Welcome back to The Bourbon Road, Episode 501! Todd and Jim are joined in the Bourbon Road Bar — aka Tim's Basement — by special guest Dan Mattingly, a Roadie since 2020, Frankfurt Bourbon Society board member, and all-around bourbon enthusiast. The occasion calls for glasses raised to the 250th anniversary of America, a theme that drives most of tonight's tasting lineup, plus one very fun outlier to kick things off.

On the Tasting Mat:

- Dragon Con Bourbon by Old Fourth Distillery (40th Anniversary Edition): A 94-proof high-rye bourbon (75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley) aged 4–6 years, released in collaboration with Atlanta's iconic Dragon Con convention. Limited to 3,700 bottles at $39.99. The nose opens with overripe fruit — banana, apple, and strawberry — while the palate delivers strawberry cream, a cool refreshing wash, and a gentle spice on the tail. A crushable, fruit-forward summer sipper that punches well above its price. *(00:02:51)*

- 15 Stars Kentucky County Six-Year Straight Bourbon (250th Anniversary): A blend of two Kentucky straight bourbons, each aged a minimum of six years, bottled at 90 proof and retailing for $38. Named in honor of the historic 1776 Kentucky County of Virginia's western frontier. The nose is light and delicate — sugar cookie icing, poached pear, and faint florality. The palate is similarly airy, with a brief but pleasant finish of light molasses and white fruit. A well-priced, accessible pour designed for a broad audience. *(00:11:50)*

- 15 Stars Kentucky County 12-Year American Whiskey (250th Anniversary): At 90 proof and $58, this expression blends Kentucky straight bourbon with an American whiskey distilled from a bourbon mashbill — aged seven years in second-use oak, then an additional five years in new charred oak. The nose carries more depth than its six-year sibling, with a hint of funk and gentle sweetness. The palate is soft and full-bodied, offering pear, white pepper spice, and a smooth finish with cotton candy sweetness and a light smokiness. A step up in complexity and a solid value for a 12-year expression. *(00:17:00)*

- Copper & Cask Wave That Flag Nine-Year Double Oak Bourbon (250th Anniversary): This 117-proof, nine-year straight bourbon undergoes a secondary finish in a custom American oak wave-stave char (#1 char) barrel. Only 3,000 bottles were produced, retailing for $74.99. On the nose: apple cinnamon spice and rich sweetness. The palate is full-mouth and layered — cinnamon roll spice, pecan swirl sweetness, black raspberry, dark chocolate, and a savory leather finish with hints of evergreen cedar. A dollar from every bottle supports the Arcadia Center veteran farmer training program. *(00:31:30)*

- Lost Lantern United States of Bourbon (Cask Strength, 250th Anniversary): The first-ever blend of straight bourbon whiskeys sourced from all 50 states — 50 distilleries, components ranging from 2 to 10 years old, bottled at cask strength 122.9 proof. Limited to 3,300 bottles at $99.99. The nose arrives with cosmic brownie chocolate, hard sugar candy, and warm baking spice. The palate opens with atomic fireball and red hots cinnamon heat, followed by dark cherry, black raspberry, leather, and a lingering oak-driven finish. A remarkable blending achievement and a fitting tribute to American bourbon craftsmanship coast to coast. *(00:38:09)*

It's a fitting episode to follow the milestone of Episode 500 — five expressions, five stories about anniversaries big and small, all sharing one message: great bourbon is being made everywhere, and there's always something worth raising a glass to. Dan Mattingly brought great energy and sharp palate notes to the table, and we hope you'll stop by the new Bourbon Road website at thebourbonroad.com to join the Roadie community, grab your free membership, and stay in the loop on upcoming events, giveaways, and live tastings. Until next time, we'll see you down the Bourbon Road.

Episode 500 of The Bourbon Road is a milestone worth savoring, and hosts Jim Shannon and Todd welcome back the man who helped start it all — original co-host Randy Minnick. Randy joined Jim for the very first episodes of the show before life took him and his wife Julie to the mountains of Virginia, and tonight he returns to raise a glass and reminisce about the early days of one of bourbon podcasting's longest-running shows. The conversation winds through memories of drilling barrels with Elizabeth McCall at Woodford Reserve, tasting dusty Wild Turkeys with David Jennings in Lexington, and the slow but deliberate journey from a handful of listeners to over 3,200 Roadies strong. It is a night of gratitude, laughter, and genuinely outstanding whiskey.

On the Tasting Mat:

- Four Roses Limited Edition Small Batch 2022: A carefully composed annual release bottled at 109 proof, this Ellie opens with a beautifully floral nose of rose blossoms, ripe berries, and warm cinnamon. The palate is layered and polished in the way only a thoughtfully curated Four Roses release can be — sweet fruit up front giving way to gentle spice and a long, refined finish. A whiskey built for contemplation. *(00:02:03)*

- Wild Turkey Masters Keep Beacon 13 Year: Bottled at 118 proof and finished in toasted American oak, the Beacon delivers the unmistakable Wild Turkey DNA in an elevated form. The nose offers grilled orange, dark cherry, toffee, and a signature dusty, funky oak character that is pure Lawrenceburg. On the palate the oak deepens into tobacco territory while sweetness from dark fruit and brown sugar keeps everything in beautiful balance. It does not drink its proof. *(00:21:00)*

- Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon 2021: Texas bourbon at its most unapologetic — 131.3 proof and a color so dark it borders on black water. The nose immediately conjures campfire s'mores, burnt marshmallow, overcooked caramel, and graham cracker. The palate follows through with deep molasses, charred oak, and a touch of dark chocolate. A whiskey made for a Maduro cigar under open sky. *(00:33:06)*

- Augusta Distillery Buckner's 13 Year Single Barrel: A high-proof single barrel release at 138.6 proof, almost certainly Barton distilled, selected by Todd and Jason Colori. Rich, concentrated dark cherry dominates the nose alongside clove, cinnamon, and fresh ginger. The palate is big and enveloping with dried dark fruit, tobacco, and a long, warm finish that earns its proof. *(00:58:10)*

Five hundred episodes in and the Bourbon Road shows no signs of slowing down. With a new theme song composed by Todd, a brand-new website at thebourbonroad.com complete with a searchable archive of over 1,300 tasting notes and the all-new Roadie Bar, the community around this show has never been stronger. Randy put it best — who would have thunk it? Here is to the next five hundred.

Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter welcome Bill Straub back to the Bourbon Road Bar — aka Jim's basement — for a deep dive into some of the most talked-about new special releases from the industry's biggest players. Bill, the co-founder of Fourgate Whiskey Company and the longtime voice behind ModernThirst.com, brings his seasoned palate and encyclopedic knowledge of mash bills to the table, making for a lively and insightful tasting session across four very different expressions.

On the Tasting Mat:

- Elijah Craig 15 Year Single Barrel (Barrel #28) — Heaven Hill: Bottled at 108 proof from Heaven Hill's classic 78/12/10 corn-malted barley-rye mash bill, this 15-year expression opens with a distinctive circus peanut and soft marshmallow nose that the guys identify as quintessential Heaven Hill. The palate delivers silky texture with almond and amaretto notes, while a pop of black pepper anchors a long, satisfying finish. MSRP $150. *(00:02:39)*

- Old Forester Grand Dad 7 Year Single Barrel — Jim Beam (Old Grand-Dad): At 114 proof and carrying a high-rye mash bill of 63/27/10, this $50 release pours remarkably dark for its age. The nose offers orange marmalade and a subtle citrus-forward brightness, while the palate is smooth and somewhat reserved up front, building into a spicy, rye-bread-toast finish that lingers impressively. *(00:11:47)*

- Wild Turkey Austin Nichols Archive Gold Foil Edition (16 Year): The centerpiece of the evening, this 120-proof blend of 16-year barrels from Camp Nelson Rick Houses D, E, and F is the inaugural release in Wild Turkey's new Archive series, designed to evoke the legendary cheesy gold foil bottles of the 1980s and '90s. The nose is rich with leather, graham cracker pie crust, dried fruit, and a compelling dusty vintage quality. On the palate it explodes with sweet tobacco, oak, coffee cake, citrus, and a hint of dark chocolate, delivering wall-to-wall flavor from entry to an extraordinarily long finish. MSRP $400. *(00:26:49)*

- Stagg Batch 26A — Buffalo Trace: Coming in at a robust 129.3 proof with no age statement, this barrel-proof release from Buffalo Trace's Mash Bill #1 opens with concentrated brown sugar that lightens and brightens in the glass, revealing cherry cola, grape jelly, and just a touch of citrus. The palate runs straight down the center of the tongue with focused sweetness and a warm, brown-sugar-driven finish. MSRP $65. *(00:36:32)*

Four powerhouse releases, four very different price points, and one table of guys who clearly love what they do — this episode is a reminder that the bourbon industry, for all its current turbulence, is still producing some truly extraordinary whiskey. Don't miss Bill's candid thoughts on the state of the market, the cease-and-desist story behind the ModernThirst mash bill table, and why he thinks Heaven Hill's peak window tops out right around 15 years.