It's This Week in Bourbon for October 16th, 2026. Ummmm; Wes Henderson, Uncle Nearest Inc. is nearing a potential asset sale, and Pursuit Releases XS Double Oak.

Show Notes:

• Glenns Creek Distillery fire destroys historic vacant structures without loss of spirits
• Federal probe examines hidden cameras seized from former Angel’s Envy founder Wes Henderson
• Receivership sale of Uncle Nearest assets nears Chapter 11 filing amid federal probes
• ACSA economic study shows U.S. craft spirits volume declined 8% in 2025
• Performance fuel maker VP Racing acquires Alamo Distilling in contract expansion
• JetBlue adds 50ml bottles of Brother’s Bond Straight Bourbon to onboard flights
• Fourth annual National Bourbon Week announced for Bardstown, Kentucky, June 14–20, 2027
• Lofted Spirits promotes Nick Smith to Master Distiller following 1,000,000th barrel milestone
• Pursuit Spirits announces Pursuit United XS Double Oak Rye capped at 720 bottles
• Starlight Distillery debuts Estate Collection 7-Year Cask Strength Bourbon at 110.8 proof
• Woodford Reserve releases 30th anniversary Triple Pot Still and ceramic decanter offerings
• Russell’s Reserve debuts Single Rickhouse 2026 – Camp Nelson D at 120.8 proof
• Maker’s Mark debuts World Wood Collection Expedition 01 travel-retail exclusive at 101 proof
• High West releases A Midwinter Night’s Dram Act 14 finished in Port and Sherry casks
• Kentucky Senator Bourbon debuts Thoroughbred Legacy Series dedicated to champion filly Nitrogen
• KNOBEL Tennessee Whiskey launches 7-Year Special Edition funding trade scholarships at $99.99
• Frey Ranch introduces Harvester Series Third Harvest featuring farm-grown triticale at 90 proof
• Old Forester debuts Tribute Series 12-Year Bourbon in historic decanter bottle for $299.99
• Wyoming Whiskey launches Queen of the Tetons Second Edition honoring Grizzly 399 at 99 proof

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Some stories are as old as time. A few friends get together, pick a few barrels, then all of a sudden it turns into full blown business. It kind of sounds familiar but I'm not talking about Pursuit, I'm talking about Shortbarrel. In this episode Clinton Dugan and Manny, co-founders at Shortbarrel talk about starting their company after selecting hundreds of barrels across the country. Clinton leveraged his marketing background and self-taught blending skills to focus on the consumer market rather than personal ego. They talk about how warehouse microclimates, high heat, and Kelvin Cooperage barrels shape core lineups like their toasted bourbon, rye, four-grain, Bee's Knees and Sapsquatch expressions. At the very end we talk about industry collaborations like our Found Footage that has now been sold out to our clubs plus scaling into major hubs like Atlanta airport tasting bars, and why staying authentic keeps Shortbarrel ahead of the curve.

Show Notes:

• The team sits down with Short Barrel co-founder Clinton and sales head Manny to discuss the brand's evolution from barrel picks to a full-scale whiskey company.
• Clinton shares how a marketing background and self-funded growth strategy helped shape Short Barrel's methodical distribution expansion.
• The team explores core product development, warehouse aging impacts, Kelvin Cooperage barrels, and blends designed specifically for consumer palates.
• The conversation details the creation of the Bee's Knees honey-finished series and the team's approach to using honey as a core flavor ingredient.
• Clinton and Manny discuss clear spirits offerings, airport tasting bar expansions, and their collaborative release with Pursuit Spirits.

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Parker’s Heritage 2026 brings a 14 year barrel proof bourbon with a rye backset twist. Cherry limeade, brownie batter, fudge, and rich Heaven Hill oak make this one feel like a return to form.

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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How many times have you reached for a bottle on the shelf simply because the glass looked incredible or the label caught your eye? At Pursuit Spirits, we talk endlessly about what goes inside the barrel, but the multi-million dollar engineering and design process that gets that liquid onto the shelf is an entire science of its own. Today, we’re sitting down with Andrés Hernandez of Fusion Glass Mexico and Chad Michael of Chad Michael Studio to talk about custom bottles from engineering, designed, and evenutally going to market. Andrés has the factor that specializes in 100% PCR (post-consumer recycled) glass that gives their glass a certain rustic appeal. But that process has to managing extreme temperatures, color formulation, and structural tolerances from the designer. That's where Chad comes in. He's the creative guy that can turn an idea on the back of a napkin into a bottle that looks like artwork. He spends his time understanding the brand DNA and translating that into one of a kind package design. This is an angle of the show we've never taken before and I'm sure a lot of bourbon geeks will appreciate everything that goes into the bottle you pick up off the shelf but if you're a whiskey producer looking into the custom space for something your brand can call your own, this episode is the complete package... see what I did there?

Show Notes:

• How Fusion Glass Mexico approaches sustainable glass manufacturing and 100% PCR recycled glass
• The step-by-step process of collecting, crushing, washing, and remaking recycled glass
• How high-temperature glass forming impacts bottle symmetry, wall thickness, and weight
• Chad Michael’s journey from agency design work to founding Chad Michael Studio
• Using brand story questionnaires to define brand personality before designing packaging
• Stock glass vs. bespoke custom molds: balancing cost, MOQs, and shelf presence
• When and why growing brands should transition away from stock bottles
• Technical limits of glass production: machine compatibility, GPI standards, and impact testing
• The future of whiskey packaging design: balancing creative storytelling with logical, cost-effective engineering

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Bardstown Discovery 2026 brings a new name, new bottle, and a Garryana oak double-barrel finish. Rich oak, brown butter pastry, cinnamon, nutmeg, and baking spice give this release a warm fall-inspired profile.

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 October 2nd, 2026. Scotland is experiencing a whiskey glut, Brown Forman announced the 2026 King of Kentucky, and Lost Lantern is preparing to launch its highly anticipated Fall 2026 George Dickel Collection.

Show Notes:

• Bourbon Mixer reaches $1 million raised for Coalition for the Homeless
• Scottish distilleries pause production amid massive Scotch supply surplus
• US enforces import ban on Canadian alcohol as trade tensions escalate
• Copper & Kings relaunches interactive Bottle Your Own distillery experience
• Brown-Forman announces 2026 release of 14-year King of Kentucky Single Barrel
• Lost Lantern prepares Fall 2026 launch of rare George Dickel Collection

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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.

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New Riff’s 2026 Kentucky Single Malt takes a sharp turn from bourbon with smoky, peaty, Scotch-like notes, charcoal, chocolate sweetness, and a finish that may speak more to malt fans than bourbon drinkers.

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 September 25th, 2026. The Brown Hotel is holiday cocktail competition titled "Top of the List", Eastern Light Distilling is moving forward with building a $60M distillery, and the release of Willett Pot Still Reserve Cask Strength.

Show Notes:

• The Brown Hotel hosts "Top of the List" holiday cocktail competition benefiting Toys for Tots
• Eastern Light Distilling secures $23.1M investment to build $60M contract facility in Morehead
• Willett Distillery unveils Willett Pot Still Reserve Cask Strength wheated bourbon
• B.R. Distilling Co. expands allocation for Blue Note Honey Bourbon and Rye Cask releases

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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.

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Garrison Brothers Lady Bird Cask Strength Single Barrel layers Texas bourbon with wildflower honey and cognac cask finishing. Orange blossom honey, grape, warm spice, and cinnamon candy give this pour a big, sweet, and unexpected ride.

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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