443. The Great Divide: Bourbon, Barrel Picks, and Beyond

Hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter, connecting remotely from
Colorado and Kentucky respectively, discuss recent happenings
in the bourbon world and taste a couple of whiskies.


Jim is in Colorado Springs for a Derby party, having flown out
of Louisville on Derby Day. He mentions winning an exacta on
the Derby race. He is sipping on Woodford Reserve Distiller's
Select 90.4 proof, the annual Derby bottle, describing it as a
traditional Woodford. He notes that at the Derby party, they
were making mint juleps with Evan Williams Bottled-in-Bond, and
while not his favorite drink, he partook. He even helped make
the simple syrup.


Todd is drinking Penelope Architect, the third in their series.
It's a straight bourbon whiskey sourced from MGP, finished in
French oak staves, bottled at 104 proof, and retails around
$65. Todd finds it nice, noting the MGP cherry character and a
"funky oak" from the French staves.


They discuss Lost Lantern's new monthly subscription service,
which recently launched after they had previously speculated
about something similar. The service costs $90 a month plus
shipping for a different bottle each month, special sign-up
bottles, behind-the-scenes stories, exclusive events, virtual
tastings, and early access to new releases.


News from Buffalo Trace includes an announcement that they are
adding an EH Taylor bottled-in-bond to the Buffalo Trace
Antique Collection (BTAC). They speculate it will be a
well-aged version and note that some EH Taylor bottles already
fetch prices similar to BTAC on the secondary market. They
express hope that these will be findable, perhaps requiring
waiting in line as in past years.


Other news includes the release of the new Wild Turkey 8-year
101, which is starting to hit shelves at an MSRP of $49. They
note that 8 years is the minimum age, and it could contain
older stock. They are looking forward to reviewing it and
comparing it to the 70th-anniversary release.


Whiskey Thief has released their 2025 Mayday Rye, a 7-year-old,
146 proof (hazmat) rye. It's available at their distillery in
Frankfort and their new tasting room in Louisville, and they
are now shipping to some states. The hosts praise Whiskey
Thief's ryes.


Jim mentions an upcoming interview and tour at Law's Whiskey
House in Denver during his Colorado trip. He notes Law's has
established itself as a pioneer in Colorado whiskey,
particularly with their bottled-in-bond and American single
malts.


Jim's second pour is the 291 Colorado Rye Whiskey finished in
Aspen wood staves and maple syrup barrels, the "M" release, at
122 proof. He finds it has a great maple sweetness and notes
that 291 whiskies are generally easy to identify due to their
unique profile. He mentions his son recently volunteered
bottling and labeling at 291, noting things are going well for
the distillery.


Todd's second pour is Pikesville Straight Rye from Heaven Hill,
110 proof and 6 years old, retailing around $50. He considers
it a classic and a great value rye. He recalls being introduced
to it during an interview with Bernie Lubbers at the Evan
Williams Experience. They briefly discuss the Heaven Hill rye
mashbill used for Rittenhouse and Elijah Craig Ryes, noting
different proofs and ages.


They talk about recent trends, including the rise of
ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails, which are exploding in
popularity, especially with younger consumers. They mention
that the largest distillery in the US is now producing White
Claw. While neither host is personally a big fan of seltzers or
most RTDs, they acknowledge the market demand and hope bourbon
is well-represented in this category. They also discuss the
growing trend of THC-infused beverages, noting that
hemp-derived THC under 0.3% by weight is federally legal. They
express confusion about the health claims and draw parallels to
the initial marketing of vaping as a safe alternative to
cigarettes.


They mention a recent barrel pick they did at James E. Pepper
Distillery in Lexington for Bourbon on the Banks. They tasted
three barrels and selected a bourbon, choosing one they felt
would appeal more broadly, although they personally favored
another with a great nose (vanilla icing, cake batter). They
highlight the historical tour at James E. Pepper, discussing
the distillery's long history and the role of James E. Pepper's
wife. They note they also tried an excellent rye there aged 7-8
years.


They discuss the recent move of RD1 Spirits to a new location
and Macaulay Minton's Dark Arts moving into the old RD1 space,
noting Macaulay's unique tastes and the interesting decor. They
mention Sarah Algrim joining Macaulay.


Beau Cumberland's Frankfurt Bourbon documentary is highlighted,
with an upcoming screening on Friday, June 13th at The Foundry
in Frankfurt, kicking off Bourbon Week. The screening is
donation-based, with proceeds going to Frankfurt flood victims.
Todd is the narrator for the documentary and receives praise
from Jim for his narration skills. They hope to make the
documentary more widely available in the future. Jim mentions
researching a historical Shannon distillery in Shelbyville from
the early 1800s. They recommend Beau Cumberland's YouTube page
for short interviews and mini-docs on American spirits.


Jim concludes by noting the pleasant "chest hug" from the 291
rye and acknowledging the late hour for Todd. Todd mentions a
busy day with his son's soccer game. They wrap up the episode,
encouraging listeners to find The Bourbon Road on social media
and subscribe to the podcast.



Bourbon on the Banks 2025


Smokeys Lifestyle Cigars


The Hill House Bed and Breakfast 


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