
Bourbon Pursuit
The Official Podcast of Bourbon! The best in news, reviews and interviews with people making the bourbon whiskey industry happen. Join hosts Kenny Coleman, Ryan Cecil, and Fred Minnick as they talk with prominent guests and provide insight on American whiskey 3 times a week. Catch all new episodes every Thursday with special Whiskey Quickie reviews on Tuesday and get caught up on bourbon news with This Week in Bourbon on Friday.
Latest episodes

Mar 10, 2023 • 41min
TWiB: Too Much Whiskey Fungus at Jack Daniel's, Leaked Documents From Amazon on Liquor Laws, Laws Whiskey Releases Bottled in Bond Four Grain
It's This Week in Bourbon for March 10th 2023. The whiskey fungus at Jack Daniel's makes national headlines. A leaked document from Amazon show's they are trying to change liquor laws. Laws Whiskey House announced the 2023 release of their Bottled in Bond Four Grain Bourbon.Show Notes:
The whiskey fungus at Jack Daniel's makes national headlines
A German brewery is set to release the world's first 'complete' beer in powdered form
A leaked document from Amazon show's they are trying to change liquor laws
Bourbon:30 from Kentucky Bourbon Fest is available on YouTube
Laws Whiskey House announced the 2023 release of their Bottled in Bond Four Grain Bourbon
Stranahan’s Colorado Whiskey has unveiled its second annual release of Diamond Peak
Former Rutgers football player recently launched LeGrand Whiskey
@jackdaniels_us @brownforman @lawswhiskey @stranahans @ericlegrand52
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Mar 9, 2023 • 1h 8min
400 - What's Up With Whiskey Fungus? Is It Time To Remove the Kentucky Ad Valorem tax? on Bourbon Community Roundtable #78
This episode is another Bourbon Pursuit milestone. It's episode 400! Well, it's technically number 668 if we include Whiskey Quickie and This Week in Bourbon, but let's not get into the details. On this Bourbon Community Roundtable we cover two topics in depth. First is the news blitz of the whiskey fungus articles focused on Jack Daniel's. If you've driven past any distillery in the past 100 or so year, you would have seen this everywhere. It also pops up in the news every year, but why is it just now making national headlines? I also ask the group if there is anything the distilleries can do to get in front of this to avoid any negative PR. The second half of the show dives into House Bill 5 that attacks the Kentucky Ad Valorem tax, in which Kentucky is the only state that taxes barrels aging and resting. We look at what this means for citizens that benefit from the tax and if we feel distilleries are already taxed enough.Show Notes:
Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about teeth staining.
Why is the whiskey fungus just now making national news even though it's been around for years?
What can distilleries do to make sure this argument of bad PR doesn't happen next year?
What could the distilleries provide to residents to make them more comfortable?
What do you think of the Ad Valorem tax on aging barrels?
What would the removal of the tax mean for citizens?
@breakingbourbon @fredminnick @drinkseelbachs @bourbonr @sippncorn
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Mar 7, 2023 • 6min
Whiskey Quickie: Doc Holliday 8 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey Review
On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Doc Holliday 8 Year Old Straight Bourbon Whiskey from the World Whiskey Society. This 8 year old bourbon is 131 proof and $134 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

Mar 3, 2023 • 49min
TWiB: Washtucky is Suing Wilderness Trail, Acker Pays $100k Fine For Counterfeit Bourbon, Two New Kentucky Derby Bottles Released
It's This Week in Bourbon for March 3rd 2023. Washtucky is suing Wilderness trail for failing to make contract barrels. Acker Wines has agreed to pay a maximum fine for selling counterfeit bottles. Two new Kentucky Derby bottles are being released.Show Notes:
March 3rd 1897 is when the The Bottled-in-Bond Act changed the bourbon world forever
Washtucky is suing Wilderness trail for failing to make contract barrels
Statement from Kentucky’s Bourbon Industry on House Bill 5
The St. Louis Bourbon Society will host the 2nd Annual Bourbon and Brews Festival on June 10th
Yellowstone will donate $250,000 to National Parks Conservation Association
Acker Wines has agreed to pay a maximum fine for selling counterfeit bottles
Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon with a commemorative 51st Edition Gold Pegasus Pin sealed in teal wax
Woodford Reserve will release its 2023 commemorative Derby bottle
@wildernesstraildistillery @stlbourbonsociety @yellowstonebourbon @ackerwines @evanwilliamsbourbon @woodordreserve
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Mar 2, 2023 • 1h 9min
399 - Do Spirits Competitions Matter?
Love it or hate it, spirit competitions are here to stay. They have such an important impact on marketing and can put a small shimmer of light on a new and upcoming brand, or it changes the course and turns a brand such as Henry McKenna into an unobtainable. In this episode, Fred Minnick and Kenny Coleman talk about multiple facets of spirits competitions because we have now lived it. We're both enthusiasts like you so we care what bourbons come out on top, Fred has been a judge forever and now has his own competition called the ASCOTs, and we have our own brand with Pursuit United that has been entered and done favorably in many competitions. Fred and I analyze all these angle about talk about the "pay to play" scenario and how people are selected to be judges along with the best way to enter a competition as a brand owner.Show Notes:
Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about the meaning of allocation.
Fred, how long have you been a part of spirit competitions?
Why weren't media members typically invited to be judges?
Why is this considered "pay to play"?
Why is there so much confusion based on what category to submit when it's straight bourbon vs small batch?
Why would a bourbon society enter a spirits competition?
What makes someone worthy enough to be a judge at a competition?
Should you put batch numbers on your competition entry or just the brand?
Why does MGP always perform well in competitions?
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Feb 28, 2023 • 4min
Whiskey Quickie: Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon Fall 2022 Edition Review
On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Old Fitzgerald Fall 2022 Edition. This 19 year old bourbon is 100 proof and $240 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

Feb 24, 2023 • 41min
TWiB: Tourism At Distilleries Reaches New High, Old Forester The Sleepeasy, Michter’s Will Releas its 10 Year Bourbon
It's This Week in Bourbon for February 24th 2023. Tourism at distilleries is bigger than ever. Old Forester launches its inaugural Sleepeasy. Michter’s Distillery will begin releasing its 10 Year Kentucky Straight BourbonShow Notes:
HB 2200 will modernize Texas laws to provide fair treatment for spirits-based ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails
Tourism at distilleries is bigger than ever
Old Forester launches its inaugural Sleepeasy
Lost Lantern announces the release of their ninth single cask collection
Michter’s Distillery will begin releasing its 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon
@oldforester @lostlanternwhiskey @michterswhiskey
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Feb 23, 2023 • 1h 1min
398 - Carrying On A Legacy at Wild Turkey with Bruce Russell
Wild Turkey is one of the premier bourbon brands. We've had the pleasure of having all the Russell's on the show in previous years and it's always heartwarming to have any member of this family on to share stories. It's fun to hear the generational changes and how bourbon has developed. We had Bruce Russell on the show for the first time in 2019 on episode 199 with his cousin, JoAnn Street, but this time Bruce joins the show to talk about his journey in these last few years. Bruce has shown tremendous growth in a short period of time and we get to know more about him and how his time as a global brand ambassador really immersed him into the company and the culture. We ask Bruce about the current whiskey market and how he is carrying on a legacy and how he thinks he will leave his everlasting stamp on Wild Turkey.Show Notes:
Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about oxidation in the bottle.
Did you know as a child you were going to get into whiskey?
How is it different for you all being the face of the brand but not the owners of it?
When you started as a global brand ambassador was that a way to get an immersive learning experience?
Did Jimmy or Eddie ever tell you about being on the road before bourbon was cool?
What have you seen change since you started in 2011?
Why do you keep changing your packaging?
What international markets is Wild Turkey getting entrenched into?
Have you thought about how you are going to put your own stamp on the Wild Turkey brand?
If you have ideas to implement, how do you go through your creative process?
Do you think the market is ready for blending to start making more traction?
Why do you keep making me hammer out bungs during single barrel picks?
@russellsryeguy
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Feb 21, 2023 • 5min
Whiskey Quickie: Parker's Heritage Collection 2022 Double Barreled Blend Bourbon Review
On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review the 16th Edition of the Parker's Heritage Collection. This 13 and 15 year old bourbon blend is 132.2 proof and $175 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

Feb 17, 2023 • 49min
TWiB: Sazerac Responds to Justin’s House of Bourbon, Oregon Officials Get Fired Over Pappy, Yellowstone's American Single Malt Whiskey
It's This Week in Bourbon for February 17h 2023. Sazerac responds to the raid on Justin’s House of Bourbon. Oregon officials get fired over allocating Pappy to themselves. Yellowstone launches its own American Single Malt Whiskey.Show Notes:
Sazerac responds to the raid on Justin’s House of Bourbon
Oregon officials get fired over allocating Pappy to themselves
Bluegrass Distillers will build a new US$8 million distillery
Buffalo Trace Distillery's new still house has officially been commissioned
Sunday sales of distilled spirits has been passed in the Mississippi House
Yellowstone launches its own American Single Malt Whiskey
Barrell Craft Spirits has launched Barrell Bourbon Batch 34
Bluebird Distilling and country music star Jordan Davis collaborate on Bluebird Days Straight American Whiskey
Woodford Reserve announces the winter 2022 Master’s Collection release - Historic Barrel Entry
@houseofbourbonlex @houseofbourbonlou @houseofbourbonky @woodfordreserve @bluegrassdistillers @buffalotracedistillery @yellowstonebourbon @barrellbourbon @bluebirddistilling @jordandavisofficial
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