Happy Hour: 15 Stars First West Toasted Oak Bourbon

Tony Katz and Fingers Malloy crack open one of their first new bourbons of 2026: 15 Stars First West Toasted Oak Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey — a 98-proof blend of 5, 6, and 7-year bourbons out of Bardstown. The nose comes in sweet and easy — caramel, vanilla, oak — with no ethanol bite. The palate? Lighter and thinner than expected. But then the finish shows up late with oak, spice, warmth, and just enough intrigue to start an argument about value. Is this a $70 bottle?Or is it a very solid yes at $51? Tony and Fingers break it down neat, with water, and with a cube — debating thin palates, delayed gratification, and whether people are willing to wait for a bourbon to do its work. Then Happy Hour does what Happy Hour always does: Fancy cocktails allegedly explode stomachs Liquid nitrogen becomes the enemy “Lunch meat” vs. “cold cuts” turns into a regional civil war Kroger’s AI-powered shopping carts summon Skynet Indiana football glory gets its moment The NFL tries to stretch the season (and the players) And somehow, Defiance Beef fixes everything Bourbon opinions, cultural irritation, and conversations that refuse to stay on topic. That’s Happy Hour. Find everything at EatDrinkSmokeShow.comPour something good and hang out. Follow Eat Drink Smoke on social media! X (Formerly Twitter): @GoEatDrinkSmokeFacebook: @eatdrinksmokeIG: @EatDrinkSmokePodcastSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.