We are proud to announce the addition of the Oak Collection to the Pursuit Spirits lineup - an ongoing series of curated whiskey blends and barrel finishes that provide an exploration of taste and constant innovation.  We talked back on Episode 13 about finished whiskey as we began the R&D process, and here we are with the first iteration of Bourbon Oak Collection and Rye Oak Collection. Today, we talk about the process from concept to bottling. We hit on: Did the initial blend components and finishing styles tested in R&D carry through to the end product? From the small-scale trials of this type of finishing, were you happy with the way it translated to larger scale batches? Could we possibly see smaller batches of these finished projects that explore the unique distillates you have at your disposal? What does the distribution plan look like for the Oak Collection compared to a typical Pursuit United Bourbon or Rye release? and much more. We'd love to hear from you! What do you think the future of the Oak Collection should be? Should it feature regular mainstays or should it continue to experiment with more unique flavors and distillate?  For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

Pursuit Spirits recently developed a $6 million dollar financial plan for the next five years of bourbon and rye whiskey barrel purchases, but what exactly does that mean and how exactly does that play out? While we've previously talked about financial modeling, scale, and the constraints on inventory, today we dive into exactly what this financial plan allows the team to do, and focus on over the next 5-6 years. We hit on: Does this plan for purchasing allow you immediately lay down and begin aging all at once, or will this continue to slowly build over time? Through this, what exactly does it mean for you all that you maintain full control and equity of the company? How do you see other companies doing this? What are the strengths if you all did bring in other shareholders?  What area of financial focus do you see next in line with a plan in place now for future barrel purchases? and much more. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

We're back in the Bluegrass State, and reflecting on all the stops from the 2022 Pursuit Road Trip. How was the reception, what were the key takeaways for the guys, and how do we improve going into 2023? We hit on: In what ways did you see brands stand out from the crowd at Kentucky Bourbon Festival? During the store visits, was a large part of the draw due to Bourbon Pursuit or general intrigue of Pursuit Spirits?  What was the reception like during the debut week in Ohio? How was the response to the in-store tastings compared to the private Pursuit breakdown tastings? What events had the best turnouts? What was the most unexpected thing that happened on the tour? What was your biggest takeaway from the tour experience that you can take back and apply to the brand? and much more. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

Should people be tasting for a story, or tasting for the value? Today on the show we dive into an interesting topic on the teetering of media samples and content creators/influencers who receive them, both on the Bourbon Pursuit side as well as the Pursuit Spirits side.  We hit on: How did you decide you wanted to present reviews of media samples to your audience? What are the ethics of reviewing something sent to you? How do you (or any content creator who gets multiple samples) decide on what to review? Is private feedback for samples you don’t enjoy helpful? How do you decide who to send samples to? Should someone rate a whiskey purely on taste, or does the context matter?  How do you streamline the context of a brand or product easily for consumers to understand? and much more. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

How do companies create and maintain brand loyalty? A great question from listener and supporter Steve built off the topic a few episodes back on Brand Recognition, what does the relationship today look like between consumers and brands? Are there ways to build brand loyalty, and are there ways to lose it? We hit on: How do companies (bourbon and otherwise) create and maintain brand loyalty? What bourbon brands are you loyal to and why? What other brands are you loyal to and why? What brands (bourbon or otherwise) do you respect how they built their following? What lessons can be applied to Pursuit Spirits? and much more. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

“I think the best way to learn about something is to think about it and write about it and try and tell other people about it because it kind of helps you gauge your own understanding.” We are in for a treat with today's guest. Some of you know him as T8ke, some of you know him from his work at Whiskeyraiders.com or the Weekly Whiskey show on Youtube - others know him from the popular /r/bourbon on Reddit and the internet's largest single barrel program. Today, we talk with the one and only Jay West all about reviewing whiskey. We hit on: Episode 230 of Bourbon Pursuit - The /r/bourbon Community of Reddit with T8ke (https://bourbonpursuit.com/2019/12/05/230-the-r-bourbon-community-of-reddit-with-t8ke/) When did you first meet the Pursuit guys and/or how has your relationship grown since you all first interacted? Immediately after the Bourbon Pursuit episode we saw the Pandemic hit - where have you seen the whiskey community go from that time? Did you see a rise in people looking for reviews on whiskey? Can you talk through your personal whiskey rating scale and maybe why it has become so widely used? (https://whiskeyraiders.com/about-t8ke/) With the abundance of reviews you see in /r/bourbon, do you find more people looking for the hyped bottles or what do you see people really excited to write about or read about? While it is true that tasting in a lot of ways is closely tied to personal experiences, and personal palates - what do you think is the importance of people who review whiskey? How do you think the general demographic of whiskey drinkers currently differ from, perhaps, the past generation whiskey drinker? What opinions do you have for the continued future? Do you think brands understand well what consumers want - and do you think they can describe the consumers expectations well?  Being very active in the Bourbon Pursuit Discord - from your perspective, how have you seen that community respond as Pursuit Spirits has taken off and grown? What things, if any, would you say people need to keep in mind when they approach a whiskey review? We also taste through Pursuit Series Episode 048 - selected for /r/bourbon (https://pursuitspirits.com/pursuit-series/episode-048/) and much more. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

Much like the last episode with Ryan, today we sit down with Kenny and discuss his background in tech, his passion for data-logging, and how he sees those primary functions play out and the value they hold in both Bourbon Pursuit and Pursuit Spirits.  We hit on: The Pursuit Road Trip is on! Check out our social feeds or website for our stop locations. What does a week in the life of Kenny look like? How did your love for tech and data become so important to how you operate? Do you ever think your data-driven nature takes away from the in-person experience? Do you think data and technology are moving faster than your understanding of it? Do you find yourself having to try and keep up with where things are headed? Meta, cryptocurrency, etc… how do you see this converging with the traditions we’ve long had in the spirit industry?  What other sort of things do you find valuable? What do you appreciate about working with Ryan on this brand? and much more. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

We have a refreshing episode today where we sit down with Ryan and discuss juggling multiple jobs, what you gain or learn in the process of doing so, and balancing it all with life’s rhythms.  Today we also tasted Pursuit Series 051 - available now at https://seelbachs.com/search?q=pursuit+series We hit on: What does a week in the life of Ryan look like? Do you find it common with others you know in the industry to work both a “day-to-day” and also balance their industry role? What sorts of things did you learn from your other business that shape how you work on Pursuit? What things have you learned from your other business that have made you pivot how you work on Pursuit? What aspect of the process from barrels to distillate to mash to ingredients to blend…. interest you the most in the hobby as a whole? What is your personal end goal? and much more. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

Does knowing the source matter? Where the product in the bottle is distilled, the mashbills, the percentages of this grain and that grain, this component or that component… why is the whiskey industry always clamoring for all the details? Can we be over-transparent? Is this the natural evolution?  We hit on: Does knowing the source today matter as much as knowing the source 5 years ago? 10 years ago?  What is the biggest factor that has people caring? Is it price? Is it elusiveness? Is it because someone says it should be sought after? What makes some brands desirable sourced brands and others slept on? In what ways does knowing the source inaccurately shape our buying decisions? and much more. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

Here we are in 2022. Are customers as swayed by the wording on the bottle as they are by the complete package of design, brand notoriety, accolades, if it’s in the “top shelf” section of a store, or other factors at play when making a decision of what to buy?  We hit on: The gravitation towards non-Kentucky, state-specific Straight Bourbon Whiskies Stigma dissipating around blended products Demographics and can you easily market to different segments Breaking down things such as extra-aged or defining sweet vs sour mash on the label Is price more of a factor than what is on the bottle? and much more. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

Bourbon Tourism is alive and active, but what is the next great generation of tourism? Today on the podcast we quickly go over the evolution we’ve seen and discuss hypotheticals to the future or what exactly we think it is that draws people in.  We’d love to hear from you! What visitor experiences have you enjoyed, or what things do you wish were more readily available for a more immersive experience?  Email us at [email protected] and let us know.

We’re on the onset of our next bottling date, and today we’re talking about the current status of cash flow needs, bottling partners, moving into new markets and more. In a constantly moving world, how do you pivot in real-time to the constant changes? For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

Fresh off the heels of the first Pursuit Palooza weekend, we are recapping the experience and what it was like to start building up brand loyalty in a very tangible form. We hit on: What does it mean for you to host an event like this for the people who have supported you? What were people's impressions of being able to break down the components of United individually and how they work together to create the blended product? What do you think it shows, as a brand, to those who do follow and support you that you would host an event in this way? Did you learn anything new about the brand this weekend? Is an event like this doable for another year? and much more. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

What does it look like to R&D for a finished whiskey? In this episode, we dive into the minds of Kenny and Ryan as they comb through their barrel stock options and discuss their possible entry in finished whiskey experimentations. We hit on: As a small company, how do you create a product that compliments, not take away, from your base products? How do you manage stock to try something new for the portfolio? What are the pros and cons of Innerstave versus traditional finishing routes? What is the scalability of finishing experiments from initial, smaller, test batches?  What are customers looking for in a toasted or finished product, and what do brands think customers are looking for? and much more. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

Not every brand is in the position to be on every shelf in every store in every market. The marketing that comes from spirits competitions can be one of those things that can catch the right eyes to give your brand a chance - be it the whiskey media, whiskey stores around new markets, or distributors. In today’s episode we discuss the marketing engine that is: spirits competitions. We hit on: What is the overall purpose of these competitions? Are there any noticeable trends for what scores high over the last few years? are competitions worthwhile to those new to the market? Would a bit more transparency in the judging of competitions make for a better, more trusting awards process?  and much more. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

‘You’re at the mercy of so many moving points you just don’t realize - I’m not a control freak, but there’s so much out of your control you just can’t wrap your head around.’ Today we have a fascinating conversation with the guys about their recent experiences with glass and bottling for their products.  We hit on: Digging from multiple suppliers to find quantities needed. Supply chain issues faced and logistics delays. Custom mold costs. Overseas vs US production costs. Hitting bottling timelines. and much more. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

Today we take a walk down memory lane while Kenny and Ryan recount their first Pursuit Series single barrel, some of their favorite ones, and special moments along the way. We hit on: What are the Pursuit Series Episodes? 001 - The start of it all - can it beat Henry McKenna 10? 002 - Where Kenny got his ‘sweet oak’ nickname. 010 - The first venture outside the broker and its impact on the future of the Pursuit brand. 014 - The learning experience with Justin’s House of Bourbon being their first store pick. 017 - A dream come true. and much more. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

How do you grow when you have limited reach or distribution? What avenues do you pursue with your marketing dollars? How do you pivot from one customer base to a different one? Today, we talk all about brand recognition.  We hit on: How do you get in front of an audience and extend marketing reach? Do you still see the importance of localized liquor stores and word-of-mouth marketing? Do you physically get to those stores to meet with people on the ground in your markets? With volumes being what they are while waiting to grow, do you find that limited distribution limits your ability to grow the brand or how do you offset it? What are some first steps for folks who may not have 'pull' from an existing brand, like Bourbon Pursuit, to begin growing recognition? For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

“You need money for today, but you also need money for tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow… and tomorrow… for the next 10 years.” In this episode, we discuss what has it taken to get the brand to where it is today, and what is forecasted to take the brand even further. We hit on: Figuring out the level of scale you are going after The conversations to reach the next scale point Constraints on inventory that is ready when you need it The process of investments and cost-benefit analysis of potential outcomes  The unique factor of appreciating assets  For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].

There is a lot of money passing hands in the whiskey industry these days - contract distiller schedules are filling up, sourced barrels are drying up, expansion is booming - so what does that mean for the direction of the industry as we see it today?  We hit on: Where do you think the industry is going? Lack of available older stock Premiumization Over-saturation of investor barrels and brand position established in the market  Creating a brand with market penetration  Are some of the trends we are seeing just cyclical trends, or are we facing issues that are new to us today? Today’s entry point into the industry: what do you think about how people experience bourbon? For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected]. Check out TWIB from Jan. 7 2022 where the guys talk about Beverage Dynamics 11 American Whiskey Trends to Watch in 2022: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/twib-11-american-whiskey-trends-to-watch-in-2022-tennessee/id975392298?i=1000547189062 Check out TWIB from Dec. 31 2021 where the guys discuss 7 Drink Trends to Watch in 2022: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/twib-11-american-whiskey-trends-to-watch-in-2022-tennessee/id975392298?i=1000547189062

“I think that’s probably one of the most perplexing things that perhaps people that are new to bourbon just don’t realize… and that’s what creates a lot of variability, it creates some excitement for enthusiasts as well because you get a chance to try a lot of different things.” Humans love stories, there’s a connection. Everything that drives our behavior is stories and the stories we tell ourselves. It’s no different from paw patrol to bourbon. Today, we talk about managing single barrel selections for Pursuit and what it is that makes us latch on to single barrel offerings. What is the deal with people going after single barrel selections? bourbon is the perfect product and the modern-day unicorn  What is the current state of the Pursuit Series single barrel program? What’s the frequency going to be for the immediate future? What are you hoping the experience will look like for folks? What are you looking for when it comes to barrels going to the single program? Did the distilleries you work with for United give you any indication of what percentage of barrels would “deviate” from the blend profile?  What do folks need to do to get in line for a single barrel selection?

We all know that people and events have an impact on us and help shape the trajectory to where we are today. Today on the podcast, we break down this topic with the guys and see what has influenced them.  Who played a role in who you are today? Who has worked behind the scenes, a bit less on the Bourbon Pursuit side but more in pursuing Pursuit Spirits forward? Has anything been said to you or are there any nuggets of information that have stuck with you and/or motivated you? Down the road, aside from where Pursuit Spirits go as a brand, what type of legacy are you hoping to leave behind?

“In this new modern era of whiskey, I think we’re maybe one of the only ones that have come out with a blend that’s going to be like this.” Today's episode is a deep dive into the recently released Pursuit United Rye, and what pieces were learned from the past product releases that aided in its success. What made you all decide to roll out a rye whiskey? What is the inception of the partners you’ve landed on with the rye?  What were the conversations like when starting with Sagamore?  What was the process of blending together this Pursuit United Rye, and how was it similar or different to your approach with the Pursuit United Bourbon?  Do you both look to achieve the same flavors in the finished product? What would you say defines what Pursuit United products are?

Every detail along the way has a trickle-down effect, and today the guys are unpacking some of the frustrations they’ve worked through from early on to day-to-day today.  Budgeting for the entering the industry - and the risk involved  The tiny issues in the little details from licensing to packaging Growing pains in the early stages of shipping and fulfillment  What does the reach do each time batch sizes change, and what frustrations circle specifically on the size and availability of each run?  Is the finished product you see today the finished product you envisioned? Supply chain issues and where this has made a direct impact Now that you know what all goes into packaging and bottling, does it open your eyes to other products you see on the shelves in the market?  As you build up your deposit of barrels you have available, dealing with the sourced market, what agility do you have to have in avenues for them to go? In the markets you’ve been in, have you had headaches the public doesn’t see?