Two Guys On A Porch

What does it actually cost a man to be vulnerable — and is it worth it? In this candid continuation of the conversation with Nashville therapist Steve Jackson, Jason and Bradford go deep on what men are really carrying, why so few of them ever put it down, and what it looks like when they finally do.

Steve unpacks the quiet crisis playing out in men's lives today — from the isolating grip of screens and social media to the way pornography rewires the brain's capacity for real intimacy and relationship. The conversation tackles why men tend to suppress emotional pain until life forces their hand, and how that unavoidable breaking point can actually become the doorway to lasting healing.

Bradford shares his own story — how he thought he'd worked through his past, only to find himself blindsided by divorce and called into a deeper, more honest kind of vulnerability than he'd ever allowed before. Steve walks through what that healing journey really looks like in the therapy room: earning trust, peeling back layers, moving a man from shame to self-compassion to forgiveness.

The guys also dig into the tension of being vulnerable in the wrong room — what happens when you open up and the people around you aren't ready for it — and why that risk is still worth taking. Spoiler: it's still worth it. Unlike Bradford's ability to tell King of Kentucky from Leiper's Fork after two pours — that ship has sailed.

All of this unfolds over a blind taste-off between King of Kentucky and Leiper's Fork, two exceptional Tennessee bourbons that prove great brown water rewards the effort you put in. Paired alongside a Padrón Presidente — a full-bodied, box-pressed beauty that burns as slow and smooth as a good conversation — it's the kind of afternoon on the porch that reminds you why fellowship matters.

If Part 1 is still on the to-do list, go back and start there. Then settle in — this one's worth the time.

Join us on the Porch.
Available on YouTube, Apple, and Spotify

 

Like, subscribe, and let us know what you're drinking and smoking at twoguysthentheporch.com.

 

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Ep. 47 - More Than Smoke & Bourbon: What We’re Really Building on the Porch

 

Every good place has a beginning.

For Mission Cigar and Social, it started with an idea from Monty Collins—create a space where people could slow down, sit for a while, and enjoy a cigar.

Simple enough.

But like most things that matter, it became more than that.

What Monty built isn’t just a cigar lounge. It’s a place where conversations happen. Where people come in one way and leave a little different. Where you can sit down, not have to perform, and just be around others for a bit.

That’s not all that different from what we’re trying to do here on the porch.

This episode moves through cigars, stories, Tennessee Collective, Franklin Distillery and a few laughs… but it keeps circling back to the same idea:

Most people aren’t looking for more noise.
They’re looking for a place to land.

A place where connection isn’t forced… it just happens.

Come visit Franklin, TN and be sure to spend some time at Mission Cigar and Social. You’ll experience what we are talking about here and on all episodes of Two Guys On A Porch.  

That’s the point.

This is Part 2 of our conversation with Monty—so if you haven’t yet, go back and listen to Part 1 featuring Franklin Distillery, Tennessee Collective Whiskey, and Padrón. It’ll give you the full picture.

So whether you’re listening on the way home, sitting on your back porch, or lighting one up with a friend—thanks for being part of it.

 

#TwoGuysOnAPorch #BourbonPodcast #CigarPodcast #WhiskeyPodcast #MensPodcast #CigarConversation #BourbonTalk #CigarCulture #MensMentalHealth #BrotherhoodMatters #PodcastClips #franklintn #franklintennessee #downtownfranklin #visitfranklintn #Franklin #TennesseeCollective #TennesseeWhiskey #TNWhiskeyTrail #FranklinDistillery

This episode is anchored in one of the South’s most iconic towns—Franklin, Tennessee—where history, hospitality, and a damn good pour all collide.

Jason and Bradford sit down with Monty Collins of Mission Cigar and Social, now firmly planted just off the historic downtown square. If you’re visiting Franklin—and you should be—this is where you land. While the shops, restaurants, and charm pull people in… Mission Cigar is where conversations actually happen. Also visit their Spring Hill, TN location.

And on this porch, the pours are as local as it gets.

The guys light up a Padrón 50th Anniversary—a top-shelf cigar that might just be “last smoke worthy.  Additionally the boys crack into a rare Franklin Distillery 20-Year—a true “sleeper” bottle that drinks far smoother than its proof—and a one-of-a-kind Tennessee Collective Whiskey, a 12-distillery collaboration that might be the most uniquely Tennessee pour you’ll ever taste.

This isn’t just whiskey—it’s a snapshot of what’s happening across the state right now. From heritage names to rising players, Tennessee is building something real:

• Jack Daniel's – the global standard
• Company Distilling – modern craft done right
• Leiper's Fork Distillery – local pride with serious flavor
• Nashville Barrel Company – sourcing and blending at a high level
• Sugarlands Distilling Company & Ole Smoky Distillery – Smoky Mountain staples
• Old Glory Distilling Co. & Tennessee Legend Distillery – honoring tradition
• Tennessee Hills Distillery & Old Forge Distillery – small-town craftsmanship
• Lost State Distilling – emerging and experimental
• Big Machine Distillery – bold and expanding
•  

Together, they represent a growing movement—one that blends tradition, innovation, and a whole lot of Southern grit.

Along the way, Monty shares his story—from chemist to business owner to selling the family company—and the unexpected weight that comes with success. It’s real talk about work, identity, and what actually lasts when the deal is done.

This episode is about more than bourbon and cigars.
It’s about place, people, and purpose.

So if you’re headed to Franklin:
👉 Walk the square
👉 Take in the history
👉 And make your way to Mission Cigar

We’ll save you a seat on the porch.

Pour always good whiskey… or pour nothing at all.

 

Hashtags (real + high-impact):
#TwoGuysOnAPorch #FranklinTN #VisitFranklin #TennesseeWhiskey #BourbonLife #CigarCulture #MissionCigar #JackDaniels #CompanyDistilling #LeipersFork #NashvilleBarrelCo #BigMachineDistillery #SugarlandsDistilling #OleSmoky #OldGloryDistilling #TennesseeLegend #TennesseeHills #OldForgeDistillery #LostStateDistilling #PorchLife #MenAndCommunity

 

In a culture that celebrates speed, this episode of Two Guys on a Porch leans into something different—the art of slow living.

Jason and Bradford settle into the rhythm of the porch with two exceptional pours: Blanton’s Gold Edition Bourbon and Blanton’s Original Single Barrel Bourbon. Both bourbons come from the legendary Buffalo Trace Distillery and share the same single-barrel DNA that made Blanton’s famous, yet each offers its own personality.

Blanton’s Original is where the story began—the first commercially marketed single-barrel bourbon. Smooth and balanced, it brings classic notes of caramel, vanilla, citrus, and light spice. It’s approachable but still complex, the kind of pour that invites you to sit down, relax, and take your time.

Blanton’s Gold, on the other hand, turns up the volume. Bottled at a higher proof and often harder to find, it carries deeper richness—honey, dark fruit, baking spice, and a longer, warmer finish. It’s the same heritage as the Original, but with more intensity and weight.  

One of the most recognizable things about Blanton’s bourbon is the horse and jockey stopper on top of every bottle. Those little metal horses aren’t just decorative—they’re actually a collectible set that bourbon fans hunt for.

The metal horse and jockey toppers collection spells “B-L-A-N-T-O-N-S.

Paired with the bourbon is the rare and beautifully crafted Plasencia Year of the Snake Cigar from the iconic Plasencia Cigars. The Plasencia family has been growing tobacco for more than a century, building a reputation for patience, craftsmanship, and respect for the land—values that mirror the very idea of slow living. The Year of the Snake release is complex, refined, and meant to be savored slowly, revealing layers of flavor as the conversation unfolds.

Together, the cigars and bourbon create the perfect backdrop for a conversation about slowing down and savoring life.

Along the way, the guys explore:

• Why slowing down feels almost rebellious in today’s culture
• The power of sitting with good friends and letting conversations unfold naturally
• Why some of life’s best insights come between the sips and the smoke

With notes of honey, citrus, oak, and spice drifting through the evening air, this episode is less about getting somewhere fast and more about learning to enjoy where you already are.

On this episode of Two Guys On a Porch, Jason and Bradford settle back where they belong—warming on the porch—and step squarely into the crooked, uncomfortable, and often explosive topic of gerrymandering with honesty, humor, and a couple of historic pours. In the glasses: Jefferson’s Marianne McLain Bourbon, a modern expression tied to Jefferson’s long tradition of experimentation and independence, and Old Fitzgerald 7 Year, 80 Proof, a Bottled-in-Bond classic with deep Kentucky roots that rewards patience and restraint—much like the conversation itself.

The discussion doesn’t shy away from the tension in Texas, Tennessee and more. Gerrymandering is one of those words that can shut down a room fast, yet the guys lean in, acknowledging the criticism, the abuse, and the very real mistrust it creates. At the same time, they wrestle with the unpopular side of the argument: when done transparently and with restraint, gerrymandering can protect every representation, preserve communities of shared interests, and prevent purely population-driven maps from steamrolling local voices. It’s a razor’s edge—necessary to some, corrosive to others—and that’s where the debate gets interesting.

Different perspectives clash, assumptions get challenged, and no one pretends the issue is clean or comfortable. What remains steady is the friendship—proof that disagreement doesn’t require disdain and that thoughtful conversation still has a place, especially when guided by a simple porch rule: “Pour always good whiskey or pour nothing at all.”

As the bottles settle and the lines are drawn, the episode closes with Padron 1964 Anniversary Pyramid cigars—a bold, full-bodied finish to a conversation that values history, honesty, and the rare art of getting along even when the lines don’t match. 🥃🔥

In this Happy New Year 2026 Edition, Jason and Bradford pour two bourbons that have stood the test of time.

Evan Williams, smooth, approachable, and proudly Kentucky-born, represents consistency—the kind of bottle that’s always been on the shelf and never lets you down. Old Grand-Dad, bolder and a little spicier, brings a nod to heritage and grit, a reminder that tradition doesn’t have to be quiet to be meaningful. Paired with the classic, well-balanced Arturo Fuente Hemingway, it’s a lineup built on trust, history, and character.

 

The conversation drifts back to moments that linger: Saturday mornings filled with bacon, eggs, and biscuits made by Dad, the smell filling the house before anyone else was awake; sleepovers after Friday night football games, night after night throughout high school, where loyalty was learned, friendships were forged, and the future still felt wide open. Ever consider having an ex-spouse join a holiday meal? Bradford does it every year!

From family breakfasts and locker-room bonds to Christmas footie pajamas, New Year’s rituals and personal habits, this episode reflects on what we carry forward—and why some traditions are worth protecting as the years roll on as the past helps us celebrate the present. So pour a glass, light a cigar, and pull up a chair on the porch. Winter has settled in across the country, the nights are long, and there’s no better time to catch up. Watch this episode—and if you’re new here, make it a season-long tradition to watch every episode of Two Guys on a Porch.

Here’s to 2026, to old stories, good bourbon, and staying warm together on the porch. 🥃🔥

#TwoGuysOnAPorch #PodcastLife #Bourbon #BourbonLife #EvanWilliams #OldGrandDad #CigarLife #ArturoFuente #CigarsAndWhiskey #FamilyTraditions #NewYears2026 #WinterNights

Ep. 42 – Men: Community Needed! An Afternoon with Willett, Wild Turkey Triumph, WhistlePig & Dave Schroeder

Episode Description:

In this episode of Two Guys On A Porch, Jason and Bradford are joined by longtime friend and special guest Dave Schroeder, who has spent the last 20 years in Christian publishing working alongside influential voices like Max Lucadoand John Eldredge. Together, they wrestle with a question many men feel but rarely articulate: What does it actually mean for men to live in real community—and why does it matter so much?

The conversation moves beyond why community is important and gets practical about the harder question—how do you actually build it? From intentional friendships to simply showing up, Dave shares perspective shaped by decades of working with authors who speak directly to the hearts of men.

On the porch, the guys revisit the same cigar from Episode 1, grounding the conversation in familiar ritual, and pour a lineup of bold whiskeys that mirror the depth of the discussion:

• Willett 4 Year Rye (110.6 proof) – a high-proof, family-owned classic with roots dating back to 1936.

• Wild Turkey Triumph Rye (102 proof) – a limited-release expression from Wild Turkey, highlighting their heritage of bold, rye-forward flavor and masterful blending.

• WhistlePig Boss Hog 13 Year Rye (115.8 proof) – a Vermont-based distillery known for rye-focused innovation and experimental releases.

This episode is an honest, thoughtful look at brotherhood, loneliness, and the intentional choices required to build meaningful community—one pour, one cigar, and one real conversation at a time.

 

#MensCommunity
#MensMentalHealth
#MaleFriendship
#Brotherhood
#LonelinessEpidemic
#FaithAndLife
#ChristianMen
#BourbonPodcast
#WhiskeyTalk
#RyeWhiskey
#WillettRye
#WildTurkeyRye
#WhistlePig
#CigarLifestyle
#TwoGuysOnAPorch

In this Porch Pick Edition, Jason and Bradford's break down one of the season’s biggest questions: What bottle should you give… and what should you bring? Whether you’re headed to a holiday party, a buddy’s porch, or a family gathering, Jason and Bradford walk you through foolproof bourbon and whiskey gift ideas at every price point.

They explore three simple categories—Inexpensive, Mid-Priced, and Expensive—and explain why the best gift bottle is either a reflection of you or something you know the recipient truly loves. If you’re from Tennessee, maybe that means showing up with a local TN whiskey.

If they’re a die-hard Woodford Reserve fan, that could mean anything from the classic Woodford ($30), to Double Oaked ($50–$60), all the way to the high-end Baccarat edition (a wild $2,000 flex).

The guys also share their own Porch Pick lineup:

Inexpensive:  Benchmark Full Proof – $22

Mid-Priced: Leiper’s Fork Wheated Bourbon Bottled-in-Bond – $80

Expensive: A super-aged Scotch like The Balvenie 21 Year PortWood – $250

Whether you're gifting, hosting, or trying to avoid showing up empty-handed, this episode has you covered with practical picks, porch-worthy wisdom, and a few laughs along the way.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Reminder: All cigars enjoyed on the show are purchased from Mission Cigar and Social in Spring Hill and Franklin, Tennessee.

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