Skip to content
Episode 455 July 30, 2025 · 48:02
455. Four Pours, Four Places: From Cody to the Lone Star

455. Four Pours, Four Places: From Cody to the Lone Star

Jim & Todd taste Wyoming Whiskey's Buffalo Bill Cody, RD1 Sister Cities, and Milam & Green's Kentucky vs. Texas split-distillate experiment.

The Bourbon Road Media Player

Tasting Notes

Show Notes

Jim Shannon and Todd Ritter settle in for a four-bottle sample night on The Bourbon Road, working through an eclectic lineup that spans the American West, the Bluegrass State, and a transatlantic distillate experiment that splits the same white dog between Kentucky and Texas maturation. Grab your favorite Glencairn — or a wee one if that's all you've got — and join the guys as they explore what craft distilling looks like when producers are willing to push boundaries, honor legends, and let geography do the blending.

On the Tasting Mat:

  • Wyoming Whiskey Buffalo Bill Cody Bourbon: A six-year-old straight bourbon blended from 26 barrels, bottled at 97 proof with all grains grown and distilled in Kirby, Wyoming. The nose opens with leather, sassafras, and chocolate-covered cherries, while the palate delivers sweet cream frosting, caramel, nutmeg, and a bright lemon-zest lift on the finish. Wyoming-only release, SRP $79.99. (00:02:15)
  • RD1 Sister Cities Whiskey: A blend of five-year-old bourbon (70% corn, 21% rye, 9% malted barley, finished with French oak necklaces), seven-year-old bourbon (75/13/12 mash bill), and eight-year-old rye (51% rye, 37% corn, 12% barley), finished with lightly toasted Mizunara staves. Bottled at 102 proof, SRP $69.99. Dark plum, milk chocolate, tart cherry, and a dry sandalwood spice define the experience. Available at the RD1 tasting room in Lexington, KY. (00:08:00)
  • Milam & Green The Answer — Kentucky Aged: Distilled in Bardstown, KY in October 2019 from a 70/22/8 corn-rye-malted barley mash bill and aged five years in Kentucky, pulling up to 108.3 proof from the barrel. The nose is bright, floral, and fruit-forward — honeysuckle, sugar, and fresh orchard fruits — while the palate lands on cinnamon-spiced applesauce with a jalapeño-honey kick. Part of a 375 ml two-bottle boxed set, SRP $149.99. (00:27:14)
  • Milam & Green The Answer — Texas Aged: The sister distillate of the Kentucky expression above, shipped as white dog to Blanco, TX and matured five years in the Texas heat, concentrating up to 117.3 proof. The nose turns darker and denser — smoked and grilled fruit with a rich, brooding character — while the palate delivers cinnamon red-hot spice, deep oak tannins, and a robust, full-bodied finish. Included in the same boxed set as the Kentucky expression. (00:33:20)

Beyond the glass, Jim and Todd touch on RD1's expanding Lexington facility (complete with amphitheater ambitions), the growing craft scene along the Louisville-to-Lexington corridor, a recap of the festival barrel-pick road trip to MB Roland and Casey Jones, and a preview of upcoming Bourbon on the Banks barrel selections still on the calendar. A strong night for craft whiskey with zero weak pours.

Full Transcript

Tasting Craft Bourbon Kentucky Texas Wyoming Whiskey Buffalo Bill Cody Bourbon RD1 Distillery Sister Cities Whiskey Mizunara oak French oak finish Milam and Green The Answer bourbon Kentucky aged bourbon Texas aged bourbon craft bourbon Bardstown Kentucky Lexington Kentucky Blanco Texas barrel pick Bourbon on the Banks straight bourbon rye whiskey whiskey tasting Jim Shannon Todd Ritter