Bourbon Pursuit

Maker’s Mark dropped their 2025 Cellar Aged release, and we were not ready for what happened in the glass. We break down the blend, the proof, the price, and why this year’s edition hits differently. If you’ve been on the fence about the Cellar Aged series, this might be the one that changes your mind.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 November 21st 2025. Buffalo Trace does a pop-up in Mumbai, A break-in happened at Castle & Key, and Rabbit Hole Distillery introduces Amrûlé.Show Notes: EU's top court rules non-alcoholic drinks cannot legally be labeled as "gin" Buffalo Trace launches its 27th annual "Holidays at the Trace" celebration in December, featuring "Spirited Nights" and a complimentary drive-through light show Sazerac promotes its bourbons in India with a three-day, immersive pop-up experience in Mumbai following the removal of retaliatory tariffs A new continuing appropriations bill recriminalizes most hemp-derived THC products by setting a strict 0.4 mg total THC limit per container Three men from Cincinnati face felony charges after breaking into Castle & Key Distillery, stealing bourbon, and damaging property during a two-hour manhunt New Riff Distilling re-releases its malt-focused Winter Whiskey and barrel-strength Sherry Finish Malted Rye for the holidays Country music artist Riley Green partners with Morningside Brands to launch Duck Club™ Bourbon, a new brand supporting wetland protection Rabbit Hole introduces Amrûlé, a limited-edition Sour Mash Rye finished in custom Maple Brûlé barrels Chattanooga Whiskey announces Batch 046: Spiced Cacao Infused, a bourbon liqueur featuring cacao nibs, cinnamon, vanilla, and two varieties of dried chiles Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The bourbon world has a lot of tradition, but what happens when someone throws out the rulebook and decides to treat whiskey making like a scientific pursuit and a creative endeavor? That’s what our guest is doing today. We're sitting down with Macaulay Minton, the self-proclaimed Chief Alchemist of Dark Arts Whiskey House. This is Macauley's second time on the show and if you don't remember here's a bit about him. He was studying law but realized it wasn't his ultimate career path and became the Barrel Program Manager at Wilderness Trail. After Campari acquired Wildernes Trail he left and started his own brand and today he shares the creative vision behind Dark Arts. Macaulay gets candid about the major challenges of launching a brand right in the middle of a pandemic, from securing financing to maintaining a positive mindset. We walk through some of Dark Arts' most innovative—and sometimes controversial—aspects, including their use of unique wood finishes and their famous "Blunt Blend." This is a brand committed to pushing boundaries in a seriously crowded market. Plus, we get the inside scoop on the symbolic meanings behind their distinct labels and their newly opened venue in Lexington. Show Notes: Macaulay Minton's transition from law to whiskey-making The journey from Wilderness Trail to founding Dark Arts Whiskey House Creativity and positivity in the face of entrepreneurial challenges Discussion of alchemical principles in whiskey production Unique offerings of Dark Arts, including wood finishes and experimental blends Symbolism of Dark Arts labels and storytelling through whiskey Insight into the creation of the "Blunt Blend" Vision for the immersive experience at Dark Arts Whiskey House Importance of community engagement in whiskey appreciation Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We put Bluffton Whiskey Carolina Gold Rice to the test. Expect fresh donut vibes on the nose, sweet almond and brown sugar on the palate, and a soft finish thanks to those ultra pampered barrels. A fun, gentle pour for newcomers and a unique pick for anyone curious about American rice whiskey. 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

It's This Week in Bourbon for November 14th 2025. Tennessee Distilling to Acquire Waterford Whiskey, Michter’s Drops their 20 Year Bourbon, and Willett Distillery has announced its new Willett Family Estate Small Batch Bourbon.Show Notes: Tennessee Distilling Group (TDG) is in exclusive talks to acquire the collapsed Irish company Waterford Whisky for €6M, excluding its existing cask inventory Hong Kong authorities report a rise in drug trafficking, with narcotics like liquid cocaine increasingly concealed within alcohol and wine shipments Buffalo Trace will open "Perfectly Untamed" in Spring 2026, a remote Wyoming tasting room with wild buffalo views, offering guided tastings with Freddie Johnson for a $500 donation Castle & Key announced its 2025 Cask Strength releases: a 7-year Wheated Bourbon and an Experimental Rye finished in Extra Old Haitian Rhum Casks Southern Distilling Company released the highly anticipated second batch of Southern Star Bourbon Finished in Honey Barrels (108.4 proof) in North Carolina Garrison Brothers announced the 11th annual release of its Cowboy Bourbon, an 8-year, uncut, and unfiltered straight bourbon bottled at a robust 146.4 proof Yea Alabama (the NIL entity) partnered with Bespoken Spirits to launch the Yea Alabama Bourbon line, featuring two expressions celebrating the Crimson Tide Willett Distillery released the Willett Family Estate Small Batch Bourbon, a new cask-strength blend of two distinct mashbills from Master Distiller Drew Kulsveen Michter’s 20 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon (114.2 proof, $1,200 SRP) has been approved and begins shipping to retailers on December 1st Fr. Jim Sichko concluded his "Papal Series" with a limited 11-year Wheated Bourbon honoring Pope Leo XIV, with proceeds supporting various charities Jack Daniel's increased its donation to $150,000 for the 15th year of "Operation Ride Home," helping service members travel home for the holidays Booker's Bourbon's fourth 2025 batch, the "Phantom Pipes Batch" (126.4 proof), is inspired by old distillery remnants and aged over seven years Bardstown Bourbon Co. concluded its 2025 Reserve series with the Normandie Calvados Brandy Barrel Finish, an 11-12 year bourbon finished for 28 months Buffalo Trace introduced Sazerac Rye Whiskey Full Proof (125 proof) as a new, permanent addition to the Sazerac Rye portfolio, retailing for $39.99 Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This is the follow-up you asked for! We're back with Bourbon Community Roundtable number 112 to continue tackling the "spicy" and controversial topic of the three-tier distribution system. Last time, we were bombarded with questions in the chat, so this episode is dedicated to answering your submissions. Our panel dives into how consumers can actually help their favorite smaller brands get distribution, offering real-world advice on retailer outreach and using social media for buzz. We then dissect what massive political or economic shift would be required to see meaningful reform. Finally, we debate the powerful question: if the whole system disappeared tomorrow, who would win—the hustling craft distilleries or the heritage brands with deep pockets?. This one is packed with high-stakes debate! Show Notes: A follow-up discussion on the three-tier distribution system, specifically addressing consumer-submitted questions Actionable ways consumers can help their favorite spirits brands get distribution, including direct retailer outreach and using social media to generate buzz An explanation of LibDib as an alternative, smaller avenue to market, particularly useful for single barrel programs and single-customer orders Analysis of the necessary political or economic shifts required for meaningful three-tier system reform The argument that major change is unlikely unless a strong economic interest or consumer-driven demand (similar to Uber or the push for cannabis legalization) forces it Discussion of the potential for a parallel direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping system for spirits, mirroring the progress made in the wine industry following the Granholme v. Heald case A deep-dive debate on which segment of the industry—"hustling" craft distilleries or heritage brands with deep pockets—would adapt faster if the three-tier system were to disappear The argument that the biggest organizations control the power dynamic and maintain the status quo to protect their existing turf Encouragement for consumers to advocate for change by reaching out to their congressmen and congresswomen Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

You’ve heard us talk about single barrels for years, but this time we’re sitting on the other side of the table. Kenny and Ryan just dropped a new round of Pursuit Series bottles — Episodes 77 through 81 — and if you’ve been following the brand since the early days, this lineup might feel like a full-circle moment. These were first unveiled during the debut of Founder Hour, a brand-new, six-seat tasting experience inside the Pursuit Spirits gift shop on Whiskey Row. Think of it as the most intimate flight we’ve ever done, with pours that tell the story of how far this brand has come. In this episode, we’re taking you behind the scenes of those releases for everyone who couldn’t make that inaugural Founder Hour. Kenny and Ryan walk through what makes each of these barrels special — from a 12-year Bardstown sibling to the legendary 017, to a 20-year Tennessee giant that officially becomes the oldest whiskey in Pursuit Spirits history. We talk about how long they’ve been sitting on some of these barrels, what patience really looks like when you’re building a brand, and why Founder Hour might be the most personal experience they’ve ever created. So pour a glass, settle in, and let’s go inside the story of Pursuit Series 77–81 — the bottles that turned a small tasting idea into a full-blown experience.Show Notes: Introduction of the Pursuit Founder Hour Introducing Episodes 77-81 Backstory of Episodes Tasting the Latest Releases The Future of Pursuit Series Closing Thoughts and Community Engagement Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Blue Run is back with one of its wildest experiments yet: Glimmer, a Kentucky straight bourbon finished in Barr Hill Tom Cat Gin barrels and dressed in a flashy, color-shifting bottle. Kenny and Ryan dive into the nose, taste, and finish of this limited 103.2-proof release to find out if gin and bourbon can actually work together. Fewer than 90 cases exist, so let's see if Glimmer is worth the hunt or just a shiny distraction.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 November 7th 2025. A Fiscal Court in Eastern Kentucky will regulate bio-digestion facilities, Shiner Bock is now entering bourbon, and Pursuit Spirits launches founder hour and 4 new single barrels. Show Notes: Old Fourth Distillery + Kitchen opens at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta Airport, bringing Southern dining and locally crafted Old Fourth spirits to Terminal E Rowan County, KY approved a new ordinance to proactively regulate bio-digestion facilities (for distillery waste) to mitigate nuisances near residential areas Molson Coors took a $3.65 billion goodwill charge in Q3, including a $75.3 million write-down on the Blue Run Spirits brand, indicating a significant drop in its valuation Pursuit Spirits is launching "Founder Hour," an exclusive, six-person tasting event featuring five of the brand's rarest and oldest Pursuit Series single-barrel whiskeys (up to 20 years old) Templeton Distillery releases its inaugural, cask-strength Single Barrel Rye, a 95% rye whiskey distilled and bottled entirely at its Iowa facility Jeptha Creed will release its fourth annual Red, White & Blue Batch 4 Bourbon on November 8th, with a portion of proceeds benefiting the veterans' service dog non-profit, Paws of War Adventure Spirits Distilling announces its first allocated release, Summit Series #1, a double-oaked, 12-year-old Kentucky American Whiskey limited to 132 bottles B. H. James Distillers is celebrating its three-year anniversary by releasing its first in-house distilled Kentucky Grit® Bourbon and a new Burton James® Reserve 10-year-old blend Jack Daniel’s is making its iconic Old No. 7 Tennessee Whiskey permanently available in a large 3-liter bottle across the U.S Cedar Ridge Distillery releases its annual Double Barrel Bourbon and limited-edition Double Barrel Rye, both finished in a second, new American oak barrel and bottled at 105 proof Brooklyn Brewery and Four Roses reunite for their 7th annual collaboration, releasing the 2025 edition of Brooklyn Black Ops, a 12% ABV Russian Imperial Stout aged in Small Batch Bourbon barrels K. Spoetzl Brewery & Distillery (Shiner) enters the whiskey market with Shiner Texas Legend Straight Bourbon, a four-grain, 109-proof, barrel-strength expression Old Potrero announces the 2025 release of Christmas Spirit, a highly limited, nine-year-old whiskey distilled from a 2015 Christmas Spiced Ale Heaven Hill Distillery will release a special 9-year-old, 107-proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey in October 2025 to commemorate its 90th Anniversary Freddie Noe unveils Little Book® The Infinite: Edition II, a 120.8 proof blend integrating 22-year-old, 10-year-old, and 7-year-old bourbons with the original Infinite blend Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here's a story that goes from the vineyards of Australia to the front lines of the military, and suddenly lands right in bourbon country. Today we're joined by Greg Keeley, the founder and distiller of Larrikin Bourbon Company. Greg’s background is wild: He’s taking us through his early days in the Margaret River wine industry and his incredible 22-year career in the military, explaining how those very different experiences shaped his philosophy on whiskey. Greg recounts the path that took him from military life in Washington, D.C., to the hemp industry, and then—in a move fueled by pure passion—to founding his own bourbon company. We finally figure out what the name "Larrikin," stands for and how that translates to what the brand tries to achieve. We get candid about the major challenges of launching a brand, including the rebranding from Lawrenceburg Bourbon Company along with being a small fish in a big pond. Show Notes: Introduction to Greg Keeley and his journey from Australia to the US Growing up in Margaret River: Surfer, wine enthusiast, and military life Transition from military service to working in Washington, D.C. The serendipitous shift to bourbon: From hemp to Larrikin Bourbon Meaning and significance of the term "Larrikin" The rebranding process from Lawrenceburg Bourbon Company to Larrikin Overcoming the challenges of launching a new brand within tight time constraints The supportive community in the bourbon industry and reflections on quality craft Future aspirations for Larrikin Bourbon and maintaining authenticity Anecdotes from Greg's military life and how they inform his business ethos Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices