The Whiskey Lore® Podcast

Welcome to the conclusion of Chapter 3 of The Lost History of Bourbon. Today, we will conclude our investigation into Rep. Virgin Chapman's claim that Jacob Spears of Bourbon County built the first distillery west of the Alleghenies and made the first straight Bourbon whiskey.

We're on the edge of the Whiskey Revolution and a developing of markets for Bourbon whiskey. And we're still in the 18th century. H...

Welcome to another packed episode of whiskey knowledge from the origins of Bourbon. The frontier is being settled, the word Bourbon reaches Kentucke Country, and now it's time to dig deeper into early distilling. In the first part of Chapter 3, we'll dig into the story of one of the candidates for first distiller. If you know me, you know how I feel about claiming firsts, so expect a skeptical take. Then, we'll head toward finding ...

GUEST: Jeremy Buchanan (Owner & Distiller, Hartfield & Co.)

What does it mean to make Bourbon in Bourbon County? For Jeremy Buchanan, it means more than putting whiskey in a bottle, it means reconnecting with a forgotten distilling tradition that helped give Bourbon its name. In this episode, Drew Hannush sits down with the owner of Hartfield & Co. Distillery to explore the county's lost whiskey legacy, the phi...

GUESTS: John Kelly (CEO) & Graeme Millar (Master Distiller), Belfast Distillery Company

Belfast was once one of the world's great whiskey capitals, but for decades its distilling heritage lay dormant. In this episode, Drew Hannush reunites with Belfast Distillery Company CEO John Kelly and Master Distiller Graeme Millar to explore the rebirth of McConnell's Irish Whiskey, the remarkable transfo...

GUEST: Jason Fruits (Old 55 Distillery CEO & Co-Founder)

Some distillers inherit tradition. Others build their own path from the ground up. In this episode, Drew Hannush sits down with Old 55 Distillery co-founder and distiller Jason Fruits to explore how a family grain business became one of America's most distinctive estate distilleries. From growing the grain to questioning nearly every acce...

It's time to get past the marketing and historical redirects and get down to the business of discovering the true origins Bourbon. It's a story you might think you know. But do you really? 

It's time to toss out 90% of the myths and lore and starting fresh, looking for the people who made America notice this thing we call Bourbon.

And like the story of Tennessee whiskey, this reveal of the story will be part of a book.

That bo...

GUEST: Nora Ganley-Roper & Adam Polonski (Lost Lantern Founders)

Independent bottlers have long helped whiskey lovers discover hidden gems in Scotland, but the concept is only beginning to take hold in America. In this episode, Drew Hannush sits down with Lost Lantern founders Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski to explore how they're introducing craft distilleries from across the country to ne...

GUEST: John Pawluk (Twisted Cow Distillery Founder and Distiller)

Some distillers master tradition. Others ask why the tradition exists in the first place. In this episode, Drew Hannush sits down with Twisted Cow founder and distiller John Pawluk, whose gift of curiosity has led him to challenge long-held assumptions about fermentation, copper, grain, barrel aging, and flavor development. There is plenty of discussion around one of...

Long before Bourbon became synonymous with Bardstown and Frankfort, Lawrenceburg was home to a network of distillers whose names helped shape the industry itself. Families like the Ripys, Hawkins, Bonds, McBrayers, and Dowlings built businesses, mentored one another, and left a legacy that still echoes across Kentucky whiskey today. In this episode, Drew Hannush talks with filmmaker Bo Cumberland and Stone ...

Drew Hannush heads to Florida's Treasure Coast for a virtual visit to Indian River Distillery in Vero Beach. Founded by Ray Hooker and his family, the distillery combines Florida history with a passion for rum, bourbon, gin, and American single malt. Along the way, Ray shares stories of pirates, the infamous Ashley Gang, and the unique challenges of making whiskey in a subtropical climate.

In This Episo...

When you talk about a roller-coaster history, Four Roses is the poster child brand. In today's episode, we'll relive the glory years of Four Roses in the post-World War II era, when Madison Avenue carved out a Four Roses lifestyle. Then, I'll dig into how Seagram's took the brand from straight Bourbon blend to "Premium Light Whiskey." Then, I'll be joined by Four Roses legendary Brand Ambassador Al Young, ...

Southern Georgia isn't the first place most whiskey travelers think of, which makes 13th Colony Distillery one of those discoveries that feels like you've stumbled onto something special. In this episode, Drew Hannush heads to Americus, Georgia, to visit one of the state's oldest operating whiskey distilleries and sit down with president Maxwell Darby. Along the way, they explore how a hobby project turned ...

When it comes to the stories of whiskey brands, the tale is often told of passionate distillers, willing markets, and a quick and easy rise built off of a quality product and reputation. But foundation stories are rarely that simple.

In the case of Four Roses, an American brand with some mythic qualities, a deeper investigation shows a brand that wasn't entirely embraced by the family that originated it. At times it was the odd man...

For decades, the name Clyde May has been synonymous with Alabama whiskey, even though the brand hasn't had an Alabama home. In this episode, Drew Hannush travels to Troy, Alabama, to visit Conecuh Ridge Distillery and sit down with Clyde May's grandson, L.C. May. Together, they explore the story of a World War II veteran turned moonshiner, the family's decades-long journey to bring the brand back home, and ...

In 1864, a family of Virginians found themselves in war torn Atlanta with a decision to make - head home or plant roots. This was the birth of what would become known as Paul Jones & Company.

Over the years, there have been several stories floating around about how the flagship whiskey they later established in Louisville got its name. Was it because of a dance and proposal to a Southern Belle? Was it lifted from an Atlanta com...