There's yet another FAKE PAPPY ALERT! Yes, it's true and it's not going to be the last time either. Fakers are getting better and we talk about the most recent scandal with an employee of Buffalo Trace who has allegedly been selling counterfeit Pappy on the secondary market. And if you've been buying too much, maybe you should be watching Tidying Up on Netflix. Then we dig into the certification game that's happening. Is there really such a thing as a Whiskey Sommelier or is it just a hoax for your money and some large medallion? We finish off the conversation saying goodbye to Kerry and wish him well. Show Notes: The week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about whiskey marketing Fake Pappy and the secondary market Netflix's Tidying Up and how it relates to bourbon bunkers What is the definition of a Whiskey Sommelier? Whiskey Jug Article: http://thewhiskeyjug.com/whiskey/what-is-a-whiskey-sommelier/ Whiskey samples and reviews Goodbye to Kerry

Chuck Morton is a Bourbon Venture Capitalist with the Bourbon Bank Fund backed by Venture First. This episode compliments barrel sourcing from episode 182 on building a brand. But where do you get the funds? Is a traditional bank the way to go? Or with someone like our guest who knows how to put collateral on barrels of whiskey in return for dollars? Learn how to become a start up in the bourbon world and the common mistakes seen when looking for investors. Show Notes: The week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about the need to drink responsibly What is Venture First? What is the Bourbon Bank Fund? So you're not in this to lose money? What does SPV mean? What is your ideal customer? Why come to you instead of a bank? What did people do before when they were interested in expanding? How are customers responding? Are you lending to companies with no juice that just want to create a startup? How do you approach a startup that doesn't have a proven product? What are some common mistakes that you notice when distilleries are getting started or jumping from one level to the next? Do you feel the market might be saturated or is the there room for growth in bourbon? What data are your analysts using to determine trends? How did the idea come about? Do you see a bunch of defaults on the horizon? Are you allowed to work with people outside of Kentucky? How much does the name Kentucky come into an evaluation? Do you have a bullshit meter when people come to you with a proposal? What’s the worst pitch you've heard? If someone like Dave Pickerell came in, would it be a turn on or turn off? Are you looking for people that value the whiskey over the experience? Tell us about your investments in cooperages and rickhouses. How can you compete against Buzick for rickhouse building? What kind of return is coming to the owner on an investment? Are there signs that a distillery is about to sell? Are you receiving dividends? Would you prefer a distillery that is turning a good profit or one that intends on being acquired? How much do you need to start a distillery?

An insider exclusive where you get to see what happens behind the scenes of the bourbon business. Bourbon sourcing isn't a new concept but it's a hidden fortress of the industry the average consumer has no clue about. Jeff Hopmayer of Brindiamo Group tells us some of the tricks of the trade in the barrel sourcing world, how he has created a connected web across the world to get people access to any spirit, and how he has seen fake bourbon come from tankers that would fool even the best master distillers. He has helped brands like Kentucky Owl, Bardstown Bourbon Company, Barrell Bourbon and many more. This episode is one you can't miss. Show Notes: How did you cut your teeth in the industry? Talk about BRINDIAMO GROUP and some of the services you offer to the spirits industry? Can you talk about the evolution of sourcing? How hard is it to come by barrels now? How are you getting your hands on 12-14 year old bourbon when the demand couldn't be higher? So you can do transaction tomorrow for $15million? Are you looking to create blends or brands with an intent of selling? Say we want to create a brand called Old Ascot. Where do we start? How do you gauge if a barrel is worth the investment? Brass tacks, what's a barrel cost? When you get a barrel and it's big cost. Do you ever get a leaky or an empty barrel? How many brands are you supplying that are non-distilling producers? What's the typical acquisition of barrel amounts? How many barrels do you have in inventory? Are you buying a lot of younger barrels and waiting and aging? What's the level of risk introduced from buying barrels with younger distilleries that don't have a proven track record? Do you think there are NDPs that may not actually have bourbon in their bottles? Can you give us a percentage of what you think that's out there is fake bourbon? How much is stuff being reclaimed from overseas? Do you think should consumers should know if it was reclaimed? You've got very successful brands like Kentucky Owl, Barrell Bourbon, and Bardstown Bourbon Company as lighthouse customers that our listeners are familiar with. At what stage were you helping these brands out? What contributes to not being successful? What's your long term view on where this market is going? You seem to think $50+ is the successful strategy for pricing products. That seems steep to us. Are you concerned this may price out those true bourbon consumers? Are manufacturing costs and trading hands contribute to a higher cost? How do you buy barrels on the open market? Is there a dashboard of what's available like the stock market online or is it an old boys club? Talk about the 1792 Barton Warehouse collapse. Were those barrels owned by you or the distiller and what happens in that scenario? Is there a distillery NOT selling their whiskey on the open market? Any other states besides KY, IN, and TN that has a lot of whiskey on open market?

Larry Kass has done it all at Heaven Hill. Public relations, brand management, legal, and even more behind the scenes rolls over his 20 year career. Larry first made an appearance on the podcast back on episode 167. You're going to hear about growing some small family run operation managing a few brands turned into hundreds, how the infamous Rittenhouse Rye 21, 23, and 25 year bottling came into existence, the disappearance of Heaven Hill 6yr BIB, and the original partnership with the Kentucky Distillers Association before it was a real thing. This is a real piece of history and we wish Larry years of relaxation in his retirement. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about Bourbon Geek Pricing Fred, tell us a little about Larry Let’s start at the beginning. Before coming into Heaven Hill did you have a fascination of spirits? We’re you doing the job of 45 people back then? Did you ever find a knack for brown and aged goods? Who really stood out for you? What was marketing like for whiskey back in 1998? Talk about the Rittenhouse Rye 21, 23, and 25 years What do you think of the secondary market? Do you all use it as market data? Is that why we saw the end to Heaven Hill 6yr Bottled In Bond? Give us a story about a writer that pissed you off over the years Do you think Heaven Hill has done a poor job at PR over the past few years to whiskey geeks? Who are the leakers? Fred has feelings of remorse about Elijah Craig 12 Take us through the days of high aged stuff like Martin Mills 24 year that were part of the export market. As a brand manager, how much influence do you have into the final product? You’re part of the original KDA partnership Can you leave bourbon? What’s the retirement plan? What's the proudest thing you accomplished in your career?

It's one of our favorite episodes of the year. The Roundtable takes a look back at Bourbon in 2018 and our picks for Whiskey of the Year. We then kick off the second half of the show with our predictions for 2019 about expansions, acquisitions, price increases, and lots more...including our favorite 90s and 2000s rap artists. Show Notes: This weeks Above the Char with Fred Minnick has him answering random questions off twitter. 2018 Year in Review What was your whiskey of the year What is your greatest accomplishment of 2018? Vintage Spirits Law came into effect in KY We picked our first barrel together Longbranch made it's Wild Turkey debut Brian won a case with Castle & Key against Sazerac over the Old Taylor distillery name 2019 Predictions Banned Crotchshots in Bourbonr and now he's looking for the next great suggestion to improve the group for 2019 Lots of year end expansions being announced in 2018. Do we expect more in 2019? Will prices continue to grow? Four Roses Private Barrel program increase starts Jan 1. Henry McKenna won SF Spirits comp in 2018. Will the Henry McKenna fad pass in 2019? Denny Potter left Heaven Hill for Maker's Mark in 2018. Will Heaven Hill find a new Master Distiller? Is there an issue if they don't find one in a timely fashion? Then we finish talking about 90s and 2000s rap icons

What do the Bears, Blackhawks, Cubs, Sox, and Bourbon have in common? That's life for Carmen DeFalco, ESPN Chicago Radio host of Carmen and Jurko. Carmen and Kenny were introduced over twitter and through Carmen's tweet storm of local sports, he has a following of people that want to know more about bourbon. Carmen joins the show to talk about his Chicago hunting tales and when he breaks open big bottles for Stanley Cup victories. Show Notes: We had some trouble getting started and we now see our kids can navigate technology better Talk about your radio show, Carmen and Jurko on ESPN Radio Chicago. http://www.espn.com/espnradio/podcast/archive/_/id/3095452 What's your bourbon story? Your Dad was in the wholesale business. Did that have a big influence? Were your friends at 21 making fun of you for being a whiskey drinker? Has it flipped where people now go to your house and rummage through your whiskey collection? Are you more of a Binny's person or do you have your hole in the walls? How long have you been going through the cycle of traveling and hunting? Maker's Mark is like a gateway into this world. What was next for you? Can you remember any of those resources you used when you started learning more about bourbon? How much do you talk about bourbon on the air? What's really becoming more hard to find? Do you ever drink on air? Do you have a particular whiskey to align with what sport your watching? Now that you have had some older vintages you could use those as trading for better values Do you get chastised for not being a cubs fan? Bourbon and Bacon Fundraiser Event - https://chicagobourbonandbacon.eventscff.org/ Follow Carmen on Twitter - https://twitter.com/carmendefalco

Jim Rutledge is a household name in bourbon because his wealth of knowledge is unsurpassed and famed history of reviving Four Roses. We talk about those days and ask him why he really left something so great. But, there's a new chapter to write! This week his TTB label for a revival of an old brand, Cream of Kentucky, was approved. We talk about this bourbon, where it's headed, as well as the entire industry on this new exclusive episode. Show Notes: This weeks Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about the importance of social media and online forums by whiskey geeks. New TTB Laws wrap-up by Sku on K&L wines blog. https://spiritsjournal.klwines.com/klwinescom-spirits-blog/2018/12/3/ttb-proposes-new-regulations-modernizing-alcohol-labeling Episode 011 and 012 with Jim Rutledge Rewind us back to your retirement because it seemed like you didn't want to stay retired for long What's your involvement at Castle and key? Whatever happened to that rye? Did you see a different passion at Castle & Key while it was building vs Four Roses that was a well-oiled engine? What sort of corners were being cut at Seagrams at the time when you were trying to turn it around? Talk about rebuilding the brand of Four Roses through acquisition, fighting, and more. Be straight. Why did you leave Four Roses? Did you stand up a lot to upper management? It sounded like Four Roses was family. So why leave? Is it hard to work at a distillery where you're only filling 3 barrels a day? Did you hire Brent Elliott? What was your relationship with Brent while at Four Roses? How does one go about becoming your #2? Talk about funding and how to raise money to build a distillery? Talk about Cream of Kentucky and the history of the label Cream of Kentucky TTB filing - https://www.ttbonline.gov/colasonline/viewColaDetails.do?action=publicFormDisplay&ttbid=18325001000092 Where is the growth going to be for this particular label? Where do you see the American whiskey category trending over the next 5 years?

The Whiskey Row series of Old Forester represent pivotal dates in history for the brand. Deciding how to make them coincide with flavor profiles takes a Master Taster. Jackie Zykan returns to the show as we discuss sensory training and how to sniff out binders at our local stores before diving into the Whiskey Row series and trying 1910 Old Fine Whiskey. We wrap up the show talking about President's Choice and if dusties inspire or not. Show Notes: Do you have a new title now? Talk about the sensory training What’s different about going through this process versus just drinking bourbon everyday? What tips can you give to someone about learning to nose? How do you know when a barrel ready to be pulled? How much time are you spending at the distillery vs bottling vs anywhere else for tasting? Talk about why you dilute so low for tasting? So you have this really cool story about Old Forester 86 and 100 history Talk about the Whiskey Row series The dates all mean something What was the idea to make permanent line extensions instead of doing the money grab on limited releases? So in a time when people say there is a bourbon shortage, what's your response to that? Talk about 1910 and what happened that year Do you pay attention to the Facebook and bourbon forums out there? Why not have a 2014 series to commemorate the new distillery? Talk about President's Choice and your integral part in it What’s your ideal bourbon profile? What’s the oldest Brown-Forman product you’ve tried?

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Share those bottles and create some memories with your loved ones. There's a few interesting topics in the news this week. We touch on distillery expansions of Heaven Hill and Kentucky Owl while diving into the second part of this segment on the hottest topic of all, single barrel stickers. Show Notes: Bourbon Pursuit Private Barrel Club information - https://www.patreon.com/bourbonpursuit C+C Pursuit Series Episodes 001 and 002 will be released soon - http://pursuitspirits.com/ This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about being a good bourbon steward as Santa comes to town. Heaven Hill announces $65 million expansion - https://www.distillerytrail.com/blog/heaven-hill-announces-65-million-plan-to-expand-distillery-experience-in-the-bourbon-capital-of-the-world/ KY OWL Park renderings and their pyramid rackhouses. $150 million. https://www.kentucky.com/news/business/article183535861.html Kentucky Owl Park Video - https://www.facebook.com/bourbonpursuit/videos/256139931742168/ Can $300 bourbons and $200 ryes be able to sustain this long-term? Superfly Bourbon Club came out with a retro Knob Creek label that completely covered up the Knob Creek label. Is this legal? More on stickers is the 101st label done by RareBird101 Honest Thoughts: One & A Century - https://rarebird101.com/2018/11/18/one-a-century/ David Jennings gives us the inside scoop on a new Wild Turkey book!

Just the thing you needed to kick start your Thanksgiving season. We've had Jimmy and Eddie on the show and we've got upcoming episodes featuring Bruce and Joann, but I don't think anyone has ever had all 4 of these people sit down at one time and talk. We go into bourbon itself, the family, the roles they are playing within the business, the new Kentucky Spirit glass design, and lots more. It's a family affair with some exchanges of compliments from each around the table. Show Notes: Our first barrel pick for 2019 is going to be Buffalo Trace. View all of our barrel picks at https://www.patreon.com/bourbonpursuit Fred published his article in Forbes for the 2018 best American Whiskey every day sipper. Fred does Instagram Live for Best of 2018 Fred talks about his holiday gift guide on Forbes and why it was really hard to coming up new pairings in this week's Above the Char - https://www.forbes.com/sites/fredminnick/2018/11/13/holiday-gift-guide-2018-the-most-money-minded-bourbons/ Bruce, they are really pressuring you to move back soon Bruce, remember that panel we were on together? Are you excited to have Bruce back Eddie? Jimmy, how old were you when you started at the distillery? What has changed from the operations standpoint from when you first started? Have you all done recently to certify your warehouses or check them out after the Barton incident? Jimmy when you were coming up the ranks, federal government would check everything. Not so much anymore Do you think the distilling industry misses the oversight of the government? What does "Master Distiller" mean to you, Eddie? What about the flip side that a "Master Distiller" is just a marketer now? You did have to change the entry proof at one time. Was that corporate pressure? Why does some proof go down vs go up in some warehouses? When people come in for a visit, do they want that level of detail? Do you read your Yelp reviews? Is the bartending community the gate to your future? What's the worst part about signing bottles? Where do you see barrel finishes in the Wild Turkey line since the last Master's Keep was finished? It seems like a lot of flavored whiskeys have died down over time Why are we still not experimenting with different mashes? Bruce, you're trying to revive the rye. talk about that. Are you a scotch person? Jimmy, what have you learned by the younger generations? From RareBird101, what's your honest opinion on the new Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit bottle? So why isn't the top level listening to you? Choose an individual and take one word that embodies the person View all Wild Turkey Podcasts

I don't know a bourbon enthusiast that doesn't love Four Roses. But this one goes into the depths of expert level opinions behind mash bills, hype behind certain runs, single barrels, mutated yeast, and more. Brett Atlas and Travis Hill join the show to talk about their experiences with Four Roses, their 10 recipes, and how they blend and create their own Limited Edition Small Batches. Show Notes: Farewall to Dave Pickerell. Enjoy our podcast with him http://bourbonpursuit.com/2018/03/29/man-behind-100-distilleries-dave-pickerell/ The Lounge with Will Chambers - https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-lounge-with-will-chambers/id1440284845 This week's Above The Char with Fred Minnick reflects on the past of Dave Pickerell. Was it cask strength that got you hooked into Four Roses or was it a standard offering? Give a break down of how to decipher the recipe for something like OBSQ vs OESF Do you think the tasting notes on the back of the hang tag is inaccurate? How often have you tried all recipes side by side? Do you have a favorite 4R recipe and why? Have you ever had a bad barrel? Does the hype factor just play into a particular recipe? How come everyone thinks OESK is the best? What do you see as the typical recipe selections at a private barrel pick? Have you ever walked out and never picked a barrel? What do you think is a misconception of larger stores and their selections? Do you think picks done by Brent Elliott are better or worse than ones done by a store? Some words for Brent How do you go about trying all 10 recipes? Talk about trying to create your own Limited Edition Small Batches Why do you think Four Roses doesn't put out barrel proof Small Batch? The ages of barrel picks have been exponentially decreasing. Can they still keep this pace? Would you lose your mind over a Four Roses pick? Do you think the tags on the bottle showing the rack and details of the barrel are for the distillery to trace back anything for quality purposes or is it for the bourbon geeks? Are higher aged Four Roses that are 17 or 23 years old any good? Can you talk about the mutated yeast that contributed to the 125th anniversary bottle in 2013? Has the ME warehouse fad passed?

This Legend Series brings podcast guests, Wes and Kyle Henderson, back on the show with the newest face of the clan joining the family ranks, Andrew. The focus on family touches on the impact Lincoln Henderson made on Angel's Envy before his passing and what the generations after him remember the most. Fred also tries to squeeze out some juicy details behind sourcing, acquisitions, and favorite bourbons outside of their own. Show Notes: Are you paying more for barrel proof whiskey? Wade Woodard breaks down the math https://tater-talk.com/2018/10/29/value-proposition-of-higher-proof-us-whiskies/ KY Derby Museum Legend Series are on sale. First one begins in Jan buy your tickets at derbymuseum.org/legendsseries This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick discusses bourbon at large retail chains and it's impact on local business What's the story about a pickle? Talk about your dad, Lincoln Henderson, for a moment Was bourbon a part of your childhood? What was some nasty stuff you used to drink? Andrew, talk about your science experiments Is Kyle a good teacher? What are the moments you miss Lincoln the most? During the initial launch, talk about the process of choosing port barrels. It's a never ending discussion, is this bourbon? Would you like to see a special designation for barrel finishes? Take us through the process of putting it through the port barrel finish Is the barrel dry or wet? Where can we purchase the bourbon you use before port finishing? Wes, what's your official title now? Let's try the rye whiskey finished in rum barrels Is rye more flexible to blend? When Bacardi acquired you, when did they come in as a minority investor? What was that time like when you needed capital and needed to raise funds? What's your favorite bourbons outside of Angel's Envy? Lets talk about the Cask Strength Limited Release What is your future on an individual basis? Where is your warehouse growth needs? Talk about the design of the bottle. Past Angel's Envy Podcasts

I guess this is our silver anniversary! We are joined by Josh Reidford who is the producer for the new AMC movie, BULLITT COUNTY, that opens in theaters this Friday the 26th. We discuss the fears of what would happen if a bourbon enthusiast won the 1.6 Billion Mega Millions lottery then wrap up the show talking if we would ever see a buyout of another large brand. Show Notes: Pursuit Series launch by Pursuit Spirits This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick examines the "dad tax" and encouraging more bourbon and food pairing to raise the bar Did anyone else realize is Sober October or Mocktober or whatever Bullitt County Producer Josh Riedford joins as a special guest BULLITT COUNTY tells the story of four friends who reunite for a bachelor party in the Fall of 1977 to hunt for buried Prohibition money on the Bluegrass Bourbon Trail only to become ripped apart by greed, corruption, and murder. Winner of SIX BEST PICTURE AWARDS from film festivals nationwide Trailer - https://vimeo.com/278106182 Do you see more bourbon coming into your world of movie production. Lottery at 1.6 billion. If you had enough money for bourbon, what would you do? What distillery has the most American whiskey interest? Fred gave his lowest score of all time in Forbes

When you see a 45 year old bourbon priced at $1800 retail, do you ask yourself, "Who are they kidding!?". That's exactly what Kenny thought before sitting down with our guest today. James "Buddy" Thompson brings more to this story than a bottle of bourbon. He was the Forman chairman of Glenmore Distillery and donated over $300,000 from the profits of James Thompson & Brother Final Reserve to charities that support Veterans. This episode will capture not only the history of Glenmore Distillery, but also make you intrigued to know what something that has aged 45 years in an oak barrel tastes like and the journey those barrels took until they were actually bottled. Show Notes: The “Private Labels” Ruling Whiskey’s Black Market from PunchDrink.com Join our Private Barrel Club at https://www.patreon.com/bourbonpursuit We are now on Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/5Z3v7diyoqu0Zx7naH29jc This week’s Above The Char with Fred Minnick is a short list for 2018 American Whiskey of the Year and a Call to Action for listeners to tell him what to drink! Scott Scinta, how did you get into it? What was your initial reaction to the product or story? Buddy, tell us about your path into the spirits industry What happened between Brown and Thompson? Talk about your time at Glenmore Distillery Can you talk about Kentucky Tavern history and during those times at Glenmore? Were you overseeing operations? What was your role comprised of? Why not a 50 year? Are you a veteran yourself? Talk about your military past? How often were you going back and testing these barrels? Are they sad about losing their best tenant ever for resting these barrels? Talk about the extravagant packaging? Why a snifter rather than a glencairn? So this really wasn’t a big profit game? What's the release cycle of these look like? Why not make one big batch? How did Bill Thomas of Jack Rose become involved? Let’s start sampling This nose is incredible! It says "double oaked". So it's been barreled twice What was the entry proof 40+ years ago? What were some of your go to whiskies back then? Were you trying to find a target consumer?

Lets face it. We go over to a buddy's house so we can try bourbon we don't have or because their collection is better than ours. How did they get their hands on it? Why are they so cool about sharing it? Michael St. Pierre and Aaron Stine are familiar names in the Facebook bourbon community. You've probably seen them buying, selling, or trading bottles but what's their end game? Learn how these seasoned vets have transformed their bourbon bunkers into what many would call, a bourbon candy land. Show Notes: Get your copy of Bourbon Justice Subscribe to Bourbon+ for only $30 a year This week's Above The Char with Fred Minnick tries to define "What's a bourbon asshole?" Michael and Aaron, talk about how you got introduced to bourbon When did the itch hit you to start getting high end bourbons? Talk about your collection so we can baseline Talk about how you amass to the point where you have these crazy bottles in your collections Do you see Van Winkle bottles as being the ace in your pocket? You don't think the new Van Winkles are worth their weight now, so do you look at it as trade bait? Is there a shelf bourbon you even go to anymore? Do you waste your time getting Elijah Craig Barrel Proof or Elmer T Lee for for trading up? Have any of those open bottles turned into sample swaps? Given the expense of the rarities, what is your price limit for a bottle? What's your white whale? Do you have one more piece of advice for transforming your bunker?  

Empire Rye was founded by a group of distillers out of New York to create something so unique that it requires grains and a footprint in the Empire State. We're joined by Brian McKenzie of Finger Lakes Distilling, Christopher Williams of Coppersea Distilling, and Allen Katz of New York Distilling Co to discuss the culture of rye in New York and the regulations set forth by the Empire Rye act. Show Notes: Shout out to Brad Bonds of Cork N Bottle for hosting us after our New Riff barrel selection Patreon Barrel Picks -> http://bourbo.nz/BarrelPicks This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about Trump, Trade, and NAFTA Chris thanks for coming on today because you about lost your voice this weekend too The oak is new and interesting. Are you sourcing from Independent Stave or somewhere local? Are you looking at different stave widths to adjust for micro-climates? Why culture of rye of NY? Can you talk about the history of it? Who came up with the idea of Empire Rye? And what is the sole idea behind it? During the drafting process, what are those elements that make something an "Empire Rye"? What are the stipulations about grains or can someone in a different state distill an Empire Rye? A rye whiskey is able to develop more flavor and mature faster than a bourbon at a 2 year state. Agree? What about the grains of NY make it interesting or fit that definition? What other grains are you experimenting with that other 25% that's allowable in the mash bill? Were you trying to find commonalities between bottled-in-bond act as well? Is there anyone actually enforcing the standard? When it comes down to the bottling proof, is there an expected standard or is it up to you all? Is there going to be a collaboration or plan on selling barrels with the standard of "Blended Empire Rye Whiskey"? What's the next phase to bring more NY distilleries on board? What's your distribution plan right now? Purchase Finger Lakes Empire Rye at Seelbach's - https://seelbachs.com/search?q=McKenzie

A first ever, in-person recording of the Roundtable crew! We got rained out from Bourbon and Beyond but we're not going to let that stop us from sharing some funny stories and cracking open a 1933 Old Taylor. We also take the time to talk about the Master Distiller shuffle happening at Heaven Hill, Maker's Mark, and Jim Beam. Show Notes: This week’s Above the Char has Fred Minnick discussing his Super Bowl We have a funny story to tell from the Speed Art Museum's rare bourbon auction Bourbon and Beyond talk Brian and Blake ask us the hardest question they were going to ask from their cancelled sessions We start talking about the actual roles of Master Distillers and the transition we've seen from Four Roses with Jim Rutledge Denny Potter from Heaven Hill is transitioning to Director of Operations to Master Distiller at Maker's Mark. Was this the right move? Brian from Sipp'n Corn brought a 1933 Old Taylor for the roundtable to open and try. wow. Thanks to Blake from Bourbonr.com, Nick and Jordan from Breaking Bourbon, and Brian from Sipp’n Corn for joining this week.

BP EXCLUSIVE! Get the inside experience of the 2018 Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame. Hear from icons in the whiskey industry as they stroll down the red carpet and listen to the heart warming speeches delivered by inductees from Freddie Johnson of Buffalo Trace, Matt Shattock, CEO of Beam Suntory, and Max Shapira, CEO of Heaven Hill. The first time ever this event is being made available to the public. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char has Fred Minnick discussing friendships and choosing that right bottle to celebrate The show starts off interviewing Fred Noe, Freddie Noe, and Matt Shattock of Jim Beam on the red carpet Transitions to the ceremony where Eric Gregory, President of the KDA, introduces everyone Louisville Mayor, Greg Fisher, gives an introduction of Matt Shattock Matt's speech is delivered unedited We transition back out to the red carpet to interview Freddie Johnson The ceremony then kicks off with Eric Gregory talking about Freddie's history A.J. Hochhalter, Film Producer of NEAT, introduces Freddie Freddie delivers his speech and talks about his dad and family - completely unedited The red carpet is alive once again talking to Mark Coffman, Master Distiller at Town Branch The ceremony resumes with Eric Gregory giving a history of Dr. Pearse Lyons of Alltech A short story from Jerry Summers, HOF 2017 inductee, about Pearse Lyons The final red carpet appearance features Andy Shapira talking about his father Max, as well as Larry Kass with a brief history of Rittenhouse 21-25 year single barrels The ceremony begins the wrap up with Eric Gregory giving Max Shapira's resume Donn Lux, Chairman and President of Luxco, shares some funny stories of Max's attention to the bottom line Max Shapira talks about his family, the history of Heaven Hill, and that growth will continue Listen to all of our Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Town Branch, and Beam podcasts

Private barrel selections are becoming the hot new item. These carefully selected barrels are brought into a store and chosen for a particular audience. However, can every one be a winner? Do you trust who picked it? Just because a label said it was chosen by a master distiller, did he really pick it or was it leftovers from other barrel picks? And of course, we have to cover stickers because it's the hotness. It's a podcast that is both fascinating and intriguing and will make you think twice about going into a unknown store to purchase a random barrel pick. Show Notes: This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about family and the new Bourbon Hall of Fame inductees. Ryan, when you go into a store and look for a single barrel pick, what do you gravitate towards? Back on Ep 124 we covered creating a barrel picking group and we've talked about individual barrel picks before but we're going to deep dive today What makes barrel picks more special than their standard bottling counterpart? Are all barrel picks always better than their standard releases? If a store picks samples out of a box, are they all just rejects? Is three samples really enough to go off of? What about stickers that say "selected by the Master Distiller"? Michael Iurato​ asks "I have not had that many store picks but from my experience it seems like the single store pick is usually better than when a major chain or the state run liquor outlet does a pick. Would you agree?" Talk about what it means to have a bourbon group together vs having a store pick for you Is it really possible to pick a barrel based on the tastes of the customers for a store? I mean everyone is different Is having "after market" stickers a good thing? Is there too much hype train on them? Let's speculate. Lets talk about store picks that are no longer available. Is there a false sense of demand or are they trying to play the game? Why can't there be just a few single barrels of Weller 12 or Elijah Craig Barrel Proof per year? Heaven Hill used to plenty of private picks, but now all you see is Elijah Craig. Why are they holding back? Why even continue a single barrel program is the bourbon is going to sell anyway? Frank Mentlick​ asks What is the first taste that turn you off a pick? Sweet? Lack flavor? What makes you excited about picks? Do you do a baseline by sneaking in a flask with the standard offering? Any tips on going on your first barrel pick?

Is he the biggest Wild Turkey super fan out there? Without a doubt. David Jennings goes by the alter ego RareBird101. In this episode we explore his obsession with older dusty Wild Turkey and even some of the newest Russell's Reserve offerings. We also spend some time speculating on our theories on what has changed over the years and if Wild Turkey is headed in the right direction with premium offerings. Show Notes: Before we dive right in, what's your bourbon story? What got you into Wild Turkey? What keeps you interested in Wild Turkey? Talk about your blog for a minute and what you do at Rarebird101 Think about some of those reviews you’ve done, because I’ve seen some real turkey unicorns in there from tradition to split labels to Christmas Rye. Do you have any standout favorites? What is it about cheesy gold foil? Jimmy says nothing has changed. But Be honest, do you think dusty Wild Turkey is better than today? Since you’ve tasted almost everything in the turkey lineup, any thoughts on recreating that dusty flavor profile? We posted on Instagram a while back about waiting in line for a Weller107 store pick because people like us are dumb. You were playing the angle that if everyone focused their attention on Russell's Reserve picks you wouldn’t have to stand in line. I know you have an article on the 10 reasons why you should be buying Russell's Reserve picks, what are some of those favorite reasons of yours? How many different Russell's Reserve picks do you have? It seems that Wild Turkey limited releases don’t get many accolades. From Diamond to Master’s Keep. What’s you honest opinion? Do you feel they don’t deserve the high dollar or do you? Did you sleep on Russell's Reserve 1998 like I did? When are you getting your chance to meet Matt McConaughey? Support RareBird101 on Patreon

Why there is an extra L in Barrell Bourbon? Well, today we find out. Joe Beatrice and Tripp Stimson join us to talk about all things Barrell and how this brand is really one for the bourbon geeks with unfiltered barrel proof expressions. We then dive into the newest releases of the Infinite Barrel Project and talk about their plans for sourcing, distilling and blending as they have made Louisville KY their headquarters. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about sexism with Master Distillers. Do you remember you first bottle of bourbon or first memory with it? Talk about the history of Barrell. Why did you want to start it? What is it about barrel proof that consumers like over 90 or 100 proof? Would you rather blend than distill? What's the size of a Barrell batch? Which do you think is harder because we've had both master distillers and master blenders on the show? How does scale play into this bringing in more barrels? What's the release schedule and idea about numbering the batches? Why is there an extra L? Give us a run down of the line up products you offer Why rum? New year edition. Let's talk about what this is all about. The Infinite Barrel Project is super unique. Why keep doing new ideas and not sticking with the staples? Tripp are there any ideas that Joe comes up with and you're like "this is never going to work"? What's a rejected idea? Are you able to continually able to source good whiskey and are you able to turn it away? Talk about the operation now. Are are you contract distilling? straight sourcing? bottling? So are you itching to start distilling? Why distill when you haven't had a problem getting barrels before? Would you take your own distillate and mix from sourced goods? Why build a distillery that's a pure factory that doesn't look at making it a tourist destination? Why Louisville? You can build a distillery anywhere. What about storage? I know you’re at Castle and Key right now but where can you go? Do you think you started a revolution of brands following suit?

The full gang of the bourbon community roundtable made it for this one. We discuss the timing of distilleries starting to blend their own distillate and a whole second half of the show dedicated to Heaven Hill. Not only did they send some really good bourbon samples, but they are also suing Bob Dylan over Heavens Door Whiskey. Show Notes We are seeing a whole new slew of crafts that are moving from MGP to their own distillate. New Riff, Smooth Ambler, it will eventually be lots more. The question is, when is the right time? Can you taste potential? When do you stomach it up and buy another after you've been burned? Battle of the New Heaven Hill releases. Let's talk about them individually and where should you spend your money? Heaven Hill brings out the big guns to sue Bob Dylan's whiskey brand Heaven's Door over trademark protection Complaint -> https://www.dropbox.com/s/em64gkv5d3is7yc/Complaint.pdf?dl=0 Expert Report -> https://www.dropbox.com/s/wnm9u12bo8o911a/Expert%20Report.pdf?dl=0 What do you consider a modern unicorn?

Where can you see Lenny Kravitz, John Mayer, Bourbon Pursuit, Sheryl Crow, Eddie Russell, Sting, Fred Noe, and more! Only at Bourbon & Beyond Festival 2018! The entire Bourbon Pursuit Team is together for the first time to talk about the festival, the music , the Bourbon+ seminars, and a few backstage stories from last year. Oh yeah... you can win tickets to be there with us, visit Facebook and get entered to win. Show Notes: Buy your tickets to the Speed Museum’s Art of Bourbon hosted by Fred Minnick This week's "Above the Char" with Fred Minnick discusses state pride and whiskey bars across the country. Our first podcast with Fred Minnick joining as part of the Bourbon Pursuit team! Talk about the origins and the planning process behind it What was the idea about the culinary components? What did you see out if your attendees about who were coming from outside the city? Let’s talk about the sessions Kenny and Ryan are leading two Bourbon+ Workshops What are you looking forward to with regards of music? Let’s talk about the Big Bourbon Bar Rabbit Hole brought their own bartenders from Death and Co What is Fred’s mini bar? Got a cool story from backstage last year? What about vintage pours? What is it about having a Tiki bar as well? We're sipping on Old Jordan from the 1900s

It's time for the blind battle of private barrel selections! Three heavyweight bouts between barrels that have sweet stickers and demand a hefty market price. During this fight of flights we are joined by Ben Pickett and Paul Warnott to discuss blind tasting strategies, barrel selection processes, and overall thoughts on our competing picks. Show Notes: Buy your tickets to the Speed Museum's Art of Bourbon hosted by Fred Minnick This week's "Above the Char" focuses on the myth that bourbon can only be made in Kentucky Paul invited us to come, what was the motivation behind it? Ben, how do you disperse 150 bottles between 1000 people? Are you spoiled by being able to go on every single barrel pick? Do you see people faking store picks now because there are hang tags? Time to do our first blind tasting [Russell's Reserve Results between Blind Monkey, Bluegrass Berries, and Twix] Does trying anything in a particular order skew the results? Tell the story behind Bluegrass Berries Do you use anything as a palate cleanser When you're going into blind tastings, do you have a method for setting it up and breaking it down? Time do our 2nd blind tasting Have you tried a bottled-in-bond blind to remove the proof variable? Do you pick for the group or the store? Have you ever done a barrel proof line up and is that harder or easier than something that's 90 or 110 proof. What do legs do for you? What do you think the attraction is to NCF or is it all mental? [Buffalo Trace Results between Bourbon Community Roundtable, The Bourbon Review 2017, and Tipsy Buffalo] Is there any way you can get a barrel proof single barrel any more that is outside of MGP? Time to do our 3rd blind tasting What was your impression of picking a barrel at New Riff/OKI vs Wild Turkey or Buffalo Trace? When going back and forth between two, do you look for big discerning differences? When you are doing blind, is it harder to do 8 or more together or should you narrow the field? How often do you, if ever, spit anything out when tasting? [Barrel Proof Results between EH Taylor Barrel Proof and OKI 12 year "Ricky Bobby"] Stop in at Jake's Cigar Bar to learn more and try some of these barrels.

Kentucky Owl has amassed a cult following. It hit the market in 2014 but didn't gain nationwide sensation until recently. Dixon Dedman joins the show to talk about the Stoli investment, huge rye releases, and what's in store for Batch 8 this fall. Listen as we talk about burnout as Dixon continues bussing tables and making fried chicken at the Beaumont Inn while building a brand. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick discusses responsible drinking and taxation. Can you give a refresher of Kentucky Owl and Beaumont Inn? Are you getting to the point of burnout? How much time are you putting into Kentucky Owl? What has changed with Kentucky Owl in the past 2 years? Were you looking for investors or being sought out? Why did you choose Stoli over others? Was the goal to really get this big? Have you caught yourself saying you want to do Kentucky Owl full time? Talk a bit about the blends and batches What is the ultimate goal in how you can take something and scale it for blending? Why have different batches and not have something consistent? Give everyone a refresher on the bourbon process for re-barreling How long are you re-aging? How often are you putting out new batches? What are we doing different with Batch 8 vs Batch 7? Why start the Rye release? Do you want the bourbon to become as big as the rye release? How many bottles were in the Rye release? Are you putting more emphasis on the bourbon rather than the rye? Talk about the investment from Stoli and what's going to happen with the theme park Talk about your epic samplings at Beaumont Inn on Instagram All Kentucky Owl Podcasts

Everyone has some news to share this week. We welcome, Fred Minnick, as a new co-host to the show and kick off a new segment called "Above the Char". Ed Bley, multi-appearance guest on the show, has some news to share as well. Can you guess what it is? What's going to happen to Old Baldy? What's on the horizon for everyone? Enjoy this week's episode! Show Notes: This week's "Above the Char" with Fred Minnick discusses cigar barrels or cigar blends Ed is leaving Cork N Bottle and opening a distillery What's the name of it? What happens after barreling? Are you going to be distilling or just sourcing? Focus on filtration and proofing Did you find your great great grandpappys old recipe? How did you feel Cork N Bottle groomed you for this? Elephant in the room... what's happening with Old Baldy? Narrow it down, what does it mean that your focus will be on filtration techniques Have you talked to other master distillers about advice on this adventure? Are you hiring? What's the meaning behind the name? Is there something that was the climatic moment? Do you have a legit fear that it could flop? In the scotch world, blending of other distilleries is common, but why now for bourbon? Have you taken on investors or are you bootstrapped? What's the vision of the site if it's not a distillery? Is there a timeline for having a release? How do you think your loyal Cork N Bottle customers feel? Ed, what do you have planned for bourbon and rum blends? Do you plan on changing your instagram account name?

There used to be thousands of distilleries spread across Kentucky at houses, farms, and industrial sites. As time moved through the industrial revolution, prohibition, and the clear spirit movement, many of these became ruins and were long forgotten. Nick Laracuente has dedicated years to uncovering these forgotten pieces of history as an effort to piece together their story. He is also on the forefront of Buffalo Trace's Bourbon Pompeii exhibit. Listen to this episode as Nick tells his story of discovering artifacts and uncovering the history of bourbon distillation. Show Notes: Did archeology turn you into a bourbon enthusiast or was it the other way around? I suppose it really helps to know more about the product you are researching What is the drive or economic reason for wanting to dig up these sites and learn? Are distilleries funding this or the state? Where is the money coming from? Who was Jack Jouett? Can you talk about the magnitude of the footprint you are dealing with? What is your fascination with the Fraziers or Ecklers who haven't had much history documented? Have you been able to uncover something that isn't part of today's distillation techniques? When you are exploring a site, do you have an idea of how big the operation was to figure out what to look for? When you are digging holes looking for artifacts, how big are these holes? What is your "eureka" moment when something is found? At what point does the story start coming together for the Jouett distillery? Let's talk about the poster child of bourbon archeology, Bourbon Pompeii. Other than the vats, anything else cool that was discovered? Follow Nick on twitter (@archeologist) and instagram (bourbonarcheology)

It's a tradition that has remained in the hands of the family for generations. Willett Distillery is one of the most recognized brands for bourbon enthusiasts and has accumulated a cult status. Even Kulsveen has seen the struggles and highs of his industry but had foresight to buy aged whiskey stocks when they were plentiful which put the spotlight on this brands. With Britt Kulsveen at the helm as their new President, this family is making bigger waves than before. Listen to their story as Fred Minnick moderates this Kentucky Derby Museum Legend Series. Show Notes: This event is being moderated by Fred Minnick. This years theme is all about family Even, where did you grow up? Did you do a lot of ice fishing growing up? Did you ever fall through the ice? Talk about your time in the Merchant Marines What were your events in college sports? So we found out before we started that you're not an American citizen Britt, can you give us a story about your father's kindness? Even, was there a moment where you saw Britt in action and said she's got skills? Britt, is there a story behind you always wearing boots? Even, did you train Drew? What are you looking for in the barrels when you are creating your small batch composition? What is something that doesn't taste right? What was something you learned from Thompson Willett? Did he ever show you his secret spots in the warehouses? Talk about the Frosted Yeast Rolls. This is the High Corn Mashbill. Barrel entry at Even, How did you meet your wife? All the big brands were bailing out on bourbon, what was that time like? When did you come out with your small batch series? Did you ever travel to Russia in the 90s? Did you ever have trust issues with distributors there? Britt, what was it like as a kid watching your dad living around whiskey? Let's drink the wheated bourbon now. Entry Proof at 115 When Drew brings you something, do you ever turn it away and tell him its bad? You were also bottling stuff for a lot of other people back in the day. Can you talk about that? You had to acquire bourbon from other distilleries, what sort of other whiskey were you looking for? Was there is an age limit of something you wouldn't buy? Would your early batches include barrels from lots of different distilleries? What's your sweet spot for an aged bourbon? Lets taste the 6 year old Rye now, 51% Rye, 34% Corn, 15% barley, Barrel entry proof is 125, but now goes in at 110. Dipping back into the great barrels coming out during the early 2000s, how does this new stuff rank? We talked about the 80s and 90s, but Willett becomes really popular in the late 2000s. There are a lot of fans. Have you ever been a part of the fandom? How many times have you been asked to get bought out? Bill Thomas from Jack Rose has been a big supporter of Willett. Talk about the Willett 80th anniversary. It's the original Willett mashbill, 72% Corn, 13% Rye, 15% Barley and this one is bottled in bond There aren't many bad things to be said about your whiskey. Do you think it's harder to stay on top? Are there any other mashbills or barrel finishes you are working on?

How are businesses able to take advantage of Kentucky's House Bill 100 or better known as the Vintage Spirits Law? Today’s show features two opposite side of the spectrum. We have one side doing retail with Justin Sloane at Justin’s House of Bourbon in Lexington, and the other is on-premise at a restaurant with Larry Rice of the famed Silver Dollar in Louisville. Both of these places are known for having unique bourbons on the menu and we get an inside scoop into how this law has effected their business. We wrap up the show with their greatest dusty hunting stories. Show Notes: Talk about how you got into bourbon It seems like many people got started with collecting Maker's Mark. Are any of them valuable now? Justin, talk about the launching point for The House of Bourbon, was the spirit law a big motivating factor? Why did you think a package store would be the best way to capitalize on House Bill 100? Why aren't more liquor stores investing in this business model? Larry, you saw the writing on the wall pretty early and Silver Dollar became a destination for bourbon trail people. What was the idea of having a very large whiskey catalog? Where did the honky tonk aspect come from? What is it about vintage or dusty whiskey that they bring to the table? Talk about how you began acquiring all these bottles Do you feel uneasy knowing you have all these unicorns and you won’t get to try it? How are you managing inventory? What's your target market? Larry, I think you’re getting locals that are just now getting into the scene but don’t know about the forums. Do you find it funny that old people thought this was rot gut? Do you want them to fly off the shelf? Do vintage spirits have big revenue or is it just value-add? Will there be an end in sight of getting hands on dusty bourbon? Lets wrap it up with your best dusty hunting story

Pretty sure everyone has heard about Barton 1792's Warehouse collapsing but we take our stab at some chaos theories. Brian Harra from Sipp'n Corn defended Castle and Key against Sazerac in a lawsuit and won. And the second half of the show is discussing all the new releases that are set to debut. Show Notes: Drinking Old Forester's President's Choice, Kentucky Owl Rye, Wilderness Trail, Elijah Craig, and Henry McKenna Why doesn't Heaven Hill allow Elijah Craig Barrel Proof picks? It's the story that broke headlines and most of our phones were buzzing from family sending us links as if we hadn't heard of it yet. But Warehouse 30 at Barton collapsed. First, lets go ahead and see who got the most texts or links sent to them? I know they haven't said the cause, but if you go check out a previous podcast guests blog, bourbontruth, you will see that he wrote an article back in 2015 about infestation of beetles On June 14, 2018, one of the panelists on this roundtable actually counter-suit Sazerac and won. A quick summary of the decision went as follows. Will Arvin and Wesley Murry are the guys behind the Castle and Key venture, even though we see Marianne Barnes on IG all the time. During the period where they were renovating, it was commonly referred to as the old taylor distillery or the spot formally known as. The problem with this was that Sazerac sued them for defamation for the name of Old Taylor saying that it caused brand confusion. Court Ruling PDF What's the Lanham Act? Sazerac points out that there is a four-hundred foot “Old Taylor Distillery” sign on the distillery’s barrel storage warehouse and a twenty-foot “The Old Taylor Distillery Company” sign above the entrance to its main building. What did they expect to do with this? Was there a settlement to be paid? Or attorney fees get paid? Kentucky Owl Rye Batch 2 raise in SRP to $200. Almost a 50% increase. Seen some sold for $160 1792 BiB single barrels Parker's Orange Curacao finish Booker's 30th Blend Announcement - Blake I saw in your email round up you talked about this. Can you give a recap? Wild Turkey Revival Heaven Hill 27 year Knob Creek Cask Strength Rye Thanks to Blake from Bourbonr.com, Jordan from Breaking Bourbon, Brian from Sipp'n Corn, and Kerry from Subourbia for joining this week. Listen to all the Community Roundtables at http://bourbonpursuit.com/bourbon-community-roundtable-podcasts/

The spotlight is set on the man who has made non-distilling producers famous. It's an exclusive podcast to the operations behind one of the largest distilleries in the world. Our guest spent nearly 40 years with that very famous Indiana distillery. It's safe to say, Greg Metze probably produced more bourbon and rye in a single year than some master distillers will in a lifetime once you hear about the size and scale of MGP. Show Notes: Let’s do what we all always do and start from the beginning. Do you remember your introduction into whiskey? Can you talk about your education and what led you into distillation? So lets look at your history at MGP Ingredients. What was your career path and trajectory there? The internals of MGPi aren’t discussed very much. How big is the operation there? What was the idea to distill all that rye before it became popular? Are there more spirits that were produced than others? What was the break out in bourbon vs rye being produced? Do you pride yourself in knowing that 90% of the Ryes and probably a good percentage of bourbon on the shelves of liquor stores is all from your work? How popular was contract distilling 10 years ago? Do you feel a bit angered or left out knowing there are tons of NDPs out there who are making a fortune telling a story about a rye that you created? Talk us through the process of selling to an NDP. Are they coming to MGP asking for juice? Is MGP coming to them first trying to sell them? Are there contracts that say you can or can't market a MGP bourbon or rye? Are there boundaries on how they market MGP juice? I'd like to know if they have ever had to turn someone away with either just buying sourced barrels or contract distilling? If so what is the pecking order or criteria? What are NDPs doing to make their product different or if it's all the same stuff? Are NDPs taking barrel from the same warehouses or how do they pick and choose? Did the whiskey boom hurt MGP getting rid of aged stocks? Lets talk about Old Elk in Colorado

Wes Henderson ran with his father's idea of doing port barrel finished bourbon. He weathered the storm of critics and let the product carve a new path where barrel finishes are now commonplace. It caught the eye of Bacardi and is continuing to grow with their own distillery that's now up and running. We talk about brand loyalty, social media, acquisitions, and business models when it comes to bourbon and spirits. Show Notes: Wes, you were back on Episode 006 which was back in March of 2015. I mean that was a long time ago! But for all those who just recently joined, lets give a quick recap of who you are, you father, the origins of Angel’s Envy, etc. Also, why the port finish? Barrel finishes are taking off, do you think you're delivering a better product than just standard bourbon? You know last time we talked, you were talking about trying a sherry finished cask. How has that experiment progressed? One of the great things I see consistently out of you is how you connect with the people who drink Angel’s Envy on social media. You respond back to almost every angels envy hashtag thanking the consumer. How does that effect brand loyalty? How are you connecting to a wide demographic to bourbon drinkers? The last time we saw each other was at Bourbon and Beyond and I thought this can’t be real. When did people in bourbon started getting treated like celebrities. I was there with you hanging out on stage with the bands as they were playing and it was a good time. I know I’ve seen you rubbing shoulders with a lot of Hollywood elite now too. I think you’re becoming secret best friends with actress and country music singer Laura Bell Buddy. So the last time we talked it was the same exact week Bacardi had announced the take over of Angel’s Envy. How has that been going? Was the Bacardi acquisition a big jump in capital that was needed? Then why a Distillery if no debt? What was wrong with the sourcing business model? You talked about tremendous upside building in Louisville but where's the risk? As the innovation officer, how are you getting your brand into the eyes of more consumers every day? Do you think the acquisition train will be coming full steam as bourbon begins to rise?

You know when people say "I miss the good 'ol days"? Guthrie McKay is one of them. He has seen the bourbon renaissance flourish as he's been nestled in a small little liquor store in downtown Bardstown called Toddy's Liquors. Toddy's has almost become a stop on its own as people visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Listen as Guthrie tells stories of taking customers to visit Booker and Parker, his run in with Bill Thomas, and how the current boom has made him adapt business. Show Notes: Talk about the store. How did you get into the liquor business? Why didn't you name it after yourself? Talk about Bardstown 30 years ago and the bourbon scene and how it has changed Was there a premium brand back then? Did you have a hard time selling stuff like Booker's or Maker's Mark? Talk more about those early relationships with first entrants in the market? I'm sure you aren't sending people to the Beam's house any longer Is your store becoming another stop on the bourbon trail? What's your most annoying Pappy story? Talk about your history with Bill Thomas How do you deal with distributor games now? Are you looking forward to seeing Bardstown grow with reinvestments into infrastructure for keeping bourbon booming? How do you deal with shelf space on craft brands? Are you major buyers on the bourbon trail or everyday consumers? So you don't feel bad about pricing above secondary? Are gift shops taking away from your bottom line? What can big distilleries do to help support you? Can Bardstown support any more business? Are there enough people? You've talked about lot of gripes, but tell us what are some of the positives

The craft beer and wine world has good apps, why doesn't bourbon? Have you started to see Henry McKenna games start with liquor stores and distributors? Are we entering a new era of specialty bourbon decanters to appeal to an audience that will bite? We investigate the reasons why it's so hard to make bourbon apps popular. Tell true stories from the front lines of distributors bullying store owners on purchasing cases of Henry McKenna. Reveal our opinions on the new Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-bond decanter. Show Notes: Thanks to Blake from Bourbonr.com, Jordan fromBreaking Bourbon, and Max fromSuperfly Bourbon Club for joining this week. Max recently spent his bachelor party trip in bourbon country, tell us about it. Why aren't there apps? It works for beer and wine, but why not bourbon? Is there a false sense of scarcity with Henry McKenna? Are distributors starting games again? Why isn't hoarding or buying multiple cases of Henry McKenna a good thing? Are spirits competitions getting too much recognition? Are decanters coming back in style? Are we rolling back to the 70s? Can this be a collectors item? Bob Dylan released his line of whiskey. Is this the start of celebs getting into the game? Listen to all the Community Roundtables at http://bourbonpursuit.com/bourbon-community-roundtable-podcasts/

Is Jack Daniel's a bourbon? It's a question that has been asked thousands of times over and there never really seems to be a good answer. It's about time you hear it from the man himself, the one who helps make every drop of that charcoal mellowed goodness, Jeff Arnett, the Master Distiller at Jack Daniel's Distillery. We talk about the Lincoln County Process and if that changes the terminology from "Bourbon" to "Tennessee Whiskey" or if it can even be replicated in other parts of the country. If you've ever snuffed your nose at Jack thinking it's not bourbon, perhaps you should listen to this episode and you might end up buying a bottle at the end. Show Notes: Talk about your background Did Pringles really start because they couldn't get rid of the tennis ball cans? When did you start there? We are pretty unfamiliar with Jack Daniel's history. Was there an actual man named Jack Daniels? Jack Daniels like to categorize itself as a Tennessee Whiskey and not a bourbon so we are going to look at all the information in front of us and put it to rest So lets talk about the mash bill being the first checkbox… Does it use at least 51% of corn? What is it about your yeast and water that make Jack so unique? So lets talk about the distillation process of Jack Daniels because it’s in the United States which hits a check box. It follows pretty much every other bourbon law if i’m not mistaken, meaning that you aren’t adding flavoring agents, distilling at no more than 160 proof and entering the barrel at no more than 125 proof Give me an idea of what the Lincoln County process is? So you’re really just trying to one up Kentucky Bourbon then? You use new charred oak barrels, yes? In 2014, legislation was introduced in the Tennessee legislature that would modify the 2013 law to allow the reuse of oak barrels in the Tennessee whiskey aging process. But you opposed the legislation, why? is it because you secretly love bourbon? And it’s bottled at 80 proof which is also another checkbox. So by in large it follows the all the laws of being a bourbon… but it doesn’t want to be. Do you believe this is a major influence on the flavor or “charcoal mellowing” of Jack Daniels? Why do you think the general public cares if it’s a bourbon or tennessee whiskey? Is it because we have too much time on our hands? Do you start hearing of people from Kentucky who tell stories about disowning their sons when they bring a bottle of Jack to christmas because "it’s not bourbon”? Does it go the other way that Tennesseans don’t want to be associated to Kentucky bourbon? But it’s funny because Jack Daniels is a part of Brown-Forman, the same family as Woodford Reserve and Old Forester but it’s a substantial portion of the portfolio. Fred Minnick goes as far as saying that the federal government needs to define Tennessee Whiskey so this will be ended once and for all. So I think we’ve hit on a lot but I want to give our snobby listeners out there a taste of what’s beyond the signature black label. If someone out there wants to get into the other expressions where do they start?

Picking a single barrel out of a line up seems relatively simple when compared to blending tens or hundreds of barrels together to hit a specific bourbon taste profile. Where does that process begin? Do you start with a few and keep taste testing? Is it a math formula of X spicy barrels to Y sweet barrels? This episode features Ed Bley, blender behind the underground phenomenon known as Old Baldy. We ask Ed what it's like to go from picking single barrels to learning how to blend multiple barrels to hit a distinct flavor spot. It's an art form that Ed describes as trying to perfect the "witch's hat". Show Notes: Were you trying to make something truly unique? How did you get access to the warehouse to start creating your own private label? Do most blenders have a lot of this down to a science where they know what warehouses are going to yield a specific flavor profile? Did you at one point think, well we may have just thrown away a bunch of barrels while waiting for it to marry in a tank? Were you experimenting with finished whiskies at home to perfect this? Was there a teacher that go you to this point? Are people mad because they don't have access? What's your advice to people on how they can experiment at home? What are the elements of the bourbon flavor wheel are you looking for? Do you think people get turned off from grain flavors? What problems do you run into when you scale from a few barrels to barrels in the teens or small 20s? Do you think people are a little crazy that they are paying hundreds of dollars for your blend? What's your plan for the next one? Is the best way to learn to do this is to learn how to break down single barrels? Do you think you are helping revive blended straight whiskey? Hear all of Ed's Podcast's at http://bourbonpursuit.com/?s=bley  

Are you looking for an in-depth story on the Beam family history and how Fred and Freddie Noe are cementing their place in it? Look no further than the 2018 Kentucky Derby Museum's Legend Series. This episode will cover some of the fun times that were had by Booker, Fred, and Freddie and how the new release of Little Book is coming to be a yearly distribution. Fred Minnick is the host of the show as he covers many of the aspects of the family business, how they came up in the ranks, and tries to get them to divulge information time and time again. Show Notes: I didn't take any notes while I was listening. So you'll have to listen to this one for yourself and find out how awesome it is.

Will Longbranch slowly phase out Wild Turkey 81? Did you know that 92% of the entrants in the 2017 San Francisco World Spirit Awards won a medal? Did Buffalo Trace start aiming too high? We examine all of these topics much more in depth in this edition of the Bourbon Community Roundtable. Show Notes: Who's excited for the Matthew McConaughey bourbon? Was Longbranch a smart move for Wild Turkey because the Wild Turkey brand name is getting stale? Could this be the slow decline and phasing out of Wild Turkey 81? Does Wild Turkey lose something in your mind for letting Matthew put his name next to Eddie’s on the bottle? Henry McKenna wins the 2018 San Francisco World Spirit Awards as best bourbon. Was anyone surprised this wins out of 300+? Let's talk about anti-spirit award show topics. (refer back to episode 144) Do you feel it's a honey barrel and nothing that just magically showed up? A Buffalo Trace rep said no one is talking about the Four Grain or the OFC press release. Should we? Is this unimpressive news? Booker's 30th is 16 year we are all eager to try. Watch all the roundtable episodes Thanks to Blake from bourbonr.com, Nick from BreakingBourbon.com, Kerry from Sobourbia.com, Wade from tater-talk.com, and Brian Harra from Sippncorn.blogspot.com

Maker's Mark is easily the most iconic brand in bourbon. But did you know the brand would have probably ceased to exist if Bill Samuels Jr didn't try and sell his Dad's whiskey? Get ready to hear the untold history of how Bill Samuels Jr turned his Dad's hobby of making whiskey from a few barrels a week into the powerhouse it is today. Show Notes: So Bill let's start from the beginning. Did you and your Dad butt heads a lot? What was your Dad's original vision? What was the original investment? At what point was your Dad "All in"? How were the hard decisions made? Talk about the next stage for you and what you were doing with Aerospace? Why did you Dad want you to be "un-engineered"? You were a summer intern in the White House? What was it during that 1 year with your Dad that made you want to stay around? Where did you fit in this puzzle? You had your first publication in the Wall Street Journal, what's next? At what point did you start taking over after your father began exiting? Talk about the growth when Rob started coming into the scene Do you get a feeling of accomplishment when you look at the distillery now? What's your idea of still being involved and enjoying retirement? So 46 was your baby Where is this industry trending? Talk about strategic pricing with supply and demand Do you see a reason why bourbon couldn't be $1000 a bottle? What niche do you think craft whiskey is solving in the market today? Is there a way they can have continued success? Listen to all of our Maker's Mark Podcasts

The threats of a global trade war have been looming over the past few months. Sparked by an EU attempt to lower the tariff on steel imports, they targeted American products such as peanut butter and bourbon. What sort of economic impact would a bourbon tariff have on exports to other countries? How does that trickle back into Bardstown, KY and the growing market? Does it even matter? On this episode, we are joined by University of Louisville's Economic Professors, Conor Lennon and Keith Teltser, to explain the intertwined global economy and the effect a tariff has from the bourbon producers to the grain suppliers. Show Notes: How did you all get into bourbon? Explain what is a tariff? This all started as a retaliatory effort from the EU as an opposition to the US putting tariffs on imported steel. Can you give some more information to set the scene? Could this be a much ado about nothing? Could something actually never happen? Is big European growth even a target? Does the tariff even have an effect when you look at the abundance of the excise tax? When people say "Alright! More bourbon in America!" is that even a sentiment that should be encouraged? Or is that narrow-minded? What protection do you not like about Bourbon from a economist's perspective? There isn't a shortage of bourbon on the shelf. Are there other markets that haven't been tapped? Who has the biggest dog in the fight? Brown-Forman with Jack Daniels? What are those other aspects we haven't touched on that this impacts? Voters? Constituents? What other countries could remove their tariffs to bring more imported goods there? You all find the secondary market much more entertaining The academic work on bourbon prices over the last 3-4 years is on Conor's site.

What does a bourbon that receives double gold actually mean? Are the whiskies judged blind? We learn all this and more as the Executive Director of the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, Anthony Dias Blue, joins the show to give us an inside glimpse to the bourbons that can be entered and dispels some myths if it's a "pay to play" atmosphere. Show Notes: What sets your competition apart from the rest? How many different categories do you have at the event? Are all tastings done blind? Are they shelf bottles (from a standard distributor) or do distillers get to choose specific bottles they send in? Why not Jack Daniels and other major selling brands? How medals are awarded, and what those medals actually mean when we see them on a bottle? How many judges are there and how many need to rate a bourbon as Gold for it to receive a Gold Medal? Most of the time when I see a sticker on a bottle saying that this bourbon was rated as Gold or Double Gold, it doesn’t have a date on the sticker. If a bourbon is awarded a medal does it have that medal forever? Is it or can it be evaluated ever again? Does the producer have to do anything to maintain that medal? Is the "same" product is entered over multiple years and judged independently each year? How much weight should we consumers put on these awards when we see them on a brand we’ve never heard of or tried? Why have a competition at all? Is it "pay to play" and your entrance fee will automatically score you a medal? Do you see cases of "bait and switch"? Products/Sellers submit “honey” barrels to the competition to get a higher award, and then using that award to promote an inferior product.

Do you snuff at $100 MGP bourbon and will sourced Dickel be the next wave of NDPs? What does House Bill 400 really mean when it comes to shipping booze from Kentucky? And finally Buffalo Trace announced their new line of CYPB but who really wanted 95 proof Weller? We touch on all these topics and more on this Bourbon Community Roundtable episode. Show Notes: What's everyone drinking tonight? Are we getting tired of seeing $100 MGP bourbons? Bourbonr and BreakingBourbon have Doc52, let's hear it Any good April fools out there? Let’s talk shipping. HB400 passed The new W. L. Weller Bourbon, CYPB edition (short for Craft Your Perfect Bourbon), is, according to those behind it, made from a wheat recipe, aged eight years on the top floors of the warehouses, and bottled at 95 proof. It is the bourbon which best fit into what over 100,200 bourbon drinkers voted most for over two years –  a wheated bourbon recipe aged for eight years that’s been matured on the top floor of the bourbon warehouse and bottled at somewhere between 90-99 proof. Although very limited, one batch of this new bourbon will be released each year, beginning this summer. The recommended price is around $40 for a 750ml bottle. First off, who said we wanted 95 proof weller? Kerry visited Bowman and Jack Rose Dining Saloon Thanks to Blake from bourbonr.com, Jordan from BreakingBourbon.com, Kerry from Sobourbia.com, and Brian Harra from Sippncorn.blogspot.com

Dave Pickerell is well known in the bourbon world, he was former master distiller at Maker’s Mark and owns a consulting business, Oak View Spirits, where he has designed equipment, systems and processes for about 100 distilleries worldwide including WhistlePig, Hillrock, Corsair, and many others. This episode dives into to the distilleries themselves, the pricing behind Boss Hog, and questions we would want to know from a master distiller like grain sourcing. Show Notes: As usual, lets start from the beginning. Do you remember your introduction into whiskey or bourbon? Did you think chemical engineering would lead to spirits? First off, do you get tired of talking about your past at Makers? Do you think Maker’s put you on the map? Do people still ask you to sign Maker’s stuff? It seems that consulting is becoming a pretty big business because there’s the likes of you, Jim Rutledge, Nancy Fraley, Greg Metze, and the list goes on. Is there that much demand? Are you training new distillers? Do they get off track? Master distillers today are seen is high regards as a big marketing tool and the face of the brand relies on that one person. However, you’re wearing the badge of many distilleries at one time. Are you asked to go to places to talk about a specific brand? Do you play favorites? You’re still heavily involved with WhistlePig still, correct? Talk about the brand a bit because it’s one we typically don’t talk about on the show. It’s just sourced MGPi, right? So what are you doing that’s adding a bit of pizzazz to it? Tell me, what’s up with the pricing on Boss Hog? What sort of magic are you doing that makes a $500 bottle of whiskey? You are working with craft distilleries every day, what’s the biggest challenge you see facing them? Are you trying to produce the same product at all these places? Because when I think about it you could just have the Dave Pickerall SKUs where you say here’s your 3 options, choose one and we will put everything in that bucket Whats your theory on sourcing grains? Are chewing on them? Or after distillation? Discuss year to year variation of crops affect on flavors. Discuss how sourcing grains from different parts of the world makes a difference in the finished product.

Can you name all the distilleries in Lawrenceburg? How is it possible that a straight bourbon is only 70 proof? Wade Woodard, blogger at tater-talk.com and witty comedic relief on Facebook forums, leads us through a series of bourbon brain teasers to see if we really know our stuff. Wade is an advocate for bourbon laws and makes sure that everyone is playing by the rules so he knows them inside and out. Listen to see if we get stumped and see if you can answer the questions before we can. Show Notes: None! Because I want you to listen and try to guess the answers for yourself!

Blending is an art. We've discussed it many times before and our guest today would be considered the Queen. She provides Nosing Services, meaning she is a blood hound in human form. Listen about Nancy Fraley's past and how she has carved a path as one of the world's best blenders for whiskey, rum, armagnac, and many different spirits. In the second segment of the show, we talk about her current role at Joseph A. Magnus & Co and how she mirrored the current distribution to one that was found in a family closet from pre-prohibition as well as her exploration in the Jos. A. Magnus Cigar Blend! Show Notes: This is the second Master Blender we’ve had on the show. Back on Episode 103 we featured Drew Mayville. If you didn’t get a chance to listen to it, you really should. It’s an impossible decision to wonder if the master distiller or the master blender is the real star of the show. Our guest today is renowned in the industry and gets the ever so attractive nickname “the nose”. Lets talk about you for a bit. Do you remember your first experience with whiskey or bourbon? Talk about your education and how you got your nick name When did you realize you could start a business with this? What do you do when you get a head cold? So you currently freelance for many big names in the industry as well as craft distilleries out there. What services are you offering for many of these places? What are some of the most common mistakes distillers make? Talk me through nosing new make or white dog and how you can criticize or tweak it because in my opinion it’s damn near impossible. are there certain aromas? Any examples of when you can sense something is wrong and how to fix it? What’s the worst case you came across and had to salvage something. We can keep the names innocent, but what went wrong? What else besides whiskey do you consult in? I read somewhere you’re a big fan of armagnac. Do you use the same method for judging different spirits or is there a playbook for each one? Lots of craft distilleries are looking at you to help perfect their products. How does you determine the amount of each different whiskey that goes into a blend? Does that always translate when your mixing small amounts in a lab then try to use the same percentages on a batch from barrels? Lots of people do home blending with after market products. Perhaps it’s something as simple as an infinity bottle where you take the last ounce or two from every bottle and put it in a decanter, and others that buy these small 1 gallon barrels. Is there any recipe or formula you use to know what should go into a blend? Do you find it odd or interesting that distilleries don’t do limited edition blendings with barrels from each respective distiller to form a collaboration? Talk about Jos A Magnus and what you are doing there I’ve got access to the single barrels as well as some of the infamous Cigar blend finishes. I want you to talk me through your involvement with single barrels, the standard Magnus release, Murray Hill, and we’ll finish it off with Cigar Blend Do you see barrel finishes as the future of the industry?

We have a loaded show today with some hot topics hitting the boards. This episode touches on recent releases of NEAT, the less than stellar James Thompson & Brother incredibly overaged bourbon made its way out, we discuss the practices by Pennsylvania liquor control board setting lottery prices at secondary prices, thoughts on the new Old Fitzgerald release, we wonder if NDPs sourced from MGP being $100 is the new norm, and Kenny gets snobby a bit. Show Notes: What are your initial thoughts on the new release of NEAT at thebourbonfilm.com? We've got our own bourbon film come out. You will love the cheesy graphics. It's fun to watch. There was release for James Thompson & Brother Final Reserve 45 year old bourbon here in Louisville. 250 total bottles. only 150 to the public. It was $1800 + tax. People camped out in the rain. First few sold and then the reviews came out. It’s terrible. What’s the likely future outcome for pricing of this bourbon? and the subsequent 43 and 41 year old releases? The Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board admitting that it's pricing Booker's Rye with secondary in their online lottery. This is state run. Is this legal? What's to make of this? Heaven Hill is releasing their Old Fitzgerald BIB Decanter at $100. Will you be buying it? What will happen to the bottom shelf Old Fitz? Are $100 NDP MGPs the new norm? We used to scuff at this like 2 years ago saying you wouldn't pay these prices for something you knew was made in Indiana. Now with things like Mic.Drop. people are doing it. And keep in perspective that GTS is only $89. Is it a problem with hype? What's the next SAOS MGP be the new stitzel weller...all these up and coming distilleries are going to switch to their own distillate and their mgp bottlings will become more valuable Is it worth buying bottles over $50 now? What's up with all the Wathen's Barrel Proof recently? When did this become a sought after item? Because it's barrel proof? a single barrel pick? Wathen's has been around forever but just now became something that continually shows up on my feed. How about an additional topic: Blake hates Single barrel bourbons...thoughts?

He might be the angriest man in bourbon and ruffles a lot of feathers along the way, but he's been enjoying the spirit longer than most of us. Bourbon Truth, or known as Lloyd Christmas on twitter, is well known for his jabs at the industry. In this episode, we talk about his disdain for shelf trophies, if the current market is overinflated, his opinion on how spirit awards are rigged, and even touch on apple brandy. He's back with another no non-sense episode about the harsh reality we often overlook. Show Notes: Also appeared on Episode 094 How has bourbon changed since we last talked? How dumb are people getting that they are buying partial bottles? What are your thoughts on WhistlePig and their pricing strategy? What bottles are collectibles for you? You said that you hate people that buy bottles as investments but it actually worked out for you. Do you think you sold your collection too early? Are prices just at the top ? Are unicorns going to go up? What are some of those bottles you would sell already open? You mentioned KY Owl and it's pricing, do you see that as a long term investment for that particular brand after their Stoli funding? Why do you think people feel the need to sell half-open bottles? You had a funny tweet that said "Reviewers have so many different ways of saying 'the booze sucks'" The Whiskey Advocate changed their whiskey review system with their original score and panel score so it's flawed. Are those spirit awards just BS now? Because the most favorited spirits don't enter anymore Is the problem that they are sending single barrels or limited expressions most people won't have access to? What do you see as the movement of craft? Are bad ones ruining the reputation for the majority of them? Are you jumping on the rum train too? We haven't heard people talk about brandy much How bad has Van Winkle quality gone down in recent years? Allocations are becoming very scandalous  

The Rickhouse. A place where bourbon allows father time and mother nature to do its magic. Have you ever wondered who is behind all these rickhouses? Donald Blincoe, President of Buzick Construction, is carrying on his family's legacy of being the top name in bourbon business for rickhouses. Their patented ricking system is easily identified when entering a rackhouse and Donald talks about their history and process when constructing. Donald also talks a bit about the superiority of a rickhouse versus stacking barrels on pallets. Show Notes: First let's give an overview of the company and then we will dive into the history. So do yo know about the history of storing barrels before the idea of rick houses? There's all different kinds of ways to store barrels. But you all are pretty much renowned for it. Talk about how that came to be. Why wood? Talk about the design of the rick itself Why is your design better than pallet? More economical? Does it make it easier to move barrels in and out? Is a rackhouse made to survive acts of nature? What sort of maintenance is involved? You also have a patented process, right? Give us the basic idea of why a rick house is constructed the way it is What man power is involved? I hear you all have a machine that is beginning to automate a bit? How long to get one stood up? What's the sustained weight? Why is there hardly ever electricity ran to these? Do people ask for other amenities like running water? How has the engineering of the construction changed over the years or are they just getting bigger?