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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101
449 - Ed Bley is Back with Old Stubborn Whiskey
So if you just started listening to Bourbon Pursuit, then you probably have no idea of the impact Ed had on the bourbon world during that time. Ed went into hiding and went on a mission to bring some new whiskey to the world and he's now back presenting his new line called Old Stubborn. We talk about his background in blending and the journey he took from working at Cork N Bottle, picking barrels, and being a big influence in the larger bourbon community to losing hope on building a distillery and then quickly pivoting to find whiskey that wasn't available on the open market. This is one of the most anticipated interviews for many of you long-time listeners so enjoy this episode with Ed Bley.
56 min
102
Whiskey Quickie: Heart of Mystic Bourbon Review
This 3 year old bourbon is 114.6 proof and $40 MSRP.
3 min
103
TWiB: 2023 Bourbon Economic Impact Study, Bards...
2023 Bourbon Economic Impact Study is out, Bardstown Bourbon Company introduces the “House of Bardstown," and Heaven Hill releases Heritage Collection 18-Year-Old Bourbon.
45 min
104
448 - When Does An Age Statement Matter? on Bou...
In this roundtable, we dive into this topic and look at the history of age statements and when we started paying attention to them. There's also brands that have a lot of success without an age statement like Maker's Mark and most of the Buffalo Trace portfolio. And now that the modern bourbon consumer has been accustom to seeing age statements, would you pass on a bottle just because it said 4 years old on it?
64 min
105
Whiskey Quickie: Nelson Brothers Rye Review
This non-age stated rye is 92.5 proof and $37 MSRP.
3 min
106
TWiB: Elijah Craig and AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am...
Eijah Craig returns as the Official Bourbon of the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, Southern Glazer’s is being sued by online platform Provi, and Buzzard’s Roost introduces their American Whiskey.
26 min
107
447 - The Economics of the Used Barrel Market w...
There's one company that has made a name for themselves and that's Midwest Barrel Company. Ben and Jessica Loseke join the show to talk about how Ben got into the used barrel business and the economics behind it. If you ever find yourself glued to an episode of Storage Wars or Pawn Stars, you'll love to hear how Ben stumbled into used barrels and everything else he tried to flip in the process. Today, Midwest Barrel Company is brokering tons of used bourbon barrels and talks about how he develops his sales pipeline and acquires new customers.
55 min
108
Whiskey Quickie: Old Man Winter Bourbon Review
This non-age stated bourbon is 109.8 proof and $160 MSRP.
2 min
109
TWiB: 2023 Craft Spirits Data Project, New Riff...
Craft Spirits Data Project has released is 2023 data, New Riff Distilling announces a master distiller, and Green River Distilling will release its highly anticipated Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey.
35 min
110
446 - What Do RTDs Do For Bourbon?
Over the past year we talked about the RTD or ready-to-drink category beginning to explode because of High Noon and now major bourbon brands are moving into the ready-to-drink space since the canned cocktails' accessibility, lower alcohol content, and mixability make them an appealing gateway for newcomers while still leveraging whiskey's premium status. Though launching requires significant investment, the potential for brand awareness and category growth is alluring. In this episode, Ryan, Fred, and Kenny sip on 5 different bourbon-based RTDs and give our theories on canned cocktail popularity, health concerns, ingredients, and where the category could expect to go.
49 min
111
Whiskey Quickie: Ironroot Harbinger Tribarrel B...
This bourbon is 132.8 proof and $86 MSRP.
2 min
112
TWiB: Uber Shuts Down Drizly, Woodford Partners...
Uber is shuttering alcohol delivery service Drizly, Woodford Reserve has partnered with award-winning gourmet chocolate brand for Valentines Day, and Old Forester® announces the newest release in its Whiskey Row Series 1924.
30 min
113
445 - How To Deal With Distributors with John F...
We invited Johnny Foster to come back on the show to give us insights on how to work best with distributors. Johnny was a guest back on Episode 227 when he was a part of Smooth Ambler but now he's at Ragged Branch and leads their sales and distribution. He gives the pros and cons of selecting large versus boutique distributors, how to spend smartly on incentives, and targeted marketing funds. Ultimately though, motivating partners comes down to building authentic relationships through regular visits and communication.
64 min
114
Whiskey Quickie: Heaven's Door Bootleg Volume V...
This 18-year-old bourbon is 114 proof and $600 MSRP.
4 min
115
TWiB: New Documentary Called Bourbon Blaze, Reb...
A new bourbon documentary comes out today called Bourbon Blaze, Rebel Bourbon has signed a sponsorship agreement with Richard Childress Racing, and Templeton Whiskey Unveils their Templeton Straight Bourbon.
33 min
116
444 - Our Big 2024 Predictions on Bourbon Commu...
This is the first roundtable of 2024 and, as usual, we want to pack it with our best 2024 predictions of the year. Some may seem obvious, some may seem way out of left field, and some are even dreary. Yet, the current landscape of bourbon has changed so we're in for another wild ride in 2024!
69 min
117
Whiskey Quickie: Little Book Chapter 7: In Retr...
This non-age stated whiskey is 118.1 proof and $150 MSRP.
4 min
118
Behind The Pursuit: New Faces at Pursuit Spirits
We’ve talked for awhile now that as we’ve been bringing people in for tastings and experiences at the distillery, and it has been an amazing time to bring people in, that Kenny and Ryan have lead all those experiences. As fun as that is, it isn’t scalable to the business for that to always take place and we needed people to be an extension of Kenny and Ryan. People who can speak on their behalf, know the product, and can show folks a great time when they visit.
42 min
119
443 - The Current State of Collecting Whiskey w...
There was a huge buying frenzy during the pandemic, but where is the secondary market of bourbon headed? We saw a huge boom and that bubble is starting to deflate a bit. Nata Gana originally started as a whiskey-focused Instagram account and worked directly with brands, but has since evolved into a writer covering the entire spirits industry and has also began curating his own sample packs out in the market called Bevridge. As secondary whiskey market values skyrocketed the past decade, iconic bottles like Pappy Van Winkle became difficult to obtain, yet seem poised to stall. Nate gives his opinion on the state of collecting and what allocated bottles are worth the chase and where he sees the bottom falling out.
53 min
120
Whiskey Quickie: Michter's Toasted Barrel Finis...
This non-age stated rye is 108.9 proof and $120 MSRP.
3 min
121
TWiB: Marianne Eaves Sues Castle & Key, RD1 Spi...
Marianne Eaves is suing Castle & Key, RD1 Spirits in Lexington has announced plans to build a new location, and a look back on 2023.
36 min
122
442 - Basil to Booker's and Building a Global B...
We invited Tim Heuiseler on the show. He's gone from the behind the bar to traveling globe as a Brand Ambassador to preach the gospel of Jim Beam's small batch portfolio. We talk about how their offerings span everything from lower-proof introductory with Basil Hayden to the powerhouse that is Booker's and how to deliver that message consistently. In addition, he takes note of competitor innovations and emerging drink trends so they can launch new marquee expressions like Hardin's Creek to stay ahead of the game.
50 min
123
Whiskey Quickie: Jack Daniel's Twice Barreled S...
This non-age stated rye is 100 proof and $75 MSRP.
4 min
124
TWiB: Almost 3 Barrels For Every Person in Kent...
There's almost 3 barrels for every 1 person aging in Kentucky, the EU suspends the tariffs on American whiskey, and a new record has been set for unicorn whiskeys.
29 min
125
441 - Engineering a Rickhouse with Buzick Const...
We brought their President, Donald Blincoe, and chief engineer, Kevin Aldred, on the show to talk about what goes into building a rickhouse. We talk about different wood types, exterior materials, precise airflow design needs and humidity considerations. We also dive into the costs because a rickhouse run into the millions these days. Overall, Buzick has been the name in construction around Bardstown and has a reputation in these time-honored warehouses.
47 min