Author name: Bourbon Lens Team

Jake Lewellen is the co-host and co-founder of Bourbon Lens, one of America's leading bourbon and whiskey podcasts. Born and raised in Kentucky, Jake has spent over seven years exploring the world of American whiskey — from the legendary distilleries of Bardstown and Frankfort to the craft producers nobody's heard of yet. With more than 380 episodes under his belt, Jake brings an encyclopedic knowledge of bourbon history, distillery craft, and the people shaping America's native spirit. When he's not recording, he's hunting allocated bottles, attending industry events, and convincing Scott to try one more dram. Jake is a finalist for the Bardstown Bourbon Company Worlds Top Whiskey Taster which pitted bourbon lovers from around the world in a unique sensory tasting experience.

Penelope Cigar Session 2 with a cigar and a glass of whiskey
Bourbon and Whiskey News

Penelope Bourbon Teams Up with Alec Bradley for Cigar Sessions: Chapter 2

Penelope Bourbon Teams Up with Alec Bradley for Cigar Sessions: Chapter 2 Read Post »

Bardstown, KY / Ft. Lauderdale, FL — Penelope Bourbon and Alec Bradley Cigars have released Cigar Sessions: Chapter 2, the second collaboration between the two brands, built from the ground up as a whiskey made to stand toe-to-toe with a full-bodied cigar. The Whiskey: Bottled at 117.4 proof and aged six years, the release carries

Stitzel-Weller iconic smoke stack featuring Old Fitzgerald branding
Bourbon and Whiskey News, Bourbon Lens Podcast

400: Diageo Unveils Blade and Bow 12-Year Solera Bourbon at Historic Stitzel-Weller Distillery

400: Diageo Unveils Blade and Bow 12-Year Solera Bourbon at Historic Stitzel-Weller Distillery Read Post »

We celebrate our 400th episode this week with Nicole Austin, Diageo’s Director of American Whiskey Liquid Development and Capabilities, walks us through the new Blade and Bow 12-Year Solera Bourbon from the historic Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Shively, Kentucky. The 104-proof release carries an MSRP of $64.99, positioning it as a rare combination of extended-age complexity

Jim Beam Hit Commercial
Bourbon and Whiskey News

Jim Beam Turns Football’s Most Dreaded Sound Into a Prize Opportunity With “Hit The Beam”

Jim Beam Turns Football’s Most Dreaded Sound Into a Prize Opportunity With “Hit The Beam” Read Post »

Ahead of NFL kickoff, the world’s No. 1 bourbon brand is betting that a missed field goal can bring rival fans together — and pay out an 85-inch TV in the process. CLERMONT, KY — September 9, 2026 — Jim Beam is launching a new campaign built around one of football’s most universally hated sounds:

Hard Truth Festival 2026
Bourbon and Whiskey News

Hard Truth Distilling Co. Announces Third Annual Harvest Festival, Debuting Dark Roast Rye

Hard Truth Distilling Co. Announces Third Annual Harvest Festival, Debuting Dark Roast Rye Read Post »

The Brown County, Indiana distillery’s fall celebration returns Saturday, Sept. 26, with live music, festival games, and the final Master Distiller’s Reserve release of 2026. NASHVILLE, IN — September 8, 2026 — Hard Truth Distilling Co. is bringing back its Harvest Festival for a third year on Saturday, September 26, turning its Brown County campus

Parker Heritage 20 Edition
Bourbon and Whiskey News

Heaven Hill Honors Parker Beam’s Legacy With 20th Edition of Parker’s Heritage Collection — A 14-Year Bourbon Made With Rye Backset

Heaven Hill Honors Parker Beam’s Legacy With 20th Edition of Parker’s Heritage Collection — A 14-Year Bourbon Made With Rye Backset Read Post »

The milestone anniversary release leans on a technique Parker Beam championed himself, and continues the collection’s tradition of funding ALS research in his name. BARDSTOWN, KY — September 8, 2026 — Heaven Hill Distillery has unveiled the 20th edition of its Parker’s Heritage Collection, a 14-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon made using rye backset — a

Three individuals in a barrel room raise glasses of whiskey in a toast.
Bourbon and Whiskey News

Kentucky Wildcats Bourbon Deal: UK Athletics Partners With Heaven Hill, Naming Elijah Craig and Evan Williams Official Bourbon Partners

Kentucky Wildcats Bourbon Deal: UK Athletics Partners With Heaven Hill, Naming Elijah Craig and Evan Williams Official Bourbon Partners Read Post »

New multiyear agreement rebrands premium hospitality spaces at Kroger Field and Rupp Arena, and brings a UK-exclusive co-branded bottle hand-selected by Athletics Director J Batt. LEXINGTON, KY — September 3, 2026 — UK Athletics has struck a multiyear partnership with Heaven Hill Brands, naming Elijah Craig the Official Small Batch Bourbon Partner of the Kentucky

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