We’re back with Part 2 of our PursuitPalooza 2026 AMA session. We kick off by tackling the business realities of the RTD boom because we keep punting the idea if we should do one ourselves, and exploring why entering the canned cocktail market is a completely different beast than aging bourbon in a barrel.

We talk about some the weirdest tasting notes we’ve ever pulled like peanut butter and jelly, peach rings, and Grandma’s candy jar. Finally, we get personal about what it really takes to run an independent spirits company. We talk about managing operational pressure, our core philosophy of “no problems, only solutions,” and some of the wild, unfiltered Palooza memories from over the years.

Show Notes:

• RTDs vs. Aged Whiskey: The hidden challenges of canned cocktails, including shelf-life stability, high R&D costs, and retail distribution hurdles.
• Sourcing Strategy: Why Pursuit Spirits prioritizes proven legacy distillates over volatile craft profiles to establish consumer trust.
• Wild Tasting Notes: Recalling the most unusual flavor profiles we’ve encountered, from PB&J and peach rings to farmyard funky pours.
• Labeling & TTB Regulations: How slight legal nuances define “straight bourbon” versus finished expressions, and what consumers actually notice.
• Leadership & Problem Solving: Behind the scenes of scaling Pursuit Spirits, empowering employees, and keeping cool under operational stress.
• Celebrity Brands & Industry Hype: Our unfiltered thoughts on celebrity-backed spirits, hazmat-proof trends, and the ongoing craze for allocated bottles.
• Palooza War Stories: Reliving hilarious, late-night Palooza memories, EDM club outings, and keeping the annual event fresh for repeat attendees.
• Historical Dream Pours: Ryan and Kenny name the iconic figures—including George Garvin Brown and President William Howard Taft—they’d love to share a dram with.

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Today, we are bringing you part 1 of 2 for our Pursuit Palooza 2026 AMA session recorded live with myself and Ryan Cecil. We take a look back at how Palooza originally grew out of having way more whiskey and industry guests than we could ever fit on the podcast and why we decided to start having Palooza.

From there, take questions from our fans in the audience about transparency in labeling, dissecting “bottled by” statements, straight bourbon requirements, and whether the average consumer actually cares about production details versus price, story, and flavor. Plus, we address the big question on everyone’s mind: has the bourbon boom peaked, or is there still room for category growth?

Show Notes:

• Palooza Origins: How having too many podcast guests and leftover whiskey barrels spawned Pursuit Palooza.
• Labeling & Transparency: Breakdown of “bottled by” statements, legal requirements, and what consumers actually value on the shelf.
• Pursuit Archive & Revivals: The story behind Sherry River Rye, keeping an archive of past releases, and future P-Club plans.
• State of the Bourbon Industry: Addressing market shifts, changing distribution habits, international growth, and the end of truck-chasing.
• Hard Lessons in Craft Distilling: What we underestimated about packaging, marketing, and navigating the three-tier system when starting Pursuit Spirits.
• Underrated Distillates: Ryan and Kenny highlight hidden-gem producers like Tennessee Distilling Group, Woodinville, Still Austin, and Southern Distilling.
• The Reality of Organic Bourbon: Why large-scale organic grain production faces massive hurdles with pests, weeds, and high costs.
• Palooza War Stories & Blending Dreams: Recalling wild Palooza mishaps, dream blending-room collaborators, and the ultimate death row food and pour pairings.

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There’s a time when whiskey enthusiasm takes it to the next level. I’ve lived through it. I was a stone cold hobbyist, and I still am, but then I started a podcast and now Ryan and I have Pursuit Spirits. We don’t know how to stop taking a hobby too far. And our guest today is no different. Mike Hinds is co-founder of Nashville Barrel Company, Mike takes us back five or six years to NBC’s humble beginnings, starting with local charity picks for cancer research, hunting down Jack Daniel’s, Weller 12, and Willett single barrels, and making frequent runs to Bardstown to learn the ropes. When he decided to start Nashville Barrel Company there were plenty of operational headaches like sourcing whiskey and dealing with shady brokers but a few mismatched samples unexpectedly got them a hit they kept on playing with Kelvin barrels. Since then they have been expanding into downtown Music City, and have now opened a new spot in NuLu called the Louisville Rickhouse Company. Instead of chasing cheap inventory or relying on marketing gimmicks, Mike shares how their focus cask-strength single barrels built consumer trust and whiskey clubs kept their growth soaring. We also talk about Stella, the official company dog, their VIP club, and how Mike has been one of the few lucky people in history to pick a single barrel of Pappy Van Winkle 15.

Show Notes:

• How a passion for bottle shares, charity picks, and barrel hunting birthed Nashville Barrel Company.
• Early sourcing realities: broker blunders, mismatched samples, and launching with rye instead of bourbon.
• Pivoting during COVID from third-party co-packers to brick-and-mortar locations in Nashville and Louisville.
• The strategy behind building a brand on cask-strength single barrels and authentic community trust over gimmicks.
• Inside NBC’s special releases, including a Pappy 15 single barrel, “The Compromise” blend, and their VIP club.

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Is the classic “unicorn” whiskey officially dead, or is the market just finally giving us what we’ve been asking for? On this edition of the Bourbon Community Roundtable, our panel is breaking down how 2026 is shaping up in the world of whiskey releases. With older age statements hitting shelves, pricing pressure mounting, and an avalanche of finishes and experimental wood treatments coming from both heritage giants and craft newcomers, picking a clear bottle of the year is harder than ever. We dive into the heavy hitters and sleeper hits catching everyones attention, including the Blade & Bow 12-Year Solera, Parker’s Heritage 20th Edition, Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon, Dragon’s Milk Origin toasted and amaretto releases, Four Roses’ latest experiments, New Riff’s 6-year wheater, Old Soul’s house distillate, Leiper’s Fork’s 10-year blend, Lost Lantern’s 50-state blend, and an Angel’s Envy stout finish that surprisingly delivered. We wrap up by asking the big question: in a flatter market overflowing with high-quality, accessible bottles, what actually makes a bottle legendary today?

Show Notes:

• How 2026 compares to recent years with older age statements, pricing pressure, and fierce market competition.
• The wave of experimental finishes and wood treatments shaping consumer attention across large and craft distilleries.
• Highly anticipated releases on the panel’s radar, including Parker’s Heritage 20th Edition, Blade & Bow 12-Year Solera, and Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon.
• Standout craft and independent releases from New Riff, Dragon’s Milk, Old Soul, Leiper’s Fork, and Lost Lantern.
• The evolution of “unicorn” whiskey and whether extreme scarcity is losing its grip on the bourbon community.

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Single barrels have changed. It was once a time where it was a simple trip to a Kentucky warehouse but now it’s morphed into a tech-driven, digital community experience. On this episode, we sit down with Michael Nagdi, co-founder of The Prime Barrel, and Garry—better known as “Mr. G”—chief taster and host of the Prime Barrel Chronicles. Michael shares his journey from retail into pivoting during the pandemic, taking his traditional retail setup into an online barrel club built on Discord, education, and exclusive access. But Prime Barrel isn’t just picking regular old barrels—they’re leveraging tech like NFTs as digital membership cards and embedded NFC chips on bottles that let their club members unlock tasting notes, watch videos from the pick, and even provide that information back to distilleries for real-time data on where bottles are actually being opened and enjoyed.

Show Notes:

• Behind the scenes of building The Prime Barrel and pivoting from retail to an online-first model during COVID.
• How Discord and digital access transformed a local bottle-picking group into a thriving nationwide community.
• Using NFTs and NFC-chipped bottles to unlock exclusive tasting notes, videos, and real-time consumer data.
• Mr. G’s journey into bourbon, selecting barrels for diverse palates, and hosting the Prime Barrel Chronicles.
• Current market trends: high age statements, the shift away from finished whiskeys, and upcoming distillery experiments.

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In this episode, we’re bringing you live, boots-on-the-ground coverage directly from the Pursuit Spirits booth at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown. This action-packed compilation captures the energy, debates, and dynamic voices shaping modern whiskey culture. We kick off by tackling the push-and-pull between digital marketing, detailed tasting notes, and the essential trust built through live tastings. From there, we explore how fresh, diverse perspectives are breaking traditional industry molds, why balance and distillate quality beat arbitrary age statement numbers every time, and how tight-knit communities keep enthusiasts connected beyond the bottle. Plus, we throw down in a live debate comparing the innovation of craft distillers against the scale of heritage titans, and wrap up with a look at how social algorithms, hype, and online content creators drive today’s bourbon market. Pour yourself a drink and experience the best of the festival floor with us!

Show Notes:

• Live coverage directly from the Pursuit Spirits booth at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown.
• The balance between digital marketing, detailed tasting notes, and building trust through live tastings.
• How fresh, diverse voices and perspectives are reshaping traditional whiskey culture.
• Why distillate quality and overall balance matter far more than age statements.
• The role of tight-knit communities in keeping whiskey enthusiasts connected beyond the bottle.
• A live debate comparing the innovation of craft distillers against the scale of heritage brands.
• How social media algorithms, hype, and online content creators drive today’s bourbon market.

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What does it take to pivot from selling the hottest consumer tech of the early 2000s into leading, not one but two, distilleries? Today’s guest is Luis Gonzalez. We’ve known Luis on our first trip out to Old Elk and he forever made an impression on us. If you’ve ever heard Ryan say “sanity over vanity” this the guy that shared that wisdom. Luis has an interesting journey of starting in mall kiosks selling BlackBerry before making his way to executive status at OtterBox and got the call to help build Old Elk from the ground up. His next big move is now stepping into the Chief Commercial Officer role at Middle West Spirits in Columbus, Ohio after the acquisition of Old Elk. For nearly two years, Middle West has been quietly operating in custom contract distilling, aging, and bottling behind the scenes. We talk about how Luis manages massive inventory networks, maintain transparency with customers, and how to avoid the race-to-the-bottom price wars. Plus, we get into how Middle West is already distilling Old Elk’s custom mash bills and what the future holds for all their brands.

Show Notes:

• How a career-ending baseball injury led Luis from Baton Rouge to consumer tech sales at BlackBerry and OtterBox
• Building Old Elk from the ground up and mastering the long-term lead times required in whiskey forecasting
• Transitioning to Middle West Spirits as Chief Commercial Officer and managing commercial operations across multiple facilities
• The hidden power of contract distilling and how Middle West has quietly served the industry for nearly two years
• How Middle West manages inventory, warehouse operations, and custom mash bills while avoiding price wars
• What the transition of Old Elk mash bills to Ohio means for transparency, blending, and future releases

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On this week’s Bourbon Community Roundtable, our panel is tackling two massive seismic shockwaves rattling the very foundation of the spirits world. We jump straight into the first major headline: the shocking closure of Moonshine University. We break down what losing a premier educational hub like the Stave & Thief Society means for the future of spirits education, and whether this shutdown is the ultimate canary in the coal mine for a slowing craft distillery boom.

Then, we turn our attention to the absolute biggest story in spirits retail: distributor giant RNDC filing for Chapter 11 bankruptcy and winding down operations. We unpack the domino effect of major supplier exits, razor-thin middle-tier margins, and unpaid invoices, analyzing the devastating fallout for small craft brands fighting for local liquor store shelf space. Finally, we throw down over what this massive distributor consolidation actually means for the three-tier system—debating whether this crisis will finally force lawmakers to rethink direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping laws, or if we’re simply watching a maturing bourbon market undergo a painful, necessary contraction.

Show Notes:

• The closure of Moonshine University: What losing a premier distilling school means for the spirits industry
• Assessing the value of bourbon certifications: Essential career springboard or mostly symbolic status?
• Unpacking RNDC’s Chapter 11 filing: Supplier exits, thin margins, and the winding down of a middle-tier giant
• The ripple effect on small brands: Shelf space access, unpaid invoices, and the future of three-tier distribution
• Will distributor consolidation accelerate the push for direct-to-consumer (DTC) shipping legislation?
• State of the bourbon market: Reading the room on consumer demand amid industry contraction and adjustments

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A few years ago I was given a bottle by Dr. Pat Heist and it made me say Nevada bourbon? And today, we get to hear the story of Frey Ranch with Colby and Ashley Frey. They turned a multi-generational agriculture operation into one of the most respected craft distilleries in the country. Long before the whiskeys, Colby was growing wheat, rye, barley, and corn in the high desert of Fallon, Nevada. Colby takes us through those early days of battline state legislation and assembling their custom Vendome hybrid still system. Meanwhile, Ashley walks us through crafting the brand’s packaging, and if you own a bottle you know how heavy the glass bottle and and topper are. But there’s a deeper meaning to it and I won’t spoil it for you. From meeting in college to balancing rural farm life, raising a family, and navigating the operational pressures of scaling a modern brand, Colby and Ashley give us an inside look at how they divide responsibilities, manage controlled expansion, and roll out their latest releases.

Show Notes:

• How generations of Nevada agriculture paved the way for a 100% estate-grown, grain-to-glass whiskey operation
• The early legal and legislative battles required to make craft distilling legal in the state of Nevada
• Designing and assembling a hybrid Vendome still system to achieve both high-volume output and maximum flavor control
• The story behind Ashley’s farm-inspired bottle design, including the iconic bolt topper and belt-buckle label
• How Colby and Ashley divide leadership responsibilities while raising a family on a working rural ranch
• Scaling the brand intentionally, expanding into new markets, and what to expect from their upcoming rye releases

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When your entire professional life revolves around premium spirits, late-night industry events, and endless barrel selections, the lines between work and life don’t just get blurry—they can completely disappear. The bourbon lifestyle promises a lot of camaraderie and incredible pours, but what does it actually cost your health, your calendar, and your family dinner table?

On this week’s episode Fred and I sit down for a deeply personal conversation about balancing bourbon with the reality of raising kids. We’re not going to be hitting on tasting notes or anything like that but it’s a look into our personal lives of school, sports, tracking timeboxes on a calendar, and trying to stay present for our kids as they grow up.

Show Notes:

• Navigating school forms and schedule shifts while managing a global spirits brand
• The hidden physical toll of the whiskey trail: Managing sleep, health, and late-night industry expectations
• Kenny’s calendar timeboxing strategy for forcing boundaries between work and family
• Tasting vs. Consuming: Deconstructing moderation and the critical importance of drinking with intent
• Radical transparency: How Fred and his wife talk to their sons about alcohol, driving, and fentanyl
• Using the grueling discipline of youth wrestling to foster positive peer groups and work ethic
• The hidden financial trap of trying to turn a personal bourbon collection into a media business
• The reality of tax write-offs, charity auctions, and the true cost of over-collecting
• A definitive look at long-term responsibility, family support systems, and the power of being present

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