The Bourbon Road

Happy New Year from The Bourbon Road! Jim and Todd ring in the New Year at the Bourbon Road bar with one final sample show to close out 2025. With the "Whiskey of the Year" episode just around the corner, the hosts are clearing the decks and diving into four distinct and intriguing pours that range from experimental finishes to classic Kentucky profiles. It's a diverse lineup that takes their palates on a j...

Jim and Todd return to the Bourbon Road bar for a sequel to their recent Jim Beam tasting, dubbing this episode "The Wrath of Todd" With the holiday season in full swing, the hosts settle in for a sample show dedicated to exploring the impact of warehouse location—or "terroir"—on whiskey. While there are no live guests in the studio, the episode features a special drop-in from friend of the show 

Jim and Todd welcome Pete Barger, co-founder of Southern Distilling Company, to the show for a deep dive into the history and revival of Statesville, North Carolina—once known as the "Liquor Capital of the World". As one of the nation's largest privately owned distilleries, Southern Distilling balances a massive contract distilling operation with their own award-winning Southern Star brand, all while champi...

The "Maltmigos" ride again! Jim and Todd welcome back recurring guests and fellow whiskey lovers, Amsey and Rob, for a long-awaited reunion show. Dubbed "The Revenge of the Maltmigos," this episode strays from the bourbon path to explore a diverse lineup of Irish whiskeys and Scotch whiskies, including a rare and experimental rye from a legendary Islay distillery.

The tasting begins...

"Beam me up, Toddy!" Jim and Todd embark on a voyage to the final frontier of flavor with an epic tasting of four highly anticipated limited releases from the James B. Beam Distilling Co. In a show packed with Star Trek puns and serious spirits, the hosts explore how Eighth Generation Master Distiller Freddie Noe is pushing the boundaries of the family legacy.

The mission begins w...

Jim and Todd return to the "Corner Rick House" for a massive tasting session, cracking open the "Sample Safe" to explore Lost Lantern's Fall 2025 Collection. Dubbed "The Scotch Lovers' Collection," this ambitious release focuses entirely on American Single Malt, showcasing the incredible diversity and maturity of the category across seven distinct expressions. From the maritime influence of Nantucket to th...

Jim Shannon is back in the saddle at the Corner Rick House! After a week of travel, he rejoins Todd Ritter to recap Todd's recent solo history lesson and, more importantly, to dive into a "Winner Winner Chicken Dinner" review show featuring four distinct and intriguing whiskeys. From new brands with legendary backing to rare single-barrel finds, the hosts put their palates to the test in a battle for the t...

Jim and Todd sit down for their annual "Bourbon on the Banks" wrap-up show, joined by two key figures behind the successful event, Diane Strong and Renee True. As longtime listeners and friends of the show, Diane and Renee dive deep into a "postmortem" of the 2025 festival, discussing its record-breaking successes, logistical challenges, and plans for the future, all while tasting a couple of the event's exclusive barrel picks.

The...

Host Todd Ritter flies solo in this special episode, taking listeners on a journey through the latest bourbon news and a deep dive into whiskey history. With Jim out of town, Todd kicks off the first half by tackling a massive slate of industry updates before sampling a unique experimental whiskey. He covers the Lost Lantern "Scotch Lover's" Fall 2025 collection, the nationwide expansion of Wyoming Whiskey's "Buffalo Bill Cody," Ji...

Join Jim and Todd in the "ghastly" Bourbon Road bar for a special Halloween episode filled with tricks, treats, and plenty of spirits! Instead of candy, their trick-or-treat bag is filled with five unique whiskey expressions shared by friends and sourced from local stops. It's a spooky season showdown as they taste through a diverse and high-proof lineup.

First, they unlock Widow Jane The Vaults 2025. This year's release is dubbed ...

Jim and Todd welcome Joe Beatrice, Founder, and Tripp Stimson, Chief Whiskey Scientist, from the highly acclaimed Barrel Craft Spirits to the studio. While their award-winning whiskeys have graced the show before, this episode offers listeners a chance to hear directly from the minds behind the brand. Joe and Tripp share the origin story of Barrel Craft Spirits, their unique philosophy as non-distilling producers (NDPs), and their ...

Jim and Todd take the show on the road to the beautiful Elkwood Farm in Midway, Kentucky, home of Bluegrass Distillers. They sit down with friend of the show Sam Rock for his third appearance to discuss the distillery's incredible evolution and taste through a stellar lineup of their unique whiskeys. Sam shares the story of their new home, a historic farm they purchased in 2020 and transformed into a premier grain-to-glass distille...

In a very special episode, host Todd Ritter travels back in time to sit down with a true titan of the bourbon industry: the ghost of Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. himself. Taking a brief leave from his permanent residence in the Frankfort Cemetery, the Colonel joins the show to tell his incredible life story in his own words. He recounts his early life, from being orphaned as a child and sent to live with a prominent guardian in New Orl...

Jim and Todd are back together in the Bourbon Road bar for a tasting flight of five unique whiskeys, along with a roundup of the latest bourbon industry news. They kick off the night with the Brothers Bond Regenerative Grain Bourbon. This 92-proof, four-year-old expression is a four-grain blend of wheated and high-rye bourbons from 70 barrels hand-selected by founders Ian Somerhalder and Paul Wesley. The hosts find a pleasant nose ...

Jim is back from his worldly travels, and he's not just returning to work—he's returning to bourbon after a two-week hiatus filled with Belgian beers and French wine. He recounts his trip through Amsterdam, Brussels, Germany, and Paris with original Bourbon Road co-host Randy, from backpacking and train travel to attending the World Belgian Beer Festival. He's joined by Todd and longtime friend of the show, Amsey Winning, for a ful...

This week, host Todd Ritter flies solo while Jim Shannon is on vacation in Europe. He's joined by special guests Dude Pool and JD Fritches, two of the hosts from the popular Bourbon Hunters podcast. The guys kick things off by tasting their very first legacy distillery barrel pick as a podcast, a fantastic Old Forester 100-proof single barrel selected from Warehouse I, floor two. The second pour of the episode is a special single b...

Join hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter at the Corner Rick House for a powerhouse sample review show on The Bourbon Road. The guys are finally catching up on their sample backlog and are tasting four tremendous, high-profile whiskeys that listeners will not want to miss. From a coveted annual release to a unique cigar blend and a Mizunara-finished masterpiece, this episode is packed with incredible pours and the latest news from aro...

Join hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter on another episode of The Bourbon Road podcast, recorded live from the Corner Rick House in Frankfort, Kentucky. They are joined by a special returning guest and friend of the show, Diane Strong, for an exclusive preview of the highly anticipated 2025 Bourbon on the Banks Festival.

Diane gives listeners the ultimate insider's guide to the festival, taking place on Saturday, October 4, 2025. Sh...

In this episode of The Bourbon Road, hosts Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter hit the road and set up their mics at the beautiful RD1 Distillery in Lexington, Kentucky. It's a return visit for RD1—last featured in Episode 340—but this time, things have evolved. The distillery has expanded its footprint, sharpened its brand, and doubled down on innovation in wood finishing. Joining the conversation are Ba...