Bourbon Pursuit

Bourbon Pursuit

The Official Podcast of Bourbon! The best in news, reviews and interviews with people making the bourbon whiskey industry happen. Join hosts Kenny Coleman, Ryan Cecil, and Fred Minnick as they talk with prominent guests and provide insight on American whiskey 3 times a week. Catch all new episodes every Thursday with special Whiskey Quickie reviews on Tuesday and get caught up on bourbon news with This Week in Bourbon on Friday.

  1. 2d ago

    Living In A Post Distillation World with Monica Wolf of The Blending House

    The first time we had our guest on the show, we barely scratched the surface of what she has going on with the industry. It was more of a moment to remember her dad, Richard Wolf, and his impact on the industry. But now Monica is back and with a new last name of Wolf-Brown. We talk about some personal milestones before diving into how she built The Blending House in Shelby County. Monica about the state-of-the-art facility featuring a massive blending floor, seven custom rickhouses, and complete turnkey logistics for growing brands. Monica shares her take on how American whiskey's view of blending compares to scotch, wine, and coffee which leads into her latest Shang project. A cross-cultural collaboration with Whiskey House and True Essence that combines Chinese baijiu with American sorghum whiskey aged in oak. Show Notes: Monica Wolf-Brown returns to share updates on family life, motherhood, and how her father's legacy continues to shape her career in the bourbon industry. Monica details the origin of The Blending House in Shelby County, built to solve storage, blending, and bottling challenges for independent brands. The episode explores the facility's single-species yellow pine rickhouse engineering and its versatile bottling line designed for various bottle formats. Monica breaks down her blending partnerships with clients like E.J. Curley and Jack Rose while comparing American blending traditions to scotch, wine, and coffee. The conversation covers the Shang project, an innovative collaboration with Whiskey House and True Essence Foods blending Chinese baijiu and American sorghum whiskey. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  2. Sep 24

    MGP vs Their Own Customers & What's Hotter? NDPs or Big Distillers on Bourbon Community Roundtable #123

    What happens when the biggest distilling powerhouse behind the scenes decides to step into the spotlight and release whiskey under its own name? On this edition of the Bourbon Community Roundtable, the crew kicks things off by celebrating a massive milestone—our very own Fred Minnick being inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame. After raising a glass to the iconic ceremony, national coverage, and the community that made it happen, the panel dives headfirst into one of the most controversial moves in the spirits industry today: MGP dropping its flagship Chapter One 10-year, 111-proof straight bourbon. We debate whether the distilling titan is directly competing against the very NDP customers who built its reputation, if everyday consumers will even recognize the brand, and what happens when the ultimate supplier becomes a frontline producer. The conversation quickly expands into a high-stakes clash between massive legacy distillers and nimble, enthusiast-led brands. The panel breaks down why independent bottlers and craft innovators are constantly outmaneuvering corporate giants by moving faster, cutting through red tape, and listening directly to what whiskey drinkers want. We trace the complete lifecycle of a modern bourbon enthusiast—from hunting allocated unicorns to returning to reliable everyday pours—while debating direct-to-consumer clubs, barrel pick culture, and whether the market has reached a tipping point for craft saturation. Wrapping up with a look at why fan-first entrepreneurs continue to dominate the modern whiskey space, this is an unfiltered, deep-dive discussion on the shifting power dynamics of American whiskey. Show Notes: The panel debates MGP releasing its own 10-year 111-proof bourbon and whether the distilling giant is directly competing with its own NDP clients. The crew compares how nimble enthusiast-led brands outpace slow corporate heritage distillers by reacting faster to consumer demand. The discussion examines the evolving lifecycle of bourbon drinkers, from hunting allocated bottles back to appreciating value and everyday pours. The group wraps up by analyzing direct-to-consumer clubs, barrel picks, and whether the enthusiast market can sustain the surge of new brands. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

  3. Sep 18

    TWiB: Southern Glazer’s to pay a 12.5M penalty, More Canadian liquor tariffs, Booker’s Bourbon The Reserves 2026

    It's This Week in Bourbon for September 18th 2026. Southern Glazer’s Wine and Spirits will pay a 12.5M penalty, More tariffs and bans of canadian liquor into the US, and Booker’s Bourbon The Reserves 2026 and Little Book The Infinite, Edition III.Show Notes: Kentucky Bourbon Festival announces dates for 2027 event in Bardstown Evan Williams expands college football presence with tailgates and collegiate bottles Bluegrass Distillers launches quarterly Bottle Club membership program Southern Glazer's pays $12.5M penalty to resolve federal trade practice investigation President Trump announces plans to remove 10% tariff on Irish whiskey Crown Royal avoids Canadian spirit import ban via bulk shipping strategy Shady Rays and Pappy & Co collaborate on limited-edition sunglasses and giveaway Charlotte Bourbon Society announces 9th Annual Bourbon Hearts Dinner Benefit Mark Pringle releases The Whiskey Taster's Flavor Guide reference book MGP debuts Chapter One 10-Year Straight Bourbon as flagship brand Neeley Family Distillery debuts PaPaw’s Legacy Reserve 10-Year Triple Pot-Stilled Bourbon Koopers Whiskey releases repackaged Prodigal Son Bourbon for Bourbon Heritage Month Breckenridge Distillery debuts Broncos-themed commemorative whiskey lineup and seltzer Joseph Magnus returns to rye whiskey with 10 Year Cask Strength release Penelope Bourbon releases Cigar Sessions Chapter 2 in collaboration with Alec Bradley Buffalo Trace and Van Winkle announce 2026 Van Winkle Whiskey Collection lineup Wilderness Trail debuts exclusive whiskeys for Hall of Fame induction of co-founders Angel's Envy announces Cellar Collection Volume 6 Straight Rye Whiskey release Ingram Distillery debuts Batch 6 of river-aged Flagship Kentucky Straight Bourbon Buffalo Trace debuts Elmer T. Lee 40th Anniversary Edition uncut bourbon Brother Justus Whiskey Company releases Brother Justus Founder’s Reserve IV The Maven Distillery launches flagship 104-proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Garrison Brothers announces Hye tailgate event featuring 2 new cask-strength single barrels Beam Distilling announces Booker’s Bourbon The Reserves 2026 and Little Book Infinite III Knob Creek introduces 12 Year Old Cask Strength Kentucky Straight Bourbon Jack Daniel’s launches Tennessee Blackberry mixed with Lemonade canned cocktail Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    TWiB: Southern Glazer’s to pay a 12.5M penalty, More Canadian liquor tariffs, Booker’s Bourbon The Reserves 2026
  4. Sep 17

    PursuitPalooza 2026 AMA Part 2

    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. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

4.8
out of 5
930 Ratings

About

The Official Podcast of Bourbon! The best in news, reviews and interviews with people making the bourbon whiskey industry happen. Join hosts Kenny Coleman, Ryan Cecil, and Fred Minnick as they talk with prominent guests and provide insight on American whiskey 3 times a week. Catch all new episodes every Thursday with special Whiskey Quickie reviews on Tuesday and get caught up on bourbon news with This Week in Bourbon on Friday.

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