Podcasts about smooth ambler

Welcome to the daily304 – your window into Wonderful, Almost Heaven, West Virginia.   Today is Sunday, May 25, 2025  Visit Southern WV launches a trail showcasing the region's beer, wine and spirits…two West Virginia organizations receive ARC funding to support energy improvements…and the WVDNR moves its main office to the Capitol Complex…on today's daily304.   #1 – From WOAY-TV – Visit Southern West Virginia has launched the new Brews and Booze Trail.   The trail is accessible through the Brews and Booze Trail digital passport and encourages travelers and locals to visit the craft breweries, wineries, and distilleries of Southern West Virginia.  The trail features 10 participating businesses that you may already be familiar with, such as Greenbrier Valley Brewing Company and Smooth Ambler, which will offer special deals to passport holders.  Users who check in their passports while visiting businesses will earn points redeemable for prizes. Visit visitwv.com to sign up and see all the participating businesses. Read more: woay.com/visit-southern-west-virginia-launches-brews-and-booze-trail-digital-passport/   #2 – From ARC.GOV –  The Appalachian Regional Commission has  awarded nearly $4.7 million to three projects through its Appalachian Regional Energy Hub Initiative. The awards will support activities to implement a hydrogen energy hub from natural gas feedstocks in the region, as well as job training to prepare Appalachians for work in the energy industry. West Virginia award recipients were: $2,989,361 to West Virginia Region 1 & 4 Planning & Development Councils to develop a community-driven plan to accelerate a regional hydrogen hub based on natural gas and natural gas liquids. $382,335 to Marion County, West Virginia to plan for the launch of a new commercial driver license training facility for drivers of diesel and hydrogen-fueled trucks. Read more: https://www.arc.gov/news/arc-awards-nearly-4-7-million-to-support-appalachias-energy-industry-expansion/   #3 – From WVDNR – The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources has relocated its main office to the West Virginia State Capitol Complex in Charleston. The relocation strengthens the agency's ability to serve the people of West Virginia and support the state's natural resources, according to WVDNR Director Brett McMillion. The WVDNR's main office was previously located in South Charleston. Its new office is located at 112 California Avenue in Charleston.  Locations for the agency's district offices and operations center remain unchanged. For contact information for WVDNR offices around the state, visit WVdnr.gov/contact. Read more: https://wvdnr.gov/wvdnr-relocates-main-office-to-state-capitol-complex/?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0BMQABHtCtIF3nkvqUip2_bOT0b1OLafFHWlMcS2roVh1WdpurbR6qFOilQFHPfcAl_aem_OmiGkqetiwFANaU2KNb7Ig   Find these stories and more at wv.gov/daily304. The daily304 curated news and information is brought to you by the West Virginia Department of Commerce: Sharing the wealth, beauty and opportunity in West Virginia with the world. Follow the daily304 on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @daily304. Or find us online at wv.gov and just click the daily304 logo.  That's all for now. Take care. Be safe. Get outside and enjoy all the opportunity West Virginia has to offer.

Back in episode 84, we tasted and reviewed the 6 year old version of Smooth Ambler Founders' Cask Strength Bourbon. This was a brand new offering of their own distillate from a brand who built their reputation on MGP. Fast forward two years and that distillate has now turned 8 years old! For this weeks short, we revisit another batch of this bourbon which is now a little older and has a bit more proof. On the first go around, we game this a try, try, buy. What will the verdict be this time around...you'll have to listen to find out. --------------------------SocialsIG: https://www.instagram.com/themashupkyFB: https://www.facebook.com/themashupkyTW: https://twitter.com/themashupkyPartnership(s)Visit Bourbonoutfitter.com and enter code THEMASHUP for a special discount or visit bourbonoutfitter.com/THEMASHUPVisit https://woodworkcollective.shop and enter code MASHUP for a 15% discount on your orderMusic: All the Fixings by Zachariah HickmanThank you so much for listening!

Nick Papanicolaou just founded No Sleep Beverage, an innovative incubator taking minority investments in liquor brands in order to add value by combining his own entrepreneurial experience with big-company expertise,  in a unique, nimble company. Their initial portfolio includes Barr Hill Gin, Solento organic tequila and Nine Banded American whiskey. Nick previously headed up M&A at Pernod USA in the period when they acquired Del Maguey mezcal, Smooth Ambler whiskey, Castle Brands (including Gosling's rum and Jefferson's whiskey) and Monkey 47 gin, among others. We sat down to talk about if MBAs are worth it, if Big Liquor can actually innovate, if niche spirits have a shot, the role of compliance in US liquor firms, what happens after a brand gets bought, and a bunch more - enjoy!No Sleep Beverage: https://www.nosleepbeverage.com/No Sleep Beverage on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/no-sleep-beverage/Contact No Sleep Beverage: eyesopen@nosleepbeverage.com Get in touch with Duff!Podcast business enquiries: consulting@liquidsolutions.org (PR friends: we're only interested in having your client on if they can talk about OTHER things than their prepared speaking points or their new thing, whatever that is, for a few hours. They need to be able to hang. Oh, plus we don't edit, and we won't supply prepared or sample questions, or listener or “reach” stats, either.) Retain Philip's consulting firm, Liquid Solutions, specialised in on-trade engagement & education, brand creation and repositioning: philip@liquidsolutions.orgPhilip on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/philipsduff/ Philip on Facebook: Philip Duff Philip on X/Twitter: Philip Duff (@philipduff) / Twitter Philip on LinkedIn: linkedin.com Old Duff Genever on Instagram: Old Duff Genever (@oldduffgenever) • Instagram photos and videos Old Duff Genever on Facebook: facebook.com Old Duff Genever on X/Twitter: https://twitter.com/oldduff...

All Our Social Links In this episode of JB's Bible and Bourbon Talk, JB and Fancy Rob discuss how Christians should respond to the culture of outrage. They emphasize the importance of responding with grace, peace, and an overwhelming amount of love, even in the face of anger and outrage. They explore the story of Paul's missionary journey to Ephesus in Acts 19, where he faced opposition and outrage from those who were losing money due to the influence of Christianity. The hosts highlight the need for common sense, cool heads, and truth to prevail in resolving conflicts and diffusing outrage. They remind listeners that the gospel is countercultural, and that Christians should respond differently to the outrage of the culture, seeking to bring peace and love to a world easily stirred up into anger. The episode concludes with the feature pour of Old Scout Smooth Ambler store pick. Takeaways:   As Christians, we are called to respond to outrage with grace and peace, rather than joining in the anger and outrage of the culture. The gospel is countercultural and Christians should respond differently to the outrage of the culture, seeking to bring peace and love. Common sense must prevail in responding to outrage, and we should take a step back, listen, and seek to understand the root of the problem before responding. Wisdom and common sense are essential in navigating outrage and responding in a way that reflects Christ's love and grace. Studying the Bible and seeking wisdom from God is crucial in developing the ability to respond to outrage with grace and peace. Responding to outrage requires common sense, cool heads, and truth. Understanding the root of the issue is crucial in responding effectively. Jesus is the ultimate source of truth and peace. Being a peacemaker means responding to outrage in a biblical fashion. Don't judge a liquor store by its appearance; it may have hidden gems. Pours this Episode: Rebel 100 Drexel Cask Strength Port Finished Old Scout Smooth Ambler - (Featured Pour) Support us on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/JBbibleandbourbon   Support us on Patreon!

Now that we have our own bourbon with Pursuit Spirits, we're learning first hand how distributors can make or break your brand. There's a huge learning curve to understanding the lingo and just being able to communicate on the same page. But this can be maddening if you choose the wrong distributor that doesn't give you any attention and let's your brand go stale. We invited Johnny Foster to come back on the show to give us insights on how to work best with distributors. Johnny was a guest back on Episode 227 when he was a part of Smooth Ambler but now he's at Ragged Branch and leads their sales and distribution. He gives the pros and cons of selecting large versus boutique distributors, how to spend smartly on incentives, and targeted marketing funds. Ultimately though, motivating partners comes down to building authentic relationships through regular visits and communication. Show Notes: Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about the export market. What are you doing today at Ragged Branch? How do you motivate distributors without losing your damn mind? How do you tell a story and justify a higher price tag versus the big 6 staples? What can smaller distillers do to appeal to distributors? How do you guide people on choosing a distributor that is big or small? How do you spend money with a distributor through incentives and programs? What does it cost to get in-store displays? What dollar amount per case do you put towards programming? What makes a company look attractive for acquisition? What are successful methods for marketing and getting product off the shelf? Where do you put focus on chains vs independent stores? How do you protect yourself from contracts? Support this podcast on Patreon

Tasting Notes:  Not since Smooth Ambler was sending 15, 17, and 19 yr old MGP out into the world for under $100 more than a decade ago have I tasted a 15+ year old MGP, let alone a cask strength version at 98.1 proof!!! If you are planning to go out and chase Pappy and BTAC, hold up, because this year's 15yr Remus Gatsby Reserve may just be the ultimate spoiler. Nose of pure bourbon candy with complex herbs and sweet creams firing on all cylinders from the glass. On the palate, the perfect amount of old oak, dark and deepening at first with red fruit, then lifting mid-palate back to the signature sweetness and drinkability inherent in all MGP. Liquid candy corn! I never thought I'd see supply from MGP get this old again, but of course they're wanting $300 for it, but truthfully that's about exactly right in terms of price, rarity, and the market as it exists today. It's rare that a new bourbon release has an age statement this high, and even more rare when it doesn't disappoint for the price. Try one...well worth it.

Andy and Jon discuss everything Smooth Ambler!

Our guests for this episode are Smooth Ambler Founder, John Little, and Travis Hammond, Site Director and current Head Distiller. This wide-ranging conversation is one of the most open discussions we've had with a distillery.  We appreciated their openness and honesty as we discussed the evolution and future of Smooth Ambler.  We hope you enjoy!  Stream this episode on your favorite podcast app and be sure to drop us a review while you're there.  We are thankful for everyone who has supported us. A huge shoutout goes to our growing Patreon Community as well! We'd appreciate it if you can take the time to give us feedback on our podcast. If you enjoy our content, consider giving us a 5 star rating on your favorite podcast app, leave us a review, and tell a fellow bourbon lover about our show. Follow us @BourbonLens on Instagram, Facebook, & Twitter.  And please check out our Patreon to learn how you can support our endeavors, earn Bourbon Lens swag, be part of future barrel picks, and more. If you have any comments, questions, or suggestions, please email us at Info@BourbonLens.com. Check out our BourbonLens.com to read our blog posts, whiskey news, podcast archive, and details on our upcoming single barrel picks. Cheers,Scott and JakeBourbon Lens     About Smooth Ambler: In the Appalachian Mountains of West Virginia, Smooth Ambler is a craft distiller of artisan whiskies. Smooth Ambler has a family of quality wheated and rye bourbons that includes handcrafted whiskies 100% distilled and aged in West Virginia and curated blends sourced from the finest all-American whiskies. Founded in 2009 with the simple goal of producing the best whiskey possible, the brand has been part of Pernod Ricard since 2016. From the Founder, John Little: Who is crazy enough to start a whiskey company from scratch, in the hills of West Virginia, in a world filled with hundred-year-old Kentucky distilleries? Folks with a fiercely independent spirit, that's who. At Smooth Ambler, tradition isn't a recipe we follow. Our company is literal proof of solid Appalachian know-how. That's when the hard working, creative, and resourceful folks of West Virginia come together to make something beautiful (and damn good) that no one else thought possible. We didn't just set out to make award winning whiskey. We also set out to create a source of pride for West Virginians everywhere. To embrace the best of everything around us - the land, the people, and the resources – to create a business that would make a difference by providing opportunities for the people in our community. And the way we do it is simple, we do what we think is right, everyday. We don't look to see what our competitors are doing, we don't look at the past, we do it by being honest, embracing diversity, and creating relationships built on trust. It's not complicated, it's the only way we know how to do it. So yeah, we're not from Kentucky, but if you couldn't already tell, we like it that way. Because it turns out you can make bourbon in West Virginia, too. And you don't need a family name or recipe to make that award winning whiskey, you just need a fiercely independent spirit. - John Little, Founder Coverage and Show Links: Smooth Ambler Smooth Ambler: A West Virginia distillery with real spirit | Positively WV Podcasts | wvnews.com  

Have you heard the terms Bourbon and Scotch, and wondered what made them different from just saying "whiskey"? Maybe you know when each term is appropriate, but you don't know the relevant rules that makes each unique. In this episode, I break down the laws that make Bourbon whiskey, Scotch Whisky, and Irish Whiskey the awesome beverages that we all love, and do a full review of Smooth Ambler's Contradiction Bourbon.  Support the show on Patreon: patreon.com/whiskeynoobs

When Smooth Ambler opened in 2009, few envisioned the craft whiskey distillery would grow so big so fast. John Little, co-founder and whiskey maker, started the company with his father-in-law. The two had no experience with distilling, but their enthusiasm to learn, commitment to transparent labeling, and community-driven ethos has brought them success and industry-wide respect. Despite the fact that many high priced bourbons and whiskeys are older than the company itself, Smooth Ambler is a shining example of a company aligning profits and impact to achieve sustainable growth.Pour yourself a nice glass, sit back, and hit play to hear the fascinating story behind John Little and Smooth Ambler.More on Smooth Ambler:Website → https://smoothambler.com/ FaceBook → https://www.facebook.com/SmoothAmbler Instagram → https://www.instagram.com/smoothambler/ Twitter → https://twitter.com/SmoothAmbler John Little's LinkedIn → https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-little-b003698/ Episode Highlights:0:00 Intro01:41 Background04:17 Whiskey10:57 Smooth Ambler Spirits Co.25:34 Transparency28:07 Optimism and the Future36:04 ConclusionFollow our host Conor on LinkedIn and Twitter to stay up to date! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Day 1 | 12 Days of Barrel Picks. Andres Arias of Pernod Ricard joins the show to highlight a single barrel from the West Virginia distillery. We discuss the rise of the distillery and the demand for single barrels for their Old Scout label. Andres also shares how Pernod is investing into American whiskies, and how he's personally devoting interest and time into whiskey. Guest: Andres AriasHosts: Jake Hukee, Callum O'Donnell & Chris BlatnerListen to more episodes and read stories at keyinthelake.comKey In The Lake

Smooth Ambler took the bourbon world by storm after sourcing and bottling some of the best MGP bourbon on the market many years ago. Fast forward to today, John Little and company have gone from sourcing some of the best to producing and bottling their own distillate. This week, we taste and review the brand new Founders' Cask Strength Bourbon from Smooth Ambler. This distillate is high proof, six years old, and is an outstanding example of what Smooth Ambler can produce. The conversation this week includes Steven and Maasak attempting to educate Anthony about furries, a discussion about fall favorites, and different nosing techniques. Will this Smooth Ambler Bourbon be “smooooooth?” You'll have to listen to find out. -------------------------- Socials IG: https://www.instagram.com/themashupky FB: https://www.facebook.com/themashupky TW: https://twitter.com/themashupky Music: All the Fixings by Zachariah Hickman Thank you so much for listening!

Fresh of the dusty whiskey trail, Matt brings some bottles he found on a trip down to Virginia.  From booming names like Virginia Distillery Co. to whiskey distilled in back alley warehouses,  Virginia whiskey sure is just as unique as it is tasty.  This "Mattisode" surely does not disappoint.Pours of the Day:  Virginia Distillery Co. "Brewers Batch" VA-Highland Whiskey, Raggged Branch BiB, Smooth Ambler "Founders" Cask Strength Series Bourbon, & Spirit Lab Distilling Single Malt Whiskey 

Episode 5 with John Little from Smooth Ambler A little news, a few reviews, and a lot of booze!

Kevin Scotish Whisky 1 - Nessie Kevin Scotish Whisky 2 - Balvanie - 15 Madeira Finished Kevin Scotish Whisky 3 - Balblair - 18 Smooth Ambler Barrel Pick --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/librarypubcast/message

Smooth Ambler made a name for themselves with Old Scout. It was before the big craze of higher-aged sourced MGP when it was relatively easy to find. But, all good things come to an end and now they had to figure out how to keep that business sustainable. John Little, Founder of Smooth Ambler, joins the show once again to talk about why transparently sourcing whiskey was a critical component of the business. John feels they made plenty of mistakes early on and are trying to recapture the glory Old Scout once had. We dive into the economics of the sourced market of increased costs and what the future holds for their own distilled whiskey. Show Notes: Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about the best introduction to bourbon flights How hard was it to take a step back from being involved with every facet of the business? Why did sourcing whiskey never leave your business? Did the market dictate Old Scout's trajectory? Why not shut down the still and go all-in on sourced product? Did you ever think about putting Old Scout to the side once your distilled product was ready? What future modeling did you use to figure out when to put down new make or just purchase aged inventory? What was the reaction when Old Scout went off the market and back on? Why was transparency so important when it came to telling the Old Scout story? Besides capital, what initial challenges do you have sourcing whiskey? How much better have you gotten at projecting pipeline and future growth? Aged stock has increased significantly, so how are you handling this? As barrel prices increase are you absorbing costs or planning on passing on those costs? @smoothambler Support this podcast on Patreon

On this Saturday TERSUR is taking through the taste notes of OLD SCOUT BOURBON . This expression was hand selected for total wine. To more about SMOOTH AMBLER and all their other expressions please visit https://smoothambler.com. Be sure to follow TERSUR on his Instagram and Twitter @big_gafa. Looking for a new glass to try your whiskey? Check out WHISDOM GLASS Use code TTIBP to get 10% of your first purchase. #bourbon #whiskey #westvirginia --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/hoodsom/support

Special guest Paul Jackson and Melissa of Smooth Ambler steps up to the bar. My brother from another mother. Please enjoy. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/ryan-rivers5/support

On this Episode of Bourbons & B-Sides we are sipping on Contradiction by the Smooth Ambler distillers and spinning the 1985 New Wave album Songs from the Big Chair by Tears for Fears. --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bourbonsandbsides/support

Bob and Brad continue their "My Favorite Movie" series with John Little, head distiller at the beloved craft distillery Smooth Ambler. Having recently picked a barrel of their Old Scout bourbon as part of the Reel Crafted Select barrel program, our hosts are excited to get into the details of the whiskey, but John throws us a curveball when it comes to his movie selection! Film & Whiskey Podcast. New episodes every Monday. Film & Whiskey Instagram Film & Whiskey Facebook Film & Whiskey Twitter Email us! Join our Discord channel! Theme music: "New Shoes" by Blue Wednesday --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/filmwhiskey/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/filmwhiskey/support

I review and discuss 2 samples of barrels that will be part of the founder bourbon release from Smooth Ambler

This week we welcome John Little from Smooth Ambler onto the show! John is the Founder of Smooth Ambler and he brings the heat in this episode! Jesse and John go through 4 bottles of his delicious Rye whiskey all while learning that they went to same college and knew some of the same people 25 years ago! It's a blast from the past while still meeting for the first time. They talk how he started Smooth Ambler, how hard it is to get a whiskey brand off the ground, owning his own narrative and telling the whiskey story he wanted to tell. He's making some delicious whiskey and we thank him for sharing it with us for this episode of The Bourbon Showdown podcast!

The boys drink some Old Scout by Smooth Ambler while discussing protection of the family and "just war theory"

**The Beards, Bourbon, Whiskey Podcast Season 6 : Smooth Ambler Review **Hosted by Q. Lewis C-Bo and Angry Principal. Produced by Q. LewisFollow us on IG https://www.instagram.com/q.lewis313/https://www.instagram.com/BigCbo94/https://www.instagram.com/beardsbourbonwhiskey/https://www.instagram.com/damn_thats_good._bourbon_guildSUPPORT OUR PODCAST BY BECOMING A PATRON :https://www.patreon.com/eblockradio#Whiskey #WhiskeyWednesday #DetroitPodcast**See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

This week we have Nora Ganley-Roper and Adam Polonski, co-founders of Lost Lantern whiskey! They are doing something pretty awesome in the industry right now, they track down the best whiskey in the country and then they put it out for all us whiskey nerds to experience and enjoy! They are like the Indiana Jones's of Whiskey, they hunt down whiskies that people haven't discovered yet and shine the spotlight on the distilleries, it's a beautiful thing! As you know timing is everything and the NEW Lost Lantern Whiskey 2022 collection comes out… today! Thats right on March 1st they will announce the Lost Lantern's Spring 2022 collection that will feature four limited edition single casks from four celebrated distilleries: Smooth Ambler in West Virginia, Westward in Oregon, Frey Ranch Distillery in Nevada and Spirit Works in California. Beginning March 9, the Spring 2022 single cask collection will be available for sale on LostLanternWhiskey.com and Seelbachs.com. All offerings are bottled at cask strength, are non-chill-filtered and have natural color. Do yourself a favor and experience these amazing whiskeys for yourself! I had a great time interviewing Nora and Adam about their whiskey adventures and think all of you are really going to enjoy this episode!

In this Bonus Episode, we try 3 expressions from Smooth Ambler out of West Virginia - Contradiction Bourbon, Old Scout Straight Bourbon, and Founders' Cask Strength Series Rye. Give these a try. You won't be disappointed! --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

Superbowl 56 is on Sunday!Cincinnati Bengals vs Los Angeles RamsWe give you the run down, our picks, and all the details. All while sipping on some very delicious Smooth Ambler Cask Strength RyeBe our first review!! Let us know how we're doing and/or commission an episode and let us know what you want us to discuss!!Leave us a comment and/or commission an episode:https://www.facebook.com/whiskeyandne...https://www.instagram.com/whiskeyandn...https://www.tiktok.com/@whiskeyandner...https://www.youtube.com/results?searc...Whiskeyandns@yahoo.comSupport the show

It's no secret that we're big fans of Finger Lakes Distilling since it's one of the crucial components in Pursuit United. A few months ago, we booked some flights and took our recording gear to upstate New York. We sat down with their president, owner, and former distiller Brian McKenzie. We talk about his journey into whiskey and some of the challenges he faced as a craft distiller. We cover the unique aspects of being a craft distiller with a column still, their incredibly low barrel entry proof, and their infamous wheated bourbon. Show Partners: Catoctin Creek has been honoring that tradition of small craft rye whisky since 2009. Learn more at CatoctinCreekDistilling.com. Smooth Ambler builds on the traditional roots of American whiskey in West Virginia. Visit SmoothAmbler.com to learn more. Wilderness Trail is Sweet Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Danville, Kentucky. Learn more at WildernessTrailDistillery.com. You can now buy Barrell Craft Spirits products online and have them shipped right to your door. Visit BarrellBourbon.com and click Buy Now. Spirits of French Lick is delivering the finest hand crafted Bottled in Bond bourbons. Check out SpiritsofFrenchLick.com. Total Wine and More is wonderland for wine, spirits, and beer lovers! Explore more in store or online at TotalWine.com. Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America's spirit since 1935. Check out educational resources and sign up for their newsletter at HeavenHillDistillery.com. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about how much wood we consume from drinking bourbon. What's changed since the last time you were on the show? Tell us about your journey in whiskey. Who were your first phone calls to get started in this industry? Peat or no peat? Tell us about your wheated bourbon. What challenges did you face at the beginning being a craft distiller? Talk about your experimentations. Since the wheat is so popular, why not just focus on that? What's more fun, finishing or experimenting with mashbills. Tell us about your Master Distiller. Did you have any issues when starting the distillery? Why do craft distillers prefer certain stills? What other spirits are you creating? Talk about your seasoning process and why your barrels look so old after only 4 years. What kind of barrels are you using? Do you think the low entry proof contributes to having better tasting whiskey at a younger age? Where does the big bold fruitiness flavor come from in your bourbon? Tell us about your older aged bourbon that's coming out. Does lower entry proof have an impact on taxes? What has your distillery done for the local community? Do you get visitors from all over? What are you forecasting for your distillery? @flxdistilling Support this podcast on Patreon

Every year we try to do something different for Christmas that's not really focused around bourbon. I'm sure you spend a lot of time talking about bourbon with your "bourbon friends", but it is always interesting to learn more about them on a personal level. This year we decided to bring back some fun ice breaker questions so you can get to know a little more about us. We hope you enjoy and from the entire Bourbon Pursuit team, happy holidays! Show Partners: Catoctin Creek has been honoring that tradition of small craft rye whisky since 2009. Learn more at CatoctinCreekDistilling.com. Smooth Ambler builds on the traditional roots of American whiskey in West Virginia. Visit SmoothAmbler.com to learn more. Wilderness Trail is Sweet Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Danville, Kentucky. Learn more at WildernessTrailDistillery.com. You can now buy Barrell Craft Spirits products online and have them shipped right to your door. Visit BarrellBourbon.com and click Buy Now. Spirits of French Lick is delivering the finest hand crafted Bottled in Bond bourbons. Check out SpiritsofFrenchLick.com. Total Wine and More is wonderland for wine, spirits, and beer lovers! Explore more in store or online at TotalWine.com. Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America's spirit since 1935. Check out educational resources and sign up for their newsletter at HeavenHillDistillery.com. Show Notes: What's the best cheeseburger? What's the best meal you know how to cook? Candy, chocolate, or popcorn at the movies? What was your first job? What was the most physically exhausting job you ever had? What's your favorite casino game? What's one part of the world you still really want to see or experience? What's your best bourbon shopping experience of the year? Support this podcast on Patreon

It's another jam packed Bourbon Community Roundtable as we discuss the latest trending topics of the past few weeks. One of the greatest pieces of whiskey news is that tariffs are being eliminated. This will open up international commerce once again for bourbon and we take a stab at some theories on what moves we expect distilleries to make in 2022. There are always bottle releases that get all the attention, but after a solid year of bourbon releases we give our takes on some bottles that should have gotten more attention. Lastly, the market is the market and we all know that stores are beginning to price their prized bottles close to secondary. If you've been a long-time customer of that retailer, are you going to switch stores or start paying higher prices? Show Partners: Catoctin Creek has been honoring that tradition of small craft rye whisky since 2009. Learn more at CatoctinCreekDistilling.com. Smooth Ambler builds on the traditional roots of American whiskey in West Virginia. Visit SmoothAmbler.com to learn more. Wilderness Trail is Sweet Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Danville, Kentucky. Learn more at WildernessTrailDistillery.com. You can now buy Barrell Craft Spirits products online and have them shipped right to your door. Visit BarrellBourbon.com and click Buy Now. Spirits of French Lick is delivering the finest hand crafted Bottled in Bond bourbons. Check out SpiritsofFrenchLick.com. Total Wine and More is wonderland for wine, spirits, and beer lovers! Explore more in store or online at TotalWine.com. Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America's spirit since 1935. Check out educational resources and sign up for their newsletter at HeavenHillDistillery.com. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about MRE bourbon pairings. Now that tariffs have been revoked, what moves do we expect distilleries to make next in 2022? Do you think the EU can make it more appealing to sell American Whiskey there vs. keeping it in the US? Is there a bottle release that happened this year that you feel should get more attention? If your favorite retailer had to start selling their allocations at secondary prices, would you find another store to purchase from? Thanks to @bourbonr, @breakingbourbon, and @sippn_corn for joining. @bourbonr @breakingbourbon @sippn_corn Support this podcast on Patreon

Shopping for the whiskey lover in your life can be tough, so I've created a list of the best gift-giving bottles to guide you in finding the perfect present for them this Holiday season. Plus, I'll be reviewing Smooth Ambler's Old Scout Port Cask Rye, talking about the Bardstown Collection of Limited Edition bourbons, and a brand new update to Grand Theft Auto Online: The Contract. Questions or comments? Reach me at contact@bourbonbytes.com Chat about this week's episode on the Bourbon Bytes Whiskey & Gaming Lounge Discord server at http://www.BourbonBytes.com  Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BourbonBytes Subscribe on YouTube for live streams and more: https://www.YouTube.com/BourbonBytes Leave a voicemail with questions or topic suggestions: (818) 660-5782

What happens when you bring 5 of the top distilleries together and have them each provide two of their best barrels? You get the Bardstown Collection. Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, Log Still, Preservation, and Bardstown Bourbon Company have come together along with the tourism side of Visit Bardstown to release 5 special edition bottles that will benefit the community of Bardstown. All proceeds will go to the Main Street Association, Hospitality, and First Responders. These exclusive expressions have a unified packaging featuring Bardstown imagery and the only difference is a small label with each brand logo at the bottom of the bottle. In this episode, we're joined by Freddie Noe, Conor O'Driscoll, Lynne Dant, and Steve Nally to talk about the process of making this collection. These bottles will be released at each distillery starting on January 13th and the cost will range $159 - $249 per bottle. Get ready to collect the whole set! Visit BardstownCollection.com for more details and specific release times. Show Partners: Catoctin Creek has been honoring that tradition of small craft rye whisky since 2009. Learn more at CatoctinCreekDistilling.com. Smooth Ambler builds on the traditional roots of American whiskey in West Virginia. Visit SmoothAmbler.com to learn more. Wilderness Trail is Sweet Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Danville, Kentucky. Learn more at WildernessTrailDistillery.com. You can now buy Barrell Craft Spirits products online and have them shipped right to your door. Visit BarrellBourbon.com and click Buy Now. Spirits of French Lick is delivering the finest hand crafted Bottled in Bond bourbons. Check out SpiritsofFrenchLick.com. Total Wine and More is wonderland for wine, spirits, and beer lovers! Explore more in store or online at TotalWine.com. Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America's spirit since 1935. Check out educational resources and sign up for their newsletter at HeavenHillDistillery.com. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about your palate being off. Tell us about your role in this project. What was the process like for choosing the barrels for this project? What does this project mean for Bardstown? Talk about the charity aspect of this project. When are these bottles being released? Why aren't more distilleries getting together to do these kinds of projects? What does this project mean to you? @jimbeamofficial @heavenhilldistillery @bardstownbourbonco @logstilldistillery @preservationdistillery Support this podcast on Patreon

When we typically talk about building a distillery, we usually think of things like stills, mash tanks, and where to store all the grain. But building a distillery is no different than building a house. To make all that stuff work, you need electricity, plumbing, and pumps... lots and lots and lots of pumps. Before you even begin breaking ground or rehabbing an old abandoned distillery, a lot of this needs to be planned out. This is one topic that we've never covered on the podcast and that's how the heck do you actually build a working distillery? We invited Nick Morgan and Ronnie Flerlage to be on the show. They are mechanical engineers from Shrout Tate Wilson Consulting Engineers and have experience on how to design and build a distillery from the ground up. They specialize in being a one stop shop that will guide you through the entire process of making sure you have all the guts needed to turn on the lights, but also specialize in working with companies like Vendome to create the best still and distillation equipment to meet your needs. Show Partners: Catoctin Creek has been honoring that tradition of small craft rye whisky since 2009. Learn more at CatoctinCreekDistilling.com. Smooth Ambler builds on the traditional roots of American whiskey in West Virginia. Visit SmoothAmbler.com to learn more. Wilderness Trail is Sweet Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Danville, Kentucky. Learn more at WildernessTrailDistillery.com. You can now buy Barrell Craft Spirits products online and have them shipped right to your door. Visit BarrellBourbon.com and click Buy Now. Spirits of French Lick is delivering the finest hand crafted Bottled in Bond bourbons. Check out SpiritsofFrenchLick.com. Total Wine and More is wonderland for wine, spirits, and beer lovers! Explore more in store or online at TotalWine.com. Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America's spirit since 1935. Check out educational resources and sign up for their newsletter at HeavenHillDistillery.com. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about if bourbon goes bad. When did you realize you had an interest for how distilleries work? Tell us about your background. What did you do for Vendome? Tell us about the still designing process. Do you prefer designing column or pot stills? Where do you start when building a distillery? Where do you use water for cooling? How do you know how much power you need? Where do you put stillage? Who do you usually work with at a distillery? What happens after you break ground? What has advanced in distillery design? Talk about fermentation tanks. What's a standard pump? Do you think past sanitation processes had an impact on the flavor of dusty bourbon? How do you know how big a doubler needs to be? What is a tailbox? What do you need for fire safety in a distillery? @stwengineers Support this podcast on Patreon

Now I have to admit, I remember the first time I heard of Blue Run Spirits and I had my reservations. Who were these guys with some 13 year old sourced product, a Nike shoe designer creating the packaging, the likes of Jim Rutledge putting his name to it, and they are charging over $150 a bottle!? A lot of those reservations began to disappear after I tasted their bourbon. It was really good. And then, the awards started piling up. Blue Run Spirits has been on a sprint more-so than run after launching in 2020. I'm joined by Mike Montgomery and Tim Sparapani, both co-founders of Blue Run, to talk about this journey and how they hit a turning point when people couldn't stop talking about their products. We talk about working with Jim Rutledge, moving from high aged to younger whiskeys, and how they are meeting a new demand in the market. Show Partners: Catoctin Creek has been honoring that tradition of small craft rye whisky since 2009. Learn more at CatoctinCreekDistilling.com. Smooth Ambler builds on the traditional roots of American whiskey in West Virginia. Visit SmoothAmbler.com to learn more. Wilderness Trail is Sweet Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Danville, Kentucky. Learn more at WildernessTrailDistillery.com. You can now buy Barrell Craft Spirits products online and have them shipped right to your door. Visit BarrellBourbon.com and click Buy Now. Spirits of French Lick is delivering the finest hand crafted Bottled in Bond bourbons. Check out SpiritsofFrenchLick.com. Total Wine and More is wonderland for wine, spirits, and beer lovers! Explore more in store or online at TotalWine.com. Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America's spirit since 1935. Check out educational resources and sign up for their newsletter at HeavenHillDistillery.com. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about the secondary market. How did your whiskey journey begin? Where did your two worlds collide? Why bourbon? Tell us how you went about sourcing your product. How many barrels were your buying in the beginning? Tell us about your packaging. How did you land on the butterfly? How was it working with Jim Rutledge? What was the turning point? Are you concerned about selling younger aged products? Talk about your pricing strategy. What are you working on at Bardstown Bourbon Company? @bluerunspirits Support this podcast on Patreon

We've taken a bit of a hiatus, but we're back and we've got two topics that are hot. A few months ago, Buffalo Trace announced there would be no George T. Stagg in the 2021 release of the Antique Collection. Many theories arose such as holding it back on purpose to create a media frenzy or potentially having a new brand come from it. However, Buffalo Trace has gone on record saying it didn't reach the standard they come to expect from it. We'll analyze this from both sides. In the second half of the show, we'll look at the sheer volume of brands that are built on MGP and how some have hype and some are still finding their way. Show Partners: Catoctin Creek has been honoring that tradition of small craft rye whisky since 2009. Learn more at CatoctinCreekDistilling.com. Smooth Ambler builds on the traditional roots of American whiskey in West Virginia. Visit SmoothAmbler.com to learn more. Wilderness Trail is Sweet Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Danville, Kentucky. Learn more at WildernessTrailDistillery.com. You can now buy Barrell Craft Spirits products online and have them shipped right to your door. Visit BarrellBourbon.com and click Buy Now. Spirits of French Lick is delivering the finest hand crafted Bottled in Bond bourbons. Check out SpiritsofFrenchLick.com. Total Wine and More is wonderland for wine, spirits, and beer lovers! Explore more in store or online at TotalWine.com. Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America's spirit since 1935. Check out educational resources and sign up for their newsletter at HeavenHillDistillery.com. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about bourbon advertising. BTAC was missing George T. Stagg this year, what are your thoughts on this? Do you think they are holding the bourbon back for another purpose? Does it feel like a PR stunt? What do you gain by going to the NY Times? Did any of the BTAC bottles not live up to the hype? Why do some MGP brands have more hype than others? How sustainable are the higher priced MGP bourbons? Is it hard to stay excited about MGP based brands? Thanks to @bourbonr, @breakingbourbon, and @sippn_corn for joining. @bourbonr @breakingbourbon @sippn_corn Support this podcast on Patreon

Smoke Wagon felt as if it came on to the bourbon scene like it was fired out of a cannon. In the past 2 years, they have become one of the most highly sought after brands. However, the story of Smoke Wagon began over a decade ago. Aaron Chepenik started in the bar scene in LA that expanded into Vegas, but he got burnt out with the late nights and partying. That led him and his investor friend to start a vodka business which eventually opened the door to bourbon. Aaron had dreams of distilling his own whiskey, but quickly had to face reality when he realized that the equipment he purchased to distill whiskey couldn't scale after a visit to a little distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. When he was at MGP, he ended up buying as much aged product as he could and had the foresight to begin putting down new fill barrels as well. As fate (or government restrictions) would have it, he couldn't release his first bourbon for almost 4 years after. He's built a cult-like following with his overly transparent personality on Instagram which makes him even more genuine to us bourbon enthusiasts. Show Partners: Catoctin Creek has been honoring that tradition of small craft rye whisky since 2009. Learn more at CatoctinCreekDistilling.com. Smooth Ambler builds on the traditional roots of American whiskey in West Virginia. Visit SmoothAmbler.com to learn more. Wilderness Trail is Sweet Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Danville, Kentucky. Learn more at WildernessTrailDistillery.com. You can now buy Barrell Craft Spirits products online and have them shipped right to your door. Visit BarrellBourbon.com and click Buy Now. Spirits of French Lick is delivering the finest hand crafted Bottled in Bond bourbons. Check out SpiritsofFrenchLick.com. Total Wine and More is wonderland for wine, spirits, and beer lovers! Explore more in store or online at TotalWine.com. Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America's spirit since 1935. Check out educational resources and sign up for their newsletter at HeavenHillDistillery.com. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about future bourbon history. Where did you first hear about Smoke Wagon? Tell us about your background. When did you get your first taste of whiskey? Why did you start a bar in LA? Tell us about your vodka business. How did you decide to get into the bourbon business? How is Smoke Wagon different than other MGP brands? Take us through the design of the bottle. Tell us about the stolen barrel. Where can someone get one of your hats? @smokewagonbourbon @aaron_from_nvdistilling Support this podcast on Patreon

We booked another guest for Episode 68. You'll have to listen to find out who they are or if they show up.  The guest is late arriving, or not, so Phil and John talk about our listener stats and picking up dog poo. We briefly talk about the Korean show, “Squid Game” which we haven't seen. Useful, no? Phil talks about eating/drinking places he's been recently, including Keg and Case and the Clutch Brewing Co. within.  Phil drinks Oppidan Smoke + Sea and John has some Smooth Ambler. We talk about who and what we watch on YouTube. Ralfy Reviews Rick Beato Whiskey Vault Living Big in a Tiny House Alex On Autos MKBHD Scotty Kilmer America's Test Kitchen John finally wraps up his survey of Titanic movies. Go read up on Violet Jessop iffen you're so inclined.  The ocean liner movie John was trying to remember is The Last Voyage.  Are there liner liner notes? William Shatner goes to space.  Shits pants. The Song:  “Poop Patrol”

I've witnessed first hand the progression of bourbon over the past 6 years since this podcast began. It went from learning about new releases and hunting for them with relative ease to 72 hour campouts for bottles that used to be on the shelves. However, my time in bourbon doesn't match that of our guest's. Steve Ury, better known as Sku, is one of the original bloggers in bourbon before there were YouTubers and podcasters. He has backed off blogging, but still stays up to date with everything happening in bourbon and takes notice of how brands are changing. He's cynical about brands and the changing consumer, but that doesn't stop him from talking about every TTB label approval. Steve has also found a new home in brandy and we discuss how long it will take before Instagramers and podcasters ruin that too. Show Partners: Catoctin Creek has been honoring that tradition of small craft rye whisky since 2009. Learn more at CatoctinCreekDistilling.com. Smooth Ambler builds on the traditional roots of American whiskey in West Virginia. Visit SmoothAmbler.com to learn more. Wilderness Trail is Sweet Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Danville, Kentucky. Learn more at WildernessTrailDistillery.com. You can now buy Barrell Craft Spirits products online and have them shipped right to your door. Visit BarrellBourbon.com and click Buy Now. Spirits of French Lick is delivering the finest hand crafted Bottled in Bond bourbons. Check out SpiritsofFrenchLick.com. Total Wine and More is wonderland for wine, spirits, and beer lovers! Explore more in store or online at TotalWine.com. Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America's spirit since 1935. Check out educational resources and sign up for their newsletter at HeavenHillDistillery.com. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about distilleries that have made the greatest impact on bourbon. How did you get into bourbon? Tell us about your blog and the time before the bourbon boom. When did you get more cynical about bourbon? When did you see the change where distilleries constantly had special releases? Were dusties big early on? Do you think vintage whiskey is overpriced? Do you blame people or brands more for the bourbon culture today? Do you still look at the TTB daily? Tell us about your journey into brandy. How long before the podcasters and Instagramers ruin brandy?

Starting a distillery is no easy task and figuring out how to bank roll it is even harder. Do you tie up all your money into equipment and wait a few years and hope the whiskey is good or is it smarter to supplement that with some sourced product? But beyond that, how do you scale, distribute, and sell? Scott Schiller from Thoroughbred Spirits Group has launched 30 distillers, designed over 50 brands, and facilitated 3 successful exits. He joins the show to talk about everything I just mentioned, but Scott also has a fascinating family history with spirits where he learned how to distill with his grandfather at an iconic Chicago tavern called Bucket O Suds. Show Partners: Catoctin Creek has been honoring that tradition of small craft rye whisky since 2009. Learn more at CatoctinCreekDistilling.com. Smooth Ambler builds on the traditional roots of American whiskey in West Virginia. Visit SmoothAmbler.com to learn more. Wilderness Trail is Sweet Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Danville, Kentucky. Learn more at WildernessTrailDistillery.com. You can now buy Barrell Craft Spirits products online and have them shipped right to your door. Visit BarrellBourbon.com and click Buy Now. Spirits of French Lick is delivering the finest hand crafted Bottled in Bond bourbons. Check out SpiritsofFrenchLick.com. Savor every drop of summer at Total Wine & More! You're sure to find cool prices in-store or online at TotalWine.com. Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America's spirit since 1935. Check out educational resources and sign up for their newsletter at HeavenHillDistillery.com. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about QR codes. How did you get into this industry? What company did your family start in Chicago? What is Bucket O Suds? Tell us about the distillery. Talk about one of your early successes. How do you approach the conversations with clients about scaling? Do you see a lot of NDPs that previously bottled older whiskey and now can't get it? Are a lot of people starting to scramble because there isn't as much access to aged whiskey? How do you advise someone on distribution? Do you ever have to tell clients sourcing might not work for them? How do you start conversations with potential clients ? Talk about bottle pricing.

I read a meme one time that as soon as a man enters his 30s, there are two hobbies he picks up. It's whiskey and smoking meats. Well, I'm guilty for it and I know Ryan and Fred are too. There's nothing better than starting the fire in your grill and preparing for the long night ahead making sure your brisket is done. I know when I started cooking on my grill, I went to the resource where you go to learn everything on internet and that's YouTube. Immediately, I was hooked on the channel called How To BBQ Right. I learned the 10 different ways to cook ribs, game day burgers, and even a delicious pot roast from our guest today, Malcom Reed. Malcom has made a name for himself in the BBQ competition circuit and has turned it into one of the largest BBQ places on the internet. You can find him on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok and more talking how to BBQ crazy good meals. Malcom joins us to talk not only about BBQ, Wagyu steaks, dry rub vs sauce, but he's also a big bourbon fan and you can catch him drinking Buffalo Trace or EH Taylor frequently on his channels. Don't forget to to subscribe to his podcast called, you guessed it, How to BBQ Right. Show Partners: Catoctin Creek has been honoring that tradition of small craft rye whisky since 2009. Learn more at CatoctinCreekDistilling.com. Smooth Ambler builds on the traditional roots of American whiskey in West Virginia. Visit SmoothAmbler.com to learn more. Wilderness Trail is Sweet Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Danville, Kentucky. Learn more at WildernessTrailDistillery.com. You can now buy Barrell Craft Spirits products online and have them shipped right to your door. Visit BarrellBourbon.com and click Buy Now. Spirits of French Lick is delivering the finest hand crafted Bottled in Bond bourbons. Check out SpiritsofFrenchLick.com. Savor every drop of summer at Total Wine & More! You're sure to find cool prices in-store or online at TotalWine.com. Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America's spirit since 1935. Check out educational resources and sign up for their newsletter at HeavenHillDistillery.com. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about working for distributors. How did your passion for BBQ grow into a business? How did you get into BBQ competitions? Are there rivalries in the BBQ community? Were you nervous when you first started putting out content? How did you get into bourbon? What bourbon pairs well with specific meats? Do you prefer dry rub or sauce? Do you ever get tired of cooking at home and prefer to go out? Are Costco prime steaks as good as other butcher shops? What do you think about wagyu beef? What is your favorite way to cook tomahawk steaks? What do you think about health organizations encouraging society to eat less meat? You are stranded on an island and can only pick one cooking apparatus, what do you choose? How do you chose what grill to use? What do you think about Blackstone griddles? What BBQ pit is your go to? Do you like to turbo cook or low and slow? Is using a pellet grill cheating? What's your go to bourbon cocktail? @howtobbqright

Today we'll be reviewing Smooth Ambler Contradiction Rye Whiskey. If you have any questions or comments, or simply want to reach out, contact me at bourbonstuff@gmail.com. You can also check me out on Instagram under the username Bourbon_and_Stuff. Any donations (https://anchor.fm/bourbonstuff/support) to the channel will be put towards improved equipment, new bourbon and stuff, and even the ability to give back to you, our amazing listeners. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/bourbonstuff/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/bourbonstuff/support

It's the final episode in our 4 part series of "Is Bourbon Broken?" based on the Bourbon and Banter blog series. We've looked at the consumer, secondary market, distribution and retail, but this time we are looking back at the consumer from a different angle by evaluating purchasing trends. The market is changing and now there are craft distillers, younger age statements, and NDPs with price tags 10x the cost of what the original producer charges. So what continues to drive this behavior? Show Partners: Catoctin Creek has been honoring that tradition of small craft rye whisky since 2009. Learn more at CatoctinCreekDistilling.com. Smooth Ambler builds on the traditional roots of American whiskey in West Virginia. Visit SmoothAmbler.com to learn more. Wilderness Trail is Sweet Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Danville, Kentucky. Learn more at WildernessTrailDistillery.com. You can now buy Barrell Craft Spirits products online and have them shipped right to your door. Visit BarrellBourbon.com and click Buy Now. Spirits of French Lick is delivering the finest hand crafted Bottled in Bond bourbons. Check out SpiritsofFrenchLick.com. Savor every drop of summer at Total Wine & More! You're sure to find cool prices in-store or online at TotalWine.com. Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America's spirit since 1935. Check out educational resources and sign up for their newsletter at HeavenHillDistillery.com. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about pour spouts. Are we seeing an overabundance of options on the market? Why are consumers drawn towards brands that are selling younger MGP? Are consumers being manipulated? As bourbon enthusiasts, why are we compelled to try new products even though they might not actually be new? Why is bourbon so polarizing? Is there a reason that more distilleries or NDPs shouldn't be putting out new products at a higher price point? As the bourbon pie grows larger, will there be more room for super premium bourbons that hit that $300+ price point?

Welcome back to Part 3 on our series of "Is Bourbon Broken?" as we analyze the multi-part blog series from Bourbon & Banter. This episode is one that many have been waiting for as we evaluate the variable that is completely out of our control as a consumer and that's distribution and retail. We've challenged this system multiple times and I'm not sure if we'll ever figure out the correct answer, but how do we make sure it's always working in favor of the consumer? How should distributors reward stores differently? What does the future of commerce look like? And should distributors and retailers be wary of the digital age? Show Partners: Catoctin Creek has been honoring that tradition of small craft rye whisky since 2009. Learn more at CatoctinCreekDistilling.com. Smooth Ambler builds on the traditional roots of American whiskey in West Virginia. Visit SmoothAmbler.com to learn more. Wilderness Trail is Sweet Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Danville, Kentucky. Learn more at WildernessTrailDistillery.com. You can now buy Barrell Craft Spirits products online and have them shipped right to your door. Visit BarrellBourbon.com and click Buy Now. Spirits of French Lick is delivering the finest hand crafted Bottled in Bond bourbons. Check out SpiritsofFrenchLick.com. Savor every drop of summer at Total Wine & More! You're sure to find cool prices in-store or online at TotalWine.com. Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America's spirit since 1935. Check out educational resources and sign up for their newsletter at HeavenHillDistillery.com. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about celebrity whiskey. Each state has its own laws on distribution, is this presenting a lot of challenges for the industry? How do you reward stores without making them take on a bunch of inventory in order to get allocated items? Do you feel that wholesalers and elected representatives are working for the benefit of the consumers? Do you think that it's fair that retailers own the product and can charge whatever they want? At the end of the day, everyone is still making their margin so why do retailers choose to mark it up? Why don't more retailers push back on distributors? Should distributors and retailers be scared about the future? Should we move to a system where highly desirable releases only happen through a distillery website? 

Last week, we kicked off the series of analyzing Bourbon & Banter's article on "Is Bourbon Broken?" and this next installment looks at the secondary market. The prices of bourbon have been growing immensely and who knows if the prices will ever drop. Will there ever be an end in sight for consumers buying on the secondary or should companies adjust their prices accordingly? We tackle all this and more. Show Partners: Catoctin Creek has been honoring that tradition of small craft rye whisky since 2009. Learn more at CatoctinCreekDistilling.com. Smooth Ambler builds on the traditional roots of American whiskey in West Virginia. Visit SmoothAmbler.com to learn more. Wilderness Trail is Sweet Mash Kentucky Straight Bourbon and Rye Whiskey distilled, aged, and bottled in Danville, Kentucky. Learn more at WildernessTrailDistillery.com. You can now buy Barrell Craft Spirits products online and have them shipped right to your door. Visit BarrellBourbon.com and click Buy Now. Spirits of French Lick is delivering the finest hand crafted Bottled in Bond bourbons. Check out SpiritsofFrenchLick.com. Savor every drop of summer at Total Wine & More! You're sure to find cool prices in-store or online at TotalWine.com. Heaven Hill Distillery has been lifting America's spirit since 1935. Check out educational resources and sign up for their newsletter at HeavenHillDistillery.com. Show Notes: This week's Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about mixing bourbon. Are people forced to buy special bottles on the secondary market these days? Is it foolish to buy bottles for so much more than retail? How can you deter bottle flipping? Is there anything distilleries can do to prevent flipping on the secondary market? At what point will we hit the price ceiling? Is it ethical for distillers to look at pricing on the secondary market to make business decisions? Are auctions setting the secondary prices of bottles? How do auctions get a pass unlike the secondary market? Are current pricing strategies fair to the consumer?

On this podcast, Ryan and Alec reflect back on past episodes, give the bourbon another taste, and explore a little deeper into the family dynamic. In this episode, we revisit Contradiction from Smooth Ambler. To drink is to live! Follow Us on Facebook: @TheBourbonLibrary Visit Us: www.thebalasbrothers.com IG: @thebourbonlibrarypod Twitter: @LibraryBourbon Reach out: thebourbonlibrarypod@gmail.com Ryan: ryan@thebalasbrothers.com Alec: alec@thebalasbrothers.com --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-bourbon-library/support

In this episode we are joined by a very special guest, Mary Jo. Matt's mom! Also Mikey was here! We talk a bit about Mary Jo's childhood, as well as raising Matt. Not to mention hairy igloos, and the taste of ash. Our whiskey this week is Smooth Ambler's Contradiction Bourbon  Want more content like this? Check out https://www.fattangoproductions.com (https://www.fattangoproductions.com) to see all the shows on the Fat Tango Network!

The Balas Brothers connect memories from their life with a different bourbon each week. We drink Smooth Ambler and Alec realizes he's in love with Contradiction. To drink is to live!  Follow Us on Facebook: @TheBourbonLibrary Visit Us: www.thebalasbrothers.com Reach out: hello@thebalasbrothers.com Ryan: ryan@thebalasbrothers.com Alec: alec@thebalasbrothers --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/the-bourbon-library/support

Gerry Graham, Brand Lead of Smooth Ambler Spirits and John Foster, Head of Marketing & Sales for Smooth Ambler Spirits talk all about Smooth Ambler in our latest episode. Award Winning Craft Whiskey Distillery out of West Virginia – the history, what we produce, what we mean to the area, and how this has grown since our partnership with PRUSA Smooth Ambler's wide range of products: Contradiction Bourbon, Big Level, and Old Scout The Whiskey Wagon: a mobile tasting experience designed to replicate our distillery tasting room in West Virginia Dear John's - a new podcast & YouTube program by John Foster and John Little Follow Us On Social: @SmoothAmbler #SomePlaceGood #AmbleOn #SmoothAmbler #OldScout #DearJohns #Whiskeyshared Sip With Us: The Bourbon Smash 2 oz Smooth Ambler Contradiction 1 oz Simple Syrup (1 part Water to 1 part Sugar) 1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice 2 Dashes Orange Bitters 6 Mint Leaves How To Make: Combine all of the ingredients in a Boston Shaker filled with Ice. Shake then Double strain into a Collins glass filled with cracked ice. Garnish with a sprig of mint. (helpful hint: roll the mint in your hand before putting it in the shaker. This will release the oils.) This is one of the most classic of the classic cocktails dating back to the 1880's. In our book, it is the perfect cocktail. It is a refreshing, herbaceous, boozy, and appropriate for any occasion and time of the year.

We're back at South Kitchen and Spirits sipping Big Level Bourbon by Smooth Ambler. We top-fived our biggest movie jerks and discussed group texts, GPS devices for kids, and other stuff. OUR SUPER-FANS WERE THERE! Enjoy Responsibly! Because bourbon makes us like each other!

Which knucklehead is the idiot? @SmoothAmbler ‏ @Pernod_Ricard ‏@dollarshaveclub @untuckit  @TheBourbonMafia @FineSpirits_FL Co hosts : Good ol Boy Justin, Good ol Boy Harmeet, Made Man Maury, Made Man Brent, and Made Man Bob SIPS Episode – A distillery takeover featuring the Old Scout product line from Smooth Ambler Distillery. We introduce the background on this product, and tasting reviews of each product. Rick Flair made this show, seriously. We cover a good lineup of products that you can find widely available:   Smooth Ambler Old Scout American Whiskey SIPS – 2 Smooth Ambler Old Scout Wheated SIPS – 3 Smooth Ambler Old Scout Contradiction SIPS – 3 Smooth Ambler Old Scout 12 Year Single Barrel SIPS – 4 Smooth Ambler Old Scout 10 Year SIPS – 3 Smooth Ambler Old Scout 8 Year Rye SIPS – 4   Sips, Suds, & Smokes™ info@sipssudsandsmokes.com @sipssudssmoke Sips, Suds, & Smokes™ is produced by One Tan Hand Productions using the power of beer, whiskey, and golf. Hosted online at Spreaker and available on iTunes, iHeart, Google Play, PRX, TuneIn, Stitcher, Soundcloud, and YouTube. Our thanks to John & John at Smooth Ambler for providing these samples for this episode. This episode is sponsored by: Fine Spirits Wine & Liquors, home of the Enomatic machines. www.finespirits.net   Untuckit- Untuckit Makes Shirts Specifically Designed To Be Worn Untucked Use our promo code: SIPS for 20% off   Dollar Shave Club – Get your $5 Daily Essentials kit at www.dollarshaveclub.com/suds     More information on the Bourbon Mafia, a fraternal organization of whiskey aficionados. https://www.facebook.com/thebourbonmafia/ Ft. Lauderdale Whiskey Society gets together monthly, more info at: http://www.ftlauderdalewhiskeysociety.com/   Enjoying that cool new Outro Music, it's from Woods & Whitehead – Back Roads Download your copy here: http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/woodswhitehead2    Wanna download this episode and listen whenever, use this link: https://goo.gl/n8wNGe     The easiest way to find this show on your phone is ask Siri or Google, “Play Podcast , Sips, Suds, & Smokes”