#35: Choosing our 20th barrel with Nicolas Palazzi of PM Spirits

For our 20th private barrel, we wanted to do something really special. When we found this single cask of 30 year Argmagnac, we knew we'd done just that. Nicolas Palazzi from PM Spirits educates us on all things Armagnac and samples us on several private casks including our beautiful 30 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!

#34: Whiskey Warrior Turns "Dirty Thirty"

The one and only Whiskey Warrior, Jake Cahill, turns 30. The Beast Masters are joined by a crew of miscreants to celebrate. 

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 phrasology, Amanda's penchant for mass murder podcasts, Jake's dubious use of bourbon as mouthwash, and a contest for the worst old-timey 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

#33 Elijah Craig "Crossed Keys" Barrel Pick

The Beast Masters choose their latest barrel Elijah Craig "Crossed Keys" with the gents from Heaven Hill. 

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. 

#32 Smooth Ambler Master Distiller John Little

This week we're debuting our Smooth Ambler Old Scout private barrel. We sit down with John Little to catch up on Smooth Ambler and learn about our new barrel pick!

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.

#31 A Beastly Birthday

For SmokyBeast's birthday, we drink a 1961 Old Grand-Dad, and The Whiskey Warrior deep-throats a Glencairn glass. Enjoy!

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.