Whiskey Reviews Episodes

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...

Bob and Brad wrap up their Wes Anderson mini-series with his adventure comedy The Grand Budapest Hotel. To help break down what might be Anderson's masterpiece, the guys are joined by their favorite YouTuber, Patrick H. Willems, fresh off the release of his first feature-length film. the trio discuss Ralph Fiennes and his need for more comedic parts, the immaculate set design and cinematography of the film, and somehow work in references to Top Gun: Maverick, Paddington 2, and John Malkovich as ...

Bob and Brad keep the Wes Anderson adventure going with his coming-of-age comedy Moonrise Kingdom. Bob is a huge fan of this one, and while Brad likes about 98% of the movie, the 2% he dislikes makes for a very interesting ending to this episode. they discuss the standout performances of Bruce Willis and Edward Norton, along with their thoughts on the under-utilized Frances McDomand. meanwhile, they try Wilderness Trail Small Batch, a bottled-in-bond, high-rye, sweet-mash bourbon from a craft d...

Bob and Brad kick off a mini-series of Wes Anderson films with his 1998 classic Rushmore. This is just the second Anderson film reviewed on the show, which also means it's brad's second-ever Anderson movie. Our hosts discuss the incredible central performance from Jason Schwartzman, as well as compare the film to The Royal Tenenbaums. Meanwhile, they try Stranahan's Original American Single Malt, a Colorado whiskey that blends 2-5-year-old malt and releases it at 94 proof. How will this America...

Bob and Brad continue their "How to Cocktail" bonus series by highlighting whiskey drinks that contain amari. you've probably heard of (and used) amari before, whether in an Aperol Spritz or a Negroni, but the whiskey world is no stranger to the bitter herbal liqueurs. Today, our hosts are using Amaricano from Fast Penny Spirits and dry vermouth by Vya Vermouth to mix up four different cocktails, all of which are sure to scratch that amaro itch. Film & Whiskey Podcast. New episodes every Monday...

Bob and Brad wrap up their mini-series of Edgar Wright films with his 2017 action thriller Baby Driver. One of the first films Brad and Bob ever saw together, this impeccably crafted movie bears all of the Edgar Wright hallmarks, and they're all employed to great effect. Our hosts discuss the film's problematic cast members before heaping praise on Lily James, doing everything she can with very little to work with. Meanwhile, they try Speyburn 10, a sub-$30 single malt from the Speyside region...

Brad walks Bob through his top 5 criteria for a evaluating a great director, and the pair settle on the categories to score each of this season's filmmakers. Meanwhile, they sip on three different whiskies: Lucky Seven The Proprietor 6-year, Nelson Bros. Classic Bourbon, and Five Trail Whiskey. 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 Wednesda...

Bob and Brad continue their mini-series of Edgar Wright films with his 2010 comedy, Scott Pilgrim vs. The World. in what can only be the second or third time ever, Bob had never seen this film before. Of course, brad rubs it in, and then the two get down to brass tacks arguing about whether it's actually any good. Meanwhile, they try Puncher's Chance Bourbon, a $30 whiskey in an attractive bottle, promoted actively by UFC figures. But will what's inside the bottle be worth championing? Film & ...