Whiskey-makers tell some of the best stories—and legendary bourbon distillers Jimmy Russell of Wild Turkey and Fred Noe of Jim Beam are no exception. The two men have been friends for a long time; Jimmy watched Fred grow up in the industry and has acted as a father figure to him, especially since Fred’s dad, Booker Noe, passed away in 2004. Just before WhiskyFest New York in 2017, they sat down to discuss their long friendship, the way bourbon has changed—and stayed the same—over the years, and what they see for the future of American whiskey.