Bourbon Pursuit

Today, we are bringing you the final installment of our live Pursuit Palooza AMA session with myself and my co-founder, Ryan Cecil. We kick off by tackling the business realities of the RTD boom, exploring why entering the canned cocktail market is a completely different beast than aging bourbon in a barrel—from short shelf-life stability issues and massive R&D costs to navigating shelf space in a crowded market. We also pull back the curtain on our sourcing philosophy at Pursuit Spirits, breaking down why we lean on established legacy producers over unpredictable craft profiles to build consumer trust. From there, things get wild as we reminisce about the weirdest tasting notes we've ever pulled—think peanut butter and jelly, peach rings, and Grandma's candy jar—before diving into the strict legalities of TTB labeling for finished bourbons and "straight" designations. 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 the wild, unfiltered Palooza memories from over the years—including EDM table service, lost keys, and keeping each other out of trouble. Plus, we debate the real impact of celebrity brands, call out overhyped trends like hazmat-proof bottles, and share which historical figures—from George Garvin Brown to President Taft—we'd choose to sit down and share a pour with.

Frank August Case Study 07 takes a Kentucky bourbon and rye blend and finishes it in Calvados, Martinique rum, and Caribbean rum casks.

The KY ABC is going to be auctioning off rare bottles of confiscated bourbon, The New Era Whiskey Distillery and Social Club has opened in Lexington KY, and Heaven Hill announces 20th Edition Parker’s Heritage Collection.

Today, we are bringing you a full-access pass to the Pursuit Palooza 2026 AMA session recorded live with myself and my co-founder, 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 share these pours with the community rather than let good whiskey sit on a shelf. From there, we dive into the sticky topic of transparency in bourbon 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? Finally, we tackle the technical production realities, the brutal lessons we learned about marketing, packaging, and the three-tier system when launching Pursuit Spirits, and the industry's hidden gems—including underrated distilleries like Tennessee Distilling Group and Woodinville. We close out with a look at organic grain challenges, memorable Palooza horror stories, and what we'd pick for our absolute death row meal and whiskey pairing.

Maker’s Mark Star Hill Farm 2026 brings big ice cream shop vibes with cherry cordial, vanilla custard, waffle cone, and a gooey cherry syrup finish.