Bourbon Pursuit

The Official Podcast of Bourbon! The best in news, reviews and interviews with people making the bourbon whiskey industry happen. Join hosts Kenny Coleman, Ryan Cecil, and Fred Minnick as they talk with prominent guests and provide insight on American whiskey 3 times a week. Catch all new episodes every Thursday with special Whiskey Quickie reviews on Tuesday and get caught up on bourbon news with This Week in Bourbon on Friday.

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226
TWiB: Jack Daniel's Wins in Court Decision vs D...
The U.S. Supreme Court sides with Jack Daniel's in the dog toy dispute, a new whiskey documentary is now available called "Fire, Water & Grain: The Story of Empire Rye", and Buffalo Trace launches Daniel Weller, an experimental line exploring different strains of wheat.
39 min
227
414 - The Problem with Bourbon Taxes and Law wi...
Chad is a Former Kentucky State Representative that took care of Bardstown and wanted to see change happen. He dives into how he got into politics and he gives us an idea how many lobbyists there are vying for attention. It's a fantastic episode that covers the political landscape and how it's really hard to make everyone from producers, distributors, and consumers equally happy.
64 min
228
Whiskey Quickie: Wolves Lot One Single Malt Whi...
This 7 year old single malt is 110 proof and $290 MSRP.
5 min
229
TWiB: Virginia ABC Makes Changes to Lottery Pro...
Virginia liquor officials said they're taking steps to automate the random lottery process, the third annual release of Russell's Reserve 13-Year-Old Bourbon , and the launch of Hardin’s Creek The Kentucky Series, 3 different 17-year-old Bourbons.
53 min
230
413 - How To Make a Whiskey RTD with Flavorman
Brad Nichols and Jordan Plappert from Flavorman join the show as we get a deep-dive into how flavors are developed and how do we begin creating a bourbon-based RTD. It's a fascinating show about conception of ideas, how we can keep sugar volume in check, and how big your pocket book needs to be to get started.
56 min
231
Whiskey Quickie: Old Forester Bourbon 117 Serie...
This non-age stated bourbon is 98 proof and $60 MSRP (375ml).
3 min
232
Behind The Pursuit: The Effects of Big Bourbon
The bourbon industry has this fascinating thing where “The Big Six” can hold such a monopoly of the industry - regardless of price category, and regardless of consumer profile. Is there room for other players to continue to penetrate the market, and how do they break the standard “value” scale that is so often set by Big Bourbon?
41 min
233
412 - Will Penelope's Acquisition Lead to More ...
A few weeks ago, it was announced that Penelope would be acquired by MGP, but notably its subsidiary Luxco for $215M. We all know this is a great move for the brand, but I posed a question to the group that intrigued me and that is if we will see more MGP brands be purchased as a result? I also follow it up with other powerhouse contract distillers and if we can see them copycat this acquisition in hopes of taking a brand to a new level. That quickly transitioned into the idea that brands can come out of nowhere. One of the most famous, or infamous, brands of all time was Ezra Brooks. A brand that was created out of thin air. Since consumers know more now than they ever have before, could we see another Ezra Brooks emerge in our lifetime?
65 min
234
Whiskey Quickie: Still Austin The Artist Straig...
This 2 year old rye is 99.6 proof and $50 MSRP.
5 min
235
TWiB: Airbnb Picks Louisville As Top U.S. Desti...
Airbnb predicts a busy summer for Louisville as its top trending U.S. destination, Virginia ABC lottery chose multiple BTAC winners and fans aren't happy, and Rabbit Hole’s launches Tenniel
46 min
236
411 - The Most Traveled Man in Whiskey with Dre...
Drew Hannush is the author of multiple books including Experiencing Kentucky Bourbon, Experiencing Irish Whiskey, and new one coming soon on Tennessee. He has his own whiskey podcast called Whiskey Lore but, he has also visited over 250 distilleries across the world. That's a ton of miles traveled. We dig into his passion and why he continues to visit distilleries and even re-visit some. Then we discuss how he doesn't get fatigued because sometimes it's a lot of the same process and story told over and over again. Then we dive into some hidden gems across Kentucky and even talk about the boom of craft distilleries and if he plans on hitting every single one.
57 min
237
Whiskey Quickie: Hirsch The Cask Strength Bourb...
This 7 year old finished bourbon is 127 proof and $200 MSRP.
4 min
238
TWiB: Justins' House of Bourbon Charges Dropped...
Justins' House of Bourbon has had all charges in Washington DC dropped, Log Still Distillery launches their own single barrel program, and Jim beam enters the American Single Malt Category with Clermont Steep.
45 min
239
410 - Lessons Learned From Building The Biggest...
In this episode, we get to hear Watch Hill Proper's journey. Joshua Howes and Tommy Craggs join the show to talk about the initial concept of the bar and the challenges they faced not coming from a restaurant background. We dive into the finer details of the business such as staff training, retainment, and revenue between food and beverage. But for us whiskey geeks, we talk about building a collection of unicorns that are proudly on display but also available by the pour.
63 min
240
Whiskey Quickie: Chicken Cock Double Oak Whiske...
This 8 year old whiskey is 92 proof and $100 MSRP.
5 min
241
TWiB: MGP Acquires Penelope Bourbon for $215M, ...
MGP and Luxco will acquire Penelope Bourbon for up to $215M, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof moves to variable age stated releases, and Mark Brown will step down as CEO and president of Sazerac in July.
35 min
242
409 - Are Cask Finishes Going to Follow The Cra...
In this episode, Ryan, Fred, and myself dive into the history of cask finishes and question whether double oaked bourbons are still considered pure bourbon. We wonder why don't consumers ask more questions to hold companies responsible about the finishing processes and potential quality drops. Lastly, I drop a bomb about SKU sprawl and what will happen when larger companies create more finishes that will squeeze out shelf space for smaller brands.
50 min
243
Whiskey Quickie: Kentucky Owl Bourbon Batch 12 ...
This non-age stated bourbon is 115.8 proof and $400 MSRP.
3 min
244
TWiB: New Riff's Two New Heirloom Bourbons, Buf...
New Riff Distilling has announced the dual release of two new heirloom grain bourbons, Buffalo Trace Distillery is thrilled to release Buffalo Trace Experimental Peated Bourbon, and Blue Run Spirits announces its first ever Single Barrel Rye Whiskey
33 min
245
408 - Single Rickhouse Bottlings and Fixing Sin...
Last year, we saw the release of Russell's Reserve Single Rickhouse limited edition offering. That sparked a Vine Pair article that asked if single rickhouse bottlings will be the next big thing? I wanted to challenge that a bit and figure out if we really think there are varied flavor profiles based on rickhouses or are they cherry-picking barrels to make another marketing angle. In the second half of the show we discuss the current state of single barrels. They are flooded on shelves across the nation and they aren't selling like they used to. How will this get fixed or is this a side-effect of the COVID buying frenzy?
59 min
246
Whiskey Quickie: Bernheim Barrel Proof Wheat Wh...
This 7-9 year old wheat whiskey is 118.8 proof and $65 MSRP.
3 min
247
TWiB: Heaven’s Door To Open A New Distillery, B...
Heaven’s Door Spirits plans to open a new distillery in Pleasureville, Kentucky, Buzzard’s Roost Sipping Whiskeys announces the opening of the Buzzard’s Roost Whiskey Row Experience in downtown Louisville, and Barrell Craft Spirits will add Rye to its already expansive Private Release offerings.
53 min
248
407 - More Mind Blowing Stave Science on Bourbo...
Andrew Wiehebrink is the Director of Spirits Research and Innovation for Independent Stave Company. That means he leads up all the cool advancements on where barrel trends are heading. We talk about the current barrel shortage and if toasted products are the reason to blame, where the future of oak alternatives are heading, and why there is a trend of distilleries moving tog Char 1 vs Char 4.
56 min
249
Whiskey Quickie: New Riff Malted Rye Whiskey 6 ...
This 6 year old rye whiskey is 100 proof and $60 MSRP.
3 min
250
TWiB: Bardstown Fights Back At Distillery Const...
The city of Bardstown fights back and stops new distillery construction, Old Elk Distillery announced its 2023 Single Barrel Program, and Booker’s Bourbon is releasing the first batch of the 2023 Collection.
64 min