The Official Podcast of Bourbon
This is a question that has plagued me for quite some time and it was inspired by my wife. Ryan and I continuously evaluate brands as we compare what works and what doesn't when it comes to consumers. We get caught in this trap of continually pivoting as we see other brands catch fire because of a bottle design or some element. So my wife asked me, Kenny, are you are whiskey company or a marketing company? It caught me off guard and I really had to think about the broader landscape so I wanted to make an episode where we talk about what it takes to be a whiskey company versus a marketing company. There's probably a lot of brands out there that think of themselves as a whiskey company but in reality they are a marketing company. Here's the thing, there's no wrong answer. Marketing plays a crucial role in whiskey and it could be the marketing that's in your face through point of sale, it could be bottle shapes, or even the lack of marketing to keep the mystique alive. I thoroughly enjoyed this conversation and it probably requires us to hit this topic again in the future if you send us your feedback.
Show Notes:
Whenever you get into a hobby that involved enthusiasts and collecting, there are trends that begin to appear. Allocations, raffles, lotteries, fakes, these are things that become common. One of those hobbies that has quite a few parallels is sneakers. Matt Kusek is a certified whiskey enthusiasts as a write for Malt Review but he's also the host of the Swoosh Life podcast that focuses on sneaker heads. He joins the show to give us an insight into how the shoe game and bourbon have so many similarities that, in Matt's words, sneakers are 20 years ahead of bourbon. We dive into the types of collectors, brands, sales, allocation, and so much more. If sneakers are really 20 years ahead of bourbon, who knows what the next few years has in store for us.
Show Notes:
You hear us talk about dusty bourbon on the show too often. We keep beating that dead horse because it's a chance to drink history and have a completely different whiskey than what's in the bottle today. Vintage spirits are on the rise and have gone from an underground enthusiast crowd into the mainstream. Aaron Goldfarb is a distinguished author and he joins the show to talk about his new book titled Dusty Booze. This books has a storyline with finding a dusty goldmine but goes into the story of decanters, minis, and the hunt for rare bottles. It's now available on Amazon and lots of different outlets.
Show Notes:
Subscribe to Behind The Pursuit: From Bourbon to Brand
Stemming from the episode of the Bourbon Pursuit podcast with John Foster of Ragged Branch, today's episode comes from a few listeners of the show, Todd and David, as Kenny discusses the process of choosing distributors specifically for Pursuit Spirits. We touch on topics such as the three-tier distribution system, the role of distributors in the industry, and the challenges of market launches and incentives. We also share experiences with different distributors and the importance of building relationships in the industry. Kenny discusses the challenges of managing skew sprawl and UPCs in the bourbon industry. He explains how Pursuit Spirits aims to strike a balance between batch uniqueness and consumer familiarity. He also shares advice for those starting in the industry, emphasizing the importance of education and consulting. He explores different distribution models and the goals brands may have, whether it's long-term brand building or rapid expansion... but where is Pursuit in all of this?
We hit on:
and much more.
Be sure to visit pursuitspirits.com and click on Visit Us to book a tasting or barrel selection experience. For questions or topic requests on upcoming episodes, email us at [email protected].
The past few weeks there have been lots of speculation about non distilling producers, or known as NDPs, being able to survive. The market has shifted and there are images of sourced brands that have prices slashed on shelves along with others having their facilities up for sale. This makes us wonder what is in store for the remainder of the year. We talk about what makes NDPs special and how every big distillery was also a NDP at one point as well. There's also a message coming directly from Barrell Bourbon about their current listings.
Show Notes:
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