The Bourbon Life

On this episode of The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief sits down with Clinton Dugan, co-founder and master blender of Short Barrel Bourbon out of Atlanta. Clinton dives into his approach to blending, barrel selection, and what it really takes to build a whiskey brand that stands out without chasing trends. This is a conversation rooted in patience, experience, and letting the whiskey speak louder than the lab...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, Matt and Mark spend some time in The Bourbon Life Studios hanging out with one of their favorite people in the Bourbon industry, the wonderful Ashley Barnes, Co-Founder & Master Blender, from The Blending House. Ashley was previously a guest on Episodes 144 and 249.

On this episode of The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief heads into the North Georgia mountains to sit down with distiller Randy Stamey at SharpTop Distilling Company in Jasper. The conversation explores SharpTop's Appalachian roots, hands-on approach to distilling, and the careful balance between honoring traditional mountain spirits and building a modern Georgia whiskey program grounded in patience and purpos...

On this week's episode of The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief pulls up a chair with his brother Little Feather for a no-nonsense, end-of-year sit-down rooted in family, flavor, and hard-earned opinions. With a year of miles behind them and a table full of whiskey in front of them, the brothers look back on Big Chief's 2025 Whiskey Trail while taking on the challenge of naming Whiskey of the Year and Distiller...

On this special holiday episode of The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief sits down with Doc Brown Farm and Distillery founders Amy Brown and Paige Dockweiler for a conversation rooted in family, farming, and true grain to glass distilling. More than distillers, Amy and Paige are stewards of the land, driven by a shared determination to keep small scale farming a...

In this Episode of The Bourbon Life Podcast, the entire Bourbon Life Crew gets together for their Christmas Spectacular and The 15 Blinds of Christmas. 

The Crew discusses the current state of the Bourb...

On this week's episode of The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief sits down with old friend and master distiller Lee Kennedy of Leiper's Fork Distillery for a conversation rooted in tradition, craftsmanship, and the future of American whiskey.

The episode opens with Big Chief sipping on Revenuers Reserve, a standout release from Leiper's Fork Distillery. This small batch blen...

Featuring Distillers Laurie & Bernard Quandt

On this week's episode of The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief heads into the rugged granite country of Llano, Texas, to spend the day with distillers Laurie and Bernard Quandt of War Trail Spirits. Their passion for the Hill Country, their hands-on approach, and their embrace of modern distilling tools make this stop one of the...

On this week's episode of The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief takes listeners on a ride to the heart of Muhlenberg County, Kentucky, where music, history, and whiskey all share the same soul. He sits down with Thom and Kim Bard, the founders of The Bard Distillery, inside their beautifully restored 1920s schoolhouse to talk about heritage, community pride, and the craftsmanship behind their exceptional lineup...

On this week's episode of The Whiskey Trip Podcast, Big Chief takes listeners on a ride to North Conway, New Hampshire, to visit Cathedral Ledge Distillery and sit down with owner and head distiller Christopher Burk. Set against the backdrop of the White Mountains, Cathedral Ledge is known for its certified-organic spirits, its respect for the land, and the clean, hands-on approach Christopher and his...

This week on The Whiskey Trip, Big Chief steps into one of the most impressive private whiskey sanctuaries in Texas, Kevin Hemingway's Hemingway House of Bourbon. Built on passion, hospitality, and a deep love for the spirit, Kevin's space is a living museum of rare bottles, Texas standouts, and stories collected over years of sharing pours with friends. Surrounded by this curated treasure trove, Big ...

This week, Big Chief heads into the rough-and-rowdy heart of Fort Worth, Texas, where legends were born and outlaws once ruled the night. Deep in the infamous Hell's Half Acre, he finds himself at Acre Distilling, a distillery that honors the city's wild past and bold spirit.

Big Chief sits down with Tony Formby, one of the driving forces behind Acre, to hear how ...

This week, Big Chief sits down with Mike Sherman, one of the owners of Vendome Copper & Brass Works, the legendary Louisville-based company that has been crafting copper stills and distillation systems since 1903. For more than a century, Vendome has been the backbone of American whiskey, shaping the character and flavor of spirits made by the country's most celebrated distilleries.

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