We’re currently experiencing the biggest boom there has ever been with bourbon. But is it going to be overshadowed by the seltzer movement? And we all know that COVID has impacted every single business sector, but what has it done to alcohol and, most importantly, bourbon? From the outside it seems that business is good, but Brandy Rand, COO for IWSR who specializes in drinks analysis and trends, provides a scientific view as well as reality check on where the market is moving.
Show Notes:

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This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about labels.

Who was your childhood actor or actress crush?

What is IWSR?

How do you gather data?

How were you all tracking bourbon growth years ago?

Do you classify canned cocktails as hard seltzers?

Do you think cocktails to go will be an on going trend?

What impact are tariffs having globally?

Have you seen distilleries pivot their strategy due to tariffs and COVID?

What has happened to travel retail because of COVID?

Do you track e-commerce and shipping?

Do you follow Drizzly's data?

Where do you see bourbon growth in the next couple of years?

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280 - Is Bourbon the Next Big Trend? with Brandy Rand, COO of IWSR

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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It's This Week in Bourbon for April 19th 2024. Maker's Mark, Ed Lee, and Messermeister come out with a knife collaboration, Bourbon Women announces the 2024 SIP Scholarship Program, and Keeneland Race Course and Maker’s Mark launch Greats of the Gate.Show Notes:
Woodford Reserve Distillery has unfairly influenced a 2022 unionization vote

Maker's Mark, Ed Lee, and Messermeister come out with a knife collaboration

Bargo 459 joins The Kentucky Distillers’ Association

Bourbon Women is pleased to announce the 2024 SIP Scholarship Program

Hard Truth Distilling Co. to break ground on its third rackhouse

Old Line Spirits 51 Rye Whiskey

Keeneland Race Course and Maker’s Mark launch Greats of the Gate

@woodfordreserve @makersmark @chefedwardlee @messer_meister @bourbonwomen @hardtruthspirits @oldlinespirits @keeneland

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TWiB: A New Knife Collaboration, 2024 SIP Scholarship Program, Keeneland and Maker’s Launch Greats of the Gate

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:

Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about Buffalo Trace expansion.

What's the similarity between Jordan's and bourbon releases?

Are there raffles, lotteries, or hunts for sneakers?

Who is the distributor and how do they own the retail store?

If Nike is number one, who would they be compared to and who's the next biggest?

Mom and pop stores vs chains and how are they getting pushed out of the market?

What about saving and storing vs wearing or drinking?

Is it Jordan and then everyone else?

What is the Heaven Hill or Weller of sneakers?

Are there people that only collect one type of shoe?

Bourbon hits all walks of life or does the sneaker enthusiasts hit all walks of life?

Are there sneakers that don't need marketing?

Do you look differently at people who are rookies and buy stuff just because they want every color?

Are there any value brands that hold up over time?

Are there some LTOs that flop?

Are replicas or fakes a big problem?

Has the market gone down because everything became a limited edition?

Was Blue Run able to sneakerize the industry in your opinion?

@mattkusek

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458 - Are Sneakerheads Years Ahead of Bourbon Hunters? with Matt Kusek

On this Whiskey Quickie by Bourbon Pursuit, we review Jack Daniel's 12 Year Batch 2 Tennessee Whiskey. This 12 year old whiskey is 107 proof and $80 MSRP. Let us know what you think. Cheers!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.

Whiskey Quickie: Jack Daniel's 12 Year Batch 2 Tennessee Whiskey Review

It's This Week in Bourbon for April 12th 2024. Derby season is abuzz in Louisville with lots of events, Jeff Hopmayer joins the board for Staghorn, and 18 new whiskey releases.Show Notes:
A21 Wine & Spirits has agreed to purchase the Noble Oak American Whiskey brand from Edrington

Slow Pass Bourbon Co. LLC is considering opening a $70 million distillery in Springfield, Ky

Three limited-time Derby experiences for booking on Buzzard's Roost

The Woodford Reserve $1,000 and $5,000 Mint Julep cups charity program

Staghorn has appointed Brindiamo Group founder Jeff Hopmayer to serve on the advisory board

Chef Edward Lee recently released a cookbook called Bourbon Land

Michter’s 10 Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon

2XO The Kiawah Blend

High n’ Wicked cask strength rye and bourbon

High West Bourye

Jim Gaffigan launches Fathertime Bourbon

Ezra Brooks 99 Port Wine Cask Finish

Ole Smoky Tennessee Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Booker’s Springfield Batch

BHAKTA 2014 Bourbon

A. Overholt

Chicken Cock Double Oak Single Barrel

BLACKENED Whiskey 2024 edition of Rye the Lighting

Savage & Cooke Distillery Howling Mob Bourbon Whiskey and Bloody Butcher Bourbon Whiskey

Still Austin Ruby Red Port Barrel Finished Straight Rye Whiskey

Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond 25th Anniversary Edition

Orphan Barrel Indigo’s Hour Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Milam & Greene Whiskey 2024 Wildlife Collection: Mockingbird Single Barrel Bourbon

@nobleoak @buzzardsroostwhiskey @woodfordreserve @brindiamogroup @chefedwardlee @michterswhiskey @2xowhiskey @dixon_dedman @highnwicked @drinkhighwest @jimgaffigan @fathertimebourbon @ezrabrooksbourbon @olesmokey @bhaktaspirits @chickencockwhiskey @blackenedamericanwhiskey @savageandcooke @stillatx @heavenhilldistillery @milamandgreenewhiskey

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TWiB: Derby Season With Lots of Events, Jeff Hopmayer Joins The Board for Staghorn, 18 Brand New Whiskey Releases!

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:

Above the Char with Fred Minnick (@fredminnick) talks about bourbon with malted barely with the highest secondary grain.

What made you want to write a book on vintage whiskey?

What were some of those iconic decanters that were made?

What was the story you saw form out of the glut era?

Did you ever talk to store owners and ask why they would sit on inventory for this long?

Why did decanters become so popular or unpopular?

What makes a dusty spirit different from today's current releases?

Did anyone come up with a better term other than dusty funk?

Why was there a bigger market for minis back in the day?

Talk about the storyline and how Kevin came across this goldmine and any legal implications.

How many bar owners did you talk to about running a business on vintage spirits?

What do you think has to be considered vintage?

Was there any information in the book that teaches you how to date code vintage whiskey?

Is there a chance that any store is left with any dusty bottles?

Do you need dusty cocktail ingredients?

@aarongoldfarb

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280 - Is Bourbon the Next Big Trend? with Brandy Rand, COO of IWSR

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