392: How Chip Tate Blends Bourbon | Gambit No. 6 & Ampersand

Chip Tate (Foley Family Wine & Spirits) joins Bourbon Lens to break down the creative process behind some of the most talked-about whiskey projects on the market today — including Gambit No. 6 and Ampersand.

In this episode, Chip dives deep into Gambit No. 6, a Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished across wine, apple brandy, sherry, and Tokaji casks. He explains how the final blend is built like a Bordeaux — layered, structured, and balanced with fruit, tannin, texture, and complexity — and breaks down the role of retasted Chardonnay barrels, the impact of deep toasting on wood character, and why secondary maturation can add nuance without overwhelming the whiskey underneath.

Jake and Chip also get into:

• How American whiskey drinkers are warming up to blending and finishing
• Why tasting notes are personal, not prescriptive
• How a whiskey can be both highly complex AND easy-drinking
• The idea of "session whiskey" — subtlety, approachability, and complexity in one glass
• What makes a whiskey feel like "home"
• The versatility of whiskey across cocktails, highballs, and neat pours

The episode wraps with a look at Ampersand 51/49, an experimental rye and Calvados-based release, plus a preview of Gambit 2.0 — a hundred-proof expression built for a different kind of drinking experience.

Whether you're a bourbon collector, a whiskey finishing nerd, or just curious how a master distiller thinks about blending, this conversation is packed with insight straight from one of the industry's most respected voices.

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Foley Family Wine and Spirits
01:03 Ampersand and Opimus Release
01:21 Diverse Projects and Collaborations
02:29 Role and Responsibility at Foley Family
04:01 Game of It Number Six: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
08:41 Secondary Maturation and Extended Age Cask Maturation
12:56 Toasting and Impact on Chardonnay Barrel
23:29 Tasting Notes and Personal Experience
25:00 The Art of Session Whiskey
26:00 Complexity and Approachability
27:18 The Essence of Home
28:00 American Influence in Whiskey
29:13 The Versatility of Whiskey
30:44 Ampersand: A Unique Blend
32:03 Exploring New Boundaries
33:54 The Appeal of Ampersand
35:11 The Highball Experience
37:06 Gambit 2.0: A Hundred Proof Experience
42:10 Blending and Ideal Audience

🔔 Subscribe for more weekly discussions, tastings, and bourbon insights from the Bourbon Lens community.
📸 Follow on Instagram: @bourbonlens
🌐 Visit: www.bourbonlens.com
🛍️ Merch: https://bourbon-lens-shop.printify.me/products
💬 Discord: https://discord.gg/pd6ys5nRSU