The Scotchy Bourbon Boys
The Scotchy Bourbon Boys love Whiskey and every thing about the industry! Martin "Super Nash", Jeff "Tiny", Rachel "Roxy" Karl "Whisky" and Chris "CT" all make up The Scotchy Bourbon Boys! Join us in talking everything and anything Whiskey, with the innovators, and distillers around the globe. Go behind the scenes of making great whiskey and learn how some of the best in the whiskey industry make their product! Remember good whiskey means great friends and good times! Go out and Live Your Life Dangerously!
The Scotchy Bourbon Boys
A Toast with Johsh Charleston owner of Wisco Bourbon, to Community: Uniting Bourbon Enthusiasts, Distillers, and Collectors
Gather 'round, whiskey aficionados! My chat with Josh Charleston from Wisco Bourbon will take you deep into the heart of a bourgeoning enthusiast group. We're not just sipping whiskey; we're weaving a tapestry of fellowship and local pride, stitching close the bonds between enthusiasts and distillers alike. You'll get a firsthand look at how we've collaborated with legends like Greg Schneider of Chicken Cock Whiskey to meld the worlds of business, community, and charity into a movement that's bigger than the sum of its parts. This isn't just a gathering of minds; it's the celebration of a culture that thrives on genuine connections and shared passions.
It's a week in the life of a podcaster that might exhaust mere mortals but for us, it's a whirlwind of bliss. Between barrel picks and live recordings, I'll take you behind the scenes of the bustling life that fuels the fire of 'You Bourbon Boys.' You'll hear tales from our jaunt to Four Dogs Distillery, our strategic barrel selection escapades, and our preparation for an event honoring veterans at Stolen Wolf Distillery. This isn't your average nine-to-five—it's a testament to the drive that propels the whiskey industry forward, making every hectic moment worth it.
To cap off, our conversation swirls around the perpetual joy of bourbon collecting and the communities that have matured from this hobby. I'll recount the warm camaraderie shared with Amanda Bryant from Moonshiners, as we pay homage to the service members and dive into the world of vintage decanters. And for those with a sweet tooth, prepare for your palate to be teased by the mention of bourbon-infused Southern snacks guaranteed to elevate your tasting experience. Tune in for a symphony of stories and insights, where every anecdote is another note in the grand bourbon concerto.
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https://www.scotchybourbonboys.com
Hey Scotchy Bourbon Boys fans, this is Alan Bishop, indiana's alchemist of the Black Forest, so I'm tuning in here today to tell you all about the One Piece at a Time. Distilling Institute channel on YouTube.
Speaker 3:If you're at all interested in the art of distilling whether it be home distilling or professional distilling
Speaker 1:and the intense geekery that goes into that process. Then check out the One Piece at a Time Distilling Institute on YouTube, I promise you're going to learn something you didn't know before about the arts there okay, still there yeah, we're here, we'll see you next time when you have fun. I hope you do when you have fun. Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 6:All right, welcome back to another podcast of the Scotchy Bourbon Boys. Tonight we have a special podcast lined up for you. We have Josh Charleston of Wisco Bourbon. You guys on audio don't know it, but we're both wearing our whisko bourbon uh shirts tonight. And then, um, we also have a special guest, greg schneider, uh, master distiller of chicken cock whiskey. He's on tonight because our both our groups love greg and do spend a lot of time uh with greg and greg.
Speaker 6:You have to flip your camera from one because I'm not seeing you. I see your backyard. There you go. Now. We see you, we can see you. You can't see us, but we can hear you. So that's a good thing, right? A good thing. There you go.
Speaker 6:All right, we're wwwscotchiebourbonboyscom for all things Scotchie Bourbon Boys. We're on Instagram, youtube, facebook and X. Check us out there. And then all the podcast formats Apple, iheart, spotify. Those are all the different ways you can hook up with the Scotchie Bourbon Boys. But I'm excited tonight because you know, josh, we did this podcast once before, right? So it's kind of like what I love about when you said you wanted to come back on. What I love about it is that you're one of my direct ties to bourbon back in my home state where I, you know, grew up, spent my first 40 years there, then moved to Canton, ohio, for a football fest instead of summer fest. But bourbon is what I have really gotten a passion for here. But it's so much fun to have the ties back to you guys in the area of everywhere that's familiar to me, you know. So that's one of the reasons why I love to have you on.
Speaker 3:Yeah, well, I appreciate it, Thanks. Thanks for allowing me to come on again, so running a group.
Speaker 6:You know, that's the one thing that you know. And it's like Greg, you can chime into what the groups mean. But running a group is something that I think a lot of people don't realize. When you're on Facebook or you're signing up for a group or whatever, you kind of click a button and then you get to know the people and then they can have events and you go to the events but talk about how much work it is to run a group and then also, where we're similar, when things start to run and they're running and you got kind of people helping and doing things and you know how to do it. You, we, we both seem to always want more, like add more, and it's like talk about how that's. You know that experience of what you're doing. You know. You know as a group, as you run one of the largest groups on Facebook.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, I mean well, thanks. I mean, you know it is really challenging to run a group, you know. So I started it. I started with GoBourbon back in 2020, right before COVID shut down the world. So, honestly, I think I started Wisco Bourbon February 20th of 2020. So, like literally March 1st, everything was beginning to shut down. So it was more a little bit into March, maybe like March 7th, 10th that's when really the world was shutting down.
Speaker 3:But, that being said, I really started it because I went to an event, a bourbon tasting, and I kind of enjoyed it. I was new into bourbon and I really didn't know what I was tasting or what I was supposed to or how I was supposed to drink it or anything like that. So, literally after that event, I went home that night. The event ended at like 8 o'clock and by like 9.30 at night I decided that I was going to start my own group because I was very curious into the bourbon world and whiskey world and try to get some information. That's really what it kind of started as. So it started from inviting a few of my close friends and, believe it or not, just over four years later, we've got about 11,000 members now. So that was quite a process to get to where we are. A lot of help, like you said, a lot of friends, meeting people like Greg. I mean it's all been an amazing experience. We started out doing tasting events so I got to meet a lot of people that had joined our group that were like-minded. I have dozens of friends now from Whisker Bourbon that I consider very, very close friends, that go to Kentucky with them, hang out with them, know their families, their kids, do other things outside of bourbon with them, so it's really a family affair. And then you know it really is. It takes a team effort. It really is. It takes a team effort. I kind of got an army in the background of moderators and people, but with Scope Bourbon it is also a legitimate LLC as well, so it is actually a business. I run it as a business too. The club helps drive that business, but ultimately a lot of the things that we do also benefit charities and such. We've done about 26 single barrel picks with my group as well, two of which are with grape and chicken cart. So really try to support Wisconsin distilleries as well. I think over half of our picks are from Wisconsin distilleries as well, and there's some really good bourbon and whiskey in Wisconsin as well. We've got some great distilleries as well. I think over half of our picks are from Wisconsin distilleries as well, and there's some really good bourbon and whiskey in Wisconsin as well. We've got some great distilleries.
Speaker 3:One let me try to think of what else and then just with the tasting events and everything else, I do work full time, just like you do too, jim. So, like I would say, on average I spend 40 hours a week on let's go bourbon and I basically run the page and the Instagram completely myself. We also do have a discord that I have people running for me. And then the Facebook was go bourbon club, which is the kind of everyday posting place. I do chime in, as was go Bourbon quite often as well.
Speaker 3:So it's been an amazing adventure up to this point here. What's really cool is just recently just launched two new products, so Wisco Bourbon Caramel Corn and a Wisco Bourbon and Pe Moose Rice Krispie Treat. So pretty cool, just launched those and it's doing really well. It's going to be in several retailers in my area and across the state of Wisconsin. I actually just had a meeting with Sean, the owner of Distillery, just before this Zoom and all our stuff will be in there too. So it's really exciting, like you said, jeff, once it kind of settles down and kind of runs itself. You want more.
Speaker 6:You know, I don't know why. You know I'm actually not that anything's set in stone, but I'm working with a couple people right now and we are talking about to get on to a streaming TV channel, so doing a show, and then that's going to take it into a different level. If we're going to actually do a show, we do the podcast. You could put that up. We do tons of shorts. We I do experiences which could put that up. We do tons of shorts. We I do experiences which I usually put up on youtube, like if we go to, uh, if we go to new orleans, we I put something up like that.
Speaker 6:Or if I, if I spend um multiple times with mr greg schneider right here, I will piece them all together to promote the chicken cock brand. And then also greg, because you know he's at, you know I've seen and heard what he taught, how he talks about chicken cock, and you know it was kind of cool to be able to get them in all the different settings. You know that kind of thing. So that's exciting. But just that alone it could turn our LLC into a really good money-making and investment adventure. But at the same time, the work I only can imagine how I'm going to be able to keep that up with also running the YouTube, the Facebook and the podcast all at once and then try and do like we do barrel picks also. But for me, being you know, you guys are in wisconsin, but for me, being in ohio, barrel picks are tooth extractions, it is it's really regulated right well, it's not just, it's regulated.
Speaker 6:You go down and you do the pick and the state tells you you go there. You have a really good experience. But I think our Elijah Craig, we picked September 11th last year and it did not. It was not ready until February 27th, or it could have even been. No, we're in April, right, so it was march, it wasn't it. The week yeah, it was march 13th is when it, when I was in new orleans, is when it came in we're in may, what we're in may right now yeah, and this was march when it came in.
Speaker 6:We're talking about september, october, november, december, january, february, so eight months before we actually got the product. And then it came in when I was in new orleans. So I had to push it off a couple more weeks before. I think that we had our pickup in april. So you know, and then trying to do a, if you do a pick where it's not something that's in 08, you know, in Ohio that's in itself a whole challenge in itself Also you got to try. The goal is to try and stay out of jail.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I've waited as long as seven months. I did a Jefferson's pick once and it took seven months to get it. So one thing I figured out is I don't talk about any of the picks until I have a delivery date.
Speaker 6:Well, for me, I'm still at the point where I have to pre-sell them, so I appreciate it. And then that was a short barrel, so it went to 72 bottles is all it yielded. So there was about 60 people waiting for it to come in to. You know, purchase it, you know. And because it was through the state of ohio but no one got a chance to purchase it, it was only it was sold out in pre-sale. Actually, when they told me it was 72 bottles, I had sold 78 in pre-sale. Actually, when they told me it was 72 bottles, I had sold 78 in pre-sale. But I was lucky because 10 of them were to Nash, so I just backed him off to a couple bottles. But the whole thing I ended up with only one bottle to drink and one bottle to put up. That's it. Everything else was to everybody else. So those are the kind of things.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'll need a sample of that, just so you know well I'll bring it.
Speaker 6:I will you know. You know, now I'm coming in july, july fourth. I'm hopefully will be there by the fourth of july and I'm staying through the that weekend and in the whole next week. What we should do is do a some sort of a get together, maybe a bottle share, someplace yeah, that would be no problem.
Speaker 3:We could do that at one of the one of my partners. Uh place is no problem, that would just be a free thing. Uh, come and enjoy and um, you know yeah, bring your best meeting. Everybody hang out, yeah that would be great, that'd be, that'd be very easy to do. I know, I know, like um, I know a lot of people in wisco bourbon follow you too. You know, like dario, you know you know several people. I know, yeah, so, um, it'd be, it'd be, it'd be fun to do.
Speaker 6:That was nice and you came that one time and uh yeah, and I should have my my french lake pick should be in and I'll just bring some with me and if anybody wants some but the the one, the one brand is actually the launch and Alan said it's the last thing he did there and we did the pick with him. Those two barrels we picked are the last thing. He didn't go back into the distillery after that.
Speaker 4:So that's you know he said, his new distillery yeah, so that's, you know he said, his new distillery.
Speaker 6:So, greg, talk about how we as groups, you know, have been so supportive and just love what you do.
Speaker 7:Yeah, well, you know let's go back to one of Josh's first comments. You know about the camaraderie and the support and the fellowship. You know that's what I've loved about the industry from day one. I started this industry in 1978, so I've been doing it a while and again I've told this story numerous times. But you know, when I was growing up in the industry and it kind of achieved a higher level of management responsibility, you know there was probably what eight distilleries in the state of Kentucky major distilleries and we had a brotherhood, you know we had.
Speaker 7:We respected the competition, whether it was Beam or, you know, brown Foreman or Heaven Hill or Wild Turkey, whatever Barton. But at the same token, you know, as I tell people, if I had a motor that burned out, say on my cooker agitator, my mash agitator, I could call anybody in this area. If I didn't have a spare, I could call anybody in the state of Kentucky who ran into a salary and if they had one they'd throw it in track and run it to us. And we did that every week. We took care of each other. We respected the competition. You know the sales and marketing groups were more, let's say, cutthroat, more competitive, but we took care of each other. We had a brotherhood. And so you know, that's kind of the beauty of this industry. Now that it's grown, there's a lot of other small distilleries. They don't understand that relationship. But at the end of the day, I think we still kind of look after each other on the operation side of it.
Speaker 7:As far as the value again, whether it's Wisco, whether it's Scotchie Bourbon Boys, you know, jeff, you know I've told you guys this a million times and I've told the guys at Wisco as well. You know I deeply appreciate what you do for the industry. You know this industry I got into in 1978 when it was declining and it bottomed out in the 1980s, and you know to see where it was in the 1950s, 1960s, to see where it ended up and then to see it resurge. You know, again, this industry, like all all, all alcoholic beverages, are cyclical. Whether it's vodka, whether it's gin, whether it's rum, whether it's bourbon, it's cyclical. And so you know probably what I don't know 12, 12, 14 years ago the industry took an uptick and it just skyrocketed. And so it's great.
Speaker 7:But I think part of the success behind that, that, that upward movement you know, is attributed to you guys. Like you, whether it's Wisco or Scotchie Bourbon Boys, you guys do so much to promote the industry with a chicken, cock, whiskey or whatever brand. You guys have done a great job of getting out there and talking about it and sharing it and exposing it to people who probably wouldn't otherwise have been exposed to it. So again for that I thank you, I appreciate you and you guys know I love you both. I've had such an amazing run in this industry over the past 46 years. But to meet guys like Jeff Mueller and Josh Charleston and everybody within your groups. I mean it's such a blessing I get to add to my list of friendships and so it's great and I appreciate you guys so much. So thank you, yeah, you're welcome.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, well, you're welcome. Yeah, yeah, well, you're welcome. I mean, and if anybody's you know anybody that's watching this if you've had the pleasure of meeting Greg, he's just salt of the earth type of person and it's just, it's amazing. I mean, we take an annual trip down to Kentucky yearly and he always makes time to see us and anybody new we bring, you know, he takes us on a tour and it's those kind of people. You know the passion you can feel, and I feel that people feel the passion that I have for Wisco Bourbon, just like Jeff has for Scotchie Bourbon Boys too. So, like, when you have a passion for something and you have a drive, you have almost unlimited energy. Now I will tell you that at times you know it's the grind. Right, there are certain things you have to do that are the grind, but when you do the special things and and you and you do the things that that you can bring joy to other people, um, that's, that's what's, that's what keeps me really going to.
Speaker 6:You know what I mean well, I think, greg, and I think you agree, it's like there's a certain it's work but at the same time it's not the definition. It's not like you're going out there and physically doing physical labor and beating you know, and building a house or you know, you know doing plumbing or gardening or whatever this is. Uh, I think we all kind of get off on the aspect is, while we're doing what we want to do, we're meeting people and it really comes down to I always feel that the bond is the whiskey, is the bourbon and the whiskey, but the reason why you're doing it is it allows you to meet people who appreciate life's and their ethics and their whole culture of people who drink bourbon in a tasting, enjoying, relaxing way, and you meet these people. It's just like you become addicted to the aspect of all of a sudden, instead of just having a couple friends like I did before, you all of a sudden have, you know, I'm sure in your case, Craig, probably hundreds, and it's not just. But you know it's you you being in the industry for so for so long also and just keep meeting people. That's one of the things when you meet people, you draw off their energy. So if you're. You know everybody's having a good time and they all really have a bond of you. Just like you said, salt and earth type people. They everybody has very similar views and on life itself it's just, and so it's such a great thing to do that.
Speaker 6:I just keep finding myself where, you know, like Greg was talking about each group and how we promote it and he goes around to a lot of groups and he does a lot of tastings and meets a lot of people where it's the same thing. But we meet the people within the industry and that's the same thing. You know, whether it's meeting you setting it up for me to meet Jimmy Russell for the first time and Jaret Jaretta was there and meeting them and talking with them and having experience, or, you know, hanging out at the Bernheim Forest with Sandy no for an afternoon, or her taking us to Abraham Lincoln's birthplace. I mean those are all the things that are the primary. I mean those are all the things that are the primary and then the secondary. Although it's very good, it's what I love, it's the bond. Actually, it's the glue.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I mean very, very well said I mean and without you know, as Wisco grew, like people are like, how can I help? Because they believed in what was happening. You know what I mean. And without you know, as Wisco grew, like people are like, how can I help? Because they believed in what was happening. You know what I mean. So, like, without all the people, like most of the people I brought to Kentucky with me this past you know, april, you know, without Joe and Dario and Dan, dan Gall and Tyler and so many others I could not do it myself.
Speaker 3:And people may think that there's all these people behind the scenes. As you can see, it's me in my basement right now and this is basically one of my working areas. But, like, I work full-time job and then I do this till 10 11 at night. Usually I have meetings. So I talk to today, today, at today, after work, I went and met with the owner of a couple restaurants and then on the way to that meeting, I talked to and on the phone, uh, the, the ceo and the founder of kentucky. 10, his name's larry. I just I just talked to him, uh, today.
Speaker 3:So, uh, people reach out because they want to be, they want to be part of it because they, they see the, they see how much it helps. You know what I mean. And it can be a very symbiotic relationship and a very mutual um. It can be great for both sides of everything. And then the friendships that you build out of everything, that's just, that's lifelong. That doesn't. I mean, if this ends up going away, you still have that. You know what I mean. So like there's so much to gain from all of it and that's where the passion comes from and the drive.
Speaker 3:You know, if I'm getting down and getting buried with Wisco, you know one of my Wisco friends will be like, hey, I'm coming over, we're going to knock this stuff out, we're going to do this. What do friends will be like, hey, I'm coming over, we're gonna knock this stuff out, we're gonna do this. What do you need help with? And my events that I do. I I've attended every single event I've ever done in person. Um, I think we're up to 70 events so far, something like that, and people just come and they just help because they just want to be part of it. So it's, it's amazing, without that army, um, I couldn't do it. So, yeah, really, oh really. I mean, oh, true, you got such a great support group.
Speaker 7:I mean the guys you mentioned, whether it's Joe, dan, dario, I mean Tyler. You got such a great support group and you guys are expanding as well. You know you got the podcast that kind of evolved through Wisco and you guys are taking it to a whole new level. It's got you bourbon boys has, and so you're lucky to have that Uh, but but everybody you know it's, it's, it's genuine, it's, it's not fake. You guys are very passionate about what you do and uh, and passionate about the industry. So again, I appreciate that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 6:Yeah, I can, I can, I, I. You know, greg will tell me sometimes his schedule. He's like I'm even even his vacation schedule, then he, then he, then he's always exercising. It's just crazy, um. But for for um, for me this week, uh, I did a. I had a podcast. On Tuesday night we were live in studio with Four Dogs, which is a local distillery that just started. That's Kevin Klein.
Speaker 4:I think that's it. I think that's it Klein, Klein Right right, he came on.
Speaker 7:And what was that Not the actor. There's a Kevin Klein actor. Yeah.
Speaker 6:No, his last name is Klein, so, anyways, so he came on. But then yesterday I had to get up at 4.30, drive down to Columbus, be down there by 7.30, hop on a bus, drive to Starlight, which you know where that is. Greg, with the state of Ohio we did a barrel pick, and you know, picking for the state there's always, you know, you're always tasting way too many. So it was good that we were driving on a bus. So we were back. You were at Hubers, yeah, we were at the Hubers. We were there with Ted and Christian, yeah, and just my house.
Speaker 6:That's it yes we went right by it, I know, and so then, but we got there at about 11, 1115. Yeah, we got a tour, which was really nice because you know, they really show you they're growing their own fruit, they're growing their own rye, they're starting to grow their own wheat. I mean, I've never had the experience of actually picking rye out of the field and looking at it directly before it's been processed. So we were doing that all around. I mean, they're also a winery, so they that I, I saw uh ted's uh house and that house he has a vineyard in his front yard, like physically this really nice house, and instead of like grass, it's a vineyard. He's got two different kinds of grapes, one on one side, one on the other, and you know it's just like the whole property. But then, so then we did, we, we uh had lunch, did the picks and then we got out of there about 3, 30, drove back to uh, whatever.
Speaker 6:I think I got back out by eight. I was on the road from columbus another two hours. So I got home about 10, 15 after, you know whatever. And then, you know, back to work. This morning had to get up at five o'clock and get to work by seven and you know, but that's the same kind of thing. And then what's awesome is that Stolen Wolf in Pennsylvania is doing a veterans special event where they've invited veterans to come Thursday and Super Nash is there today, and then tomorrow, friday, and then Saturday and Sunday they're going to do a fermentation, a mash, a fermentation and then a distillation and then they're going to fill barrels on Sunday. So I'm going to go down and drive the five and a half hours to Stolen Wolf in Pennsylvania on Saturday and then spend the night Sunday, do the bottling or the barreling part and then drive back another five and a half hours.
Speaker 3:All while capturing content. A day, a day, a day in the life of a group or a podcaster. I mean, like this is. I mean this is good content, because I don't necessarily accept your close, close friends and the people that really really super follow you. They, except your close, close friends and the people that really really super follow you, um, they, I don't think people really understand what goes on in the background like you're, we're doing all this stuff right now, but like you got to still fit in, and that's not including we're both married and we have kids and like everything else too.
Speaker 3:so like um it that that part of it can be very challenging, but fortunately I have a very supportive wife and daughter as well and all my friends are like what do you need, what do you need to help with? So it's an amazing journey.
Speaker 3:We're still growing at a rapid rate and it's just organic growth. I think what Greg said is just who you're seeing on screen right now. This is who I am. This is who Jeff is. This is what Greg said is just who we are, who you're seeing on screen right now, that this is who I am. This is who Jeff is. This is who Greg is. It's just three, three friends and you know talking right now, and that's just that's just what it's become, because that's just how things organically grew.
Speaker 6:Yeah it's, it's exciting, right. I mean that that's the part 's the part. I mean then you know, after that's all done, then it's try to figure out how you're going to get the editing of the content you just that, you just captured. How are you going to get that up and running? And sometimes it's really kind of you don't really understand how. You know because we're live, we do a lot of live stuff, we do podcasts and our current stuff keeps going up. You don't understand, like, how tv shows do it. Or you know it's not stuff that just happens. You know some tv shows. You know when the when they're, when they're airing they're, you know, a year or nine months later. It's not just. That is not the same way as the content that we usually create, which is almost instantaneously.
Speaker 6:So sometimes when I'm working on content, I feel it's you know, if you go to New Orleans Bourbon Festival in March and we're in May and I'm going to be getting something done, probably in June or July when you air it there to you it's almost old news but the people out there they know it's not. If you get something up that happened in March, it's really good to put the content out later so that next year it promotes it.
Speaker 3:Yeah, yeah, and that's actually so. If anybody's watching right now and they're at Wisco, remember, reach out to me if you want to help with social media, because, like that is very time consuming. I do what I can, but, um, you know that I can't even imagine the editing portion. I I don't have any clue how to do that. I was doing YouTube videos and such but, and my brother was editing them. But he is in basically one of the biggest cover bands in the walkie area and he plays like 40 out of 52 weekends, so like, and he has a full-time job. So he's in the same, he's in the same boat I am. He came over. He came over earlier this week and we cut down three ash trees at my house that's the first time I've seen him in like two months because we had to like actually work as we were hanging out because, like, that's just, that's just how it goes. So, um, it's kind of nice to talk to him too, because he can relate to kind of how you juggle everything too.
Speaker 6:So yeah, I mean mean, the editing gets better. It's easier than it ever was because I have it all set up and whatever, but at the same time I just keep striving to do it better and then it takes longer. You know, I don't know why, but you know you're always trying to up the quality of your content, I guess. Yeah, absolutely so. So what, what do you guys got coming up.
Speaker 3:So for Wisco Bourbon, we have. Actually, I formally took over Wisco Bourbon myself April 1st. So I did have a partner that was involved, one of my best friends, dan Peterson. So he quit his full-time job and he has a firearms business. So he is now doing that full-time and he just didn't have time anymore and he was doing all my IT and all that stuff. So it was just a mutual agreement. We're still completely awesome friends. He travels a lot now for work, but formally, um, formerly took over, let's go April 1st of this, uh, this April.
Speaker 3:So I basically took April off, uh, as I had to transfer the website and, uh, form a new LLC and all of that stuff. So, um, that being said, uh, we did take our trip down to Kentucky. Uh, mid, mid, uhil, we did three barrel picks when we were down there. So we did a Yellowstone pick with Mr Steve Fonte If you know who he is, wow, what an amazing guy. That's an experience. And then we were at Peerless and we did a Peerless pick, which is apparently, I think, one of two picks in the state this year, or something like that for peerless. I could be wrong on that exactly. And then we also did, of course we did the Chickencock six-year pick with Mr Schneider, so we were very busy when we were down there. We go the weekend of Thunder over Louisville, so that's kind of the precursor and the start of the parties for the Kentucky Derentucky derby and then shortly after I got back from that we had a kentucky derby party, uh, with a local distillery, j henry j henry awesome place j henry yep at at um.
Speaker 3:We did it at a local liquor store here, so we kind of did they did a dirty party at the farm and then we kind of did a satellite one featuring their products where we raised about $3,300 for on-air flight to send veterans to Washington DC. So that was awesome. And then coming up next week we have a blind tasting event at Natty Oaks in West Dallas. We've done recurring events with them for several years now. We've done recurring events with them for uh, several years now. Uh, so we do basically four whiskey blinds, um, and then a welcome cocktail, usually right around 45 bucks, um, and then nobody knows what the what they are until the end. I give them a cheat sheet with like 16 to 20 different options and the four options that we are tasting are in there. It's fun to fun to see um, see what people are thinking, and then I reveal them at the end and it's really fun to do that. And then a couple weeks after that, in June, we're doing a J Henry event at, actually at Pops, which is the company that makes our popcorn. They also own a restaurant, so we are partnering up with them and doing a tasting event of J Henry there, and then I am doing several events at Stillery and Richfield and Grafton, and then I have all kinds of other things in the pipeline. I'm trying to do two or three events a month through the summer just to kind of keep people coming, and in between there are three barrel picks will come in. We actually have like two or three other barrel picks in the works right now too. Nothing's finalized yet, but they're also very, very busy.
Speaker 3:And then the product launches. Like I said, with the two products that I'm doing, this week alone sold I've gotten five or six different places on board, with over 100 eggs of the caramel corn already pre-sold. So that's really cool. So kind of diversifying a little bit. Now that our name is a little bit bigger, I feel like we are getting some brand notoriety. So I want to get some products in the market. The two products that we're launching, like I said, these two Rice Krispie Treats and the Caramel Corn and I know this is a shameless plug, but that's what you're here for they are made with one of our Wisconsin distillery barrel picks. So that's really kind of unique and cool too. So stay tuned, watch local retailers. I got four Piggly Wigglies in the Racine area that are most likely taking our products. We got a liquor store up in Wisconsin Rapids Richard's Liquor that's going to be taking them both still relocations and then a sentry in the Wapaka area is most likely taking them, so kind of spreading it all over the place. And then there's a meat market and like 6A's Hardware Stores in the Eau Claire Chippewa Falls area that most likely will have our stuff too. So pretty exciting. So that's a whole new level.
Speaker 3:When you said you want how you said it, jeff, how you want more, well, I got more. Now I'm now knocking on the door of my supplier like, hey, I don't need just six bags of this, I need lots. So yeah, so it's exciting, it's all really exciting and it's something completely new with the products for me. So, on top of doing the events, now I've got the products, the barrel picks I keep rolling in and then very, very cool, I'm heading back down to Kentucky in July. I'm heading back down to Kentucky in July. I'm very, very fortunate to have gotten a really nice barrel pick from down there. That's more of a private thing, but just the things keep coming up. People contact me and it's really fun because I can help them as much as they can help me.
Speaker 6:So it's just great. So what part of July? Is it the first part or is it the second?
Speaker 3:Are we lining up or are we not lining up? I'm only going to be down there July. I've got to think about this. I think it's July 12th and 13th, which is a Tuesday and Wednesday. I'll be down there and then I'll be back on the 14th, I believe.
Speaker 6:Okay, are you the following week? I'm there from starting. I'm going to probably try and if it all works out with my wife, I'll be driving Wednesday night, be there on the 4th but then be there through the whole weekend and that whole next week, which it's going to fall into when you're gone.
Speaker 3:But we can probably it's only for a couple of days. So, yeah, yeah, we can make something work, and it's only those two days during the week that I'll be gone, so we'll make something work.
Speaker 6:Okay, yeah, I mean that's exactly, that's awesome what you got going. I mean, you know, just keep doing a great job. As far as you know everything that you're doing, it definitely how you guys are running it and then doing. You know, I see you on the podcast. The podcast is called Barrel Proof, right?
Speaker 3:Yeah, it's called Barrel Proof Podcast, so there's the affiliation with wisco bourbon and barrel proof podcast. So it's, it's not um, it's, it's not a. It's not together per se, but it's. It's people from wisco bourbon that started it. But, um, that being said, they, they, I the only affiliation I have with it is all of them.
Speaker 3:Guys are great friends of mine, of course, and then um, they like to have you on yeah, I, I do come, I do come on occasionally and it's uh, it's really fun for me, um, and usually almost I would say, once a week. I see one of those guys at least, and they're really supportive too. They come, they come to most of my events, you know, they broadcast.
Speaker 6:Yeah, I mean he loves being a part of it. I mean you can tell.
Speaker 3:Oh yeah, yeah, he's, he's great. And when we went down to Kentucky which was what was really cool the three barrel picks that we did there was only one of the three barrel picks that anybody really knew about. The other two are complete surprises that I kept kept secret and uh talking about?
Speaker 6:uh, we actually went down and podcasted with steven uh in his back in his backyard.
Speaker 6:We, we went, and that was actually when you're talking about the, the fireworks show. What did? What was the name of it? You said it, yeah, thunder over louisville. Thunder over louisville. We were there. I believe we were there friday night, so that's the night we were there. So you probably saw we were. We were hearing the fireworks get set off, like they were testing the fireworks while we were podcasting it. It was great. Okay, we went to dinner. We went to dinner at Pat I want to say it's not Pat, it was the Irish restaurant right over there that he's been going to forever and we took him for a steak and I mean we just had it. And then you know, my God, what I'm. Just it's crazy. Um, samuels, bill samuels and the whole samuels family was upstairs celebrating a birthday, and so nash and ct decided they wanted to go up there and say hi. And then they came down and you know it was.
Speaker 6:It was just a crazy time with Stephen and Bill Samuels, you know, and so it was a lot of fun. So once again what bourbon is right, Greg, Things just lead to just a lot of fun.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we were very fortunate to have Mr Fontaine when we did our Yellowstone pick. You will never, ever, ever forget if you meet that gentleman.
Speaker 6:Or the pick he forces you to pick away. He talks about how he picks. You're going to taste it blind and you know everything. And when everybody votes, it doesn't matter what anybody thinks, it's what everybody picks.
Speaker 3:Yeah, we are going to do our best to get him to come to Wisconsin for that launch. Well, that would be great If we got to help pay his way. I mean, he's just such an energetic character. And then, mr Bean, who is he? The master distiller of Steven.
Speaker 6:Well, yeah, I mean, yeah, he takes credit. I mean, he's been there and set it up. I mean, but you know they have different distillers and everything. I mean but you would say Steven, would you know? I mean, he's the face of Yellowstone, pretty much. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and it was pretty neat because just after we finished our pick and Yellowstone's a beautiful place If people haven't been to Limestone Ranch unbelievable, absolutely beautiful place so the new tasting room that they dedicated to Stephen being just opened like a week after we left. So we got to use that new building for our pick and Stephen actually came. He had to go and do like a bottle signing or something in, I think, frankfurt, I can't remember where, but he popped in for like 20 minutes and just like talked to all of us and just such a another just unbelievably nice guy, you know so yeah, and then we met the owner of Peerless too, c court, corky, corky, corky, yeah, corky, yeah, yeah, corky.
Speaker 3:And what a, what a um, what a gentleman too, was john on that pick with you.
Speaker 6:What did you have, john, john? Was john was john was out of town.
Speaker 3:We actually I can't remember who he had on the picket, it was just one of their workers. But, um, I met john last year when we went down, not this past year, the year before we hung out with him for a while yeah, he's great guys.
Speaker 6:And elena there too. Elena's great. I mean, they just have a really cool thing going on there. And there's mr greg. Greg schneider, we got light on you now. I'm sorry we got light on you now.
Speaker 7:I was at five and I had to come inside.
Speaker 3:Mosquito bugs were eating me up, so oh yeah all right, all right your weather's a little little bit ahead of ours in uh up in wisconsin, I'm sure well then, we're a little bit ahead of you and they're a little beautiful out there.
Speaker 7:mosquitoes are starting to eat me up, so I have to come inside, so sorry.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 7:No, you're good.
Speaker 3:So yeah, it's just interesting to kind of just talk through the evolution of, you know, not just who we've met, jeff, but just kind of how things have progressed. You know, because I think our last podcast was probably what was it? A year and a half ago, maybe a year ago?
Speaker 6:Yeah, right around a year ago, I think it was actually at this almost, if anything, a little bit over a year ago, but at right around the same time. And yeah, definitely, that's how it. Yeah, so we okay. So anyways, it was. Hopefully Greg jumps in to say goodbye, he's still there, I think. No, he just all of a sudden, just two seconds Just do you see, he kind of left the. Okay, that's okay. So, anyways, I think we've got, I think we covered it for you, right? And then I think we should stay in touch about when I come.
Speaker 6:I would love to, you know, just try and do an event with you, you know, and get my Wisconsin people. I'll invite them to it, you know, bring them on so maybe they can join. You know a lot of my friends. They're into bourbon because of me, but you know they're more into the. They do the long-distance scotchie bourbon boys thing, but they're not aware of the groups. I tell them. But you know your group there's no doubt you've grown it and it gets bigger all the time and just the people and the base, uh, I love what you're doing well, thanks, jeff, I really appreciate.
Speaker 3:I watch a lot of your stuff too. A lot of times I'm traveling so I'm listening in the car, but, um, you always have you know it. It's just you're the same as I am. You're like how you're talking, that's just how you are, it's not. And if you don't know something, you're like I don't know that you know what I mean. So it's just you're the same as I am. You're like how you're talking, that's just how you are, it's not. And if you don't know something, you're like I don't know that. You know what I mean. So it's like I am nowhere near like knowing everything either. And I love to talk to people like Greg, and you know all the. You know Steve and Allie. You know all those guys like those are the stories I just love hearing. You know what I mean, because it's just so interesting to me, like you know, and somebody like Greg has been through you know the entire, like he's lived the history.
Speaker 6:Yeah, he's lived the history From the inside you know yeah. He's got the.
Speaker 6:you know, he knows Well it's like anything else I was just he knows what actually happens, opposed to the stories. I mean it's just like he's just aware of it. So I mean there's. But you know everybody, you know we run groups and it's really sometimes hard to deal with some people in the groups who just think that somehow, because they go to the store, they, they know everything either about the. You know your state government, you know your liquor, liquor agencies. They don't. They have no. It's the same thing, you know. We, we are associated with OHLQ. It's the same thing. We are associated with OHLQ. We love the people internally because, since I started, ohlq initially was very negative towards, and it was always considered negative towards, alcohol, because the taxes and everything.
Speaker 6:But they've actually with putting uh jim kanepa into the place to love bourbon. They've completely turned it around where it's a plus for us. You know, we we pick up stuff here for msrp and then we have a lottery for the really high-end stuff. That is fair for everybody you know that type of. Thing yeah, are you gonna?
Speaker 6:go yeah, all right, she's in bed yeah, all right, I'm almost finished, so that, yeah, my granddaughter came home, so, um, but you know, overall it was just what would you say? It's just such a great experience in all levels. But then, when you know things, my favorite thing is is like, well, they're not thinking. I'll just is like, well, they're not thinking. I'll just say to somebody they're not thinking that, and they're like, oh yes, they are, they're doing this, this and that. And you're like, no, they're not there it's not how they think you know.
Speaker 6:So you get a lot of inside information that you know, and that's one of the things I love. But then, you know, you get trusted with a lot of inside information that you've got to keep to yourself, and that's one of the things. Because I'm a down home person, I'm not in this to you know, I have no desire to take somebody, you know, to start tasting somebody's bourbon, that they send it to me and then go on and trash it. You know, if I get something I don't like and they want me to talk about it, I'll still say that's my palate. You know what I mean. Just because I don't like it doesn't mean there isn't you know 5 000 other people who will like it, because everybody tastes different. You know, and those are the things you know.
Speaker 6:It's not a negative. I'm never looking for the negative spin. I'm looking for the positive aspect of this, because you know what, yeah, you can somewhat get maybe more notoriety, you know, but I always like to be honest. I'm going to tell somebody if I don't like it, but at the same time, you know, you just gotta, you gotta be true, and that's one of the things that I think you know you do really well You're. This is you know. I got to drink with you in last summer in your basement. You had tornado warnings again today I saw that I'm like what. Every time we get together there's a storm.
Speaker 3:I know, as I was driving home there was a tornado warning and fortunately I was in and Jeff knows Wisconsin, of course I was in a suburb of Milwaukee called Brookfield and I was meeting the distillery owner at a bar there and people at the bar were talking about these tornado warnings and of course I was meeting with Sean, so I had my phone on silent and everything I get in the car and's like you know, and fortunately, uh, where I was in Brookfield is about 15 miles from Oak Creek, uh, and that's where a lot of the stuff was. They actually saw a cloud apparently. Uh, I don't, I'm not aware of anything actually touching the ground, but but I basically came home, cooked on my Blackstone, cooked a quick dinner and threw my Wisco shirt on and came on the podcast. So I don't know what's going on in the outside world right now until I go up, but I am in the right place.
Speaker 6:So Holly Sheridan is watching and she asked do we sing after drinking bourbon?
Speaker 3:Well, if everybody else?
Speaker 6:is maybe. But then she also said what are we drinking? And you're drinking your Chicken Cock, Private Stack.
Speaker 3:Yeah, and right before that I was drinking one of my last bottles of a double oak pick I did back in, I think, 2021.
Speaker 6:Yeah, you, let me taste that.
Speaker 4:That was good I did enjoy that that's a good one so we got super national what's happening?
Speaker 6:guys, there you go, hey, what's going on, hey, not a whole lot.
Speaker 2:Uh just got back from uh stolen wolf uh distillery hanging Stolen Wolf Distillery hanging out with Amanda Bryant from Moonshiners.
Speaker 6:Oh, you suck.
Speaker 2:Oh, that's awesome. Yeah, that's fantastic. Got to meet her for the first time. Yeah, we're just sitting there doing a little tasting and Paul Did you meet JJ.
Speaker 6:Was JJ there?
Speaker 2:Nope, he's not in yet.
Speaker 6:Okay, he'll be here, he'll be up tomorrow he resides from canton, initially from canton ohio. So, jj, I'm looking forward to meeting him coming up.
Speaker 2:You know I've talked to him quite a few I've talked to amanda and I'm looking forward to meeting her, and then she's looking forward to meeting you too.
Speaker 6:So uh, josh, uh, nash is like I said, he's at stolen wolf, um, he's a veteran and they're they're doing this whole distilling, um, teaching the moonshining distilling aspect, uh, and he's gonna get to actually do it. So, like we're, I'm gonna go down there and meet with them and, uh, I actually will bring you the sample of the old stubborn so that you have it, because everybody has the old stubborn. Now, once I get you that, nash and I can bring when I come up in July.
Speaker 6:I'll bring you some of that too, josh, because I don't know if you've had that. Ed. Ed Blay is just. Oh, my God, it's good. I'll bring you a sample of the weeded and the rye that just got released. I mean, it's a $250 bottle and it sells out like hotcakes. Yeah, wow.
Speaker 2:I just thought today that they did a second release just starting today. Brad posted it today that they did a second release of that, uh, because it was in such high demand of the gold.
Speaker 6:He blended it again.
Speaker 2:Wow, well, I think they probably had some. That was, the bottles that were were stuck back and uh, so they went ahead and released them. Okay, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:But, uh, it sounds like a really cool experience. And you said you're a veteran yes, Army veteran. Thank you very much for your service. Really appreciate it.
Speaker 2:My pleasure. Yeah, the coupon. My dad was a career service veteran which he spent 23 years active duty two Vietnam tours, one Philippines, one Korea and those 23 years active duty was split up over all four branches.
Speaker 3:Wow, that's interesting. Yeah yeah, he's been a career, yeah Well, I'm a huge supporter of all the veterans and law enforcement, firefighters, all that too. I'm a nurse, actually for a living too, so really appreciate your service. And my uncle is a West Point grad, did a tour in Iraq for Desert Storm, and then I have one of my best friends is Lieutenant Colonel in the National Guard too, so it really really means a lot to me. We try to do a lot of charitable stuff for our veterans too.
Speaker 2:So it really means a lot to me. I appreciate their service and I appreciate what you do too. I appreciate your service, what you do too. That means a lot. Yeah, thank you, I appreciate it. That's a Appreciate your service. What? You do too. That means a lot. Yeah, thank you. That's a great service and, like I say a lot of times, what you do goes under the wire and maybe not so much recognized as what it should be. So I do thank you. Yeah, thank you.
Speaker 6:Yeah, I'm going to thank you. Thank you too. So, yeah, you, you got to talk to my wife a little bit, I think, last time when we were there and, uh, her being a midwife, you were, you were interested in what, how she did that at you know. So that was a kind of a cool thing actually to speak of my wife. Right now she is delivering a baby it started out at home and it transferred to the hospital.
Speaker 6:But they're getting close, so she's like I haven't gotten the born thing. I usually get a little she sends it with a little. So, I haven't gotten that notice. But yeah, so, yeah, notice, but yeah, oh, so awesome. Yeah, so you're, uh, so that was that must have been fun, but you did. Did uh, alan, ever get back to you on facebook too?
Speaker 2:as soon as I got off with you, amanda walked in right behind me and sat down at that other end of the bar and we recognized who each other was and, like I said, we got to talking and then Paul started breaking out some awesome stuff that 1971,. He's a big Mictors decanter collector and he started breaking out some Mictors, a 1971 that he had. Then we got to taste a distiller. I collect them too.
Speaker 2:Oh yeah, I don't have any mictors, but I got a lot of Jim Beam that came from my dad there, josh, if you've been noticing. Oh yeah, old granddad, there you go, 1994?.
Speaker 3:Yes, sir.
Speaker 2:I collect them definitely.
Speaker 6:That was from your dad. Right, correct, snash Mine's from your dad. That was your dad's.
Speaker 4:He sent me to this one up now that's beam to.
Speaker 6:He knows I'm an artist.
Speaker 2:I had a couple of old Ezra and a couple of wild turkeys in there.
Speaker 3:Yeah, they're so awesome.
Speaker 6:So, being a decanter collector, are you down at Revival? Have you been to Revival? I haven't. You have not.
Speaker 3:I probably shouldn't go there.
Speaker 6:What. You shouldn't go there. No, you should go there. Brad Bonds down there is fantastic. It's in Covington. So when I'm going down, there's two places I hit consistently on my way down or on my way back. It's Neely or it's Revival. But Revival is just crazy. My wife has a she actually we bought the. It's not a swan, it was. I want to say it's a waterfowl, it's a white bird, it's a goose, yes, yes, it's a tundra goose. I think. I think I have the same one.
Speaker 3:Is it a jim bean?
Speaker 6:Yeah, and it's this beautiful goose. And then the bottom part is the decanter, the holder.
Speaker 2:Yeah, it's like it's laying on a nest. Yeah.
Speaker 3:I used to have that, I don't know where it. I don't keep the empties, so I usually give them away at events and stuff because people really like them, but this is an unopened one too. Oh yeah, nice, it's 175 months, so these are really.
Speaker 6:Does Barbara Eden come with that?
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3:I really do collect decanters and I'm really. Unfortunately, I need to stop collecting them because you can't drink them as fast as you can. But, like. Just you know I have a lot of them still like in the box and everything.
Speaker 7:Yeah.
Speaker 3:This is brand new. It's new old stock.
Speaker 2:Yeah it's not good.
Speaker 3:Yeah, usually I'll I have a rule. I have a rule that I can't have more than three of them open at a time, which seems like a lot, but when you have like a hundred of them, it's not all right, so we can keep this going on facebook and youtube, but let's end it for the podcast right now.
Speaker 6:Um, yeah, I really appreciate, uh, you coming on j tonight. As always, it's been wonderful. Anybody who's listening to this now know that when we go live that once this is over with, sometimes it goes on. I mean it just depends. So, anyways, give us a little plug for everything, josh, before we leave, and then I'll do my thing.
Speaker 3:Yeah, I'll do it really quick. Thank you guys very much for watching. We have a great partnership with Scotchy Berman Boys. Listen to all their podcasts, appreciate being on. Jeff's become a personal friend, even though we're long-distance friends and we've only met once actually. But awesome, awesome. Look forward to doing more stuff with these guys. So let's go. Bourboncom is our actual website that is not on Facebook. You can get all our products on there merchants, such and then you can follow us on Instagram. Let's go bourbon and then we have a list of urban page and then whistle bourbon club on Facebook is actually like the one you join and then it's kind of people can post on there. The Whistle Bourbon page on Facebook, more just the business. You can find all our events at WhistleBourboncom and all of our events are on the events tab on the Wisco Bourbon Facebook page and the Wisco Bourbon Club Facebook page. So again, thank you guys very much. Really appreciate the opportunity to be back on with you guys.
Speaker 6:So on the website can you pick up the popcorn and the Rice Krispie Treats?
Speaker 3:You can Right now. Currently it's local pickup only. However, if you order, jeff can pick them up and bring them to you from ohio.
Speaker 3:Yes, yeah, if you're in ohio no, only, only only if you're in ohio, otherwise it's local pickup. Right now we're working on uh, we're working on some options for shipping to get in bulk, so that it's um, you know we can get a good rate, but right now local pickup only. We just launched them, but they'll be in a lot of different retail locations in the Wisconsin area, at least to start with.
Speaker 2:Yeah, because once I start pushing that stuff down south, you know we're going to have to have some good shipping charges. Yeah.
Speaker 3:Well, the thing is they will drop ship it, so that is an option if there's big enough quantities.
Speaker 2:You know how Southern big boys like to eat those snacks.
Speaker 3:Especially when we're drinking our good bourbon. You would definitely like this one. There you go Bourbon infused.
Speaker 2:Oh my gosh, look at that. Yep, that is a. Oh my gosh, look at that. Yeah, that is a crispy treat made for me, yeah.
Speaker 3:It's good. It gives you instant diabetes guaranteed, oh yeah.
Speaker 2:But it's good Sugar shock.
Speaker 6:All right, everybody. Thanks, josh, remember we're the Scotchy Bourbon Boys wwwscotchybourbonboyscom for all things Scotchy Bourbon Boys. And then also follow us on Facebook, instagram, youtube and X and all the podcast formats, mainly Apple, iheart and Spotify and Super Nash. Why don't you take us out with the standard?
Speaker 2:finish. Good friends and good bourbons equals good times. Drink responsibly. Don't drink and drive and go out there and live your life dangerously.
Speaker 6:Little Steve-O's going to take us out. All right is going to take us out.
Speaker 5:Alrighty, alrighty, alrighty. Oh don't ask why. Show me the way to the next whiskey bar, oh don't ask why. Oh don't ask why. For if we don't find the next whiskey bar, I tell you we must die. I tell you we must die, I tell you, I tell you we must die. I tell you, we must die.
Speaker 4:I tell you, I tell you, I tell you we must die.
