Many seasoned bourbon drinkers know all too well the climate of things, but rarely ever stop to think how newcomers to this hobby view it. This episode takes an outside look in from experimenting with high rye, low rye, and wheated bourbons as well as a look into how our guest views allocated items. Darin Mellor, a spirits enthusiast, has been on the beer and tequila chase in the past and recently got into bourbon. Learn about his journey into the crazy hobby that can be very frustrating at times. Show Notes: What first attracted you to bourbon? Talk about the tequila and beer chase for a bit. Before you started really getting into it, was there anything that made you anxious or nervous? What made you want to know more? How did you start exploring high rye vs low rye vs wheated bourbon? Did you even know these different kind of bourbons existed before you dove in? What made you go with something barrel proof when you first started getting your few bottles? Being new to the scene, what's your take on non-distilling producers? When you go to a store and see a hangtag or sticker that says "Won Double Gold", does that influence your decision? How did you come to find out about Facebook groups or reddit? What was the most surprising thing you saw when you started reading more into bourbon? It took me almost 6 years until I found out about limited edition bourbons. How did you find out? Am I creating the problem or are new bourbon drinkers the problem when it comes to the allocation issue? So talk about your first reactions when you see an acronym like WLW. Are you like what the hell are these guys talking about? Now that you are getting into the bourbon scene, what's the most frustrating part? What advice can you give to seasoned veterans of bourbon when all the new people are coming into the hobby? Are you surprised people are waiting in lines and lotteries for bourbon? Have you found yourself sneaking bottles in the house from your significant other? You can read more about Darin at mempxl and on Instagram at @mempxl

The grain to glass movement isn't new, but it's a way for brands to differentiate themselves as they have complete control of the distillation process from all locally sourced products. It sparks pride in your area and builds relationships across the process until it hits the consumer. Ryan Burchett, Co-Owner and Distiller at Mississippi River Distilling Company, joins the show to talk about new experiments are happening from partnering with other distilleries and how the wood effecting the barrel is the next frontier for unique concepts and spirits. Show Notes: Ryan, let's talk about you for a minute. Talk about your background and if you grew up around spirits. How old are you and your brother? When did you get the bug to really dive into this venture? Your known as one of the bourbon brothers that changed prohibition-era state law in Iowa, so talk about the history of Iowa and the meaning behind this title. Before we dive into it, give us an overview of Mississippi River Distilling Company Talk about the origins and how the name Mississippi River came to be or did you look out your office window and saw the Mississippi River and said "that's it!" So the whole grain to glass thing is something we hear very often now. It's almost counterintuitive to what some of the big titans in the industry do. They feel that sourcing the best grains are the most efficient way to create a quality product, no matter the distance. But they also have to buy from multiple farms for the same grain. So talk about your view of having grain to glass distillation and what it brings. Talk about some of the brands and spirits you all are doing. Ok what's an "artisan spirit"? I'm intrigued Let's be honest, you're on a bourbon podcast but do you have a particular spirit you enjoy distilling more than it? What states are your products distributed so our listeners can be on the lookout? Talk about the tours and what's unique? Talk about Iowa for a bit. You're our first guest from this state so what's bourbon growth been like in regards to the market? You started this 5-7 years ago - How has your own operation grown from where it started? How many barrels are you aging? You’ve got a lot of experimental barrels going on but what is your primary age you shoot for in your bourbon whiskey? Size of barrels being used? Where do you get your barrels? Where are you located so people can visit you and some social media locations to learn more about you

What happens when you get Bill Samuels, Mike Veach, Reid Mitenbuler, and Susan Reigler in front of an economics class? You talk about the growth of bourbon, the economic impact of it, and how to get jumpstarted into a career. Thanks to the John H. Schnatter Center for Free Enterprise at the College of Business, University of Louisville for hosting and allowing us to record. This event is just one of a series of events on the bourbon industry in the college this semester . The bourbon theme included an economics reading group which read and met to discuss Reid’s book. They also took field trips to Buffalo Trace and Peerless distilling. In addition, the economics senior capstone class is focused on the economic history and importance of the industry. Students in the class are writing a variety of research papers on the bourbon industry for their senior projects. Show Notes: We will first attempt to wrap our heads around the size of the boom What consumer and federal or state-level regulatory trends might be facilitating the recent resurgence. We will be considering the economic impact on KY, including investment, job creation, tourism, and exports. I’ll have the panelists dwell on the recent investment announcements by BBC, Lux Row, Stoli, and Heaven Hill plus the revival of whiskey row (Old Forester, Michter’s, and, by extension, Peerless, Angel’s Envy, Rabbit Hole, and so on). What about the marketing strategy of old brands and distilleries being brought back from the dead (Peerless, Kentucky Owl, and Old Taylor/Castle & Key). Given it is fall release season, discuss the surging popularity of the boutique brands from the big distillers and the associated retail price increases, shortages, production timelines, and the “ethics” of the secondary market. What is your opinion on the future? Can the boom last and what opportunities are out there for UofL students interested in the industry?

The community did a pretty quick 180 in regards to treating people more fairly in facebook groups. We discuss how banning unopened bottles has settled the drama and also evaluate the definition of the new vintage spirits law that has passed in Kentucky. Taking a speculative look at the success and if it has the potential to go mainstream across the country. Lastly, we wrap it up talking about our favorite wheated bourbons of all time. Show Notes Blake are you going to be coming out with a whiskey inspired cookbook? It is now (as of Jan 1) legal in Kentucky for people to sell their vintage spirits to liquor stores (and bars), which can then sell them to the public. What are our speculations on what will happen? It looks like the flood gates have opened up again and eBay has seen a rise of bourbon being sold. Is this just eBay not paying attention? The Crown Royal Bourbon Mash Blended Canadian Whisky Your favorite wheated bourbon ever. Listen to all the Bourbon Community Roundtables.

You may remember of Dr. Pat Heist of Ferm-Solutions back on episode 121 talking about the science of yeast. This episode feature his counterpart Shane Baker, Master Distiller of Wilderness Trail Distillery, as he answers all the questions you ever wanted to know from a Master Distiller. These guys are very well known in the bourbon world amongst distillers who know what they are doing. We take a deeper dive into grains and how this distillery has been aging product for almost 4 years and still hasn't released a bourbon yet. Show Notes: Tell us a bit about Wilderness Trail? Where are you located? Do you use the same yeast strain in all your different mash bills? Adam Kessell I'd like the hear about all crop yield, and the agricultural footprint of bourbon/whiskey and what safe guards we take for the long term success of the product. Can you continue to keep it local? How often do you turn away grains? What do you think about the bourbon boom from a craft standpoint. what needs to be done to maintain this momentum? Aged stock vs making money. where’s that balance? What advice to give to other craft distillers? What in your opinion is the biggest factor in distilling/aging? Mash?,distillation temperature?, entry proof?, barrel type or aging location? Chris Scott I want to hear more about sourcing grains. We already heard Jimmy Russell say he must source rye from Europe. That blew my mind. Dustin Charles Herr Discuss year to year variation of crops affect on flavors. Steven Granger Discuss how sourcing grains from different parts of the world makes a difference in the finished product.

Enjoying a glass of bourbon while smoking a cigar seems like an average Friday night to some people. However, pairing a bourbon and cigar can be more complicated than you think. We sit down with Jake Glancy and Jeremy Kendrick of Jake's Cigar Bar to get a complete cigar 101 lesson on everything from cuts, types, leaf varieties, and more to understand how the unique flavor of a cigar will compliment different types of bourbon. You will want to rush outside and smoke a cigar after listening to this one! Show Notes: Let's start from the beginning and talk about the types of cuts How do you pick the ring gauge or size of cigars? Talk about the wrappers and what flavors each type release What's the difference between tobacco in Nicaragua and Honduras versus in Kentucky? Talk about hand-rolled versus machine-rolled. Bourbon drinkers have a progression from mixing to neat, what about cigar smokers? What do you mean by tasting a cigar by "thirds"? It's moving from cigars and scotch to cigars and bourbon. What's the initiative? Describe the different shapes of cigars When you're smoking a cigar do your taste buds or receptors change rather than drinking bourbon alone? What's the sweet spot for the third in your opinion? I'm going to throw some bourbons at you and you tell me what cigars would pair well. Talk about higher in proof bourbons like Stagg Jr and barrel proof bourbons and the cigars that pair well It seems like Four Roses pairs well with any cigar Talk about barrel aged cigars What about something super light like 80 proof Basil Hayden Rye whiskey is growing in popularity. How does rye whiskey stand up in cigar pairing? How about something that's super oaky like Elijah Craig 23? How about finished bourbons like Angel's Envy port finished bourbon? The craft market is booming but what do you pair with something that has a grain forward flavor? Talk about the Van Winkle Cigars. Are they good or are they hype? I see a lot more Barrel aged cigars on the market and I am curious for recommendations and also some info on the technique and how it imparts the flavor from the barrel to the tobacco. Are Cubans really that much better? Get 15% off at Jake's by mentioning you heard about them on Bourbon Pursuit!

It's a controversial topic amongst bourbon purists. Can you replicate all the effects Mother Nature and Father Time add to the bourbon that rests inside a barrel? Jacob Call, Master Distiller at O.Z. Tyler, comes from a long family lineage of distillers and decided to do take on an industry with Terressentia using TerrePURE technology. Learn about the growth of this startup and small bit about the technology in this episode. Show Notes: How did you get involved with bourbon and got you here today? Do you have any good stories with being around Booker and Fred? Tell us a bit about the property here in Owensboro How bad of shape was this Old Medley Distillery when you got here? I was surprised at the size, it seems like you're pumping out a bunch of product What is creating all this expansion especially when you are so new? Explain the TerrePURE process because you're expediting the aging So it's not just marketing BS? Do you worry about bourbon purists not enjoying this when you talk about age statements and the like? If it works so well, why wouldn't the big boys want to license this? Talk a bit about the O.Z. Tyler Brand Will there be other brands to come out? So it has to be barreled for at least a year to be labeled Kentucky bourbon I was blown away by the taste. It actually tastes like a 4 year old bourbon. Where is Terressentia focused for the future?

This new episode is a flash back to an interview Ryan performed while at Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2017 while sitting with one of the shows all-time favorite guests, Bill Thomas. In addition we're joined by the likes of Mike Jasinski, Jared Hymen, and Mike Miller of Delilahs in Chicago. This is a regular who's who in bourbon and it's great take on the industry of high-end bourbon pours, and the savviness of bourbon markets. Show notes: Talk about Bourbon Bonanza and Jeeps for Joy What is hunting like now? How is value perceived on a certain bottle when the seller is looking at asinine market prices? Is dusty bourbon supply now able to meet demand and not as hard to find? How do you protect yourself from fakes in the secondary market? Do laser codes even matter? How do you find those value pours at your establishments? View all our other Bill Thomas episodes

In this final Bourbon Community Roundtable of 2017 (it's the 15th edition) we look at the unique rise of trading bourbon for bitcoin weighing out the pros and cons, a look back into how the bourbon community has changed for the worse in 2017 and we cap it off talking about our favorite Bourbon and Rye releases of the year. Show Notes: In recent news, we’ve talked about different ways of trading for bourbon. I’ve traded landscape work. I know Ryan has traded his services for boxes of Jefferson’s before. But the new trend is bitcoin. So before we get into the pros and cons of doing a bourbon trade with bitcoin, who has taken the leap and bought some? It’s really hard these days to find a good forum that doesn’t start lashing out or people that post their life’s collection of pappy that create a whirlwind of comments. At one point Bourbon Info Exchange and Bourbonr were good places you could go for just normal discussion. But lately, it’s become a game of who can make the poster feel like a douche. I’m honestly a bit appalled by it all. It has ruined the sense of community. there was once a time when you could try and become educated but everyone is quick to jump on ridiculing people now. It’s certainly not a friendly community any longer. Ok.. the time has finally come. Our Bourbon of the year choices. lets have a discussion about this because I know not everyone has tasted everything. Surprise Barrel for our fans!!!

If you think the bourbon frenzy has gotten bad here in the US, well you don't know what it's like to live outside the borders. This episode features Ed Rosie and Andrew Watson, members of the British Bourbon Society, as we we discuss the transition of scotch drinkers to bourbon, the European search for dusties, and how it's nearly impossible to get your hands on store picks which we take for granted. Show Notes: How did you get into bourbon What is the British Bourbon Society all about? Talk about the current state of affairs with bourbon in the UK. How much have you seen the EU pick up on this? Are there dedicated bars? Are bartender cocktails changing? Is it cheaper to have your booze imported from a different country? Have you taken all the dusty bourbon out of Europe? I have friends from the UK and when they visit they tend to bring extra suitcases for shopping because things are just cheaper here. How do the prices compare to the US with taxes? How often are you making pilgrimages to go shopping? At this point, Trump is making more enemies across the globe and within our own country. Back in July, the European Union talked about a retaliatory tariff on steel imports. They said there would be heavy taxes on American whiskey. And the senate majority leader is Mitch McConnell who represents Kentucky, so it’s no wonder why they would go straight for the groin. As bourbon begins to boom and flourish in export markets this could really hit home as every distillery is in hyper-growth phases. Fred Minnick had an article on the NYTimes that really touched on the subject. I want to get your opinions on what this tax could potentially do What’s the difference in the legalities? still a 3 tier system? You also have some interesting export only bourbons you have access to. Wild Turkey 12 year. Blantons SFTB and Gold and Reserve. But what do we have in the US you wish you had every day access to?

Have you ever wondered what these bourbon barrel picking groups like The Bourbon Mafia, 1789b, T5C, and The Bourbon Cartel are all about? Eddie Noel, who has a history of founding multiple groups, will guide us into what it takes to form a barrel picking group with the types of individuals needed, the commitment of joining one, and the secret to getting private barrel selections when you don't have a store to get you in. Show Notes: Eddie, how did you get started with bourbon? Before we dive in, explain what a barrel picking group does. It should be self explanatory but you know. We've talked about barrel selections being a great avenue for terrific bourbon, do you agree? Talk about your history with barrel picking groups Lets talk about the mentality of barrel picking groups. What do you need to know going into creating one? How hard is it to create one? Is it difficult when stores want to keep the barrel themselves? What do store owners get out of it? Who are the types of individuals you seek out? Do they need to be in the same area? Does it help if the members are from Kentucky? (Local to the distilleries) Does having a connection to a store owner make it break it? If you do have that connection, how big should a store be or the volume that needs to be sold to determine how often they can be selected? Is there ever an over abundance of selections? Could it hurt your pockets if you aren't careful? Can you split barrels with a store so half go to the group? Are there ways to get barrels without knowing a store owner? What are some of the rules of the group? Amy Halter from Patreon: For Eddie Noel, are there ever differences of opinion on which barrel to select, and if so, how does a large group handle that? Are there certain distilleries that treat barrel picking groups in favor versus traditional store owners? Talk about some distilleries you are visiting outside of Kentucky What do you think about finished barrels? Are craft distilleries easier to get on their select list rather than the big dogs like Wild Turkey, Four Roses or Buffalo Trace etc?

In Episode 109 we featured two retailers and discussed if there is such a thing as MSRP pricing and how square footage, location, loyalty, and clientele all boil down into how rare bourbon is priced and sold. Eric Darland, a buyer in the D.C. area sent us an email and told us we completely missed the mark. Eric gives insight into the legalized mafia that is distribution, allocation of store picks, and pricing fairly. Show Notes: Let's start with store picks and why are they so hard to get outside of Kentucky? Do you think it's unfair that if a store sells more lower tier bourbon they should have a shot at choosing barrels? Are you losing customers if your store doesn't have the top-tier stuff? Do liquor stores really make that much money on limited releases by selling at 2-5x MSRP? What's the difference is pricing in the D.C. area vs Kentucky vs NYC? So you are firm believer in supply and demand and pricing accordingly So your store reaps the benefit of getting 2-3x value. What happens when Buffalo Trace ups their cost to you by 2-3x? How are you going to feel? Would new MSRP pricing end the secondary market? Would we see BTAC bottles lined on the shelf at $600 a piece if that happened? Booker's Rye and WhistlePig Black Prince releases are good examples of proper pricing Do distiller's even care? The ultra-premium is less than 1% of their actual revenue. Do you think it's an unfair fight in regards to passion for someone that lives in KY vs DC? Distribution is problematic. Some people suggested having Amazon being the centralized liquor store. What is an idea of how distribution can be fixed that levels the playing field across state lines? What's the future of how supply will equal demand?

There's been some sneaky releases lately from Diageo and Jefferson's so we tackle those. If you're short on Christmas gift ideas, we talk about some of those things you can give the bourbon lover in your life. Shoe Notes: In recent news, the folks at Diageo slid in a brand new Orphan Barrel release called Entrapment 25 year Canadian Whiskey. Anyone have thoughts on it yet? Jefferson's also released their 16year Presidential Selection. I heard about this release almost a year ago and completely forgot about it. But this is a unique one because it's not like any other Presidential release. this one has some of the Jefferson's flair where its been double barreled and they call it Twin Wood. Twin Wood got its name after Master Distiller Trey Zoeller chose an 11-year Bourbon to be re-barreled in freshly charred oak for another 5 years. Around 10,000 bottles are available today in markets across the country at an MSRP of $199. The bloggers on the roundtable did their sleuthing and found out that PVW15's red foil this year was a bottling line mistake. Blake had a special name for it. The holidays mean one thing, as "the bourbon connoisseur" of your family, your obligated to bring a few bottles over to share with family. What are those bottles? Christmas season is quickly approaching. Each person gets to discuss what they believe are the top gifts. This could be from a specific bottle, to ice molds, to clothing. Be on the lookout for a special Black Friday deal on the Bourbon Pursuit facebook page as well!

Many of us understand Bourbon 101 and 102 knowledge, but what about level 400? Dr. Pat Heist of Ferm Solutions joins the show to explain what is chemically happening when you're producing bourbon and gives an in-depth look at yeast and how it becomes one of the most critical components of the process. You will learn all about the breakdowns of enzymes during mash cooking and species of yeast for distilling. If you're a science buff, this episode is for you. Show Notes: What does Ferm Solutions do as well as how big Wilderness Trail Distillery? What was your first real job out of college and how did that get you into spirits? Are you tailoring yourself to craft whiskey or do you help with big names on the market as well? Talk about the science behind corn Is there really a difference between red corn or blue corn vs the traditional white/yellow corn? Difference in flavor? Economical? Talk about pesticides and GMO for the grains What about barley, rye, or wheat? Is the breakdown of the pathogens different or the enzymes? Go a bit more in depth about what the scientific differences between sour vs sweet mash How does yeast compete? What about the sanitary levels and how that contributes? What are the differences in the species of yeast and which ones are typically used in beer and spirits production? True or False. Does yeast contribute 15% to the flavor of a bourbon? What are the differences between low-gravity and high-gravity fermenters? What is the cause of a mutated yeast? Jim Rutledge discovered it at one time when it was a part of some limited edition offerings at Four Roses When you're monitoring the yeast during fermentation, what are you looking for? When I was at Castle and Key they talked about doing yeast forensics to find a closely resembled strain. Is this actually possible or just marketing hype? Gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria. What does this even mean? When does the yeast stop playing a roll? When it's in the barrel? out of the barrel? in the bottle? Is yeast like a fungi where it can reproduce when it get puts back into a normalized environment? What about beers that go bad? One last question about corn, how long do you age corn in a silo to dehydrate corn and remove moisture?

Retailers need an edge to stay competitive in today’s market. Listen to Louis Dachis of Ace Spirits and David Driscoll of K&L Wine Merchants on how technology is making their business grow on national level and you get a lesson on distribution and why there are shipping restrictions to different states in the US. Show Notes: Talk about your stores and the markets you serve How have you seen the bourbon market effect your business? What's the good what's the bad? How does having a very prominent online presence given you an advantage? Do you see your barrel picks making its way out of state because of online orders? Do you feel that impacts locals? We know allocated items in bourbon are coveted right now. How are you dealing with this surge? Do you reward continual shoppers, even online shoppers that are out of state? Is there a better way to get products into the hands of consumers other than the three-tier system? Why are there so many law restrictions on shipping alcohol across state lines? Why can't we have a uniform federal ruling that allows shipment across state lines? This goes into global shipping. For example: A Malt like Springbank 21 (700 ml) at Masters of Malt retails for $220ish. Even if I bought only one bottle and paid $40 for ship on the 1 bottle, it is still cheaper than purchasing the 750 ml US version for $390ish. Where do you think a savvy consumer would buy? How will US retail stay competitive in the global marketplace at this rate? In an ideal world where you can sell more volume online, what do you want to see changed?

With the current climate of overpriced rare whiskey, how do you turn that into a profitable business? Matt Landan talks about pivoting his coffee shop into Haymarket Whiskey Bar, a staple of bourbon country and Top 40 whiskey bar. Show Notes: Everyone who has visited Louisville probably knows but we are going to talk about the history of the bar Do you think this is becoming a new landmark on the bourbon trail How are you appealing to the local bourbon community? You also do something unique with the price of your Van Winkles too People on the forums also thought you ruined bourbon for maybe 30 minutes last year too Talk about the new Vintage spirits law and what that means You’re keeping up with it. what’s the latest news with it and where are they? What are some potential pit falls? How do retailers or people like yourself protect themselves from frauds? What mistakes have you made trying to run a whiskey bar? What advice would you give to someone? How do feel about increased competition?

Recent whiskey news has really been depressing. There hasn’t been much good that’s come of it so the roundtable spends an hour and complains. We hit on everything from the sadness that is EH Taylor Four Grain being named Whiskey of the Year to the depressing news of no more Eagle Rare store picks in 2018. Read more sorrowing news we talk about in the show notes below Show Notes: Whiskey Of The Year according to Jim Murray is the EH Taylor Four Grain Did anyone actually like it? Is this a ploy to sell more books? How is this going to effect next year’s release? There is a new Woodford Reserve Master’s Collection Kerry isn’t a fan but Eric does like it. They discuss David J Montgomery from Professor Cocktail is a moron. He tried selling his BTAC samples on the Secondary Market. Will Buffalo Trace change their sample distribution process now? Do relationships matter when you live in a control state? There will be no Eagle Rare store picks in 2018. Kerry explains. What are UofL fans going to do now with their Pitino and Jurich Maker's bottles?

Is the madness ever going to end? Are those unicorn bottles going to continue to climb in price for the future? How did we end up here? Past guest Chuck Cowdery, a bourbon authority, enlightens us to how the history of bourbon being an unwanted commodity created stocks of well aged whiskey that led us to the market we see today. Show Notes: Let's talk about the past and the bourbon, crisis, was it an overall understanding that bourbon might be extinct? At what point did you come in to see some of this first hand? How did advertising work for bourbon? How did you get it into the hands of elders? How did no one see this coming? Like literally no one. You talk about the resurgence of bourbon was partly because of the lack of drinkers because it led to the unintentional benefit of very well-aged whiskey What were distillers doing with this better aged whiskey? Do you think exports are the biggest benefactor? What were bourbon brands doing at the time to appeal to the Japanese and European markets? So people are buying whiskey again, how are distillers ramping up production? Was there a surge of more NDPs and independent bottlers buying sourced whiskey? Why do you call this a “not so attractive” trend? At what point did we start seeing the “shortage”? or is there really a shortage? Have NDPs died off because they can’t source or contract distill now? Will craft distillers put a dent in the market or are they just looking for their piece of the pie? Do you think any of these companies will be "under water" on their investments when the bourbon matures for sales in 4-12 years? Especially when they have to compete with the big boys as they are expanding. Do you think we are going to see people drop off because we don’t have a lot of well-aged whiskey now? We have distillers and craft distillers removing age statements. How will that effect the future? What’s the key to making this trend last?

Have you ever visited the Bourbon Heritage Center in Bardstown or the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience in downtown Louisville? It's time you meet Jeff Crowe who is the General Manager of Visitor Experiences for Heaven Hill. Jeff takes us through what each locations have to offer and gives some insight into how he can fairly distribute Parker's Heritage and William Heaven Hill releases Show Notes: Did you come from a hospitality background or whiskey? Was life a bit less hectic in 2013? How has bourbonism grown since you have been around? Has it put more stress on your job Talk about each theEvan Williams Bourbon Experience EWBE and theBourbon Heritage Center BHC and what you will see in each Heaven Hill is unique that you don’t actually ever get to tour where the majority of the bourbon is made. Is there plans to open up Bernheim for visitors? I’ve always told people that they need to visit EWBE to break up the distillery visits because it’s more like a mix of a museum with video projectors. Most distillery visits get pretty repetitive but this breaks the mold. Do you know whose idea it was to build it this way? Talk about the history of this building because it was owned by the Shapiros at one point too. What is the wildest thing you’ve seen happen at either location? Someone trying to dive into the large glass of Evan Williams at the entrance? You also spend time at the BHC in Bardstown. Even though these locations are only an hour away from each other, is there a different vibe or feeling the visitors get from each? Is there something one offers that the other can’t?

Freddie Johnson has a long resume. Previous guest on episode 59, 3rd Generation Employee at Buffalo Trace, and Tour Guide Extraordinaire. He joins to talk about Bourbon Pompeii, who was Thomas H Handy (THH) and other tidbits of random knowledge you only get from Freddie. Show Notes: What’s been going on since the last time we talked? You haven’t been getting a bigger head by reading all those 5 star TripAdvisor reviews have you? Lets give everyone a little refresher about you and your family history at BT So who’s going to continue the family tradition and be the 4th generation? What are the ABCs of bourbon? What is the origin of “the shot”? Who was Thomas H. Handy? Alright, this Bourbon Pompei, lets talk about it. For some other geeks out there besides whisky geeks, you also took part in a new Buffalo Trace virtual reality tour. talk about that.

The bourbon community roundtable does a blind tasting with samples sent in by a fan of the show. The best bourbon bloggers out there are put to the test to see if they can figure out where it came from. You won’t believe what happens. Show notes below… Show Notes: We’ve got a full house tonight with Blake from bourbonr.com, Nick from BreakingBourbon, Kerry of subourbia.com, Brian of SippnCorn, and Michael with @flightofbourbon as our special guest Blake talks about tasting blind all the time What do you do about wanting to sample limited releases, but you may not get the opportunity if you only have that 1 shot to buy the bottle? Throughout the show we try samples A, B, C, and D.

Fred Minnick, multi-appearance guest on the show and author of the new book Rum Curious, educates us bourbon drinkers on why rum isn’t so bad and how the rum industry needs the passion of the bourbon community. Back in February you had a article named “For Rum’s Sake”, an open letter to bourbon drinkers. Was it a plea? Why rum? There’s lots of other spirits Name a few brands that are accessible in parts of the US that are trustworthy. So what’s wrong with Captain Morgan and those typical ones we all think of? We know bourbon has 3 main ingredients, but what are some of the main ones going into rum? We also have corn whiskey, rye whiskey, etc, any variants? So people want to learn more about rum, besides your book, where are the rum fanatics? Talk about the laws and labels for rum producers What do you think about those companies that say they can create an aged rum in less than 7 days using technology? Thanks to Emmet Klocker that sent us some samples from Lemon Hart, Havana Club, and 1931.

Beau Beckman, Barrel Select Manager at Buffalo Trace, is now a 2nd time guest! We talk about how the program has matured, why you only get to taste 4 barrels rather than more, how the barrels are chosen for the program versus the regular blend, and how you can get your own. Show Notes: So what’s been happening since the last time we chatted back on episode 009? You’ve managed to stay off the news radar it seems like except there was a good article Forbes put out recently and our good friend Bourbon Truth was talking about good private barrels and said you basically had to lick someone’s balls (especially Beau beckman) to get anywhere So we just did a pick and you said you can have the barrel or we can send it off to Mexico For anyone that doesn’t know and didn’t catch them up to speed on your family heritage that you bashfully don’t like to talk about I was actually out here today doing a barrel selection of Buffalo Trace, talk me through the process of what I experienced today The numbers have been dwindling at every place for barrel selections. Where it was once fruitful to try 12 or more barrels, sometimes it’s down to three. Is this just lack of mature whiskey? Or is it lets dwindle down these remaining barrels for single selections and then we will pull out new ones How often does it happen someone will pass on a barrel and then the next group or the group after says something ridiculous like “oh man, that’s the honey barrel!” speaking of honey barrels, do you really believe there are such a thing and how often do those go to single select? how are the barrels chosen for single select, randomly? by a group of tasters? I've had some very off profile barrels too Coming and doing a barrel pick for new whiskey geeks is like the ultimate experience. What do you attribute to the success of a single barrel program? Any advice for those stores who are itching to get on the program or know of a shortcut?

Reid Bechtle & Emerald Adair of 1789b join the group to talk about the fascinations with the better things in life, how they started 1789b, how barrel selections have changed in 7 years, and the barrel picks they have still yet to do. Introduce yourselves, your background and how bourbon got into your life What are those coins you have in your hands? Explain what 1789b is Where does the name 1789b come from? Do distilleries roll out the red carpet for you? Have the advent of prolific Facebook groups influenced the group? Talk about those early Reid & Emerald picks How has the barrel selection process changed now that you don’t get the pick of everything in the rick house? When newcomers are in the market and they see Billions with Michter’s 20 year and they get caught up in the chase. Do you all get caught up seeking limited releases too? Is there a bourbon pick you haven’t done yet that would be on your bucket list? Listen to the barrel pick we all did back on Episode 105

The roundtable is back with a new panel member. Some of us got cursed by making fun of the eclipse while others are being cursed by the Old Forester vapor gods by stealing some extra alcohol for OFBB 2017. Show Notes: Thanks to Maxwell Christy of SuperflyBourbonClub, Blake from bourbonr.com, Jordan from BreakingBourbon, and a brief appearance from Kerry of subourbia.com Who watched the eclipse today? Anyone else underwhelmed? OFBB is releasing their 2017 Birthday Bourbon How about Old Forester Statesman? Has anyone tried it yet? Why is it people are ok with higher prices on private label bourbons however it’s not like that in any other industry? Quinn English asks “I’d like to hear more about distribution and alternatives for the three tier system” Vlad Belchinsky asks “I would like to see a discussion about 'store picks", are they really and why does someone's opinion of 1 barrel drive the price up over a standard release?” Adam Kessell asks “Another topic is what you drink when you don't drink bourbon. And it's connection to bourbon. Or bourbon barrel aged tequila/rum, etc.” https://youtu.be/D7TxC0b6B0k

Retail Pricing Wars! Does MSRP really mean anything? How do stores price their products relative to their size, customer base, and geographic location? We’re joined by Ed Bley of Cork N Bottle and Angelo Ingrati of Peppino's Liquors & Wine to discuss both sides of the story. Read Show Notes Below. Show Notes: What’s your reason on why your stores can sell above MSRP? Why would any store NOT sell at secondary pricing? How does geography play a role into this with Kentucky vs NYC? Is Buffalo Trace or the distillery the real culprits of the problem? Don’t most liquor stores make their money on volume rather than limited releases? So how do you keep your customers happy after this bubble bursts? Small mom & pop shops are losing allocation and reps are favoring big box stores, do you see this as a problem on the distributer side? Do store owners get tired of hearing “Do you have any X?” What do you think is the effect of square footage of your retail space? What are their advantages? How do you buy enough fireball to get any limited release bourbon? Are everyday items priced higher in NYC like Maker’s Mark? By raising the retail price, then do you feel like you are cutting out the distributor and the distillery of their fair share?

Denny Potter, Master Distiller and VP of Operations at Heaven Hill, talks about his past handling dangerous chemicals, answers if bourbon production is green, touches on age statement removals and the market for higher age statements. Show Notes: Thanks to Linden Ferguson for being the guest co-host The man behind many of the famous brands we talk about on the show like Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Henry McKenna, Larceny and much more. Former Master Distiller and now VP of Operations at Heaven Hill, Denny Potter Talk about your history and how you came to Heaven Hill Talk about your old jobs dealing with dangerous chemicals. Talk about the environmental impact of bourbon production. So you have a history of rum. What do you think about this newborn uptick in Rum interest? How many barrels is Heaven Hill producing per day? What once was impossible to get rid of and now HH has been known for their high aged premium products by whiskey geeks. From Martin Mills 24 to EC18 and 23 and WHH 14 and 15 years, do you anticipate the future whiskey drinkers 10 years from now to still be wanting higher aged products? There's a little known gem here in KY and that's the 6 year BIB white label. When you travel do people ask you about how they can get their hands on some? What are some of those labels people are always wanting to know more about or how they can get their hands on?

Joseph Magliocco, President of Michter’s Distillery and CEO of Chatham Imports, joins the podcast to talk about the rebirth of an American Whiskey brand and how he used to sell it growing up. He talks about why he rebooted Michter’s in Kentucky rather than Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania and we talk through each of their whiskeys and ryes including their extreme high end expressions and whether or not the barrel proof bourbon will be a line extension. Show Notes: Lets talk about the beginning because you’re an odd type of guest for us. We’re typically getting Andrea Wilson or Pam Heilmann on to talk about brands, but you my friend are the business end. Talk about how you carved your path in this wine and spirits world I’m glad to hear you call it Michter’s because i hear people call in “Mishters” and i cringe. Talk about the history of Michter’s and where you come in What legal hurdles did you have to overcome when taking the name? You could have created a new brand. You didn’t need the name. But why use the Michter’s name anyway? Why did you decide to revive the brand in Kentucky vs the history in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania I mean, that distillery in PA had one of the greatest iconic runs of all time with AH. Hirsch. Can you comment on that? You are also reviving other brands like Bombergers and Shenks. All of these brands have origins in Schaefferstown, Pennsylvania You know I wish I was smart enough to get my hands on M25 Rye and even more bottles of M10. Those older vintages are out of this world I’m going to put you on the hot seat here for a minute. How do you justify the price tag of your Celebration bourbon? What’s future expansion looking like for Michter’s? Where are you planning to take the brand next? During the week of the KY Bourbon Affair you released a barrel strength Michter’s. Is this going to be a line extension? Listen to all the Michter's Podcasts.

BCR is back again with more questions than ever coming from our viewers. We talk about Sazerac’s devious marketing tactic with age statement removal, the regrets of past purchases, will we see a buying increase of pre-sourced NDP after their stills are running, and how our buying habits have changed Show Notes: So Who's shipped their samples from the last roundtable? The picture BCR made famous. Old Charter 8 vs 8yr. Was there a case to be made? Lucas asks: With the bourbon boom in full effect, many of the large NDPs have really focused over the last few years on getting their own stills set up. Many of these brands have loyal followings from people that know what an NDP is . As these brands start to bottle their own juice, will we see a shift along the same lines as the hunt for stitzel weller juice or old heaven hill stock. Brands like Bulleit, Michters, Angels envy, and Luxco have plenty of money to pay chemists and tasters to keep flavor as close as possible but bourbon nerds are notorious for wanting what they no longer can get. What are your thoughts on the possibility of a subculture being created for people that really want Four Roses Bulleit or Heaven Hill Ezra brooks instead of what these companies are actually producing on their own? Will brands suffer as they change sources? Will we not notice it at all because the blending process is so key to major bourbon labels? Will consumers notice at all? Eric, who has yet to make an appearance from Breaking Bourbon, posted an article about changing our buying habits. Have you all slowed down? Amped up? Do you have more bourbon than you can drink in your lifetime? http://breakingbourbon.com/a-different-persepective-changed-my-buying-habits.html Rick Noland asks: You guys talk about FOMO. I also occasionally have FOBR (Fear of Buyer's Remorse). How about an open discussion for the next Roundtable for the bottle(s) everyone regrets buying?

Wild Turkey Barrel Selection Exclusive with Ed Bley of Cork N Bottle, Reid and Emerald of 1789b, Nick Dikeos of The Bourbon Mafia, and Jimmy Russell of Wild Turkey. Get an inside look at how these connoisseurs of bourbon choose barrels while Jimmy is rattling off more information and history than we knew before. This is a Bourbon Pursuit first, bringing you inside on a private barrel selection. Show Notes: Everyone introduce themselves Ed, what’s your mentality going into a barrel pick? Jimmy, what hasn’t been tried in this business? Jimmy, you said Wild Turkey doesn’t produce anything outside of their own brands but what about Old Ripy and Bond and Lilliard? Emerald, what’s bourbon like in Arizona? Jimmy, talk about Chill Filtering Ed, do you feel like we could be choosing barrels that have been passed on by others? Jimmy talks about MGP, Schenley, and more Nick, talk about off-profile picks and why they are desired Emerald, how has barrel picking changed since bourbon has become so popular because you can’t get things like private ETL? Reid, talk about the differences between choosing barrels at Four Roses Jimmy, talk about the oak that goes into making the barrels Jimmy, when it comes to local farmers, does farm to bottle really mean anything? Jimmy, how did you get in trouble with the Wild Turkey pewter tops? Ed, Reid, and Nick, what do you think collaborations of different stores and groups coming together to make something special? Jimmy, talk about Parker Beam from Heaven Hill These bottles will be in stores very soon!

A combination of 10 interviews all done at WhiskeyLive in Louisville. This podcast features Fred Noe and Beth Burrows of Jim Beam, Joe Beatrice of Barrell Bourbon, Brian Gelfo of Rabbit Hole, John Foster of Smooth Ambler, Josh Hollifield of Barton 1792, Kelly Ramsey of Art Eatables, Winston Edwards of Balcones, Greg Roshkowski of Cooper’s Craft, and we wrap it up with Bill Thomas of Jack Rose. Show Notes: Thanks to WhiskyLive during the Bourbon Affair for letting us come and record these interviews. Make sure you attend a future WhiskyLive event.  

Drew Mayville, Master Blender at Buffalo Trace / Sazerac, has one of the most important jobs and that’s making sure the blended products meet a flavor profile. We dive into the differences between tanked and non-tank Sazerac 18 year and even talk about his involvement with the Old Rip 25 year. Show Notes: Talk about your past because I did some LinkedIn sleuthing last night and come to find out you’re no spring chicken. Talk about what it means to be a master blender because we talk to master distillers all the time but we don’t get to see this side very often Talk about the panel and the process Would you say blenders are under appreciated in this business? Talk about some of the labels you are blending for Let's take Eagle Rare as an example, what are some of the characteristics you are looking for to have it’s consistency? Are you using a previous batch or set of samples and comparing that to new samples? Did I read somewhere that BT’s Buffalo Cream is your baby? What else are you or your team responsible for? Fireball? Harlen has his vodka. If you have your way, what sort of spirit do you want your name across? Everyone knows that warehouse X is part of the experimentation projects. Do you have some of your own things over there as well? Don’t you think experimentation of everything has been done already? Many consumers are just looking for good bourbon from a good distillery with a rich history. Personally, the EHT 4 Grain was a way to build the EH Taylor hype but, of BT knew the 4grain bourbon was better than 3, then all bourbons would have been 4grain from the beginning. am i wrong? Is the single barrel, barrel proof explosion going to put you out of business?

Brent Elliott, Master Distiller at Four Roses, takes us through the creation of Al Young’s 50th Anniversary bourbon at an exclusive session during WhiskyLive. Show Notes: Listen as Brent talks about every individual bourbon and how it blended all together to make Al’s commemorative bourbon. Listen to Al Young’s podcast and all the past Four Roses episodes at http://bourbo.nz/4R Special Thanks to WhiskyLiveUSA for letting us share this information with you during WhiskyLive Louisville. Show your support for WhiskyLiveUSA by liking their page and attending one of their events.

The Bourbon Community Roundtable #9 talks about the recent news of one man who has defrauded the secondary bourbon market with counterfeit bourbon. We wrap up the show talking about the Weller 12 craze. Show Notes: The biggest reveal in secondary market history. A seller with 2+ years worth of building up sales reveals that he's been counterfeiting bottles. Hear the story unfold How does this impact bourbon going forward? How do you trust you seller? How can you trust anything in bars? What has happened with Weller12? It’s madness

Charlie Downs, Artisanal Distillery Manager at Evan Williams Bourbon Experience (a part of Heaven Hill Brands) talks about the operations, his mentorship with Parker Beam, and the recollection of events that took place at the Heaven Hill fire of 1996. Show Notes: Before we dive into it, people have to know about you. As most people may know, my wife works at HH and I was at the company Christmas party this year where you were honored by spending your 40th year at HH. What has this business taught you? Talk about how you carved your path in HH and who was your mentor and who gave you those lucky breaks? Do you have a favorite memory with Parker? Lots of people like to just call this a tourist center, but this is actually a functioning distillery as well Is it just Evan Williams or a different mash bill are you distilling? How many barrels a day? And you’re about to hit that 4 year mark, what’s the plans for the first few barrels? Talk about the fire of 1996 and where were you Other than amount, what the difference between you here and Denny over at the Bernheim plant Do you often feel like a hamster in a cage?

Fred Minnick, Bourbon Author, Pundit, and Expert, joins us to discuss the San Francisco Spirits Competition, asking if bourbon is just a gimmick when it comes to experimentation, how the new vintage spirits law will effect Louisville, and if pricing has gone out of whack! Show Notes: So what’s new since the last time we chatted? What are you doing for the Bourbon and Beyond Festival? I hear there is a Bourbon Cruise? You’re also going to be at Forecastle Let’s talk about the new Dusty law So lets talk about San Francisco. Lets talk about the upsets. Who doesn't get a golden medal or a star? Is bourbon turning into a gimmick for releases? Can we stop it with the experimentation? At what point does it go to far? Pricing is out of whack. How do we as consumers fix this?

Campbell Brown, President of Old Forester Bourbon, is interviewed by Fred Minnick at the Kentucky Derby Museum's Legend Series. Show Notes: Fred gets more information about the corporate side rather than the distilling side.

The Bourbon Community Roundtable #8 is back for a Derby special to talk about their lack of desire for ORVW25, a surprise twist with Bulleit Bourbon, and results from San Francisco Show Notes: It’s Derby, who has plans So Pappy25 is out. Who actually cares? Interesting bulleit scenario that was posted in a significant bourbon group out of houston… Bourbon Barrel Batch 011 Wins Best Bourbon WhistlePig Boss Hog wins best Whiskey Quinn English: Has anyone had Four Grain? Thoughts?

JK McKnight, Founder and Captain of Forecastle Festival, talks about running a music festival and how their Bourbon Lodge has become a festival of itself. Show Notes: If you’re a music lover, you’re going to enjoy this episode. We’ve been to forecastle a few times and we’ll talk about why our guest is here talking about Bourbon a bit later, but music festivals are just fun. There’s no better way to put it than that. Explain to everyone who isn’t up to speed on music festivals, what is Forecastle. I went to Forecastle back in 2008 to see Counting Crows and 2010 to see Widespread. What’s the history? Why did you start it, what was the idea? How big has it grown? I know you also are starting to get a little bit of growth in the EDM tent. I believe this is the 5th year in a row you all are featuring the “bourbon lodge”. talk about what it is. What was the idea behind drinking bourbon in 100 degree weather in the middle of July? How has the lodge progressed from when you first started it? - It seems like you’ve got everyone on board now. There’s bulleit, woodford, four roses, jim beam, larceny of heaven hill, maker’s mark, michaels, old forester, and wild turkey. pretty much all the big guns. Instead of a beer garden, you all have a bourbon garden. Cocktails sound more up my alley in the July heat. i see there is a mixology station and signature cocktails. Talk about the food because you have a friend of the show taking care of that for you. Lastly is a rarities bar sponsored by Liquor Barn. forecastlefest.com/bourbonlodge

Beth Burrows, Kentucky Bourbon Ambassador for Beam Suntory, gives us all the history behind Jim Beam and the different expressions. We even get the chance to learn how Baker’s Bourbon got its name. Show Notes: Tell us about your history with bourbon Do you miss bartending? What has the passing of Senate Bill 11, allowing producers to serve cocktails and more whiskey going to do for Jim Beam? Jim Beam is really pioneering and doing all flavored whiskey like the Apple and Honey, Black Cherry, Fire, Maple. Thoughts? Who’s your target market with these? Then you’ve got Jim Beam white label, black, double oak, devils’ cut, rye, bonded, single barrel, Tell us about the Jim Beam distiller’s masterpiece Names behind Knob Creek, Baker, Basil Hayden, OGD, Old Crow, Booker’s

Bourbon Truth, the infamous blogger and twitter persona known as Lloyd Christmas, gives a Bourbon Pursuit exclusive where no one is safe. He tells it like it is and let's you know not everything smells like roses. Show Notes: What made you start blogging? (spoiler alert, he has bone to pick with the Van Winkles) Let’s talk about distilleries and their non-sense tactics. Which ones stand out the most and why? Your latest blog post talked about the issues behind private barrel picks. Let’s talk because people are moving to these as the limited edition market is now flooded with people. Let's talk about marketing over the value of the bottles. What do you see consumers continually falling for? Distillers are continually pushing the envelope of cost. Bottles are increasing in price and even limited editions that were once $50 are now $350 at retail. These were always 15 year bourbons. What’s the long-term effect? Should a person that never drank Bourbon before 2017 take the precious bottles from those drinking it for 5 or 10 years? Are they worthy? Is there a problem with people “collecting” bourbon? Does Craft Whiskey stand a chance?

Fred Minnick interviews Tom Bulleit of the Bulleit Distilling Company for the Kentucky Derby Museum's Bourbon Legends Series. Show Notes: Listen as Fred tries to pry information out of Tom about family history, stitzel-weller, age statements, and more

We are going back and revisiting episode #056 about building the barrels at Brown Forman. This is a great to wrap up back to basics month. Michael Nelson, Plant Director at the Brown-Forman Cooperage, gives a step-by-step and inside look to the barrel making process. Give us your bourbon story. Before we dive into the ins and outs of technicalities of barrel char. give us a history lesson about where we are. So this is my first encounter being at a cooperage. give me the 101 We saw one barrel that was cross cut. Talk about that. What’s the average number of discarded barrels that don’t meet some sort of quality assurance? Talk about char levels for a bit because it’s something that is always said, but never really explained about in depth. Is the barrel making process getting more expensive on a yearly basis because of demand and material supply? For everyone that missed the episode with Chris Morris where we talked briefly about the cooperage, talk about what it means to have a cooperage dedicated to their private whiskey The release of Cooper’s Craft happened recently. And it was named after the location of where we are recording today. What does that mean to you?  

Mike Sherman, Owner of Vendome Copper and Brass Works, joins the show to talk about the art and craftsmanship that go into making the stills and how they have established being the best and #1 still maker after a century of being in business. Show Notes: Before we get into talk about what it is that you do here, let’s get your thoughts on bourbon. Do you drink it? or just love it because it means good business right now? For those listeners who have never heard of Vendome, give them an idea of what it is you all make here and why it’s important What else do you make here besides copper stills? Give us the history of Vendome and how you grew up in the business. Give us a break down of trial and error. Because at this point you are carrying on legacy, but the generations before you probably had to go through retooling, or refactoring of certain things to make the stills as reliable as they are. Terry Bone & Brent Melvin ask how customized are your products? do they start with a base design for the stills or is it entirely customized to the whiskey manufacturers desires? Is there any innovation thats going on or is pretty much copy/paste? Why is copper the element of choice when making a still? What makes Vendome stills unique? What’s the average time is takes to manufacture a still? I know that’s a loaded question but humor me. Follow @VendomeCopper and Like on Facebook

The Bourbon Community Roundtable #7 talks about their beginnings with bourbon. Where did it all start, the intimidating scenarios, tips for beginners, and even tips for veterans. Show Notes: What was your gateway bourbon? The one that started it all... Blake you started with a barrel-proof, why is that? Do you think it’s a smart idea to introduce people to bourbon with low proof vs high-proof? What bottles would you say are a must for a newb? I know this is very broad question, but if I was gonna start with 5 bottles, what would be on your list? What’s the most intimidating thing about being new to this? Tips to newbies getting into this Tips to veterans like us to help new people? What’s the first limited release bourbon that made you become a sucker for FOMO?

Bernie Lubbers, Whiskey Ambassador for Heaven Hill and also known as The Whiskey Professor, joins the show to talk about bottled-in-bond and what makes these bourbons “bricks of gold”. Show Notes: Talk about Bern’s Corner and how you arrange your bottles What has made you so fascinated with Bottled-in-Bond. Talk about the issue or necessity behind bottled-in-bond When people were diluting whiskey or using tobacco spit, were people still buying it? Why 100 proof and not 90 or 80? Is the bottled-in-bond act still a binding piece of legislation? So you can have bottled-in-bond of spirits other than bourbon? There is an interpretation for bottled-in-bond corn whiskey Why did Issac Wolfe Bernheim against the bottled-in-bond act? Talk about Colonel Taylor and his involvement Were there any palms that were greased to make this happen? After this bill passed, did it put brands out of business? What’s the importance of having bottled-in-bond today? What is the responsible for the resurgence of bottled-in-bond?

Tim Knittel, Bourbon Educator at Distilled-Living.com and a certified Stave & Thief Society Executive Bourbon Steward, kicks off "back to basics" month by giving an in-depth Bourbon 101 and 201 level knowledge bomb. You will learn something new, guaranteed or your money back! Show Notes: let's start from the top. What is bourbon? How's it made? What goes into it? What's the average proof coming off the distillate? Some people say that limestone water is a big reason why Kentucky bourbon taste better. Is that true or can I get the same effect out of a garden hose? Is anything stopping someone outside of America from making a bourbon or it just can't be called that? What advice do you give people of the first bottles to buy that give you a variable taste range? So people like us who think we know everything, what's a common misperception or falsification we tend to fall for? What’s the most common question you get asked at your tastings

Brent Elliott, Master Distiller at Four Roses, talks about how he never owned a bottle of Four Roses until he interviewed and how the conversation went when he was tapped to be the new Master Distiller. Show Notes: Talk about growing up in Owensboro, your history and education What made you want to get into bourbon? Were you a Four Roses bourbon fan when you applied to work here? Was Four Roses the first place you looked at working? How long have you been working at Four Roses? Talk a little bit about working with Jim Rutledge under his tutelage. So talk about that phone call, when it’s usually depicted in the movies as being called up to the CEOs office on the 33rd floor to get that big promotion Why is there not a rye whiskey offered by Four Roses? What about the rage of barrel finishes or cinnamon whiskey? From Kevin Ragland on Facebook - How was the process for selecting 2016 LE went since it was the first time you would have done it without Jim. Why did you come out and call it Elliott’s Select instead of just the normal 2016 Limited Edition Single Barrel? From Travis Roberts on Facebook - Will FR continue their barrel selections in the future and if so, will they eventually be able to offer barrels aged 10+ years again to consumers? Talk about life outside of bourbon