Whiskey Shenanigans Podcast

Trey Zoeller founded Jefferson's Bourbon in 1997 with no formal distilling background. In this podcast, he tells stories, including the one about putting eleven barrels on cruise ships across the Pacific and Atlantic to test each route's effect on color, proof, and...

Dr. Blake Layfield is Master Distiller at Maker’s Mark, the brand whose red wax bottle became an industry icon. In this podcast, he explains how Maker’s Mark made its mark by creating the premium bourbon category.

Freddie Noe IV is the Master Distiller at Jim Beam, the eighth generation of his family the hold the role. In this podcast, he takes us deep inside Jim Beam's rule-breaking bourbon dynasty....

In this episode, Brent Elliott, Master Distiller at Four Roses, breaks down the brand's ten-recipe system, why some flavors take a decade to reveal themselves, and the positive impact E.J. Gallo, the new owner of Four Roses, has had....

Randy Warren sits down with Marianne Eaves, Kentucky’s first female master distiller, to explore her journey from Brown-Forman to Castle & Key and ultimately to Forbidden Bourbon. Marianne pulls back the curtain on her unconventional mash bills, the use of food-grade white corn and white wheat, and why she believes bourbon’s future depends on expanding its geographic and creative horizons. The episode also features a standalone segment on barrel finishing techniques and what they mean for the modern bourbon landscape.

Elizabeth McCall was trained as a sensory scientist. She’s now Woodford Reserve’s Master Distiller, the first woman to hold the job at a major bourbon brand. In this episode, she explains how she judges every batch against Woodford’s five fixed flavor areas.

Claudia Coffey, host of The Best Bet podcast and Kentucky Derby Insider with Churchill Downs covers bourbon and horse racing across the Commonwealth. In this podcast, she previews the Kentucky Bourbon Festival’s 35th anniversary this fall.

 Join us for an intimate conversation with John Rempe, Master Distiller of Rebel Bourbon. Doscover the fascinating story behind Billy Idol’s “Rebel Yell” song, learn about the revolutionary Blood Oath series that’s redefining bourbon blending, and get insider details on limited releases that have fans lining up.

Master Taster Melissa Rift takes us inside Old Forester’s 156-year journey of continuous production, from surviving Prohibition with medicinal whiskey licenses to modern innovations like rum cask finishes. She shares insights on developing your palate, the art of single barrel selection, and how one recipe can create an entire portfolio of expressions through masterful manipulation of maturation, batching, and proofing.

Wes Henderson is a true flavor man. In this episode, Randy and Wes trade stories on unconventional barrel finishing, what makes a bourbon truly finished, and why it’s sometimes best to break from standard American aging rules.

Lorne Cousin went from professional bagpipe musician in Los Angeles to U.S. brand ambassador for the world’s best-selling single malt. See how Glenfiddich created the American single malt category — and is now reinventing its audience. Listen now.

From Chemistry Lab to Whiskey Innovation: Inside Johnnie Walker’s Blending Mastery with George Harper.

Nicole Austin left a dead-end engineering job in New York City’s sewers for a career in the spirits industry. In this episode, hear how she is now using chemistry to perfect ultra-aged bourbon with Diageo’s Blade & Bow brand.

Join Whiskey Shenanigans as Jodie Filiatreau, the artisanal distiller at Evan Williams, shares stories about how “one barrel a day” became the firm’s philosophy for creating unique tastes through small-batch experimentation.

American Whiskey Association founder Michael Bilello is on a mission to make American whiskey the world’s whiskey. View now to see how he’s fighting tariffs, reshaping global trade, and turning U.S. bartenders into ambassadors.

In this podcast, Elijah Craig’s Distiller Conor O’Driscoll reveals how a firm with a 90-year legacy looks to out-innovate whiskey upstarts, and turn everyday bonded bottles into gold bricks of bourbon....

Mission Craft Cocktails co-founder Amit Singh discusses how two self-funded “non-industry” guys built bar-quality, bottled cocktails that fund over a million meals—andchallenge all you may know about ready-to-drink whiskey.

How did the Neighborhood Restaurant Group become one of DC’s most coveted whiskey destinations? Hear how Nick Farrell and Greg Engert hunt big game bourbon and how customers hunt for the neighborhood....

Join us for an exclusive conversation with Steve Nally, a member of the Bourbon Hall of Fame and master distiller with over 50 years in the industry. From his early days at Maker’s Mark working with legendary figures to pioneering custom distilling at Bardstown Bourbon Company, Steve shares insider stories about yeast cultures, expansion challenges, and the current bourbon inventory crisis facing the industry.

Join host Randy Warren as he sits down with Scott Neil from Horse Soldier Bourbon to explore an incredible journey from military service to master distilling. Listen to the podcast to find out more.