Bourbon Pursuit

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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