Bourbon Pursuit

It's This Week in Bourbon for July 10th 2026. Fawn Weaver and Keith Weaver have been terminated from Uncle Nearest, a new investigation into Canada's ongoing boycott of American alcohol, and Barton now has their 1792 Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey.Show Notes:
Court-appointed receiver terminates Fawn and Keith Weaver from Uncle Nearest, Inc. amidst Humble Baron's collapse

Jack Daniel Distillery partners with USO for national "United We Toast" campaign honoring the Armed Forces

WhistlePig Whiskey sells Moriah Business Park auxiliary facility for over $17,000,000 to Zags 26

Wyoming Whiskey returns to local ownership as WW Partners, LLC acquires an 80% stake from Edrington

Congresswoman Claudia Tenney introduces the "Canada Act" to investigate Canada's ongoing boycott of American alcohol

Country Boy Brewing expands into spirits production with Country Boy Distilling launching this autumn

Shady Knoll Orchards & Distillery fights Washington's direct-to-consumer shipping restrictions in federal appeals court

Kentucky Bourbon Trail expands to 74 total stops by welcoming four new distilleries to the trail

Buffalo Trace Distillery debuts "Camp Buffalo Trace" immersive overnight adult summer camp experience

Knob Creek introduces limited-edition 9-Year-Old Independence Edition with a blue wax seal for America's 250th

Redwood Empire Whiskey officially releases Colonel Armstrong Wheated Bourbon, a premium four-grain blend

Woodinville Whiskey Company launches national rollout of premium Single Barrel Bourbon and 100% Rye program

Sagamore Whiskey announces nationwide launch of its 108-proof High Rye Straight Bourbon Whiskey

Brush Creek Distillery expands 2026 Heroes Edition Straight Bourbon Whiskey release to three barrels

Buffalo Trace Distillery unveils the third limited-edition release of its historic medicinal Prohibition Collection

B.H. James Distillers launches Spirit 76 line of flavored Kentucky Bourbons at 76 proof

Jackson Purchase Distillery debuts its first house-branded Bottled in Bond and Select Bourbons

Barton 1792 Distillery introduces permanent Straight Rye expression alongside ultra-aged 1792 XV Bourbon

Garrison Brothers Distillery announces the return of Laguna Madre alongside a new Cask Strength companion bottle

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Long before the modern bourbon boom, one family bet everything on a credit card cash advance business—and turned a single D.C. storefront into a legendary whiskey empire. On this week’s episode, we sit down with Prav Saraff and talk about an unbelievable immigrant success story that transformed a single, cash-strapped Washington, D.C. storefront into a premier destination for ultra-rare spirits and legendary barrel picks. Prav takes us back to his family’s roots—moving from India to Nepal before grinding through grueling hours in America as dishwashers and gas station attendants to finally buy their first liquor store in 1995. We talk about what it was like balancing high school by day and retail shifts by night, and how a chance encounter with a mentor customer completely shifted their business model away from the low-margin hustle and straight into luxury wine, dusty Van Winkle decanters, and vintage Willett bottles the rest of the industry ignored. Long before the modern bourbon boom, the Saraff family treated hard-to-sell, expensive inventory as a long-term asset, ultimately using their early producer relationships to help put powerhouse brands like Smooth Ambler, Smoke Wagon, and New Riff on the map. Prav breaks down how those foundational single barrel programs revolutionized their operation and laid the groundwork for Dream Spirits—a brand launched to honor his father's ultimate legacy.
Show Notes:
From India to Northern Virginia: The Saraff family’s journey and the early days of American hustle

Betting the future on a 28% interest rate credit card loan to buy a D.C. liquor store in 1995

Balancing high school with retail shifts: How a customer mentor unlocked the world of high-end wine and spirits

Buying what others ignored: Taking early risks on Van Winkle decanters, A.H. Hirsch, and vintage Willett

Treating expensive, slow-moving inventory as long-term liquid gold

How early store picks helped put Smooth Ambler, Starlight, and Smoke Wagon on the map

Launching Dream Spirits: Honoring a father's legacy through independent blending and curation

Inside the new Virginia estate designed for immersive, memory-making barrel pick trips

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Angel’s Envy celebrates 15 years of Cask Strength with one of its most ambitious releases yet. This 117.8 proof port-finished bourbon delivers rich blackberry jam, honey, tobacco, leather, and sweet oak notes that had us rethinking everything we thought we knew about Angel’s Envy.

Is this the ultimate version of a bourbon fan favorite?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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On this week’s Bourbon Community Roundtable, our panel is tackling the single biggest shockwave to hit the industry this year: Gallo’s massive acquisition of Four Roses. We're diving headfirst into what this tectonic ownership shift means for one of bourbon’s most fiercely protected heritage brands. We dissect the massive changes coming to the marketing playbook as corporate retail giant Gallo takes the driver's seat, debating whether we’re about to see aggressive national distribution, mainstream sports sponsorships, or an entirely new strategy to scale the brand beyond the enthusiast bubble. Of course, it wouldn't be a roundtable without confronting the ongoing allocation drama and the future of the beloved private barrel program. The team breaks down the internal inventory pressures that strained Four Roses' retail relationships, and we debate whether Gallo’s massive logistical network can actually repair that broken industry trust. Finally, we throw down over the controversial new Experimental Collection and its debut Mizunara Oak finish, debating whether the core 10-recipe lineup should remain sacred or if it's time for the brand to push new boundaries under its new corporate umbrella. Pour a glass and join the conversation as we look past the label to see what Gallo's next move means for your wallet.
Show Notes:
Evaluating the industry fallout of E. & J. Gallo’s acquisition of Four Roses

Fred Minnick on the Seagram's exile, the Kirin rescue, and Jim Rutledge's legendary brand revival

The marketing gap: Overcoming Four Roses’ historically quiet consumer footprint

Streamlining the portfolio, fixing the Small Batch Select naming issue, and eyeing mainstream sports sponsorships

How inventory strain damaged the beloved Four Roses private barrel program

Can Gallo’s distribution footprint rebuild broken trust with retailers and whiskey clubs?

The Experimental Collection debate: Pushing boundaries with Mizunara Oak vs. protecting the core 10 recipes

Why the panel believes finishes and RTDs need separate branding to protect the Four Roses legacy

Why Small Batch Select is still a mandatory buy on today's liquor store shelf

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Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Mars collaboration blends Kentucky bourbon and Japanese single malt in a first-of-its-kind co-aging experiment. The result? Creamy chocolate, Rice Krispie treats, stone fruit, and a finish that completely surprised us. Is this Bardstown’s most unique release yet?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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