Southern Star Paragon Review From Grain To Glass

Send us Fan MailWe taste and review 30A bourbon and quickly realise the biggest story is not the beach branding but the sourcing chain, the young age, and the price-to-quality mismatch. We also zoom out into what makes a whiskey brand worth rooting for, and why some vacation markets are built for cocktails while bourbon needs a stronger reason to exist. • lighting up Cross-Eyed Cricket pipe tobacco and setting the table for a relaxed tasting • breaking down what 30A is, including MGP distillate, Louisiana aging, and Florida bottling • reacting to “rested” language and how labels can be transparent yet still feel slippery • describing the pour and profile, including a strong nose and a thin, medicinal finish • questioning who the bottle is really for, and why repeat customers matter • debating whether beach towns should focus on rum, gin, vodka, and cocktails over bourbon • laying out what we would do instead, including older stock and single barrel store picks • talking about price, perceived luxury, and why value drives “good” bourbon If you want more great content and other perks, be sure to support the show by clicking the link in the show notes. We can be reached on our website, whiskey tasterspommet.com, with any ideas for the show. Support the showWebsite:www.whiskeychaserspod.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcastInsta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcastThanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan MailWe pour Southern Star Paragon Bottled in Bond and discover a high-wheat North Carolina bourbon that stays light, sweet, and surprisingly nuanced at 100 proof. Along the way, we dig into Carolina spirits history, why distribution can hide great brands, and how a softer tobacco pairing can let a delicate wheater shine. • Southern Star Paragon overview and why it gets recommended • Statesville backstory and North Carolina’s early prohibition history • Farm to glass sourcing and what local grain can change • Bottled-in-bond basics and the Paragon lineup • Tasting notes focused on delicate sweetness and a gentle palate ride • Who this profile fits and beginner-friendly comparisons • MSRP talk, craft pricing expectations, and why value matters • Beach bottle versus cabin bottle debate and how season changes preference • Online ordering reality, shipping rules, and why availability varies by state • Tobacco pairing notes plus cellaring and aging conversations • Craft hunting mindset versus big-name collecting • Customer service, brand loyalty, and why great companies win long-term If you want more great content and other perks, be sure to support the show by clicking the link in the show notes. We can be reached on our website, whiskey tasterspomma.com, with any ideas for the show.Support the showWebsite:www.whiskeychaserspod.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcastInsta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcastThanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan MailWe sit down with Nathan Kaiser of 2BAR Spirits to unpack how a Seattle distillery builds real bourbon from scratch while staying honest about process, pricing, and what it takes to last. We dig into a six-grain mash bill, bottled-in-bond flavour, and finishing choices that pull new drinkers into whiskey without turning the bottle into sugar. • the 2BAR name and South Texas ranch heritage • leaving tech behind and learning distilling and distribution fast • bootstrapping versus big-money growth and why staying power wins • why clear spirits feel like a race to the bottom • scaling from small barrels to 53-gallon barrels and four-plus years ageing • committing early to a six-grain mash bill with specialty malts • how proof changes flavour and why 80 proof keeps bourbon accessible • wine barrel finishing, naming challenges, and choosing the right proof • the amaretto barrel finish origin story and why it brings in newcomers • balancing innovation, consistency, compliance, and pricing in craft spirits If you want more great content and other perks, be sure to support the show by clicking the link in the show notes. We can be reached on our website, whiskeychaserspod.com, with any ideas for the show. Give 2BAR some love!https://www.instagram.com/2barspirits https://www.2barspirits.com/homeSupport the showWebsite:www.whiskeychaserspod.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcastInsta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcastThanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan MailWe pour Iron Vault Distiller Select Batch 1 and can’t stop talking about how a one-year, 120-proof whiskey lands with huge flavor and a finish that just keeps going. We also light up Cornell and Diehl Mississippi Mud and dial in why the pairing works while debating what the bottle should say and how the distillery should signal how special this release is. • the back-label copy problem and why it reads generic • Iron Vault’s Distiller Select concept and why Batch 1 stands out • Rob’s moonshine family yeast story and how it shapes the whiskey • sweet mash habits and why yeast programs matter in craft distilling • tasting notes, texture, sweetness shift and long finish at 120 proof • why it doesn’t drink hot despite the proof • limited release reality, value for money and when to look for Batch 2 • packaging and branding ideas like a signature and different wax colour • bourbon versus whiskey definitions and why the “rules” can mislead • Mississippi Mud tobacco breakdown Perique Latakia unsweetened Cavendish • pairing logic for whiskey and pipe tobacco If you want more great content and other perks, be sure to support the show by clicking the link in the show notes. We can be reached on our website, whiskeychaserspa.com, with any ideas for the show. Support the showWebsite:www.whiskeychaserspod.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcastInsta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcastThanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan MailWe taste Iron Vault’s Stowel Evergreen white corn whiskey and try to decide if a tiny, hyper-local process can justify a young, limited release price. Along the way, we open a decade-old Savinelli tobacco tin, chase an online Sun Bear drop, and argue about mouthfeel, finish, and what “ready” really means for craft bourbon. • setting up our progressive bottle series with returning guest Ryan • scrambling to get a limited Sun Bear pipe tobacco release • cracking open a Savinelli 140th anniversary blend after long aging • unpacking Iron Vault’s local Stowel Evergreen white corn story and pillowcase delivery • tasting notes that land like chocolate orange, buttery syrup, dusty barn oak • debating a bold start with a finish that drops off fast • how six-month aging and small barrels change body, texture, and maturity • asking whether mash bill tweaks or blending could help “stick the landing” • talking smoke feel, retrohale, strength, and why the room note stands out • geeking out over a multi-hose table pipe and future pipe show plans Thank you for listening to the podcast. If you want more great content and other perks, be sure to support the show by clicking the link in the show notes. We can be reached on our website, whiskeychasterspumad.com, with any ideas for the show. Thanks again.Support the showWebsite:www.whiskeychaserspod.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcastInsta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcastThanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan MailWe pour Liberty Pole’s Pentucky and end up in a deep tasting spiral about rye sweetness, blending shortcuts that somehow work, and why the same whiskey can taste different depending on the room. We also light up an aged English pipe tobacco and use it to explore craft distillery survival, honest pricing, and the way story and setting change what we notice in the glass. • Opening an 11-year-aged Lane Limited English blend and calling out Latakia and Nightcap vibes • Noting recent craft distillery bankruptcies and what overexpansion looks like in real numbers • Tasting Liberty Pole’s Pentucky and debating “sweet” versus “pepper jelly” spice • Breaking down a one-to-one bourbon and rye blend mixed in a metal vat with no barrel marrying • Using Adams and Jefferson as a lens for flavor, nostalgia, and early American politics • Arguing that setting and pacing can reshape your palate and your preferences • Telling the Liberty Pole release-day story and why their hospitality builds true fans • Talking craft tax, value pricing, and why the market may punish inflated bottles • Trying the barleywine-finished single barrel rye and reacting to the molasses-heavy second wave • Wrapping with thoughts on tobacco nicotine strength and the long game of sellering tins If you want more great content and other perks, be sure to support the show by clicking the link in the show notes. We can be reached on our website, whiskey tasterspomma.com, with any ideas for the show. Support the showWebsite:www.whiskeychaserspod.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcastInsta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcastThanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan MailWe pour MB Roland’s Kentsylvania, a rare Kentucky bourbon and Pennsylvania rye collaboration, and figure out why it tastes like a completely new whiskey instead of a simple mash-up. Along the way we pair it with aged Briar Fox pipe tobacco, debate how smoke shifts the flavor, and unpack what makes MB Roland such an interesting grain-to-glass craft distillery. • how Kennsylvania is built from two single barrels and why that matters • what MB Roland does differently in western Kentucky, including white corn • the idea of honoring local history through bottles like Barker’s Mill • tasting notes on body, sweetness, dark fruit and the rye-driven peppery finish • why Pennsylvania rye reads as integrated pepper instead of sharp spice • pairing whiskey with Cornell and Diehl Briar Fox and judging the room note • limited availability, bottle shop reality and why this could become collectible • Moonshine University news and what it signals about the whiskey boom cooling • why the $79.99 price point feels like a steal for a craft collaboration If you want more great content and other perks, be sure to support the show by clicking the link in the show notes.Support the showWebsite:www.whiskeychaserspod.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcastInsta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcastThanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan MailWe pour Redwood Empire Haystack Needle and get a high-proof bourbon that drinks surprisingly friendly while still delivering dense, layered flavour. Alongside the whiskey, we light up Cornell and Diehl King Cake and end up talking grains, sourcing, single barrels, and what makes a bottle truly worth the money. • Redwood Empire Haystack Needle overview, Indiana exclusive single barrel and grain to glass context • Tasting notes: burnt caramel, dark syrup, light molasses sweetness, balanced high proof density • Comparing older vs younger releases and how single barrel variation changes everything • The $119 question: retail pricing, value, and when we actually recommend buying • Sourced whiskey versus own distillate, why brands struggle during the transition • Four grain mash bill discussion and what wheat, rye, barley, and corn contribute • California grains and Sacramento Valley sourcing, heirloom cereal rye curiosity • Pipe tobacco pairing with Cornell and Diehl King Cake, why this “aromatic” tastes real • Zippo, butane, and matches for pipe lighting, plus other tasting culture tangents Support the show by clicking the link in the show notes. Support the showWebsite:www.whiskeychaserspod.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcastInsta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcastThanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan MailWe sit down with Blake, founder of Smokeye Hill, to talk about building a blue corn driven bourbon brand in Colorado and why their whiskey can reach serious proof without tasting like a stunt. We get into 30 gallon barrels, multi char blending, the reality of sourcing, and the slow rituals that make whiskey culture worth sticking around for. • Smokeye Hill availability and why growth depends on making more whiskey • Colorado aging conditions and why dry climate can drive higher barrel proof • Balancing a 93 proof daily drinker with 130 plus barrel proof releases • 30 gallon barrels, entry proof, ageing curves and “hazmat” territory • Char level experiments and why blending beats chasing a single barrel trick • The blue corn mash bill idea and how it stays bourbon drinker friendly • The Arizona ranch story behind the name and the Prohibition era still legend • Why sourced does not mean low effort and why value matters more than dogma • Cigars, pipes, and why we prioritise conversation over pretentious tasting notes • Blake’s path from music and marketing to launching a whiskey company • A rye built from 95 5 distillate plus blue corn blending and why it stands out • Future releases like an eight year Heritage Reserve and possible finishes Thank you for listening to the podcast if you want more great content and other perks be sure to support the show by clicking the link in the show notes. We can be reached on our website whiskey tasterspumba.com with any ideas for the show.Support the showWebsite:www.whiskeychaserspod.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcastInsta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcastThanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!

Send us Fan MailWe pour Metallica’s Blackened whiskey and test whether “born in cask forged by sound” is a real finishing technique or just a loud story. We also light up Black House pipe tobacco, swap notes on what we taste, and argue about what makes a celebrity bottle worth buying twice. • Dave Pickerell’s background and why his name adds credibility • How sonic finishing works with subwoofers, bass, and barrel vibration • What “black brandy barrels” likely means and why the finish dominates • Our tasting notes and why the whiskey feels sweet but thin to us • Sourced whiskey transparency and why we want clearer labels • Black House tobacco origins as a Balkan Sobranie style match • Latakia, Perique, dark-fired Kentucky, and why the smoke reads “barbecue” • Why tobacco blends get discontinued and how that mirrors chasing rare whiskey • Whether celebrity names drive real loyalty or just one-time curiosity Thank you for listening to the podcast. If you want more great content and other perks, be sure to support the show by clicking the link in the show notes. We can be reached on our website, whiskeychaster'sponet.com, with any ideas for the show. Thanks again. Support the showWebsite:www.whiskeychaserspod.comFacebook:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeychaserspodcastInsta:https://www.instagram.com/whiskeychaserspodcast/TikTok:https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeychaserspodcastThanks For Listening! Tell a Friend!