1 proof and how the intensity shows up as flavor
• Comparing Ohio rye to Pennsylvania-style profiles and defining “Ohio rye bite.”
• Watershed’s sale to Marussia, the restaurant closing, and what Greg's leaving could mean
• Lottery releases vs distillery lines and what feels fair to fans
• Esoterica Plum Cake tin note, moisture issues, and why time improves the smoke
• Batch-to-batch comparisons, packaging quirks, and why both bottles feel worth the price

If you want more great content and other perks, be sure to support the show by clicking the link in the show notes.
We can be reached on our website, whiskeychaserspod.com, with any ideas for the show.

Support the show

Website:www.whiskeychaserspod.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcast
Insta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/
TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcast
Thanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan Mail

We sit down with Mike Trott and Harold Underdown from Four Branches Bourbon to unpack how a loss in the field turned into a whiskey built for remembrance and real connection. We also get candid about quality, pricing, veteran mental health, and why their motto “sip to remember” is a line in the sand.
• the origin story behind Four Branches and the friends they honour
• why bourbon is a reflective spirit that triggers memory through the senses
• partnering with Bardstown Bourbon Company while staying hands-on in blending
• the four grain mash bill choice and how wheat changes softness and complexity
• the chem room story with Steve Nally and the sample that disappeared
• why 96 proof matters and the quiet symbolism baked into the bottle
• building a brand in a crowded whiskey market without cutting corners
• limited time offerings like Black Ops and plans for future releases
• giving back through multiple veteran nonprofits and a 4% revenue commitment
• “sip to remember” as a response to drinking to forget and veteran suicide
• Tame The Kraken and the “never quit” message for mental health resilience
take a minute to watch the film. It’s called Tame the Kraken. If you go to fourbranches.com on our site you can navigate and find it

Support the show

Website:www.whiskeychaserspod.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcast
Insta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/
TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcast
Thanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan Mail

We crack a Hugh Hamer cherry brandy barrel finished bourbon and end up with a shockingly sweet, creamy, cherry-forward pour that drinks lighter than its proof. The real surprise is how perfectly it pairs with Plum Pudding pipe tobacco and turns the whole night into a “Nirvana smoke” kind of memory.

• Debating how to pronounce Hugh Hamer and why the name matters
• First impressions on nose and palate, from vanilla cream to cherry soda vibes
• Smoking Seattle Pipe Club Plum Pudding and talking Balkan vs English characteristics
• West Fork Whiskey background, Indiana identity and the Old Hammer vs Hugh Hamer lines
• Mash bill talk and why 99% corn amplifies the finishing influence
• Why this feels like a summertime dessert whiskey and how chilling changes it
• The “Nirvana smoke” concept, nostalgia, and why perfect pairings are hard to repeat
• Single barrel store pick scarcity, pricing, and whether we would buy it blind
• Cherry brandy definitions, what barrels might actually be, and the muscadine brandy dream
• White labeling vs sourcing with purpose, plus why transparency drives value
• Bottle hunting vs drinking, and why trying odd or even bad whiskey teaches your palate

If you want more great content and other perks, be sure to support the show by clicking the link in the show notes.
We can be reached on our website, whiskeychaserspomma.com, with any ideas for the show.

Support the show

Website:www.whiskeychaserspod.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcast
Insta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/
TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcast
Thanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan Mail

• Interesting things about the distillery:
  • First NEW distillery to open in Indiana after 2 years of fighting to change the laws.
  • Bear Wallow has a history dating back to the prohibition
    • Bootleggers used to hide from the law in Bear Wallow because of how many bears were present at that time, and people did not want to normally take the risk with the bears
  • Out of Brown County
  • All grains are from local Indiana Farmers
  • distill the alcohol a second time in their custom-made (in Louisville, KY) old-fashioned Scottish Gooseneck Copper Pot Still
    • Function: Used primarily for batch distillation, especially for malt whiskey.
    • Small-Batch Model: Modern, smaller versions (e.g., 3-inch) are used for home distilling, typically with a shotgun condenser for cooling.
    • Performance: These stills often produce spirits at lower, flavor-packed proofs, though multiple distillations can raise the proof
  • Family-owned and run
    • Sons are involved, and her husband is also involved
• Our Bottle:
  • Liars Bench Rye (store pick)
    • Gays
    • Also, from a couple of years ago
      • The risk of barrel picks
  • 100 proof - 55% rye, 35% corn, 10% malted barley

Support the show

Website:www.whiskeychaserspod.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcast
Insta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/
TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcast
Thanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan Mail

• Interesting things about the distillery:
  • This is an MGP product, but not their normal mashbill or mashbills
  • Key MGP Mashbills:
• Rye Whiskey: 95% Rye, 5% Malted Barley.
• High Rye Bourbon: 60% Corn, 36% Rye, 4% Malted Barley.
• Low Rye Bourbon: 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley.
• Wheated Bourbon: 51% Corn, 45% Wheat, 4% Malted Barley.
• Light Whiskey: 99% Corn, 1% Malted Barley
• This was bottled by a small winery in Elizabeth, Indiana, for a distribution company
  • The winery does not even list this bottle on its website
  • I believe this is a white-labeling beverage company
    • All their liquor is made in Lawrenceburg, IN
  • Can’t seem to figure out this brand. They are based in Indiana but also have a large following in New Zealand for this bottle and their copper still brand.
• Our Bottle:
  • 51% corn 45% wheat 4% barley
  • Aged 3 years
  • All Doc Whiskey bottles are single-barrel
    • Uncut and unfiltered

Support the show

Website:www.whiskeychaserspod.com
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcast
Insta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/
TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcast
Thanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!