Dan welcomes Calvin and Nick back home for a bourbon-heavy catch-up that mixes recent distillery trips, barrel picks, and a standout tasting lineup. The episode is especially notable for a 2019 Pappy 23 pour that Preston Van Winkle personally identified by nose as Bernheim-era juice, plus a deep dive into what makes Buzzard's Roost's double-oaked approach unique.
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We discuss recent Kentucky visits, craft bourbon exploration, and how barrel char, toast, and proof shape flavor. The conversation also covers a Peerless cream cheese cinnamon roll single barrel, a Buzzard's Roost bourbon, and a rye that lands with mint, spice, and a long finish. Dan recaps the Kentucky trip with Steph, including the Preston Van Winkle interview (Episode 81) and the challenge of recovering lost audio after a hardware failure.
The group tastes a Peerless distillery-only single barrel described as a cream cheese cinnamon roll profile, with sweet cinnamon on the nose and a thick, creamy mouthfeel.
Calvin and Nick compare tasting notes on craft bottles from JT Mellick, Fiddler, Jimmy Red, and High Wire, using them to narrow down what flavor profiles they actually prefer.
Dan highlights a W. H. McBrayer 1776 bottle.
Buzzard's Roost founder Jason Brauner is praised for an informative session about barrel char, toast levels, and the brand's double-oaked process.
The Buzzard's Roost bourbon shows French oak-like spice, rich sweetness, and subtle oak tannin, with the group noting that the sweetness stays in control.
The Buzzard's Roost rye, a 95/5 mash bill, comes across with mint, spearmint tea, rye spice, and a lingering floral finish.
Dan summarizes the haul from the Kentucky trip, including Peerless, Jefferson's, Trackside, Michter's 10 Rye, Elijah Craig private barrel, Maker's Mark Cask Strength 46, Monks Road, and Old Forester 117 Triple Char.
The centerpiece of the episode is a 2019 Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year, signed by Preston Van Winkle after he correctly identified the juice as Bernheim just by smell.
The episode closes on the value of shared bottles, personal stories, and tasting as a group rather than keeping rare pours sealed away.
Timestamps
00:00 - Back home, recent Kentucky trip, and the Preston Van Winkle interview
02:00 - Peerless cream cheese cinnamon roll single barrel introduction
03:03 - Buzzard's Roost and an informative deep dive on char and toast
08:15 - Exploring craft whiskey to find preferred flavor profiles
09:09 - W. H. McBrayer 1776 and the appeal of limited releases
11:46 - Buying more than tasting and the trap of bourbon hauls
12:16 - Fiddler, ASW, and craft whiskey recommendations
13:23 - Buzzard's Roost's distillate and double-oaked approach
14:30 - How barrel char and toast levels shape flavor
16:41 - Chocolate pairing and oak tannin on the Buzzard's Roost bourbon
18:28 - Steph's pick and the transition to the rye
20:17 - Jason Brauner's rye goal: a bourbon drinker's rye
26:17 - Kentucky trip haul: Peerless, Jefferson's, Michter's, Maker's Mark, and more
28:10 - Preston Van Winkle signs the Pappy 23 bottle
30:04 - The story behind Pappy cigars and the traditional blend
31:41 - Pappy 23 proof and the aromatic nose
33:33 - Why the Pappy 23 tastes so smooth despite its age
35:17 - Debating whether Pappy 23 is overoaked
39:19 - Bernheim, Stitzel-Weller, and the transition to Buffalo Trace sourcing
41:06 - Touring Preston Van Winkle's office and bourbon history on display
42:28 - Thanksgiving turkeys, old Fitzgerald, and bourbon family stories
44:18 - Upcoming bottles still waiting to be opened
