On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Puncher’s Chance The Unified Belt. This non-age stated whiskey is 96 proof and $150 MSRP. Let us know what you think. Cheers!

DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.

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It’s This Week in Bourbon for June 13th 2024. James B. Beam Distilling Co. announces several new visitor experiences, Widow Jane releases Baby Jane, and Angel’s Envy releases a Cask Strength Bottled in Bond non finished bourbon.

Show Notes:

• Nancy Fraley talks cigar blend fact checks
• Whiskey & Wealth Club absolved of accusations
• James B. Beam Distilling Co. announces several new visitor experiences
• Widow Jane releases Baby Jane
• Blue Run Flight Series II
• Old Forester President’s Choice
• Woodford Reserve Father’s Day
• Angel’s Envy releases a Cask Strength Bottled in Bond non finished bourbon
• @nancyfraley @beamdistilling @widowjane @bluerunspirits @oldforester @woodfordreserve @angelsenvy
• Support this podcast on Patreon

The barrel is where the magic happens and it takes years for your whiskey to achieve it’s optimal flavor. Most of us are familiar with the standard american white oak barrel with a char 4. Yet, there are hundreds, if not, thousands of combinations that go into creating a barrel from the wood species, stave seasoning, char, toasting and how it ages based on location in a geography or a floor in a warehouse. There’s one guy that does all this research and that’s Andrew Wiehebrink from Independent Stave. This is his third time on the show and this time he brings different aging experiments for us to taste through. We taste the same whiskey from different levels of a warehouse and even the same american single malt aged in texas and scotland. We also dive into the state of the barrel shortage, our shared distain of amburana, the shift to char 1, and what new innovations are coming from the barrel and oak alternative market.

Show Notes:

• Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about will today’s bottles be a new dusty.
• Talk about what stave seasoning does for the whiskey
• Why does Kentucky have more extraction than Texas?
• What does elevation from levels on a warehouse do to the aging process?
• How often do you revisit experiments?
• Does the mashbill make a difference to your experiments?
• Would American Single Malt make more sense to use new vs used barrels?
• What did the location differences for American Single Malt experiments make?
• Has the barrel shortage been resolved?
• Do you research the human element and what consumers are looking for in taste?
• What do you think of Amburana and exotic wood species?
• How are you smoking barrels?
• Why is Char 1 creating a darker whiskey and are there diminishing returns?
• Does pot vs column still play a role?
• Where are oak alternatives heading?
• How do you design a barrel correctly for double oaking?
• Support this podcast on Patreon

On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Hayner Path of Totality Bourbon. This 10 year old bourbon is 100 proof and $90 MSRP. Let us know what you think. Cheers!

DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.

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It’s This Week in Bourbon for June 7th 2024. A new record for the highest price bourbon bottle ever sold at auction, Chicken Cock Whiskey has announced the grand opening of its brand home, Circa 1856, and Green River Launches Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

Show Notes:

• Breaking Bourbon turns 10
• Camp Runamok for 2024
• H.K. Young Bourbon Co launch
• Peg Leg Porker Spirits blending and bottling facility
• Ross and Squibb Distillery announced enhancements to their barrel program
• Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) fines 5 retailers for illegal shipping
• Diageo vs W.J. Deutsch & Sons is over
• Chicken Cock Whiskey has announced Circa 1856
• RECORD BREAKING SALE
• Curry’s Gentleman’s Cut is releasing a 15-year-old straight bourbon whiskey branded Player Exclusive
• Heaven Hill B524 of Elijah Craig and Larceny
• Knob Creek 10 Year Old Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
• Bear Fight Kentucky Reserve
• Frank August partners with Jane Bowie and Denny Potter
• Rebel 10-Year Single Barrel Bourbon
• Buckner’s 17
• Lost Lantern is release nine whiskies
• Barrell Bourbon Batch 036
• FEW Smashing Pumpkins Bourbon
• Green River Full Proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon
• @breakingbourbon @camp_runamok @h.@k.@youngbourbonco @peglegporker @rossandsquibb @chickencockwhiskey @unicorn_auction @stephencurry30 @heavenhillbrands @elijahcraig @larcenybourbon @knobcreek @bearfightwhiskey @thefrankaugust @rebelbourbon @augustakydistillery @lostlanternwhiskey @barrellbourbon @fewspirits @smashingpumpkins @greenriverdistillingco
• Support this podcast on Patreon

Most of us scoff at celebrity whiskey because let’s be honest, most celebrities don’t care as much about the product as they do sales. But on a past whiskey quickie we reviewed Whiskey JYPSI and that one changed our mind. It wasn’t until we started diving into it that we discovered Ari Sussman. He’s a whiskey maker for many brands like Whiskey JYPSI, Three Chord, and Mammoth Distilling, but his history with spirits will fascinate you. He’s truly a student of the art where he spent years overseas bartending, discovered vintage cocktail books, and was an integral part of the first ever university distilling program at Michigan State. We talk to Ari about his past and then dive into the Whiskey JYPSI brand and how Eric Church and himself are trying to change the face of celebrity booze.

Show Notes:

• Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about finding better bourbon in the Netherlands.
• How did you get to this point in your career?
• What old school cocktails and liqueurs fascinated you?
• Were you trying to use the University of Michigan distilling program to innovate new things?
• Can you talk about blending 50ml bottles?
• What brands did you help build?
• Why would a company want to ghost blend?
• How did you get hooked up with Whiskey JYPSI?
• Why is this celebrity brand different than others?
• How have you added in Canadian whiskey and light whiskey into a blend?
• What do you feel is more innovative in world whiskey that’s not happening in American whiskey?
• Why are you trying to be different in this celebrity world?
• Why JYPSI?
• Support this podcast on Patreon

On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Town Branch Straight Rye Whiskey. This non-age stated rye whiskey is 100 proof and $55 MSRP. Let us know what you think. Cheers!

DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.

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We’re back with Bourbon Community Roundtable #94 and this one takes a single subject but it spins off into another. 2024 has seen the decline in whiskey sales and 2025 forecasts don’t look much better. So have we finally eclipsed the peak of bourbon? A few years ago, there was a flourishing secondary market, droves of new people getting into the hobby, more options on the shelf, and massive expansions from all the big player. We’ve talked about this being a side-effect of the COVID boom but we also saw american whiskey get into more gimmicks and inflated prices. But we all still need the category to grow, so what’s it going to take to reinvigorate more people to get into bourbon?

Show Notes:

• Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about documentaries on other spirits.
• Have we eclipsed the bourbon peak?
• What can be done to make it just as popular again?
• Support this podcast on Patreon

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On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review High Bank Distillery Whiskey War Double Double. This 5 year old whiskey is 116 proof and $100 MSRP. Let us know what you think. Cheers!

DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.

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It’s This Week in Bourbon for May 24th 2024. The maker of Ozempic is investigating its effect on desire to drink alcohol. Woodford Reserve releases Toasted Bourbon, and the oldest Beam bourbon ever bottled will be an astounding 20 years old.

Show Notes:

• Howler Head continues as the Official Flavored Whiskey of UFC
• The maker of Ozempic is investigating its effect on desire to drink alcohol
• US government dietary guidelines may say that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption
• Uncle Nearest acquires Square One Organic Spirits
• Burton James Uniquely American Whiskey Single Barrel Selection – Wheated Bourbon
• Woodford Reserve releases Toasted Bourbon
• The oldest Beam bourbon ever bottled will be an astounding 20 years old
• @howlerheadwhiskey @ufc @unclenearest @squareoneorganicspirits @burtonjameswhiskey @woodfordreserve @beamdistilling @jimbeamofficial
• Support this podcast on Patreon

Many of us make pivots in our career. I had my own where I had really was focused on networking in tech early on but then after I did my first presentation to a room of 500 people, I discovered I really liked it and found a new role in technical marketing. Our guest has a similar story where he wanted to get into distilling, made a successful gin brand then tried to build a whiskey brand, but realized how hard it was and thought, how can I get more people to try our products? And that’s how Whiskey Riot was born. Bobby Finan is the Founder and Organizer of Whiskey Riot Festivals across the country and we get into his past of getting into the distilling business and how he took on personal debt to hold his position at his first company and launch Whiskey Riot simultaneously. Now Whiskey Riot is expanding to more cities so if you’re looking for a new event to attend, put this one on your list.

Show Notes:

• Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about distilleries creating music halls.
• Before there was a festival, you had your own brand and forged your way into spirits early on.
• When you wanted to start a distillery did you have a business plan?
• What was it about your Tommy Rotter gin that really took off?
• Why didn’t your whiskey business ever take off?
• Did you think you could make people come to you instead of going out to stores?
• How were you funding Whiskey Riot?
• What was your return on investment for a typical event?
• How do you evaluate a city for a new festival?
• Why would a legacy brand vs a new brand want to go to whiskey fest?
• Support this podcast on Patreon

On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Bernheim Barrel Proof Wheat Whiskey Batch A224. This 7-9 year old whiskey is 125 proof and $65 MSRP. Let us know what you think. Cheers!

DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.

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It’s This Week in Bourbon for May 17th 2024. Four Roses introduces two new bourbon mash bills, New Riff Distilling has announced the dual release of Ol’ New Riff, and Bardstown Bourbon Company’s award-winning Collaborative Series will debut The Amrut Collaborative Series.

Show Notes:

• Chet Zoeller passes away at 83 years old
• Alex Castle joins Augusta Distillery as Master Distiller
• Four Roses introduces two new bourbon mash bills
• Oregon Department of Justice wrapped up
• Nelson Brothers Honey Cask Finish
• Spring 2024 edition of Old Fitzgerald
• 15 STARS Vino de Naranja
• Whiskey JYPSI Legacy Batch 002 The Alchemist
• Kentucky Senator Bourbon 5th Release
• Michter’s 10 Year Kentucky Straight Rye
• Weller Millennium
• Ol’ New Riff
• Milam & Greene Bottled in Bond
• Frey Ranch Wheat Whiskey Single Barrel
• RD1 Spirits wood-finished bourbon flight
• Little Book Chapter 8 Path Not Taken
• Oak & Eden Bourbon and Amburana
• Bardstown Bourbon Company The Amrut Collaborative Series
• @fourrosesbourbon @augusta_distiller @augustakydistillery @nelsonsgreenbrier @heavenhillbrands @whiskeyhypsi @michterswhiskey @kentuckysenatorbourbon @newriff @milamandgreene @freyranchdistillery @rd1spirits @beamgeneration8 @oakandeden @bardstownbourbonco @amrutmalt
• Support this podcast on Patreon

If you can recall your childhood, you probably remember your Dad being there but you may never have appreciated the life lessons you were taught until you got much older. And when you have kids, maybe that’s the reason you start drinking bourbon. Both of these are reasons our guest today decided to call his brand Fathertime Bourbon. Jim Gaffigan needs no introduction because we’ve all laughed at his jokes throughout the years. Family life is a facet of his standup, and food obviously, but Jim loves to say the things we’re all thinking and it’s what has made him so successful in his comedic career. Jim Gaffigan joins the show to talk about how he made the switch from beer to bourbon and what drew him in to becoming a bourbon connoisseur or as he likes to call it, a professional alcoholic. From there we dive into his new brand of Fathertime Bourbon and what it meant to incorporate generations of his family and his comedic focus into the story and design.

Show Notes:

• Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about proofing whiskey and adding water at home.
• Can you recall a good college story with Stu Pollard?
• What made you want to go down the path of being a professional alcoholic?
• Did you find any correlation between picking barrels and your comedic routines?
• Did you have the natural progression from mixing to neat?
• Did you try and buy the rarest stuff right away or look for everyday items?
• How is bourbon perceived in your circles?
• Were there anything obvious or strange about bourbon that you discovered?
• Are you finding yourself traveling to whiskey bars now?
• How involved were you with the bottle design?
• What tips do you have for signing bottles and not letting your hands get tired?
• How did you script the social media launch for the brand?
• What easter eggs did you hide in the label?
• Is there a statement or impact you want to make with this brand?
• Support this podcast on Patreon

On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Whiskey JYPSI Explorer. This 6 year old bourbon is 103 proof and $70 MSRP. Let us know what you think. Cheers!

DISCLAIMER: The whiskey in this review was provided to us at no cost courtesy of the spirit producer. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is our honest opinion based on what we tasted. Please drink responsibly.

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