If there is one thing bourbon aficionados really like its single barrel picks. Bourbon fans are constantly in pursuit of the unicorn bottle of bourbon or rye whiskey that is like no other you can find on the shelf.
Purchasing a single barrel of bourbon takes lots of time and lots of money. For many bourbon fans the process is out of reach either because they are not part of a group that can afford a barrel, they don’t have the time to do it, or they simply don’t know how the process works. The folks at Pursuit Spirits have leveled the playing field on all the above by offering a single barrel pick, from multiple distilleries, from multiple states, that happens all in one day from the tasting to walking out the door with a bottle of your choice.
The entire process makes for a great visitor experience, and it comes from people that have been covering the bourbon industry since 2018.
The Whole Shebang: Tasting + Barrel Pick + Fill Your Own Bottle
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The Whole Shebang is brought to you by Pursuit Spirits. The new distillery operation is operated by some well-known industry names, Kenny Coleman and Ryan Cecil. Kenny and Ryan are the velvety voices behind the microphones of Bourbon Pursuit podcast, the self-proclaimed “Official Podcast of Bourbon”. After years of reporting on the industry Kenny and Ryan introduced their own sourced spirits under the Pursuit Spirits product name. About a year ago the duo announced they were investing $8 million to expand their distilling operations with a combination of sourced whiskies and new-make contract distillate. Those plans are now coming to fruition with the opening of a bottling operation and visitor experience in Louisville’s Clifton neighborhood.
“We’ve been privy to everything the large distilleries had to offer so we decided to give whiskey lovers something they can’t do anywhere else. These inside looks are what makes Pursuit Spirits so special,” said COO & Co-Founder Kenny Coleman. “These immersive experiences take guests beyond the traditional 51% corn tour and focus on how barrel maturation and blending are the real stars of the show.”
While visiting the distillery Coleman stated, “As whiskey geeks we all know that single barrels are where it’s at.” He then turned to his partner Ryan Cecil and asked, “You always say it’s the perfect product, right?”
“Yes, everyone is a unicorn, everyone is special,” replied Ryan Cecil. And a visit to the newly opened distillery is also special.
The new location offers two new behind the scenes visitor experiences for whiskey fans including The Whole Shebang and Pursuit United Breakdown.
“The Whole Shebang: Tasting + Barrel Pick + Fill Your Own Bottle” is a 90-minute VIP adventure. Guests will taste a variety of Pursuit’s award-winning whiskeys, learn all about mash bills, blending, and maturation from expert guides, partake in a private barrel pick, thieve the whiskey out of the barrel, and then fill a personalized bottle to take home. This is a rare chance to check off a bucket list item by taking part in the barrel picking process that normally takes weeks can be accomplished in one afternoon. The Whole Shebang experience and bottle is $139.99.
The second experience, “Pursuit United Breakdown” is a 45-minute-deep dive into Pursuit’s limited small-batch bourbon for $35. Guests will taste the individual distillates that make up Pursuit United at cask strength, learning the unique profiles and stories behind each component. The experience culminates in sampling the iconic Pursuit United Bourbon and Toasted Oak Collection Bourbon to realize how the sum is greater than the parts.
Visitors will also have an opportunity to purchase additional bottles of Pursuit Spirits line of bourbons and rye whiskies before leaving the distillery.
The Pursuit Spirits Distillery is located just minutes from downtown Louisville, at 1700 Mellwood Ave., Louisville, Kentucky, 40205. Visits and experiences are available Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays by reservation only.
Coming Soon to Louisville’s Whiskey Row
In addition to this location, they are also building a visitor experience on Louisville’s Whiskey Row with neighbors like Bardstown Bourbon Company, Buzzard’s Roost Whiskey, Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery and Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co.
Pursuit Spirits offers award-winning small-batch bourbon and rye whiskeys with Pursuit United as well as their single barrel product, Pursuit Series.
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‘Pursuit Spirits’ Announces Plans to Open Visitor Experience on Louisville’s Whiskey Row
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