548 - How Do You Become a Master of Bourbon? with Will Breeden and Chase Henry

Bourbon Pursuit

Arts, Hobbies, Leisure, Food

4.9 • 866 Ratings

🗓️ 8 January 2026

⏱️ 77 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

We all like to think we’re experts after a few pours at the bar, but what does it actually take to be a certified Master of Bourbon? Today we’re joined by two guys who didn't just stop at being enthusiasts; they went all the way to the top of the credential ladder. We are thrilled to welcome Will Breeden, co-owner of Indiana Small Batch, and Chase Henry, Brand Ambassador for New Riff, to talk about the true grind behind the glass. Will and Chase share their personal journeys, from following family legacies to turning a passion for American whiskey into a full-blown career. But the real meat of this episode is talking about the Master of Bourbon certification through the Council of Whiskey Masters. This isn't just some weekend course; it’s a rigorous, high-stakes process that demands a staggering depth of knowledge. We talk about the educational hurdles, the career doors it opens, and why this prestigious title is becoming a gold standard in the industry. Ryan and I also put our guests in the hot seat and had them answer some oral exam questions to see how they’d handle the pressure, and let’s just say things got real when the tables were turned they asked us the questions. So whether you’re looking to make the jump from enthusiast to professional or you just want to level up your own whiskey IQ, this may set you down the path to becomg the next Master of Bourbon. Show Notes: Introducing Will Breeden and Chase Henry, their backgrounds, and paths into bourbon In-depth discussion on the Master of Bourbon certification and its significance Will’s unique career transition from nuclear medicine to bourbon Chase’s evolution from Scotch lover to bourbon ambassador Breakdown of the examination process, including theory and sensory evaluation Personal experiences and unexpected challenges during their certification journey Engaging exchanges with sample oral exam questions Practical tips for those looking to start their bourbon education Recommended resources for further exploration of bourbon certification Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	Bottom line is, it's like, you've got to have a passion for bourbon.
0:04.4	And I think the passion is going to drive that.
0:06.7	That was what it was for me, just wanting to learn more about it and try to learn as much as I possibly could.
0:12.5	Because if I'm going to be in the industry on any level, I feel like I've got to have some street cred, right?
0:17.5	Like, I've got to know what I'm talking about, at least have some base level of knowledge.
0:33.8	This is Bourbon Pursuit, the official podcast of Bourbon, bringing to you the best in news, reviews, and interviews with people making the bourbon whiskey industry happen.
0:43.8	And I'm one of your hosts, Kenny Coleman.
0:46.1	You know, we all like to think that we're experts after a few pourers, maybe at the bar, around our collection of bottles.
0:52.6	But what does it take to actually become a certified master of
0:56.9	urban? And today, we're joined by two guys who didn't just stop it being enthusiasts. They went all
1:02.6	the way to the top of the credential ladder. So I'm thrilled to welcome Will Breeden. He's the co-owner
1:07.4	of Indiana Smallbatch and Chase Henry, another brand ambassador for Newriff.
1:12.3	And to talk about some of the true grind that kind of really goes behind the glass,
1:16.2	Will and Chase share their personal journeys from following family legacies and turning a passion for American whiskey into a full-blown career.
1:23.6	But the real meat of this episode is talking about that Master of Bourbon Certification,
1:29.2	and that comes through the Council of Whiskey Masters. And this isn't just a weekend course.
1:33.9	This is a rigorous high-stakes process that demands a staggering depth of knowledge.
1:39.3	We talk about all the educational hurdles, some of the career doors it opens, and why this
1:43.8	prestigious title
1:44.6	is becoming another true gold standard inside the industry. Ryan and I, we also put our guests
1:50.4	in the hot seat, and we have them answer some oral exam questions to see how they'd handle the
1:55.0	pressure, but let's just say things got real when the tables returned, and they started asking
	...

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