Bourbon Pursuit

What happens when the biggest distilling powerhouse behind the scenes decides to step into the spotlight and release whiskey under its own name? On this edition of the Bourbon Community Roundtable, the crew kicks things off by celebrating a massive milestone—our very own Fred Minnick being inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame. After raising a glass to the iconic ceremony, national coverage, and the community that made it happen, the panel dives headfirst into one of the most controversial moves in the spirits industry today: MGP dropping its flagship Chapter One 10-year, 111-proof straight bourbon. We debate wh...

Garrison Brothers Lady Bird Cask Strength Single Barrel layers Texas bourbon with wildflower honey and cognac cask finishing. Orange blossom honey, grape, warm spice, and cinnamon candy give this pour a big, sweet, and unexpected ride.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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's This Week in Bourbon for September 18th 2026. Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits will pay a 12.5M penalty, More tariffs and bans of canadian liquor into the US, and Booker’s Bourbon The Reserves 2026 and Little Book The Infinite, Edition III.Show Notes:Kentucky Bourbon Festival announces dates for 2027 event in BardstownEvan Williams expands college football presence with tailgates and collegiate bottlesBluegrass Distillers launches quarterly Bottle Club membership programSouthern Glazer's pays $12.5M penalty to resolve federal trade practice investigationPresident Trump announces plans to remove 10% tariff on Irish whiskeyCrown Royal avoids Canadian spirit import ban via bulk shipping stra...

We're back with Part 2 of our PursuitPalooza 2026 AMA session. We kick off by tackling the business realities of the RTD boom because we keep punting the idea if we should do one ourselves, and exploring why entering the canned cocktail market is a completely different beast than aging bourbon in a barrel. We talk about some the weirdest tasting notes we've ever pulled like peanut butter and jelly, peach rings, and Grandma's candy jar. Finally, we get personal about what it really takes to run an independent spirits company. We talk about managing operational pressure, our core philosophy of "no...

Frank August Case Study 07 takes a Kentucky bourbon and rye blend and finishes it in Calvados, Martinique rum, and Caribbean rum casks. Apple pie, brown sugar, pear, coconut, pineapple, and rye spice make this one a seriously fun tropical twist.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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's This Week in Bourbon for September 11th 2026. The KY ABC is going to be auctioning off rare bottles of confiscated bourbon, The New Era Whiskey Distillery and Social Club has opened in Lexington KY, and Heaven Hill announces 20th Edition Parker’s Heritage Collection.Show Notes:A Thanksgiving raffle win turns into an intense family debate when a collector snags a $100 Pappy Van Winkle instead of her brother-in-law.Team Kentucky opens virtual bidding on 70 seized collectible bottles to support campus alcohol responsibility programs.Downtown Lexington welcomes its first combination distillery, tasting room, and private social club founded by...

Today, we are bringing you part 1 of 2 for our Pursuit Palooza 2026 AMA session recorded live with myself and Ryan Cecil. We take a look back at how Palooza originally grew out of having way more whiskey and industry guests than we could ever fit on the podcast and why we decided to start having Palooza. From there, take questions from our fans in the audience about transparency in labeling, dissecting "bottled by" statements, straight bourbon requirements, and whether the average consumer actually cares about production details versus price, story, and flavor. Plus, we address the big question on everyone's mind...

Maker’s Mark Star Hill Farm 2026 brings big ice cream shop vibes with cherry cordial, vanilla custard, waffle cone, and a gooey cherry syrup finish. This wheat whiskey had us seriously impressed.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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's This Week in Bourbon for September 4th 2026. Kentucky Bourbon Boys has officially launched KBB Reserve, the American Whiskey Scholars program, and Starlight has 2 brand new releases.Show Notes:Kentucky Bourbon Boys launches KBB Reserve three-tier travel concierge serviceAmerican Whiskey Scholars debuts three-level self-paced online certification programBuffalo Trace Distillery On Tour returns with four-city complimentary roadshowBBQ, Bourbon & Burlesque event set for October 24 in Evansville, IndianaOld Forester unveils 2026 Birthday Bourbon and Alpha Industries jacket collabOak & Grist Distilling debuts nine-year American Single Malt Whiskey Barrel #09Shortbarrel launches fifth-year limited-edition Cigar Batch #4 with Sherry finishSagamore Spirit debuts nationwide eight-year Bottled in...

There's a time when whiskey enthusiasm takes it to the next level. I've lived through it. I was a stone cold hobbyist, and I still am, but then I started a podcast and now Ryan and I have Pursuit Spirits. We don't know how to stop taking a hobby too far. And our guest today is no different. Mike Hinds is co-founder of Nashville Barrel Company, Mike takes us back five or six years to NBC's humble beginnings, starting with local charity picks for cancer research, hunting down Jack Daniel’s, Weller 12, and Willett single barrels, and making frequent runs to...

Penelope Riviera blends 8 year American light whiskey with straight bourbon, then finishes it in rosé wine casks for a lighter, sweeter pour. With buttered popcorn, brown sugar, soft berry notes, and an easy 94 proof profile, this one feels built for warm-weather sipping.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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's This Week in Bourbon for August 28th 2026. Trade negotiations between the United States and Canada have officially broken down, Humble Baron from Uncle Nearest is facing a change from Chapter 11 to Chapter 7 liquidation, and Larrikin Bourbon Co. unveils its new Australia Series.Show Notes:Brown family members clash over falling profits and cratering stock price at Brown-FormanSazerac acquires Garrard County Distilling facility in Lancaster, KentuckyHumble Baron bankruptcy shifts toward total liquidation as judge delays final judgmentTrade negotiations collapse as 50% U.S. tariff on Canadian alcohol goes into effectLegal analysis highlights growing AI compliance risks under federal and...

Is the classic "unicorn" whiskey officially dead, or is the market just finally giving us what we’ve been asking for? On this edition of the Bourbon Community Roundtable, our panel is breaking down how 2026 is shaping up in the world of whiskey releases. With older age statements hitting shelves, pricing pressure mounting, and an avalanche of finishes and experimental wood treatments coming from both heritage giants and craft newcomers, picking a clear bottle of the year is harder than ever. We dive into the heavy hitters and sleeper hits catching everyones attention, including the Blade & Bow 12-Year Solera, Parker’s He...

Heaven Hill Grain to Glass returns with its wheated “Year of Wheat” release. This 6 year, 107.8 proof bourbon brings sweet candy, maraschino cherry, cherry Pop-Tart, and creamy dessert vibes with a finish that kept us talking.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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's This Week in Bourbon for August 21st 2026. Heaven Hill is joining the fun on E!’s upcoming mixology competition series, Cocktail Wars, Bardstown Bourbon Company has two new releases, and Maker's Mark Cellar Aged 2026.Show Notes:Heaven Hill partners with E!’s Cocktail Wars competition series featuring Deep Eddy and PAMAGive 270 launches Bourbon Raffles Serial No. 013 benefiting the Hanger FoundationSt. Louis Bourbon Society announces 2026 St. Louis Bourbon & Cocktail Festival for October 9Bardstown Bourbon Company reveals 2026 releases: Lochs of Jura Finish and 2026 DiscoveryRedemption Whiskey introduces Single Barrel Bonded Bourbon and returns 18-Year-Old Ancients expressionStranahan's debuts historic 11-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond Amer...

Single barrels have changed. It was once a time where it was a simple trip to a Kentucky warehouse but now it's morphed into a tech-driven, digital community experience. On this episode, we sit down with Michael Nagdi, co-founder of The Prime Barrel, and Garry—better known as "Mr. G"—chief taster and host of the Prime Barrel Chronicles. Michael shares his journey from retail into pivoting during the pandemic, taking his traditional retail setup into an online barrel club built on Discord, education, and exclusive access. But Prime Barrel isn't just picking regular old barrels—they’re leveraging tech like NFT...

Evan Williams celebrates America’s 250th with a blue wax, 117.76 proof single barrel that takes a surprisingly different turn. Cinnamon pastry, burnt kettle corn, herbal spice, and a funky finish make this one anything but ordinary.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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It's This Week in Bourbon for August 14th 2026. The Bourbon and Beyond line up with set times has been announced, US Circuit Court of Appeals has reversed the decision on Bad Spaniels, and Chattanooga Whiskey has announced Chattanooga Whiskey Moldovan Ice Wine Cask Finished.Show Notes:Festival details and culinary lineup revealed for 8th annual Bourbon & Beyond in Louisville9th Circuit Court rules for VIP Products, overturning Jack Daniel’s dog toy sales banCalifornia craft distillers face deadline as direct-to-consumer delivery rights near expirationNext Century Spirits acquires Chicken Cock Whiskey and Grain & Barrel Spirits portfolioBrown-Forman partners with E! ne...

In this episode, we’re bringing you live, boots-on-the-ground coverage directly from the Pursuit Spirits booth at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown. This action-packed compilation captures the energy, debates, and dynamic voices shaping modern whiskey culture. We kick off by tackling the push-and-pull between digital marketing, detailed tasting notes, and the essential trust built through live tastings. From there, we explore how fresh, diverse perspectives are breaking traditional industry molds, why balance and distillate quality beat arbitrary age statement numbers every time, and how tight-knit communities keep enthusiasts connected beyond the bottle. Plus, we throw down in a live de...

Another PursuitPalooza is officially in the books. If you’ve never made it out for one, the whole idea is to pull back the curtain and give our listeners a completely immersive experience right here in our backyard, leveraging all the relationships we’ve built over years of running this podcast. This year’s lineup was heavy. We spent the weekend hitting spots like Old Carter, Wild Turkey, Larrikin, and Whiskey Thief—giving everyone access to rare pours, a deep dive into the actual distillation process, and a chance to hang out with some of the best folks in the whiskey...