Beast Masters Club

This is an incredible story that gives us pride, joy, and - not gonna lie - a bit of jealousy!  Dan Hakker tasted the first Beast Masters Club Armaganc back in 2018, our 30 year 1988 Leberon, and fell in love. Like many who tasted that bottle, he was a bourbon fan who'd never tasted Armagnac before. But unlike many fans he took his affection for that juice to a whole 'nother level! For the 7 years between then and now, Dan and his wife have made countless trips to Gascony, created their own import and production company, discovered and imported new domaines that have never been sold in the US before.  Like we said, we're impressed, and more than a little jealous. Today they're sitting on a treasure trove of casks at their facility, quietly aging to perfection as they patiently release one at a time. Meet Oade Armagnac.  Beast Masters Club got one of the first ever private cask selections from Oade, and we had a big shindig at the podcast studio to celebrate, taste his inaugural line of releases, and crack open our very special 37-year cask "Beastly Destiny."

James Saunders visits Beast Masters Club for a live barrel pick of the oldest bourbon we've ever found! This 20 year Tennessee bourbon was an incredible picking experience! The crowd got a bit lively as the sips progressed, but it was a fun ride!

Beast Masters Club gathers with a live audience at our podcast studio to talk with our special guest Joann Street - Wild Turkey American Whiskey Ambassador and granddaughter of bourbon legend Jimmy Russell.  We talk through the ins and outs of Wild Turkey's production methods, aging, what it's like to grow up in the Russell family, and finally we select Beast Masters latest private barrel, a 9-year Russell's Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon!

Pour a glass, settle into your favorite chair, and join us with our special guest, Joe Beatrice of Barrell Craft Spirits. 

Steve The Smoky Beast sits down with Jay Jadot of Armagnac.blog to talk about the meaning of life, obsession, and all things Armagnac. Jay is a writer after our own hearts who sees the beauty, irony, idiosyncrasy, and madness of becoming obsessed with a spirit and then trying to document your experience. He's also creating one of the best references out there for all many brands, bottlers, domaines, and vintages of Armagnac. *Warning this is a pretty wonky "deep in the weeds" discussion, but for your Armaganc lovers we dive into some of our favorite bottles and share the experience of discovering a new spirit.  

It's been a long while since the Beasts were able to gather in full pack formation for a live barrel picking event, but we couldn't have been happier to sit down with our guests in the new Beast Lair in NYC to pick this barrel with Knob Creek Brand Ambassador, Allie Klug.   

The beasts sit down with Zhana Londoner from the Brooklyn-based spanish food market Mercado Central and Nic Palazzi from PM Spirits (exclusive importers of L'Encantada Armagnac) to talk about pairing tapas with unique hand crafted French & Spanish spirits. Some spirits are not meant to be sipped in a vacuum. They're meant to be paired with rich, spicy, and delicious foods! We recreate the bar scene from San Sebastian in the foothills of the Pyrenees Mountains between France and Spain where they serve boquerones with Cognac-infused grape juice, Iberian Jamon with Armagnac Vin Mute, and cheese with cidre eau-de-vie. And we wrap up with dessert - chocolate paired with Armagnac D'Esperance!  

In one of the most random and amazing trips of our lives, the intrepid Beast Masters Club heads to the Gascony region of France and meets Jean-Phillippe from Domaine de Charron. In a sheer act of blind faith, four faithful Beast Masters follow your's truly The Smoky Beast on an adventure through Armagnac country. In this first of three half-hour podcasts, we deplane to discover tiny french automobiles, missing Chateaux, a very old part of the world, and a great new friend who makes some of the most incredible Armagnac we've ever tasted!

The first Beast Masters Club Armagnac barrel was a 1988 Domaine de Léberon, which we released in 2018 at 30 years old. It was a game-changer for us and many other folks in the whiskey game, showing how Armagnac could compete in terms of flavor with our favorite bourbons and ryes. Right now in our shop (www.beastmastersclub.com/shop), you can pick up a 1994 Léberon single cask that mirrors much of what we loved about that original 30-year. When we heard that the latest generation of Armagnac-makers Caroline Rozes and her husband Roman were in New York, we were lucky enough to persuade them to join us at the Beast Lair for a super informative and fun podcast. We talk about the Armagnac region, the multi-generational family estates of Léberon and Aurensan, their completely traditional and organic techniques of farming and distilling that create these brilliant spirits, and even an old-fashioned French country romance!

Steve the SmokyBeast is joined in his dining room by friends new and old - L'Encantada Armagnac aficionados Vincent Cornu and Frédéric Chappe, and self-proclaimed spirit nerd Nicolas Palazzi of PM Spirits.  Calling all beastly francophiles - this episode is for you. 

Steve the Smoky Beast (and self-proclaimed CEO of Beast Masters Club) is joined at home by Eric Kaye and Maura Gedid, spirit experts at the hilt of Holmes Cay Single Cask Rum. They sample their way around the world with a vast array of easy sippers and beasts.  Clinking and slurping sounds abound - the sure sign of a good time, if you ask us.  Watch out for this drop on Friday, beasts and beavers. You don't wanna miss it. 

Steve the SmokyBeast and Ben welcome Nick Taylor to the podcast, armagnac extraordinaire and founder of Taylor & Taylor Whiskey. He tells the Beasts (boys) lore about a little single estate producer of Bas Armagnac, Domaine de Charron, that produces the robust, crisp Baco grape. Fewer than a thousand bottles of this stuff are made available in the United States every year, and you Beasts in the audience may be lucky enough to score a bottle.  Most importantly, though, Ben, formerly known as JewDunDrankMyWhiskey, changes his moniker. Care to wager a guess on what he chose?  Hint: don't get sniped by the laser. 

These are the definition of dark days. As SmokyBeast puts it, "it's dark at, like, 4:30, everyone in the world has the VID, and we're all hiding under our beds again." Not to fear. The Beast Masters have the antidote, and no more will they deny the world.  SmokyBeast is joined today by the inimitable Will Schragis of Barrell Bourbon whose storied whiskey career speaks for itself (and whose voice may sound familiar to the lifers in the audience). They taste five new samples and discuss everything from the spectacular Seagrass whiskey that you'll have the chance to taste, to the secrets of frozen drinks. They may also fluff you a bit for being the adventurous beasts that you are, so if you're in need of a bit of encouragement today, take a listen. 

We know, we know. You don't drink sherry. You think you it's too niche, too sweet, cloying, too port-esque for a beast like you to sip on. But it doesn't have to be that way. Allow us to introduce the illustrious Mr. Nicolas Palazzi (whose voice you may have heard his voice on the pod before). From the man that brought Armagnac to the Beast Masters audience, comes this fortified wine that will blow your MIND. (And it's zero carbs!) Listen in to hear his expert commentary as he joins Mr. and Mrs. SmokyBeast around the dinner table. 

Everyone loves an underdog, so you'll definitely love the Armagnac from Château Garreau.  Join Steve the SmokyBeast and his very special guests Gregoire and Carole for a warm discussion about the terroir and distillation process of this "farm-spirited" liquor, the centuries-long Garreau family legacy, and why Gregoire calls Armagnac the world's only "bespoke" spirit. 

The pod is BACK! Old friend, super-journalist and whiskey personality Aaron Goldfarb joins the SmokyBeast in his kitchen. They discuss his many books (Hacking Whiskey, Gather Around Cocktails, etc.), the joys of fatherhood, and beaver anus whiskey. Find Aaron's work in Esquire, PUNCH, VinePair, and the Whiskey Advocate.  They taste through our Ezra Brooks, Starlight and Starbright, Knob Creek and Lucky 7.  Clink!

This week on the pod, the boys are joined by the one and only Tyler Mirt from Old Forester. While we're always excited for our guests, Tyler is extra special - he is one of a small few in the world who can call themselves a Sommelier, Cicerone and Executive Bourbon Steward.  Join Ben, Tyler and SmokyBeast in the "fruity warehouse" for this delicious conversation about our (your) barrel, the science behind the spirits at Old Forester, and what super-taster Tyler looks for in booze. 

What can transcend cultural and language barriers, connect people across oceans, and is equally appreciated by Frenchman and American alike? Armagnac, of course.  This week on the pod, take a French immersion class with spirit masters Vincent Cornu of L'Encantada and Nicolas Palazzi of PM Spirits. Learn about the distilling process, the estates, the distinct beauty of each of France's famed regions, and why whiskey lovers are flocking to the brand.  In the end, for both Frenchman and American, whiskey warrior and armagnac devotee, it's all about finding beautiful, delicious things, and sharing them with one another. 

This week on the pod, take a con-law class taught by Alex Laufer and John Carrabus out of America's Booze Capital (DC). Learn what One Eight owes to Smooth Ambler (what timing!), how the guys were inspired by the Constitution (hint…1.8), and about the joys of experimentation. Most importantly, get the scoop on future One Eight releases (!). 

This week, the boys are joined by three special guests - Alan and James from A.D. Laws Whiskey House, and the famed whiskey warrior (or Parisian Pirate?) Jake Cahill of Skurnik Wines.  They discuss the beautiful marriage of the right barrel with the right whiskey, the creativity in their recipes, two vs. three vs. four grain bourbon, muffin tops, and the team, the team, the TEAM.  They also share a special announcement near the end. Listen and sip along with us!

This week on the pod, the boys (and you, you're welcome) are graced with sage wisdom from Mark Coffman of Town Branch. He talks about the secrets of St. Jame's Gate, pot stilled bourbon, the life-changing magic of leaping, and letting where you land be tomorrow's problem.  While you're listening, check out their Irish sisters over at Pearse Lions Whiskey. 

How do you drink your whiskey? Rectally, in a lab setting? If it's gonna be that kinda party, I'll stick my d*ck in the mashed potatoes.  This week on the pod, the Beast-y Boys explore all things Starlight Distillery. These beautiful 4 year old barrels will have you fighting for your right to GET A BOTTLE ON FRIDAY. 

This week on the pod, listen to the boys taste the first of six Pinhook installments, and disclose a brand-new-very-exciting arrangement...

All of your preconceived notions about light whiskey? Leave them at Gene Nassif's door. This week, the co-founder of Obtanium Whiskey from Cat's Eye Distillery joins the Beasts to give some hot takes, share some light whiskey wisdom, and surprise the boys with a brand new treat or two. 

Welcome back, Beasties, for L'Encantada Lasalle Part 2.   This Friday, you've got a lot to be thankful for. Join the Beasts and Nicolas Palazzi of PM Spirits for a conversation on life, love and Armagnac.  And NEXT FRIDAY…well, you know what next Friday is. We just can't stop talking about it - we're that damn excited.   

Wow. Just WOW. This is one of our most special pods for one of our most special barrels.  The whiskey world is going nuts for L'Encantada. It's a small bottler of hand-picked single barrel Armagnac casks (sound familiar Willett fans?) and they are finding absolute treasures. They also do an incredibly beautiful presentation (ahem, again sound familiar?) with their signature orange wax.  On Episode 45 (Part 1), the Masters discuss the armagnac craze and give you a taste of what's to come for beasts everywhere. Follow along to whet your armagnac appetite, and then SET YOUR ALARMS for next Friday to get your bottle. 

Look no further.  Listen to this week's pod, Episode 44: Catoctin Creek featuring Scott Harris, for a whole-ass science class, a lesson in how to get an unadvised loan, the pressures of whiskey drinking as a woman, and the touching story of perfecting the family business of creating craft spirits.    

We promised a Part II...same day, same time, same place.  Eric and the Smoky Beast take you around the world in a supplemental sampling that has the Smoky Beast stumbling home.  Sip along on with the boys on your Capitan Brownbeard.  Or on a pina colada.  We don't judge. 

Steve-the-Smoky-Beast and Ben sit down with Eric Kaye, the Holmes Cay founder and rum connoisseur.  He is a kindred spirit, traveling all over the Caribbean to seek  out small rum distilleries and setting up import for them under his label.  He's a man on a mission - seek out the world's best rums and release them unadulterated at cask strength.  How hard could that be?  Really f**ckin' hard, it turns out.  On Holmes Cay (Part I), Eric Kaye and the Beasts sample the first bottle of Beast Masters Club rum!  This one comes from Travellers Distillery in Belmopan, Belize. It's 100% natural, no additives, no coloring, aged in a bourbon cask. 

They've done it.  The illustrious Barrell Bourbon is the "Bees Knee's" two years running, but this year they don't just sting, they slay.  They don't just maim, they murder.  Join the #SmokyBeast and Ben on the pod as they sample a trio of their MGP ryes, and preview our this year's Bee's Knees…or Murder Hornets. 

Hello, degenerates!  Welcome to the Corona Party Bunker.  Pull up a chair and join us for a beastly feast of bourbon and brainfood.  This week, the Beast Masters taste and review the Spinal Tap inspired Elijah Craig Single Barrel Trilogy, "SMELL THE BEAVER".  This one GOES TO ELEVEN! 

The Beasts are joined on the pod by Josh Feldman (of Coopered Tot fame) for a sampling of the Hazmat bottle series, along with a few other surprises.  The men discuss the pressing issues of our time, such as, "the papery skin of nuts," and, "swampy spice cajones," and answer the seminal question on everyone's mind: are pimp hats for everyone?  

What happens when Lil' Beast is away?  Mom and Dad drink whiskey, of course!  Mrs. Beast brings her brilliance to the table to review the new barrel trio - 1792, Eagle Rare, and Buffalo Trace - and to pick a name from amongst your clever BMC submissions. 

The Beast Masters meet again for a holiday special - and their four favorite ryes of 2019 meet each other in the octagon.  Who will emerge victorious?  Will it be Steve the Smoky Beast's pick, Parker's Heritage?  Ben's Wild Turkey?  Jake the Whiskey Warrior's bottom-shelf sleeper pick, the Pinhook?  Or the group's classic pick, Redemption?  Let the sleigh bell ring, and the fight begin! 

After a 6 month podcasting hiatus The Beasts are back! The cast took a bit of a back seat to some serious barrel hunting so to settle the books Steve and Ben sat down to properly catch up on the club's picks over the last half year. 2019 has bestowed some amazing barrel picks upon our beastly club, but unfortunately, they have remained unaddressed in this forum… until now. Tune in for reviews and tasting notes on Wild Turkey picks, Morning Wood and Return of the Pickle (picked with Bruce Russel in August 2018), Knob Creek Double Barrel (two 14 year bourbons picked by the club in Nov 2018) and our latest Bee's Knees release of 14 Barrell Bourbon (picked by the club in April 2019). Can crack into your bottles and sip along as we catch up past barrel scores and preview some of the tasty treats we have coming in the second half of the year.

We've been hearing that Armagnac is the "next big thing" but we didn't believe it. That is, we didn't believe it until Nicolas Palazzi of PM Spirits poured us the most incredible 30 year single cask we've ever tasted. Armagnac is incredibly diverse becase in addition to the different distilling and aging techniques, there's a vast difference in grape varietals. Nicolas has discovered some true gems in Armagnac production. These are tiny family operations that produce only a few casks per year. The 1988 Chateau de Leberon was placed in a "black oak" cask made from local timber straight out of the small traditional column still with no water or additives. It aged beautifully for 30 years and was bottled unfilitered, at cask strength. It's totally undiluted, pure, straight from the cask spirit, and was one of the most stunning drams we've ever tasted!

Under the pretense of tasting some rare whiskey, the gang quickly decends into a referendum on the appropriation of the word "damp" into a Hip-Hop phraseology, Amanda's penchant for mass murder podcasts, Jake's dubious use of bottom-shelf bourbon as mouthwash, and a contest for the worst old-timy 1950's television accent. On the table: Smooth Ambler Very Old Scout 14 Year Old Fitzgerald 11-Year Heaven Hill Select Stock Willett Family Estate Single Barrel Wild Turkey Original Decanter

Tasting through five different casks of various ages, the Beast Masters choose their next private barrel and learn about Heaven Hill's whiskey-making methods. Is older whiskey necessarily better? The boys taste casks from 8-12 years old. FInd out which one makes the cut.

John Little has been putting out some of our favorite whiskey for years now. When we got the chance to buy a private barrel of his Old Scout American Whiskey for the club, we didn't think twice! Steve and Ben catch up with Ben right before our live Beast Masters barrel picking session. John catches us up on all the success at Smooth Ambler, and breaks down the American Whiskey product. The barrel came out awesome, as did the cast! Check it out.

The grisly grey-haired beast is getting even older. For his birthday Beast Master Ben, Josh "Captain Coop" Feldman, and Jake "Whiskey Warrior" Cahill assemble to sample our favorite of the Beast Masters Club private barrels. The warrior brings a surprise - a National Distillers Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond bourbon distilled in 1961! The boys talk whiskey, turn-ons, turn-offs, and just to spice things up, Jake dons an atrocious Scottish accent and deep-throats a Glencairn glass. You don't wanna miss this one. Unless you're Jake's, mom, in which case we're sorry.

There are supposedly some "smoky" American whiskies.   But there's only ONE "Slap-Your-Ass-and-Call-You-Sally" smoky American whiskey.   That one is made in Waco, Texas.   In this episode of Beast Masters Club Podcast, Winston Edwards from Balcones Distillery sits down with The Beasts to celebrate Balcones' 10th Anniversary.

Beast Masters Club is back with another edition of "Beastly Treats" where we invite one lucky club member for the whiskey tasting of a lifetime. This time our guest is stand-up comedian David Kinney @davidkinney. Jake The Whiskey Warrior Cahill and Mrs. SmokyBeast join the party to sample amazing whiskeys while we broach subjects from stand up comedy to Shrek to full-body Spanx. The whiskey at hand is "Big Brother" - a tasting of three of our favorite malts next to super-aged versions of their "big brothers". The lineup: Talisker Storm vs. Talisker 30-Year Cask Strength Lagavulin Distiller's Edition vs. Lagavulin Feis Ile 2015 24-Year Cask Strength Caol Ila Feis Ile 2015 Cask Strength vs. Caol Ila 30-Year Malts of Scotland Cask Strength Sherry Hogshead

Adam was kind enough to show us around his distillery and warehouses and give us a behind the scenes peek at how Sonoma County produces their unique take on a variety of pot distilled whiskies. From their Alembic Hoga stills hand crafted in Portugal and modeled on the original, ancient Arab water distillers to their method of slightly down proofing and finishing their whiskies in first fill barrels, there's a lot of interesting distilling craft at work in Adam's world. These unique approaches have certainly produced some very tasty craft whiskeys and great success Sonoma Distilling. They are currently expanding the operation from a 6000 to a 12000 sq ft footprint to meet demand for their West of Kentucky Bourbons and Sonoma Ryes. Tune in to hear the story of a truly passionate, dedicated craftsman devoted to creating whiskies using time honored, traditional methods and local, sustainable ingredients. Sonoma County Distilling is really a grain to glass operation where every step of the process is treated with love and devoted attention.

Beast Masters Club and The Wall Street Journal Plus bring you a rare treat: an interview with Wild Turkey's Jimmy Russell and the chance to pick a private barrel of bourbon! With over 60 years of whiskey making experience running Wild Turkey, Jimmy Russell is a true bourbon legend. Jimmy and his grandson Bruce, now the fourth generation Russell at Wild Turkey, sit down with the Beast Masters to pick a private barrel of Wild Turkey Bourbon.

Once again, the doors to the Beast Masters battle arena were flung open to see two true masters of the dusty whiskey hunt engage in combat. The treasures they unleashed were truly epic, but only one could leave as champion! These two expert dusty connoisseurs fought bravely to own the title of Champion Dusty Hunter. Each brought forth a serious bounty of dusty whiskey treats for the Beast Masters audience to judge.  Josh Feldman came strong with a John Gibson & Co. Rye which was distilled prior to Prohibition in 1917 but bottled as medicinal whiskey during Prohibition at 11 years old in 1928, and a 1955 Jim Beam, Old Grecian Urn special glass decanter.  Josh Richholt brought some serious heat with a 1976 Bourbon de Luxe and a 1978 Wild Turkey 101, 8 Year "Limited Edition Ceramic Strutting Turkey" decanter labeled as, "No. 8 and Final in a Series." So we were all set to face off with some excellent old hooch and some super badass limited edition funky decanters! It's safe to say we were all winners on this night of dusty love, but tune in to see who emerged to claim the title of Champion Dusty Hunter... At least until next time a worthy contender wants to rise to the occasion and see if they can etch their name in the annals of Beast Masters lore.

Legendary Four Roses Distillery Manger Al Young treated the Beast Masters to an incredible Kentucky bourbon barrel picking session that produced the OBSV awesomeness now known as, "It Must Have Been The Roses". When we arrived at Four Roses on a sunny morning in March, Al had a number of casks laid out for our day's picking endeavor. Under Al's expert guidance we tasted through six barrels pulled from a variety of Four Roses' rickhouses and spanning a nice cross section of their different recipes. When all was said and done, our crack team of Hot Pickle Society inductees landed on the High Rye OBSV BEAST of a bourbon that has been dubbed, "It Must Have Been The Roses." This bad boy stuck out immediately in the tasting as a deep, rich, spicy, flavorful bourbon with a gorgeous finish that goes on for days. We sat down to chat with Al following our epic barrel picking session to review the barrel pick and get a bit of Al's perspective on the world of whiskey and how we've come to where we are now in the industry. We also discussed Al's 50th Anniversary bottling and the formulation the special blend of Four Roses selections picked for this special commemorative limited edition. We hope you enjoy cracking open a bottle of It Must Have Been The Roses and sipping along with us. We're very glad to be able to share this with you all.

Once again two intrepid contenders step into our Whiskey Thunderdome - this time to decide who will be named the first ever One Bourbon, One Scotch & One Beer Champion by our Beast Masters Members! Enter the worthy contenders: Nate Woodruff of Whisky With A View and Shane Helmick of How to Drink Whisky. Each brought the eponymous, One Bourbon, One Scotch & One Beer. Each listened to George Thorogood records nonstop for a minimum of two weeks. Enter the esteemed Judges: Dana "Mrs. Beast" Zeller, Jake "The Whiskey Warrior" Cahill and Beast Masters Co-Founder, Ben Paluba. Each has taken a solemn vow to guide the Beast Masters through this epic battle and inform the club wisely in casting their votes to ultimately decide who will reign as One Bourbon, One Scotch & One Beer Champion. Remember, the judges will certainly offer their evaluations and criticisms in spades, but ultimately, the audience decides the fate of our two hopeful prospects. Enter our wise host and master of ceremonies: Steve "SmokyBeast" Zeller. Keeping all these players in line and sober enough to do their jobs is no easy task. Who will be vanquished? Who shall prevail to hold and defend the title of OBOSOB Champion? Draw near, listen and be amazed by this tale of skill, courage, bravery and beverages.

The Beast Masters drop in on Ned Wight at New England Distilling in Portland, ME for a "North of the Wall" vacation podcast between Lobstah rolls and steamahs. We could not have asked for a warmer welcome from a nicer guy. Ned took us deep behind the scenes of his distillery and delved into the real nitty gritty of his craft, methods and practices.  After the tour and schooling, he treated us to a great little tasting. New England Distilling is a true craft endeavor and a real passion project. Ned and his crew are in this to make excellent, unique and interesting spirits and I think we can say they've got some great things happening. This is one of the more in depth discussions about the art of distilling that we've had yet on the podcast. Tons of information here for the true whiskey freaks. Pick up some of Ned's Gunpowder Rye, Eight Bells Rum, or Ingenium Gin (he's got a bourbon but it all sold out locally) and sip along with us.