Two Glasses of Bourbon

Caroline Paulus has one of the best job titles in the world, Whiskey Historian. In her role at Justins' House of Bourbon, she handles researching and purchasing vintage bottles, as well as sourcing single barrel picks. She is also the Senior Editor at The Bourbon Review. 

We had a great conversation over a dusty bottle of Wild Turkey.

Listen in to hear how she built her whiskey knowledge, how she found (built) her dream job, and where she sees the dusty bourbon market going in the future. 

Follow Caroline on Instagram - @misswhiskeyhistorian

Follow Justins’ House of Bourbon - @houseofbourbonky

Follow the Bourbon Review - @bourbonreview

If you want to connect with Robin, you can find her Instagram here or her website here.

Will Updike is both a sportsman and a preservationist. As the Vice President of Natural and Cultural Resource Management at Shaker Village of Pleasant Hill, he is able to combine the the two passions. He has a unique viewpoint on preservation, as steward of one of Kentucky's most well-known historic communities. Check out the interview to learn what's going on at Shaker Village, what's in the future, and some of the behind the scenes info that you won't hear on the tour. You can find Shaker Village HERE.

I was joined by Brian Booth, of Justins' House of Bourbon. Brian is the go-to resource for dusty bottles in Kentucky and nationwide. At Justins' you can buy everything from pre-prohibition bourbon to Pappy Van Winkle, at any time. 

Next was Pablo Moix. Pablo is a restaurateur, bourbon enthusiast, and he owns Rare Character, a whiskey brand which builds on his unique insight and industry relationships . His restaurant, Old Lightning, is a James Beard nominee.

Finally, Samantha Ward of Old Carter joined us. Samantha has not only an expansive knowledge of bourbon, but also the ability to convey her knowledge in a way that is fun and not stuffy. Old Carter is a passion project of Mark and Sherri Carter, where they produce award winning bourbon, rye, and blended whiskeys. 

While many artists choose to work in oil or clay, Alex Narramore chose an nontraditional route: sugar. Her sugar flowers are a botanically accurate, being perfect recreations of examples she has grown in her own garden. Her cakes have been featured in The Voice Tribune and Sophisticated Living, and she has been a judge on The Food Network. This was a super fun interview and I know you'll enjoy it. You can find her website here and her Instagram here.

Mack & Sharon Cox have built one of the finest collections of Kentucky furniture and antiques in existence. Their research has pushed the boundaries of scholarship in early Kentucky history. Throughout the conversation, Mack shared the story behind his and Sharon's first Kentucky piece, a clock owned by one of the first settlers in the Commonwealth. We also discussed the history behind a table used by both Presidents Jackson and Monroe. Finally, on a different note, Bill Evans Meng shared his newest project, the Kentucky Auction House. 

I've been following Adam Lewis, of Southern Country Goodfellow, for several years. He always posts great, original photos of historic properties in the Bluegrass. If you're not following him, you need to get on that. During the episode, we discuss how he finds homes, the research that goes into each post, and he announces some exciting news about an upcoming project. You'll have to listen to find out more!

Cross Gate Gallery

Eastin Creative

Tyler's Instagram

Tyler's Facebook

Sloppy Track

Sporting Art Auction

Hope Scarves - Lara MacGregor

USA Cares

Keeneland

Fasig Tipton

This week I was joined by Janie-Rice Brother of Gardens to Gables. Janie-Rice is fantastic and I've been looking forward to interviewing her for a while. We discussed everything from vernacular Kentucky architecture, to preservation, to how I learned architectural terms from her website. She is an architectural historian by trade, and has cataloged historic homes across the bluegrass. She is currently working on a book about historic Kentucky houses with photographer Carol Peachee. She previously collaborated with Peachee on a book covering historic Kentucky barns, which can be found here. 

You can also check out her Instagram page here.

This week, I was joined again by Brittany Sams of the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation. The BGT has partnered with Keeneland to build an app that guides visitors on a tour of Lexington's historic East End. The app is wonderful and if you're planning on visiting Lexington, you should check it out. You can find it HERE.

I'm joined this week by noted landscape designer, philanthropist, and host, Jon Carloftis. Join us as we discuss how to host the perfect weekend in Lexington, Cassius Clay and his connection to Jon's home, and how to visualize the possibilities when renovating a historic home. Click here to see some of Jon's gardens. You can find his Instagram here, which is a great place to keep up with his work. 

Master Distiller Marianne Eaves joins me this week to talk bourbon. We discuss the difference between good bourbon, and bad, how to improve your palate, and some of her (exciting) upcoming projects. You can sign up for her mailing list here and you can follow her travels on Instagram, here.

Brittany Sams of the Blue Grass Trust for Historic Preservation joined me this week to talk about some exciting preservation opportunities around the Bluegrass. She also hints at some exciting news coming for the Pope Villa in Lexington. You can follow the Blue Grass Trust's Facebook page HERE to get all their updates. If you want to check out the Rehabilitation Opportunities list, you can find it HERE.

You can get your copy of Black and White by clicking this link.

Dr. Mel Hankla is a renowned collector and historian of Kentucky longrifles and longrifle  culture. We go in depth on the history of some interesting firearms such as the Enoch Smith rifle, as well as talk about early Kentucky pioneers such as William Whitley. Finally, we finish up by discussing Mel's new book, which can be found at www.intothebluegrass.net.