Why I REFUSE to Attend Bourbon & Beyond 2026

My Conversation with Bill McBrayer, McBrayer Legacy Spirits

This week on Blind Tasting Podcast, I sit down with Bill McBrayer of McBrayer Legacy Spirits to talk bourbon history, his 175 year old family legacy, and how one forgotten Kentucky whiskey name helped shape the bourbon world we know today. We get into old-school distilling, Hollywood connections, Wild Turkey, Kentucky Owl, trademark battles, family mash bills, and what it actually takes to bring a historic bourbon brand back to life in modern America. And yes…we sip a little McBrayer whiskey while we’re at it!  Grab my new book Whiskey Wisdom & Bourbon B.S.: Barrel Strength Legends, Lies, and Untold Tales here on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLNGXJL3 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLNGXJL3?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExdGRWYXVpTFNuM2xJeGRDegEessp-2JRsd5fIsUTo3MgHzWh0FINJAyRL-O305EJCFheZ9CplTgnSLjHJCWI_aem_S-kt1dxDvoF4loqPghOGtQ] Like what I'm doing? Support the pod here: https://buymeacoffee.com/blindtastingpodcast [https://buymeacoffee.com/blindtastingpodcast]  Help support the podcast by shopping for whiskey, prohibition, and gangster-related photos and art at: https://famousdocs.etsy.com [https://famousdocs.etsy.com/]  Get 20% off for a limited time when you purchase 4 or more items! Swing by, follow, and comment at Blind Tasting Podcast on Facebook and Instagram at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560596922297 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560596922297] https://www.instagram.com/blindtastingpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/blindtastingpodcast/]

Most Underrated Bourbon? I’ve Got Thoughts. Plus Whiskey News & an Olympic-Sized Rant

This week on Blind Tasting Podcast: I dig into a couple major whiskey stories, rant about the most underrated bourbon on the shelf, and somehow end up stress-testing my sanity trying to buy 2028 Olympic tickets like it was a classified government operation. We’ve also got baseball bourbon, soccer whiskey, Wild Turkey doin’ Wild Turkey things, and a Bernheim pour so good it might make you slap your mama. Please do not actually slap anybody’s mama. We here at Blind Tasting Podcast do not endorse mama slappin’. Grab yourself a pour, throw in those AirPods, hit that play button, and settle in for a little bourbon-fueled chaos and whiskey talk. Enjoy, whiskey freaks. Grab my new book Whiskey Wisdom & Bourbon B.S.: Barrel Strength Legends, Lies, and Untold Tales here on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLNGXJL3 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLNGXJL3?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExdGRWYXVpTFNuM2xJeGRDegEessp-2JRsd5fIsUTo3MgHzWh0FINJAyRL-O305EJCFheZ9CplTgnSLjHJCWI_aem_S-kt1dxDvoF4loqPghOGtQ] Like what I'm doing? Support the pod here: https://buymeacoffee.com/blindtastingpodcast [https://buymeacoffee.com/blindtastingpodcast]  Help support the podcast by shopping for whiskey, prohibition, and gangster-related photos and art at: https://famousdocs.etsy.com [https://famousdocs.etsy.com/]  Get 20% off for a limited time when you purchase 4 or more items! Swing by, follow, and comment at Blind Tasting Podcast on Facebook and Instagram at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560596922297 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560596922297] https://www.instagram.com/blindtastingpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/blindtastingpodcast/]

ICYMI: Cock of the Walk Bourbon Review, Is It Pappy’s Bold Wheated Cousin?

In this ICYMI episode, I revisit one of my favorite bourbon reviews from the archive: Preservation Distillery’s Cock of the Walk Bourbon. After a candid conversation with VP of Operations Kyle Lloyd, I break down what makes this micro-batch wheated bourbon stand out, and why it reminded me of a bolder, rowdier cousin to Pappy Van Winkle. Grab my new book Whiskey Wisdom & Bourbon B.S.: Barrel Strength Legends, Lies, and Untold Tales here on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLNGXJL3 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLNGXJL3?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExdGRWYXVpTFNuM2xJeGRDegEessp-2JRsd5fIsUTo3MgHzWh0FINJAyRL-O305EJCFheZ9CplTgnSLjHJCWI_aem_S-kt1dxDvoF4loqPghOGtQ] Like what I'm doing? Support the pod here: https://buymeacoffee.com/blindtastingpodcast [https://buymeacoffee.com/blindtastingpodcast]  Help support the podcast by shopping for whiskey, prohibition, and gangster-related photos and art at: https://famousdocs.etsy.com [https://famousdocs.etsy.com/]  Get 20% off for a limited time when you purchase 4 or more items! Swing by, follow, and comment at Blind Tasting Podcast on Facebook and Instagram at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560596922297 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560596922297] https://www.instagram.com/blindtastingpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/blindtastingpodcast/]

Why I REFUSE to Attend Bourbon & Beyond 2026

I explain why I’m officially refusing to attend Bourbon & Beyond 2026 after a bizarre “hokey pokey” process that left me scratching my head. This isn’t just about one festival, it’s about how the whiskey world treats smaller voices, authentic coverage, and the whiskey freaks who actually support the industry.  Grab my new book Whiskey Wisdom & Bourbon B.S.: Barrel Strength Legends, Lies, and Untold Tales here on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLNGXJL3 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLNGXJL3?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExdGRWYXVpTFNuM2xJeGRDegEessp-2JRsd5fIsUTo3MgHzWh0FINJAyRL-O305EJCFheZ9CplTgnSLjHJCWI_aem_S-kt1dxDvoF4loqPghOGtQ] Like what I'm doing? Support the pod here: https://buymeacoffee.com/blindtastingpodcast [https://buymeacoffee.com/blindtastingpodcast]  Help support the podcast by shopping for whiskey, prohibition, and gangster-related photos and art at: https://famousdocs.etsy.com [https://famousdocs.etsy.com/]  Get 20% off for a limited time when you purchase 4 or more items! Swing by, follow, and comment at Blind Tasting Podcast on Facebook and Instagram at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560596922297 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560596922297] https://www.instagram.com/blindtastingpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/blindtastingpodcast/]

Resurrecting Silk Velvet Whiskey With Zach Hargis & Master Distiller Jacob Call

The first batch of Silk Velvet Whiskey was produced in the winter of 1880. After 40 years, it faded into oblivion, just like so many others after Prohibition. Today, the brand is back in full force, and Zach Hargis and 8th-generation Master Distiller Jacob Call join me to break down the resurrection of this forgotten whiskey, from an antique store discovery to a full-scale revival rooted in Kentucky history. We get into the origin story, the blending decisions, the early challenges, and the moment they realized, “Hey… this thing might actually work.” Plus, Jacob lays out his now-famous work credo, a simple rule that might explain why this whole operation runs as smoothly as it does. If you’re into bourbon, business, or just a damn good comeback story, this one’s worth your time, whiskey freaks. Grab my new book Whiskey Wisdom & Bourbon B.S.: Barrel Strength Legends, Lies, and Untold Tales here on Amazon:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLNGXJL3 [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FLNGXJL3?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAYnJpZBExdGRWYXVpTFNuM2xJeGRDegEessp-2JRsd5fIsUTo3MgHzWh0FINJAyRL-O305EJCFheZ9CplTgnSLjHJCWI_aem_S-kt1dxDvoF4loqPghOGtQ] Like what I'm doing? Support the pod here: https://buymeacoffee.com/blindtastingpodcast [https://buymeacoffee.com/blindtastingpodcast]  Help support the podcast by shopping for whiskey, prohibition, and gangster-related photos and art at: https://famousdocs.etsy.com [https://famousdocs.etsy.com/]  Get 20% off for a limited time when you purchase 4 or more items! Swing by, follow, and comment at Blind Tasting Podcast on Facebook and Instagram at: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560596922297 [https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61560596922297] https://www.instagram.com/blindtastingpodcast/ [https://www.instagram.com/blindtastingpodcast/]