This week on the Bourbon Showdown Podcast, I’m joined by Murphy Quint , Master Blender & Director of Operations at Cedar Ridge Distillery to talk about the tastiest whiskey coming out of Iowa! Murphy’s been in the game since before “craft” was king, and he walks me through Cedar Ridge’s journey—from proving great whiskey could come from outside Kentucky and Tennessee to becoming the number one whiskey in their home state. We talk about staying true to the core expressions while still dropping banger after banger, and then we do what we always do on this show when we’re hanging with good people talking good whiskey… we drink it. We’re cracking into The QuintEssential Special Release No. 5 and their Amontillado Sherry Finished Bourbon—two absolutely beautiful pours—plus some stories and all-star moments from Murphy’s whiskey past. Damn good conversation, damn good whiskey on this weeks Bourbon Showdown Podcast!

This week on the Bourbon Showdown Podcast, I’m joined by Kevin Aslan, head distiller and head blender for Hirsch Whiskey, and we go full whiskey-geek. We dig into how Hirsch got its start, Kevin’s journey into the brand, and the mythology behind the name (no spoilers—you’ve gotta listen). This is one of those brands that lived before the craft boom and thrived after it, and Kevin brings that perspective straight to this whiskey conversation. We taste through what Hirsch has on the shelf right now—including their new Cognac-finished release, which I’ll spoil just a little by saying it’s damn tasty. Buckle up—it’s Hirsch Whiskey day on the Bourbon Showdown Podcast.

This week on The Bourbon Showdown Podcast, Jesse sits down with the one and only Adam Edwards of Heaven Hill for a pour-packed conversation recorded in the VIP suite at The Vintage Whiskey & Cigar Bar in Charlotte. Adam and Jesse dive into Heaven Hill history, the whiskey journey, and how the experience around the glass shapes the whiskey inside it—all while drinking through some phenomenal pours.

They taste the newly crowned Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye—Whisky Advocate’s 2025 Whisky of the Year—followed by the full Heaven Hill Grain-to-Glass series, and yes… a secret 19-year-old surprise pour you don’t want to miss.

Released in celebration of Heaven Hill’s 90th Anniversary, this episode is all heart, all history, and all damn good whiskey. Pour yourself some Heaven Hill and enjoy!