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?

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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!

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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.

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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?

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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.

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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

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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?

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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?

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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

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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

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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?

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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

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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.

1. Give us your bourbon story.
2. Before we dive into the ins and outs of technicalities of barrel char. give us a history lesson about where we are.
3. So this is my first encounter being at a cooperage. give me the 101
4. We saw one barrel that was cross cut. Talk about that.
5. What’s the average number of discarded barrels that don’t meet some sort of quality assurance?
6. Talk about char levels for a bit because it’s something that is always said, but never really explained about in depth.
7. Is the barrel making process getting more expensive on a yearly basis because of demand and material supply?
8. 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
9. 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?

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