

Bourbon Pursuit
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.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Apr 1, 2022 • 57min
TWiB: Three Trade Associations Create ShipMySpirits, Belle Meade Bourbon Is Being Discontinued, Another Wild Turkey 101 Bottle Change Is Coming
It's This Week in Bourbon for April 1st 2022. Three of the nation’s leading trade associations create ShipMySpirits coalition, Belle Meade Bourbon is being discontinued, and another Wild Turkey 101 bottle change is coming.Show Notes:
KY Senate passes House Bill 500 and has now been signed into law by the governor
TTB reminds us that advertising regulations prohibit any health-related statement
Stone Brewing won its trademark battle against MillerCoors
The World Whisky Awards have been handed out
Diageo has sold its Windsor blended Scotch whisky brand
Flaviar creates a consultancy and creative studio named The Beverage Bureau
New Book: Make it a Double, From Wretched to Wondrous: Tales of One Woman’s Lifelong Discovery of Whisky
New Book: The Little Book of Whiskey Cocktails
Stave And Thief society now has expanded it's online courses
Three of the nation’s leading trade associations create ShipMySpirits coalition
Belle Meade Bourbon Is Being Discontinued
A$AP Rocky announced his new Canadian whiskey, Mercer + Prince
Stoli releases The Wiseman Straight Rye
Limestone Branch Distillery is launching Yellowstone Family Recipe
Bardstown Bourbon Company releases two new bottlings from their Fusion and Discovery expressions
Castle & Key releases their second small batch bourbon
Chattanooga is releasing the Founder 10th Anniversary blend
Basil Hayden® Subtle Smoke is announced
Another year and another Wild Turkey 101 bottle change
@stonebrewing @diageo @flaviar_com @craftspiritsus @americandistilling @distilledspiritscouncil @asaprocky @mercerprince @kentuckyowl @stoli @yellowstonebourbon @limestonebranch @bardstownbourbonco @castleandkey @chattwhiskey @basilhayden @wildturkey
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Mar 31, 2022 • 53min
351 - How Marketing On The Road Built Brands Like Booker's with Kathleen DiBenedetto of Beam Suntory - Part 2
Welcome back to Part 2 of my interview with Kathleen DiBenedetto. In part 1, Kathleen shared some of her greatest memories with Booker as she learned the business inside and out from him. In part 2, Kathleen talks about her own successes in the industry from going on the road and leading the bourbon tastings herself to eventually have her own batch of Booker's named after her. Kathleen oversaw the brands of Booker's, Baker's, and Knob Creek for many years and we talk about how marketing strategies changed when you enter the digital revolution.Show Notes:
Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks steel and flasks.
Were you there when Booker's began introducing different batch numbers?
Do remember when you received a phone call to come create your own batch of Booker's?
When you started building brands can you talk about those early marketing tactics?
When you were on the road, was there ever a moment of shock?
Were you confident when you led your first tastings on the road?
Were you still taking care of the Booker's, Baker's, and Knob Creek brands when you get into the digital revolution?
What are the next brands people should be looking at?
@jimbeamofficial @knobcreek @knobcreekbourbon
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Mar 29, 2022 • 7min
Whiskey Quickie: WH McBrayer Kentucky Straight Bourbon Review
On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review WH McBrayer Kentucky Straight Bourbon. This 4 year old bourbon is 103.6 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

Mar 25, 2022 • 55min
TWiB: American Whiskey Tariffs Finally Come to an End, Sotheby's New Record for Bourbon Auction, Michter’s Will Not Release 10 Year Bourbon
It's This Week in Bourbon for March 25th 2022. American whiskey tariffs finally come to an end, Sotheby's broke a new record for American Whiskey at auction fetching US$1.63 million, and Michter’s will be waiting until 2023 to release its 10 Year Bourbon.Show Notes:
A fake organization has been passing itself off as the genuine Diageo
American whiskey tariffs finally come to an end
Woodford Reserve announces a partnership with Formé Millinery Co
Ohio's has a "Keeper of a Place" law
Ohio man accused of stealing a bottle of bourbon during the assault on the U.S. Capitol Building
Michigan has secured more than $100,000 in fines against illegal alcohol shippers
Buffalo Trace raises US$280,000 for charity in NFT auction for OFC bottles
Sotheby's broke a new record for American Whiskey at auction fetching US$1.63 million
What can I purchase here in Kentucky that I cannot find at home? by Veach
Michter’s Distillery will be waiting until 2023 to release its 10 Year Bourbon
Old Dominick and the Overton Park 9 release a 7-year-old single barrel wheat whiskey
Barton 1792 releases the 2022 versions of Thomas S. Moore
Heineken launched its first, brand new, virtual beer: Heineken Silver
@diageo @diageo_na @woodfordreserve @buffalotrace @buffalotracedistillery @sothebys @blockbar.@eth @michterswhiskey @olddominick @barton1792 @heineken
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Mar 24, 2022 • 51min
350 - Working Alongside Booker Noe with Kathleen DiBenedetto of Beam Suntory - Part 1
This episode was never intended to be a two-parter. Once I sat down with our guest, I couldn't bring myself to hit the stop button because I wanted to keep hearing the stories she had to tell. Kathleen DiBenedetto is the Sr. Director, Premium Seed Brands but has had a near 30 year career span at Beam Suntory. And one of her first jobs was working alongside Booker Noe. She traveled the country with Booker and learned what it took to market and find audiences for this premium uncut and unfiltered small batch whiskey. She helped the brands of Booker's, Knob Creek, and Bakers grow from its infant stage, this is before Booker's even had a box, to what we all see today. Kathleen shares her fondest memories of working with Booker and the Noe family and how that set her down a path to be inducted into the Bourbon Hall of Fame and also have her own Booker's Batch named after her.Show Notes:
Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about the current whiskey shortage.
You've spent 30 years at Beam. What did you do when you first came into the company?
How did the interview process go with Booker Noe?
How did you build on-site tastings with consumers?
Booker didn't like fancy packaging but do you find it weird now that Basil Hayden is upscale packaging?
Do you remember what time the Booker's box was introduced?
Where was Baker's fitting into the portfolio at this time?
Can you recall the price points and how you competed with clear spirits?
What was Booker's first impression of Blanton's?
Were you there when Booker's began introducing different batch numbers?
@jimbeamofficial @knobcreek @knobcreekbourbon
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Mar 22, 2022 • 5min
Whiskey Quickie: Michter's Toasted Barrel Bourbon 2021 Review
On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Michter's Toasted Barrel Bourbon. This non-age stated bourbon is 91.4 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

Mar 18, 2022 • 45min
TWiB: 2021 Marks New High for Bourbon Sold in 40 Years, House Bill 500 Passes the Kentucky House, Castle & Key Releases First Small Batch Bourbon
It's This Week in Bourbon for March 18th 2022. Bourbon and Straight American whiskeys hit a new high for cases sold for the first time in over 40 years, House Bill 500 passes the Kentucky House, and Castle & Key is releasing their first ever small batch bourbon.Show Notes:
Diageo, Brown-Forman and Edrington have suspended sales in Russia
The United States will ban imports of Russian alcohol and seafood
Bourbon and Straight American whiskeys surpassed 27 million 9-liter cases domestically in 2021 for the first time in over 40 years
Kirin will invest about $870M in its healthcare and pharmaceutical businesses over the next three years
The whisky market is worth more than US$10 billion in the US on-trade
Kentucky Bourbon Festival announces inaugural Bourbon Capital BBQ Challenge & Distillery Invitational with the Kansas City Barbeque Society
House Bill 500 passed the Kentucky House and moves on to the Senate
Brown-Forman introduces ‘Up or Over’ bottled cocktails
Alberta Distillers Ltd announce the introduction of their signature core expression to the U.S. for the first time
RD1 Spirits is releasing an exclusive Citrus Bowl edition of Wm. Tarr Kentucky Whiskey
Blackwood Distilling Co. has announced the arrival of Blackwood Toasted Bourbon
Castle & Key Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey is being released
@brownforman @diageo @diageo_na @edringtonamericas @kybourbonfest @albertadistillers @albertapremium @rd1spirits @blackwooddistillingco @castleandkey
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Mar 17, 2022 • 1h
349 - When Can We Stop Bunkering? with Mark Rucker of The Bourbon Life
Many of you are listening to this show and you're starting to build your collection of bourbon. I was in your same shoes years ago and I would come home from the liquor store every week with a new bottle when I wasn't even 10% done with the bottle I bought the previous week. That same process goes on, you learn about limited editions, the hunt really begins, the credit card points really start rolling in, and before you know it you have a bunker of bourbon. I'm joined by Mark Rucker of The Bourbon Life to talk about bunkering and when can there ever be enough. We talk about the upper limits of purchasing, bottle prices, and folks who purchase just for the investment purpose. There's more topics that we dive into such as tactics used by marketing teams to always drive limited releases and how some brands are creating confusion to consumers. But the question remains, will we ever need to stop bunkering bourbon?Show Notes:
Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about whiskey gift giving.
How many bottles do you have in your collection?
Can you expense your bourbon purchases as business expenses?
At what point do you say you have enough single barrel selections of a certain brand?
Is it harder to open the last bottle from a barrel pick you were on?
Marriages are supposed to be a 50/50 relationship. Does your better half buy you bottles?
Is there something in us that says "is there ever enough to stop"?
Is there an upper limit such as maxing out your bar?
Is there a problem with people who just want to collect to eventually sell?
Do the vast majority of distilleries need to slow down on limited releases?
Should people be going crazy for Russell's Reserve 13 year?
Does creating more colors of Weller continually feed the animal?
What brand does a good job of having a lot of labels but doesn't create confusion?
Is this strategy seen as a disservice to the consumer?
@thebourbonlife
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Mar 15, 2022 • 4min
Whiskey Quickie: OH Ingram Flagship Bourbon Review
On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review OH Ingram Flagship Bourbon. This non-age stated bourbon is 100 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

Mar 11, 2022 • 1h 2min
TWiB: House Bill 500 Passes for Barrel Selections, OFC 1982 6L bottle In The First Ever NFT Auction, Heaven Hill Releases TWO 17 Year Old Bourbons
It's This Week in Bourbon for March 11th 2022. House Bill 500 Passes to legitimize the KY barrels selection process, Buffalo Trace OFC 1982 is being released in a 6L bottle in the first ever NFT auction, and Heaven Hill Releases TWO 17 year old bourbons.Show Notes:
Pritzker Private Capital acquires Bardstown Bourbon Company
House Bill 500 passes to provide clarity in the process of selecting private barrels at Kentucky distilleries
Global alcoholic beverage e-commerce market is forecast to reach US$30.5 billion by 203
Maker’s Mark unveils a new Maker’s Mark 46 bottle and design
Chris Stapleton releases his own EH Taylor barrel selection to raise funds for charity
An incendiary World War II bomb was found on the Buffalo Trace property
Brown-Forman Corporation reported financial results for its third quarter
The Evan Williams American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund application is now open
Bulleit enters the RTD space with Bulleit Crafted Cocktails
Chattanooga Whiskey’s 2022 Single Barrel picks will be broadly distributed as a mix-pack
Rod & Hammer’s SLO Stills whiskey that’s Cut With The Pacific RTD
Jack Daniel’s Canned Cocktails series are ready to hit shelves nationwide
The second batch of Blue Run High Rye Bourbon is being released
Michter’s US*1 Barrel Strength Rye is set to be released
Barrell Bourbon is releasing Batch 032
Buffalo Trace OFC 1982 is being released in a 6L bottle in the first ever NFT auction
Spring 2022 edition of Old Fitzgerald will be 17 years old
Heaven Hill Heritage Collection 17-Year-Old Barrel Proof new line
McCormick & Co. Inc. is launching Old Bay vodka
@bardstownbourbonco @makersmark @ehtaylorbourbon @buffalotrace @buffalotracedistillery @chrisstapleton @brownforman @evanwillamsbourbon @bulleit @chattwhiskey @slostills @jackdaniels_us @bluerunspirits @michterswhiskey @barrellbourbon @heavenhilldistillery @oldbay_seasoning @mcclintockdistilling
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