Episodes
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It's This Week in Bourbon for August 16th 2024. Kentucky Distillers’ Association has been inducted into the prestigious World Spirits Alliance. Social media giant TikTok has quietly updated its advertising policy to allow alcohol adverts. Michter’s will is bringin back its US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish BourbonShow Notes:
Castle & Key Distillery and GiantMouse Knives
Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) has been inducted into the World Spirits Alliance
TikTok has updated its advertising policy to allow alcohol adverts
Remus Repeal Reserve Series VIII Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Milam & Greene Whiskey Roadrunner Single Barrel Bourbon
Chattanooga Whiskey Russian River Pinot Cask Finished
Jack Daniel’s Heroes Selection Single Barrel Barrel Proof Tennessee Rye Whiskey
Blue Note Bourbon Honey Rye Cask
Michter’s US*1 Toasted Barrel Finish Bourbon
@castleandkey @remusbourbon @milamandgreenewhiskey @chattwhiskey @jackdaniels_us @bluenotebourbon @michterswhiskey
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One of those indulges that we find ourself in with this bourbon hobby is acquiring a few dusty bottles. And if you've never had a dusty bourbon before, then this episode will wet your appetite for one. There's so many aspects of it but can you imagine building a business off of a non-renewable resource like dusty bourbon? That's what we wanted to know so Brad Bonds and Shannon C Smith of Revival Vintage Spirits join the show. We talk about various aspects of the dusty bourbon market and collecting vintage spirits for sale such as strategies for acquiring dusty bottles, managing inventory and cash flow, vetting buyers, and dealing with potential fakes. We also touch on some legal things but also figuring out what brands stand out in the dusty market.
Show Notes:
Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about whiskey going bad with only a small amount remaining.
What led you down the dusty bourbon rabbit hole?
Were you trying to buy and acquire dusty bourbon when you were at Cork 'n bottle?
What was your strategy on acquiring dusty bottles?
Are you scared about your inventory coming to an end?
How do you manage your cash flow?
How do you vet buyers and look for fakes?
Why don't you like to resell Van Winkle?
What has changed with the Kentucky Vintage law?
What is defined as a vintage spirit?
Are Beam decanters are good gateway for those getting started?
How do you choose what to open for the open tasting bar?
What percentage of your revenue is tastings vs full bottle sales?
How do you guide someone in buying a bottle if they have a budget?
What products today do you think will be great vintages tomorrow?
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On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Russell's Reserve 15 Year Old Bourbon. This 15 year old bourbon is 117.2 proof and $250 MSRP. Let us know what you think. Cheers!DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.
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It's This Week in Bourbon for August 2nd 2024. AB InBev has sold Master of Malt, Bourbon & Banter will kick off National Bourbon Heritage Month with the 11th annual 30 Days of Bourbon Challenge, and Woodinville Whiskey Co. releases an 8 Year OId Bourbon.Show Notes:
Mile High Spirits and World View send a barrel into the stratosphere
Bourbon & Banter 30 Days of Bourbon Challenge
AB InBev has sold Master of Malt
Newly revamped Additive Free Alliance, Inc
RD1 Spirits has hired a Research and Development Master Distiller
Town Branch Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
2XO French Oak
Woodinville Whiskey 8 Year OId Straight Bourbon Whiskey
Four Roses Distillery 2024 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon
@milehighspiritsdistillery @bourbonbanter @rd1spirits @townbranchbourbon @2xowhiskey @woodinvillewhiskeyco @fourrosesbourbon
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A few months ago I came across an article on Vinepair that explained even though we are in the midst of a bourbon boom in American with everything feeling a modern day gold rush to collect every new bottle that comes out, it's the complete opposite in europe. Europeans aren't buying the bourbon boom. But why? To help dive into this, I figured we may as well go straight to the source and invite some europeans on the show. Henrik Brandt and Linus Jonsson are from Denmark and Sweden and give us an insight into what the bourbon scene looks like in their part of the world. We discuss the major issues with limited access, minimal marketing, stigma when compared to high age statement scotches, and how importing inflate prices.
Show Notes:
Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about abolishing the three tier system.
How did you find bourbon even though you aren't from America?
What was the attraction to bourbon?
How hard has it been to spread the word of bourbon?
Is access the major issue why bourbon isn't proliferating?
Is there a stigma that exists about american whiskey?
Is the price too high when compared to scotch and how have the tariffs impacted it?
Are we ever going to have a culture shift?
Would having a celebrity backing help at all?
Why is blending more accepted?
How is bourbon marketed and how can you get the bottles sold off the shelf?
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On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Penelope Architect Build 10. This non-age stated bourbon is 104 proof and $65 MSRP. Let us know what you think. Cheers!DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.
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It's This Week in Bourbon for August 2nd 2024. Tickets are almost sold out for Kentucky Bourbon Festival, Yellowstone Bourbon Limited Edition features 7-year and 17-year aged bourbons, and Green River 1885 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey goes after the on-premise.Show Notes:
Tickets are almost sold out for KBF
Whiskey House of Kentucky gets a $115 million syndicated credit facility
15 STARS Three Kings Fine-Aged Whiskey
Yellowstone Bourbon Limited Edition
Green River 1885 Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
@kybourbonfest @ricky_15stars @yellowstonebourbon @greenriverdistillingco
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Bourbon has a rich history but if you're drinking bourbon right now, you're not doing it because you just found out that a new category like single barrel was created. There are many moments that have now defined modern bourbon culture that have exponentially grown the category in the past 20 years. In this episode, Ryan, Fred, and myself come with a list of moments that we dive into and give our thoughts on what this meant. Some things we hit on are the high-end releases of Willett and the Antique Collection that spur super enthusiasts, how Maker's made national headlines from a proof change, and how social media has changed the landscape forever.
Show Notes:
Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about the future of Bardstown Bourbon Company.
What did Four Roses do to help build bourbon?
What started the hyper whiskey geek attitude?
What special releases changed the landscape of bourbon?
How did Brown Forman take Woodford and Old Forester and resurrect the brands?
Did the proof debacle from Maker's make a big moment?
When did the bourbon media or message boards start making an impact?
How did secondary markets on facebook boost the category?
Do we feel something like Mad Men was a pivotal moment?
Pappygate took national headlines
How was Marianne being named the first woman master distillery play a role?
What lawsuits defined it?
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On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Heaven Hill Grain to Glass Wheated Bourbon. This 6 year old bourbon is 121 proof and $100 MSRP. Let us know what you think. Cheers!DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.
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It's This Week in Bourbon for July 26th 2024. A judge in texas agrees that you should be able to distill at home, Austrailia is under fire for labeling some whiskeys as bourbon, and Knob creek releases a bourbon and rye blend.Show Notes:
A judge in texas agrees that you should be able to distill at home
Australian distillers are misleading consumers by wrongly labelling products as bourbon or whiskey
Speyside Bourbon Cooperage will invest $16.85 million to build a new stave mill
Larceny announced new packaging
Pernod Ricard establishes North American Distillers
Buffalo Trace Distillery Paris pop-up shop
Extended Stave Warehousing joins KDA
Rebel Bourbon sponsorship with the Premier Lacrosse League
Penelope’s Straight Rye Whiskey Toasted Series
Booker’s The Beam House Batch
Knob Creek Bourbon x Rye
Buzzard’s Roost bottled-in-bond bourbon
Elijah Craig Toasted Rye
Jack Daniel Distillery Series Selection #13
@larcenybourbon @buffalotracedistillery @rebelbourbon @penelopebourbon @knobcreek @buzzardsroostwhiskey @elijahcraig @jackdaniels_us
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On this roundtable we talk about an article published on Breaking Bourbon and talk about the next era of bourbon. Are finishes over? Is wood experimenting coming next? Or are we looking at beyond the big six?
Show Notes:
Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about the types of glasses he uses to drink
Are we done with finishes?
Are there any left?
What is the next era?
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On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Heaven's Door Exploration Series 1. This 5 year old finished bourbon is 108 proof and $80 MSRP. Let us know what you think. Cheers!DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.
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Subscribe to Behind The Pursuit: From Bourbon to Brand
Our Pursuit Spirits Distillery here on Mellwood Ave sits on hallowed ground, being the original site of the Mellwood Distillery, and later, General Distillers Corporation of Kentucky. The Mellwood Distillery has a rich history dating back to 1865, and with the help of several folks in the industry, we've learned a bit about it and it's various ownership changes over the years. It produced brands like Mellwood Whisky, Kentucky Nectar, Derby Town, and Old Rampart, just to name a few. In today's episode, Kenny discusses the architecture, operations, and historical significance of the distillery, highlighting the importance of preserving and sharing bourbon history as we bring whiskey back to Mellwood Ave.
We hit on:
The origin of our site at 1700 Mellwood Ave
Uncovering the history, maps, & research
Mellwood Distillery and it's various labels
Preserving and sharing the bourbon history
and much more.
Be sure to visit pursuitspirits.com and click on Visit Us to book a tasting or barrel selection experience. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected]. -
Starting a whiskey company is no easy task. And making youself stand out from everyone else, it's even harder. There are a handful of companies that supply most of the bourbon we see on the shelves and many of us fall into the trap of buying based off the packaging. However, with this show, we're able to go and find brands who are finding new fans based off their whiskey. Broken Barrel is one of those companies that is forging a new path and finishing their whiskey in such a unique way by rebuilding barrels that we needed to have them on the show. Today we get to talk to Seth Banheim who is the Founder and their Global Brand Manager, Nick Roady about how to stand out in a crowded market. As a brand we have to find new ways to be different and find a way to capture the mindshare of consumers on a whole new level. We also talk about brand education hurdles and how far can you go until you've completely lost a customer. There's a lot to unpack here, especially for those budding whiskey brands who are looking to make a name for themselves.
Show Notes:
Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about eliminating toasted barrels for finishing.
What were you doing with a vodka brand and how did it get into whiskey?
Where did you see the opportunity to find new types of staves?
Do you hate making money?
Why was is so important to have a differentiator compared to what has been done already?
How does the conversation change when talking to retailers and distributors on being different?
What did you learn from Ol Smokey and what they did different?
How far can you go before you lose a consumer with brand education?
Is there something to a model like yours that can capture consumers of all levels?
At what point does differentiation go too far?
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On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review World Whiskey Society 10 Year Straight Bourbon Finished in Port Casks. This 10 year old bourbon is 102 proof and $165 MSRP. Let us know what you think. Cheers!DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.
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It's This Week in Bourbon for July 12th 2024. Whiskey House of Kentucky begins operations, Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame will induct 5 new members, and Buffalo Trace Distillery announces Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Rye WhiskeyShow Notes:
Bespoken Spirits joins The Kentucky Distillers’ Association
Tequila Matchmaker founders raided by Consejo Regulador de Tequila
Consumers are filing lawsuits against spirits influencers
Whiskey House of Kentucky begins operations
Eastern Light Distilling breaks ground
Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame will induct 5 new members
Hidden Barn is releasing a seven-year-old double-barreled bourbon
Colonel E. H. Taylor, Jr. Barrel Proof Rye Whiskey
Old Forester 117 Series: Rum Finish
15 STARS Triple Cask II Fine-Aged Bourbon
Chattanooga Whiskey Bottled in Bond Vintage Series Spring 2020
New Riff Distilling's Headliner special edition
@bespokenspirits @tequilamatch @easternlightdistilling @hidden_barn @oldforester @ricky_15stars @chattwhiskey @newriff
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If you're a liquor store owner, there are 3 words you hate to hear, "Got any Blanton's?". For today's modern whiskey consumer, we know about the iconic bottle shape, the collectible letters, and there's a few different expressions. However, Blanton's played a critical role in the history of bourbon and there are a lot of super rare expressions you will never get a chance to see in your lifetime. To tell this history, Dominic Guglielmi who's the author of Warehouse H comes on the show. He has the one of the most renowned collections of Blanton's on the earth and he even refers to himself as the Ultimate Tater. Beyond just collecting the most coveted bottles around, he has taken the knowledge he learned and the complete history of the brand and put it into a fascinating book that will make you respect it's past and what it has done for the current bourbon landscape.
Show Notes:
Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about palletized warehouses.
What's your coming of age tale with Blanton's?
What was your first rare Blanton's bottle?
What's the most limited bottle ever released?
Why was Blanton's created as a product?
Who owns the brand?
Where did the bottle come from?
What releases go into different markets?
Is the demand as strong internationally vs domestically?
Does the price remain at SRP internationally?
What are the secondary prices on the most rare bottles of Blanton's?
What do you think of today's typical Blanton's releases?
Where are the best Blanton's ending up across the world?
What is new Blanton's culture like?
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On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Blackened x Rabbit Hole Bourbon Finished in Calvados Casks. This non-age stated whiskey is 106.59 proof and $150 MSRP. Let us know what you think. Cheers!DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.
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Subscribe to Behind The Pursuit: From Bourbon to Brand
Another PursuitPalooza is in the books! Each year, the guys host a unique and immersive experience here in town for their listeners and fans. The event includes distillery tours, barrel picks, tastings, and social gatherings from relationships they’ve built over the years of running the podcast. This year, the event featured visits to Jim Beam, Four Roses, Copper & Kings, and Preservation distilleries. Participants had the opportunity to taste rare and limited-edition whiskies, learn about the distillation process, and connect with fellow bourbon enthusiasts. The event also included a live Q&A podcast recording during a special single barrel selection of Pursuit United Double Oaked. On today’s episode, we recap it all.
Be sure to visit pursuitspirits.com and click on Visit Us to book a tasting or barrel selection experience. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected]. -
Every year there is a distillery that catches the headlines because they have sold for hundred of millions of dollars. Sounds like a dream for many but to make that dream become a reality, you'll have to know how to value your distillery. For that reason I've invited Kris Bohm on the show. He's the founder of Distillery Now Consulting where he helps folks buy, sell, and install distillery equipment, but he's also found himself in the midst of multiple merger and acquisition conversations. He joins the show to talk about how to value a distillery in the case someone like Diageo or a private equity firm comes knocking. We talk about case sale volumes, the value of aging whiskey in barrels, equipment, brand recognition, and where the trajectory growth curve comes into play.
Show Notes:
Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about the rise of AI and being a writer.
What made you want to get into distilling as a teenager?
What's the difference in distilling alcohol vs ethanol?
Why would a client choose pot vs column?
How do you gauge consumer demand and look at sales for calculating value?
What does the pool of buyers look like?
What is the threshold of a case volume to start the discussion?
What's the value in the brand vs the equipment and production?
Beyond physical assets, what other factors play into a valuation?
How are barrels valued?
What's the process for selling a business?
Any value in having current distribution?
What are roadblocks that often kill deals?
Does it matter if case volume happens in the market or at the tasting room?
If you can't afford Vendome, where do your point people?
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