Whiskey Reviews Episodes

Bob and Brad wrap up Season 6 with Michael Mann's 1992 historical epic The Last of the Mohicans, a film that neither Bob nor Brad had seen before. Luckily, they're joined by film critic Daniel Joyaux to break it down. Daniel counts this among his favorite movies, largely because of just how rewatchable it is. Together, the trio discuss Daniel Day-Lewis having the movie stolen out from under him by the phenomenal Wes Studi, the career of Madeleine Stowe, and how this movie fits into the catalo...

Bob and Brad continue their miniseries of Michael Mann films with his 1995 crime epic Heat, a movie that Bob had surprisingly never seen until about a year ago. This is Brad's first time watching the much-hyped pairing of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, and the guys have plenty of thoughts on the two lead performances. Mixed in is a review of Val Kilmer, as well as a serial-killer subplot that's entirely unnecessary to the film. Meanwhile, they return to one of their favorite scotch whisky brands...

Bob and Brad kick off their miniseries of Michael Mann films with the 2004 thriller Collateral, a first-time watch for Brad. Featuring a rare villainous turn from Tom Cruise, the guys praise the casting and performances of he and Jamie Foxx, even while not loving some of the dialogue or the too-obvious metaphors. Meanwhile, they try one of Bob's all-time favorite bourbons, Johnny Drum Private Stock. Made by Willett, this features all the funk and rose petal notes that Bob has come to love from ...

Bob and Brad wrap up their miniseries of Coen Brothers comedies with their 1998 film The Big Lebowski, a first-time watch for Brad and just the second time for Bob. Unlike Raising Arizona, Bob was not a fan of this cult classic the first time he saw it, so our hosts have invited author Cathleen Falsani to help break down why this movie is so beloved. Cathleen's book The Dude Abides: The Gospel According to the Coen Brothers was is an incredible read, and she breaks down the deeper themes of Lebo...

Bob and Brad continue their miniseries of Coen Brothers comedies with their 1987 film Raising Arizona, and boy, is this episode a doozy. Bob loves this movie. Like, LOVES it. Brad hates this movie. Like, HATES it. Despite their very different opinions, they find some points in common, like their praise for the delightful Holly Hunter and the Coens' witty dialogue. Meanwhile, they sample their first-ever offering from Lagavulin, the famous 16-year expression. Known for its incredibly peaty ar...

Bob and Brad kick off their miniseries of Coen Brothers comedies with their 2000 film O Brother, Where Art Thou? A loose adaptation of The Odyssey, this film stars George Clooney in full Cary Grant mode, taking pratfalls and allowing himself to be the butt of the joke. Our hosts break the amazing Roger Deakins camerawork, as well as the vibrant cast of supporting characters. Meanwhile, they revisit the Maker's Mark brand for the first time since season 1 with Maker's Mark Cask Strength. At a $4...

Bob and Brad finish up their miniseries of James Cameron films with his 1991 extravaganza Terminator 2: Judgment Day. Today, they're joined by writer and filmmaker Ian Nathan. Ian is former editor of Empire magazine and author of nearly 20 books, including the new James Cameron: A Retrospective. Our trio of hosts break down every angle of this quite-literally-explosive film, lauding the performances of Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger, as well as Cameron's work as a writer, adding depth ...

Bob and Brad keep a-rollin' with the flaming semi-truck that is the James Cameron filmography with his 1984 sci-fi milestone, The Terminator. Drawing inspiration from the slashers of the 70s and early 80s and working with a budget of less than $7 million, Cameron delivered one of the most influential science-fiction films of all time. Brad is on record stating that this movie sparked his deeply-rooted hatred of the 1980s--how will he respond to another viewing? Meanwhile, our hosts try a young ...

Bob and Brad continue their mini-series on James Cameron with his 1986 action thrill ride, Aliens. Perhaps Cameron's most purely entertaining movie, this sequel took the intimate horror of the first installment and went in a different direction, turning Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley into an action star and solidifying Cameron's reputation as one of the best directors in the genre. Meanwhile, they try a single barrel bourbon from Virginia, John J. Bowman. In fact, the distillate that goes into...

Brad and Bob strap in for a new Christmas tradition: celebrating the films of Tom Cruise. This year, there's no better movie to review than Top Gun: Maverick. The guys break down what makes this movie so special among both Cruise's catalog and the history of action movies. Meanwhile, they sip on three new whiskeys from Bardstown Bourbon Company known as the Origin Series. These are the first Bardstown releases to use only their own distillate, and they include a high-rye bourbon, a wheated bott...

Bob and Brad kick off a mini-series on James Cameron with his polarizing 2009 epic, Avatar. For Brad, this film sullied Cameron's reputation almost irreparably, but Bob feels much differently. The two try to hash out their differences while finding points in common, like the way-underrated Zoe Saldana. Meanwhile, they sip a 12-year Japanese whisky with an outrageous price tag, The Yamazaki 12. Will it live up to its Cameron-esque budget? Film & Whiskey Podcast. New episodes every Monday. Film...

Bob and Brad wrap up their mini-series of three films by director David Lean with his 1945 British masterpiece Brief Encounter. This aching romantic drama follows two ordinary, married people in pre-war England who quickly fall in love but know they cannot remain together. Our hosts discuss Celia Johnson's brilliant performance, as well as Lean and screenwriter Noel Coward's insistence on making these characters as relatable as possible, to devastating effect. Meanwhile, they try a budget Can...

Bob and Brad continue their mini-series of three films by director David Lean, with his 1957 classic The Bridge in the River Kwai. This rousing epic about British and American soldiers in a Japanese POW camp may seem similar to films like The Great Escape, but Lean's anti-war streak and the film's focus on hubris and shame make this a much more nuanced experience. Our hosts discuss William Holden as an actor versus as a movie star, while heaping praise on the subtleties in Alec Guinness' brillia...

Bob sits down with master distiller Alex Castle to talk about one of the Film & Whiskey crew's favorite US distilleries, Old Dominick. This Memphis-based outfit is ready to launch a new line of in-house whiskey distilled on-site. It's an exciting time for the brand, and it provides a great opportunity to spring our "Inside the Whiskey Studio" questionnaire on Alex. Film & Whiskey Podcast. New episodes every Monday. Film & Whiskey Instagram Film & Whiskey Facebook Film & Whiskey Twitter Email u...

Bob and Brad kick off their mini-series of three films by director David Lean, starting with his 1962 masterpiece Lawrence of Arabia. Considered one of the greatest films of all-time, it's easy to see why--the scale and scope of this film are staggering. Bob and Brad discuss the major themes of the movie before diving into a breakdown of the best (and worst) performances. Meanwhile, they go back to the Bushmills line to try Bushmills Black Bush. Like the Red Bush expression, this Irish whiskey ...

Bob and Brad try to remain civil after re-watching Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind for the first time since their 2020 episode where Brad scored it as a 2.5/10. How will his score change, if it all? Meanwhile, they sip on three wildly different whiskies from KO Distilling. Film & Whiskey Podcast. New episodes every Monday. Film & Whiskey Instagram Film & Whiskey Facebook Film & Whiskey Twitter Email us! Join our Discord server! --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/filmwhisk...

Bob and Brad wrap up their mini-series of three films by director Rob Reiner with his 1987 comedy classic The Princess Bride. The script for this movie, by screenwriter William Goldman, is considered one of the best ever, but how does Reiner's direction stack up? Our hosts power-rank the 9 main actors of the movie before pivoting to whiskey. This week, they go back to the Bushmills line to try Bushmills Red Bush. Like the standard white label expression, this Irish whiskey is a blend of single ...

Bob and Brad sit down with Mark McLaughlin of Old Line Spirits, a veteran-owned US whiskey producer that is making some incredible single malt. Our hosts try the cask strength expression while chatting with Mark about his time in the military and his thoughts on this week's movie, A Few Good Men. Film & Whiskey Podcast. New episodes every Monday. Film & Whiskey Instagram Film & Whiskey Facebook Film & Whiskey Twitter Email us! Join our Discord server! Theme music: "New Shoes" by Blue Wednesd...

Bob and Brad continue their mini-series of three films by director Rob Reiner with his 1992 classic A Few Good Men. The Aaron Sorkin script is legendary, and Reiner's direction is lean and efficient, making this a movie that holds up unbelievably well.. Meanwhile, they try a whisky that was completely new to Bob when he picked it up on vacation: Nomad Outland Whisky. This blended scotch is matured in sherry butts and then shipped to Spain for additional finishing in PX casks. Has a secretly ama...

Bob and Brad kick off a mini-series of three films by director Rob Reiner with a Halloween special: his 1990 thriller Misery. They discuss some killer performances by Kathy Bates and James Caan, as well as how Reiner's comic timing is a huge benefit to making an effective suspense thriller. Meanwhile, they try a rye that was exclusively released to the Ohio and Pennsylvania markets: Old Overholt 11-Year. We'd hoped that Beam Suntory would continue releasing this, albeit in a limited capacity, b...

Bob and Brad wrap up their series on director John Ford with 1952's The Quiet Man. An objectively beautiful-looking film, it's also one of Ford's most gentle and good-hearted movies. John Wayne turns in perhaps his most sensitive performance, and our hosts praise Ford for coaxing such a turn form him. Meanwhile, they try one of the world's most popular and affordable Irish whiskeys, Bushmills. How will this under-$25 bottle impress them? Film & Whiskey Podcast. New episodes every Monday. Film...

Bob and Brad continue their series on director John Ford with 1956's The Searchers. Long revered by filmmakers as Ford's best and most influential film, it's also one of his most controversial by today's standards. Our hosts discuss star John Wayne in a career-best performance before diving into some of the film's complex racial issues. Meanwhile, they honor Woodford Reserve master distiller Chris Morris by trying Woodford Reserve Malt Whiskey during this, an episode on his favorite film. Our h...

Bob and Brad sit down with Bobby DeMars, founder and CEO of Blind Barrels, for a chat about his history in the film business and his new whiskey venture. this is a brand that our hosts can get behind: every three months, subscribers receive a new box in the mail containing four "blind" whiskey samples. As you taste through your box, a special QR code reveals the identity of each whiskey. Bobby is helping to highlight some of the best brands in American craft whiskey, and we couldn't be more hono...

Bob and Brad kick off a mini-series of films from director John Ford with 1940's The Grapes of Wrath. Based on one of the "Great American Novels," this movie features iconic lines and performances, though at least one of our hosts thinks that star Henry Fonda may actually be less-than-believable as Tom Joad. Meanwhile, they try a PX-finished wheated bourbon from Rabbit Hole called Dareringer. How will it measure up against other sherry-finished whiskeys they've tried? Film & Whiskey Podcast. N...