Bourbon Pursuit

Subscribe to Behind The Pursuit: From Bourbon to BrandToday's question comes from listener Richard C. Richard had a series of questions looming from the recent Bourbon Roundtable Live Q&A during Pursuit Palooza, and we thought they'd made for a great episode for Ryan while Kenny was out. Kenny & Ryan used to joke that they should have gone the "easy route" to a brand and just bottled MGP instead of doing their own thing. Now, MGP brands are truly everywhere, the bourbon market is undergoing a correction, and bottles are sitting on the shelf for longer. We hit on: How do you feel looking back on your original decision to forge a different path? Did you feel you missed out on something by doing that? Do you feel you are better positioned now for the current market, and for the future, than if you had bottled MGP?  Where do you think you'd be currently if you had gone with MGP instead of creating the Pursuit United brand as we know it? What would you do differently if you could do it all over again? What would you tell the 2018 versions of Kenny & Ryan? 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

One thing I love about what we do in this show is that we continue to explore new and interesting angles of the bourbon world. And one that always gets overlooked is the role of public relations. All major corporations have contracts with PR firms where it's their responsibility to get eyeballs on every new release, get butts in seats at events, and make some kind of commotion about their whiskey. To explore this topic, I've invited Dave Karrakur on the show. He's an industry veteran who has done PR his entire career at places like Sega and Campari but has now ventured off on his own with Raptor Communications. We talk about the stress that PR feels when it comes time to put out a new release, how to get it in front of the right audience and get words in articles like Forbes, and how do you response to a client when something just completely flops. Show Notes: 00:00-Introduction and the Role of PR in the Bourbon Industry 06:28-Exploring a New Angle: Public Relations in the Bourbon World 10:26-Guest's Background in PR and the Drinks Business 18:55-The Need for PR and Creating a Compelling Narrative 25:25-Navigating the Changing Media Landscape 31:39-Rising Above the Clutter: Detail and Engagement 32:35-Building Whiskey Brands through PR 34:02-Measuring the Impact of PR 35:00-The Value of Third-Party Endorsements 37:16-Building Relationships with Journalists and Influencers 39:32-Navigating Social Media Platforms for Whiskey Marketing 44:11-Distribution Challenges and On-Shelf Presence 46:04-Strategies for Sending Samples to Reviewers 48:55-Maintaining a Cadence of PR Activities 50:17-Dealing with Negative Reviews 55:03-The Complex and Stressful Nature of Whiskey PR Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Four Roses 2024 Limited Edition Small Batch Bourbon. This 12-20 year old bourbon is 108.2 proof and $225 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

It's This Week in Bourbon for September 6th 2024. The Kentucky Castle will transform into a new $92.5 million distillery, Bardstown Bourbon Co. has two new releases, and the first innovation coming from Booker’s Bourbon since 2019 – Booker’s Bourbon ‘The Reserves’Show Notes: 5th Annual Whisk(e)y Festival “Premier Drams” at Jack Rose The Kentucky Castle will transform into a new $92.5 million distillery Bardstown Bourbon Co. has two new releases Proof and Wood BlameCanada Truth Straight Rye Whiskey from Hard Truth Booker’s Bourbon ‘The Reserves’. @jackroseindc @bardstownbourbonco @hardtruthspirits @proofandwood @beamgeneration8 Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I've been around bourbon as a more than a light bystander for more than a decade. We talk on the show all the time about how we got to know bourbon at a good time but today we get our reality check. I put a message out on a local facebook group in Louisville asking for anyone who has gotten into bourbon in less than a year to send me a message about coming on the show to give us their perspective because I want to know what goes through the mind of today's new bourbon drinker. Brian Sekelsky and Justin Kingery are two new bourbon enthusiasts and we dive into the factors that have influenced their buying habits. We touch on the variety of bourbons available today, including finishes, and the their openness to trying new things instead of chasing what's popular. Show Notes: Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about Woodford Double Oak and Blanton's are mentioned as gateway bourbons Cocktails played a role in their bourbon journey, with the Old Fashioned being a favorite. Finding rare bottles and sharing their bourbon experiences with others brings excitement and enjoyment. Personal taste and experimentation are key in the bourbon journey. Intrigue, emotion, and consistency are key factors in the speaker's bourbon collection. We value the experience and emotional connection with bourbon. Social media, YouTube channels, and Facebook groups play a role in shaping the intrigue. We're skeptical about opening expensive bottles and considers price when making purchasing decisions. Label recognition and bottle design influence the speaker's purchasing decisions. The variety of bourbons available today, including finishes, offers new and interesting experiences. We touch on the importance of truth in advertising in the bourbon industry. Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Dancing Goat Distillery Release 005: Tommy's Malted Bangdog Blended Bourbon. This 8 year old whiskey is 109.8 proof and $60 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

It's This Week in Bourbon for August 30th 2024. Whiskey Thief is opening a new spot in NuLu, Alaska Senate Bill 9 goes into effect which allows direct to consumer shipping, Heaven Hill Distillery announced today the release of the 18th edition of the Parker’s Heritage Collection.Show Notes: Mash Maker’s Experience at Casey Jones Distillery Whiskey Thief Plans Location in NuLu LF Heritage Distillery Co joins KDA Alaska Allows DTC Shipping for Spirits Barrel Global partner with Still Austin Whiskey Co Pursuit United Double Oaked Rye Derek Trucks Ass Pocket Whiskey Cream of Kentucky Two New Releases Little Book The Infinite Edition 1 18th edition of the Parker’s Heritage Collection @caseyjonesdistillery @whiskeythiefdistilling @stillatx @pursuitspirits @beamgeneration8 Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In the past two years if you've found yourself scrolling on TikTok or YouTube Shorts, then I'm almost certain you've seen a video by the man that goes by Brewzle. TJ Gamble is the man that goes by Brewzle and he's been a media powerhouse. He's grown his following from just a few thousand subscribers to over a million across all his social channels. He takes a different approach to his videos where it's more about entertainment rather than full blown education. TJ happened to be in Louisville picking some Pursuit United barrels so I invited him to sit down and have a chat about his content and what cheat codes he used to grow a following at such a rapid pace. We discuss how he got into whiskey and the types of content that work well for his fans and how he transitioned from short-form videos to doing more full-length content and trying to start a lawn mower with weller full proof. Show Notes: Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about Where did the name Brewzle originate? What piqued your interest in bourbon? Can you explain the idea of the lawn mower with Weller? How did you decide to approach and build your content? Have you seen more success with a certain type of video? Do people feel like your hunting videos are staged? Is your audience looking for hidden gems or stuff from the big 6? What is your cheat code to amassing your audience? What's the long term strategy to growing further? Do you feel Kentucky bourbon has become boring? Is there a certain price point that people find attractive in your content? Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review BBC Collaborative Series Amrut Barrel Finished Whiskey. This 8-14 year old whiskey is 110 proof and $160 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

It's This Week in Bourbon for August 23rd 2024. American whiskey is gaining market share in the US with the on-premise, New York signs into law direct to consumer shipping for spirits, and Old Forester announces birthday bourbonShow Notes: UK gets $101.8 revenue boost this thanks to Taylor Swift’s The Eras Tour. CGA’s On Premise Measurement data has revealed that American whiskey is gaining market share government lawyers appealed the ruling that allowed at-home distilling New York opens up direct-to-consumer shipping Evan Williams Bourbon announced a new partnership with Learfield Media Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has joined forces with Moët Hennessy to create SirDavis Blood Oath Trilogy – Third Edition Redemption Sur Lee Straight Rye Whiskey Uncle Nearest Lost Chapter 1 - 777’ Baker’s Bourbon 13YO Bardstown Origin High Wheat Penelope Valencia Raconteur Rye Brazen Old Forester Birthday Bourbon Support this podcast on Patreon Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices