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?

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?

This 2 year old rye is 99.6 proof and $50 MSRP.

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

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.

This 7 year old finished bourbon is 127 proof and $200 MSRP.

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.

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.

This 8 year old whiskey is 92 proof and $100 MSRP.

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.

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.

This non-age stated bourbon is 115.8 proof and $400 MSRP.

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

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?

This 7-9 year old wheat whiskey is 118.8 proof and $65 MSRP.

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.

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.

This 6 year old rye whiskey is 100 proof and $60 MSRP.

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.

Matt Pittman is the founder of Meat Church, he's one of the most well-known BBQ personalities in the industry. But Matt wasn't always talking about brisket and ribs with his infamous Holy Cow rub, that was his passion project. In this episode we talk about his career and what it took to make a pivot from a comfy position in IT to going all-in with Meat Church. But this isn't all about BBQ. Matt is turning his sights into another discovered passion, bourbon. He discusses how is eyes were opened during a bottle share and with the help of the Dallas Bourbon Club, he is starting to build out his very own collection.

This 20 year old corn whiskey is 115 proof and $290 MSRP.

Campari Group plans to add a second distillery at its Wild Turkey campus in Lawrenceburg, Sotheby's unveiled The Rare American Whiskey Selection , and Father Jim Sichko marks the 10-year anniversary of the election of Pope Francis with a rare release of 10-year Willet.

Ryan and I have had the pleasure of getting to know Melissa over the years but it was in different roles she held in the industry. Yet, thanks to notifications on indeed.com, she was able to apply and land this role. We talk about her history and career in the industry and then we dive into the position and what it takes to be a Master Taster. We also dive into consumer demand and where she sees trends changing over time.

This non-age stated bourbon is 105 proof and $70 MSRP.

Having a variety of SKUs or choices in a brand’s portfolio is a great thing, right? You can reach a multitude of customers with multiple entry points or stepping blocks for them to learn more about you. However, the biggest challenges folks don’t really see come after the product development: continuously communicating with distributors why a new SKU should be carried, shelf space competition, ongoing marketing material about the new SKUs. The behind-the-scenes work can really add up, and is it worth it?