Podcast Episode
Reviving The Three-Chamber Still With Rebekah Neeley Neeley Family Distillery

About this episode
Send us Fan MailWe catch up with Rebecca Neely on what’s new at Neely Family Distillery, from a hidden speakeasy room to a rare three-chamber still that’s finally running. We also get deep on blending, finishing, and festival releases, plus the behind-the-scenes chaos of a surprise New Orleans wedding.
• the speakeasy room and how guests stumble into it
• what a three-chamber still is and why it matters in Kentucky whiskey history
• first agave spirit plans and how they’ll barrel-age it
• why finished bourbon is a creative choice rather than a cover-up
• how Neely thinks about barrel picks, naming, and special collaborations
• what changes in flavor as whiskey ages and oak takes over
• getting Neely whiskey into Ohio and what the distribution process is really like
• blending as a craft, including sampling technique and quality control before bottling
• absinthe culture, the 1890s absinthe still, and a four-year aged absinthe release
• Kentucky Bourbon Festival plans including a 10-year bourbon and the banana batch four-grain
www.scotchyburbonboys.com. Remember drink responsibly, don't drink and drive, and go out and live your life uncut and unfiltered.
A hidden speakeasy door at a Kentucky distillery is fun, but the real surprise is what’s happening behind the scenes. Rebecca Neely joins us to talk about how Neely Family Distillery keeps pushing forward with hands-on barrel picks, relentless day-to-day work, and a very specific obsession with chasing flavors you can’t find anywhere else. If you’re into craft bourbon, Kentucky distilling history, and the reality of building a spirits brand with a small team, this conversation goes straight to the source.
We spend serious time on their three-chamber still, one of the rarest setups you’ll find in modern American whiskey. Rebecca breaks down why it’s so difficult to run, what they’ve already distilled on it, and why their next move is an agave spirit, plus plans to barrel-age it and experiment with finishes down the road. From tequila and gin barrels to a sotol finish that “tastes like fireworks,” we talk about the point of finishing, why “finished bourbon means bad bourbon” is a myth, and how blenders protect their reputation by fixing a blend before it ever reaches a bottle.
Then we zoom out to what’s happening in the market: getting into Ohio distribution, why strict shipping rules can actually save your product, and why the “bourbon bubble burst” narrative misses the bigger truth that experiences and authenticity are what fans chase. We also nerd out on Neely’s absinthe, made on a dedicated 1890s absinthe still, including a new four-year barrel-aged absinthe, and we preview Kentucky Bourbon Festival drops like their first 10-year bourbon release and the cask-strength banana-note four-grain. Subscribe, share this with a bourbon friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show. If You Have GohstsSupport the showhttps://www.scotchybourbonboys.comThe Scotchy bourbon Boys are #3 in Feedspots Top 60 whiskey podcasts in the world https://podcast.feedspot.com/whiskey_podcasts/