Bourbon Pursuit

Subscribe to Behind The Pursuit: From Bourbon to Brand Will consumers become tired of Kentucky bourbon? With the rise of non-Kentucky brands gaining recognition for their quality whiskey, Kentucky bourbon still holds a strong position in the market due to its long-established reputation and consumer perception of safety and acceptance.  While Kentucky will likely continue to hold the cache of consumer preferences, today we debate whether consumers will move past the big six Kentucky brands, or Kentucky in general, and latch on or explore other options. We'd love to hear from you on this! We hit on: Non-Kentucky brands like Ben Holladay, JT Meleck, Still Austin and Frey Ranch gaining recognition for their quality whiskey. Kentucky bourbon still holds a strong position in the market due to its long-established reputation and consumer perception of safety and acceptance Consumers may be hesitant to move past the big six Kentucky brands due to familiarity and brand recognition The cache of Kentucky will likely continue due to marketing and consumer preferences Are there Kentucky Bourbons being made that are still riding the 'Kentucky Badge of Honor' that aren't very good? As a blender, why does Kentucky matter as a point of inclusion if that isn’t a focus of the product (or even on the label)? 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 podcast@pursuitspirits.com. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

39 mins

We're back with Bourbon Community Roundtable #94 and this one takes a single subject but it spins off into another. 2024 has seen the decline in whiskey sales and 2025 forecasts don't look much better. So have we finally eclipsed the peak of bourbon? A few years ago, there was a flourishing secondary market, droves of new people getting into the hobby, more options on the shelf, and massive expansions from all the big player. We've talked about this being a side-effect of the COVID boom but we also saw american whiskey get into more gimmicks and inflated prices. But we all still need the category to grow, so what's it going to take to reinvigorate more people to get into bourbon? Show Notes: Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about documentaries on other spirits. Have we eclipsed the bourbon peak? What can be done to make it just as popular again? Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

59 mins

On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review High Bank Distillery Whiskey War Double Double. This 5 year old whiskey is 116 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 mins

Many of us make pivots in our career. I had my own where I had really was focused on networking in tech early on but then after I did my first presentation to a room of 500 people, I discovered I really liked it and found a new role in technical marketing. Our guest has a similar story where he wanted to get into distilling, made a successful gin brand then tried to build a whiskey brand, but realized how hard it was and thought, how can I get more people to try our products? And that's how Whiskey Riot was born. Bobby Finan is the Founder and Organizer of Whiskey Riot Festivals across the country and we get into his past of getting into the distilling business and how he took on personal debt to hold his position at his first company and launch Whiskey Riot simultaneously. Now Whiskey Riot is expanding to more cities so if you're looking for a new event to attend, put this one on your list. Show Notes: Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about distilleries creating music halls. Before there was a festival, you had your own brand and forged your way into spirits early on. When you wanted to start a distillery did you have a business plan? What was it about your Tommy Rotter gin that really took off? Why didn't your whiskey business ever take off? Did you think you could make people come to you instead of going out to stores? How were you funding Whiskey Riot? What was your return on investment for a typical event? How do you evaluate a city for a new festival? Why would a legacy brand vs a new brand want to go to whiskey fest? Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

67 mins

On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Bernheim Barrel Proof Wheat Whiskey Batch A224. This 7-9 year old whiskey is 125 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 mins

It's This Week in Bourbon for May 17th 2024. Four Roses introduces two new bourbon mash bills, New Riff Distilling has announced the dual release of Ol’ New Riff, and Bardstown Bourbon Company’s award-winning Collaborative Series will debut The Amrut Collaborative Series.Show Notes: Chet Zoeller passes away at 83 years old Alex Castle joins Augusta Distillery as Master Distiller Four Roses introduces two new bourbon mash bills Oregon Department of Justice wrapped up Nelson Brothers Honey Cask Finish Spring 2024 edition of Old Fitzgerald 15 STARS Vino de Naranja Whiskey JYPSI Legacy Batch 002 The Alchemist Kentucky Senator Bourbon 5th Release Michter's 10 Year Kentucky Straight Rye Weller Millennium Ol’ New Riff Milam & Greene Bottled in Bond Frey Ranch Wheat Whiskey Single Barrel RD1 Spirits wood-finished bourbon flight Little Book Chapter 8 Path Not Taken Oak & Eden Bourbon and Amburana Bardstown Bourbon Company The Amrut Collaborative Series @fourrosesbourbon @augusta_distiller @augustakydistillery @nelsonsgreenbrier @heavenhillbrands @whiskeyhypsi @michterswhiskey @kentuckysenatorbourbon @newriff @milamandgreene @freyranchdistillery @rd1spirits @beamgeneration8 @oakandeden @bardstownbourbonco @amrutmalt Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

45 mins

If you can recall your childhood, you probably remember your Dad being there but you may never have appreciated the life lessons you were taught until you got much older. And when you have kids, maybe that's the reason you start drinking bourbon. Both of these are reasons our guest today decided to call his brand Fathertime Bourbon. Jim Gaffigan needs no introduction because we've all laughed at his jokes throughout the years. Family life is a facet of his standup, and food obviously, but Jim loves to say the things we're all thinking and it's what has made him so successful in his comedic career. Jim Gaffigan joins the show to talk about how he made the switch from beer to bourbon and what drew him in to becoming a bourbon connoisseur or as he likes to call it, a professional alcoholic. From there we dive into his new brand of Fathertime Bourbon and what it meant to incorporate generations of his family and his comedic focus into the story and design. Show Notes: Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about proofing whiskey and adding water at home. Can you recall a good college story with Stu Pollard? What made you want to go down the path of being a professional alcoholic? Did you find any correlation between picking barrels and your comedic routines? Did you have the natural progression from mixing to neat? Did you try and buy the rarest stuff right away or look for everyday items? How is bourbon perceived in your circles? Were there anything obvious or strange about bourbon that you discovered? Are you finding yourself traveling to whiskey bars now? How involved were you with the bottle design? What tips do you have for signing bottles and not letting your hands get tired? How did you script the social media launch for the brand? What easter eggs did you hide in the label? Is there a statement or impact you want to make with this brand? Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

68 mins

On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Whiskey JYPSI Explorer. This 6 year old bourbon is 103 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

5 mins

Beer It's This Week in Bourbon for May 10th 2024. Wild Turkey is back open for visitors, Maker's Mark and TravisMathew collab on new golf gear. Prairie, American Solera, and Pursuit drop Not Subtle.Show Notes: WhiskeyLand S01 May 14th AARP pours Jammin' at Jeptha Creed Distillery Wild Turkey is back open for visitors Man fired a gun outside Buffalo Trace Distillery Derby Day Party at Hartman's Distilling Co Guilty plea from one of the original indicted nine suspects from Pappygate Maker's Mark and TravisMathew collab on new golf gear Stephen B. Beam Tasting Lodge George Dickel bottled-in-bond 12 year Liberty Pole Spirits Old Monongahela Full Proof Rye Whiskey Stonestreet Kentucky Straight Bourbon Founder's Edition Templeton Midnight Rye Prairie Artisan Ales, American Solera, and Pursuit Spirits drop a 3 Way Beer Collab called Not Subtle @whiskeylandtv @jepthacreed @wildturkey @buffalotracedistillery @hartmans_distilling @makersmark @travismathew @stephen.@beam.@7 @georgedickel @yellowstonebourbon @libertypolespirits @stonestreetwhiskey @templetondistillery @prairieales @pursuitspirits @americansolera Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

35 mins

We've had the very cool opportunity to have lots of famous names on this show, and today we get to hear the story of another brand that has been in bourbon for a very long time. In fact, in this episode you get a chance to hear from someone who's family once owned the Old Grandad label. Turner Wathen has a deep family lineage rooted in bourbon, and that originally piqued my interest because I used to own a bottle of Wathen's bourbon. Turner dives deep into his family history and how when he wanted to get into the whiskey business, he couldn't even use his family name. Turner shares his wild decision in 2014 by analyzing the whiskey market and feeling there is too much saturation so he dove into rum. But not just any rum, but he set himself on a mission to become the upmost recognizable independent bottler of amazing, high age stated rum, that is now Rolling Fork Spirits Show Notes: Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about NDPs and bottled in bond. Can you give a background into how you found out your name was famous in bourbon? At what point did you decide to revive the family legacy? Are you still balancing your day job with all this? When did you decide that bourbon was crowded and looked at other spirits? Why is sorghum a bad grain to use? How important is it to find rum with no additives and why is that important? Was Fortuitous Union a mistake or the on purpose? Why was there a legal battle for Fortuitous Union? How much of an educational hurdle did you have to overcome? When did you switch from the Fortuitous Union brand back to a rum focus? Any reason why you haven't worked with any American rum producers? What is going on with all the rum taxes? Are we looking at the rare days of rum that would be equivalent to Van Winkle or early Jeffersons? Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

71 mins

On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review JT Meleck Distillers Louisiana Rice Whiskey. This 4 year old whiskey is 96 proof and $45 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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4 mins