What Happens When Augusta Single Barrel Brand Chooses To Blend with Master Distiller Alex Castle & Brand Ambassador Matt Groves

WEBVTT
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I'm here to tell you about Whiskey Thief Distilling Company and their newly opened tasting world.
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Whether you are up for a farm to class distilling experience on the Three Boys Farm in Frankfurt, Kentucky, or an out-of-this world tasting experience in Uh, you won't be disappointed.
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At both locations, their barrel fixed all day, every day, are like none other.
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Each location features stations with five barrels, each featuring their pot-distilled bourbons and rye.
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Once the barrels have been thieved and tasted, you can make a selection and feed your own bottle.
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A day at Whiskey Thief with their friendly staff and ownership will ensure you many good times with good friends and family.
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Remember to always drink responsibly, never drink and dry, and live your life unplugged and unfiltered.
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We have Alex Castle, master distiller of Augusta, and then we have Matt Grove, super good friend of the Scotchy Bourbon Boys, and we've hung out and done something.
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He's Matt Groves is the brand ambassador for Augusta, correct?
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I got that down.
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Yes.
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And then we also have CT here wearing his Buckner shirt.
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Ah, brand.
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I'm bringing the cleanup.
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I just gotta be on brand.
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I'm on brand because I actually have you can't see it, but I got a hat on.
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I could go like this and maybe does that pick it up?
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No.
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Oh, yeah.
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There you go.
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There you go.
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I think that's a woman's hat.
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Thanks watch, watch it.
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My husband loves that hat.
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I love it too.
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I can't wear it too often because it just, you know, white hats, but I wear it for I save it for the special occasions, especially because if I'm wearing a white shirt in the summer, it's always good.
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I got my specific white hats.
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And it's and it will keep and it will keep you cool, that's for sure, opposed to wearing black and just sweating.
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But anyways, good to have you guys on.
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This is something I it's exciting because of where you guys have have been where I first met you, Matt, at the when we did the the podcast at Revival for their for their what what they it was their barrel pick that they had done with you, and it was a hazmat.
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Yeah, very early, very early, one of the earliest barrel picks that we actually were even a part of, you know, before we knew that single barrel selections were going to become such a deep part of our identity.
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Yeah, our friends Brad and Shannon over there at Revival, some good friends for sure.
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Yeah, hard to believe it's been has that been three years ago?
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Oh yeah, yeah, yeah.
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It has.
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That was that was in 2023.
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So yeah, that was probably this time, 2023.
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Yeah, right going, I think it, I think it was right at the I think we hit it on the way home from the festival.
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One or the other.
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Yeah, it was different.
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So and I we and we and it's it was crazy because it was at the old revival, not the new revival, in their small little bar.
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And then I we came up with Amzi.
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No, no, yeah, no, was it?
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No, we came up with no, why am I having a problem with this?
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RD1, right?
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We came up with uh Barry, Barry Brinniger, thank you.
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Oh yeah, you know, now that he's not there and he he's just irrelevant, and I can't remember his name.
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No, I'm just kidding.
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No, we came up with Barry, so that was a lot of fun.
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Oh, that that day, that video, Brad, and I'm trying to think of the one guy that works for Brad that's always up working the upstairs bar.
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What's his name?
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Oh I'm gonna blind cut it right now.
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Jason, for sure.
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They love the video because there's a video where you guys are all talking in the background, and I'm trying to shoot a video of Brad opening some bottle, and he's like, shut up in the background, and he's like yelling at everybody.
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And and that bumpy turned out so fun because then Barry's like over here in the corner, just like sitting there hanging out.
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That was a good crew, fun time for sure.
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But that's but but that really comes down to what bourbon's about, right?
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Memories, things that we've done in the past when we get together.
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I mean, I'm looking forward to Kentucky Bourbon Festival so much this year.
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And you guys, you know, I last year that was like you guys killed it.
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I mean, it was, you know, everybody always has their special things, and there was the the releases that you guys had.
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All these people were waiting in line for these other releases.
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Nobody had any idea how awesome of the releases that you guys were gonna release.
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And then when you released it, it was just like it caught on.
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You guys were like, you know, there the craft distillers are on one side, and then there's the big guys, and then all the other tents on the other.
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And and last year, I think it was you guys and probably dark arts that basically had the the you know just as much traction as the big guys were getting.
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And you know, me, you know, it's it's special and it to see uh Alex out there, and when you guys hired her, you kind of knew big things were gonna happen, and we're getting there, right?
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Talk about that, where we're at right now.
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I mean, you just let launch something that you weren't normally launching.
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Yeah, Alex to break the rules.
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I'm definitely a disruptor.
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No, it's it's been a fun two years for me to see the evolution of a system in such a short amount of time.
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Yeah, one part of it's you know, we all know the industry's in a funny spot right now, so weird stuff is going on.
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And a lot of us are just having to get creative or having to you know figure out how to keep the consumer interested in buying, get on-prem to bias, all those things.
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So we are we're having to do things that maybe we didn't plan on.
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So we're a small batch.
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We said we'd always be single barrel.
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And here we are with the six-barrel small batch.
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Now, I argue we approach small batch like it's single barrel, so I don't think it's too too off-brand for us, but you know, we are we're we're doing some fun stuff.
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And if you thought we had fun drops at KBF last year, just just wait.
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Just wait.
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We've got some fun stuff planned for KBF 2026.
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Well, the the small batch, the one thing that is unique for you for what you guys are doing, like you said, and kind of keeps true character to the the the brand is that it's a cast strength.
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So, you know, when you when you drink this small batch, and now I've had the pleasure of drinking several, you know, different ones.
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And you made one.
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Yeah, and blessed to be a part of making one.
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Wow, what a what an experience that is.
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And for the price point, oh my god.
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I mean, it I I when when we sat there and you said it was gonna be somewhere about$59.
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I'm I'm like, wait a second, that that can't be that cheap.
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That that's cheap for what it is, especially in a brand that that is very uh, you know, you guys have always had this little bit higher class because of having the Buckner's 13s and 15s and think you're on the Buckner 17s and you know 20.
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So you come along with a$59 bottle, it's like what did they do?
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Just fill it up with water.
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But that is one thing you will never find.
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Dilution.
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No dilution whatsoever.
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It's eight years old straight out of the, you know, I think we said most of this stuff was seven and eight years old, isn't it?
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I I want to say that OHLQ batch actually was a lot like half nine-year-olds.
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It was half nine-year-olds, almost almost ten-year-olds.
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I'm sorry.
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Yeah, you guys you were aggressive on that batch.
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We they were like, yeah, I wish you would have taken the six-year-olds.
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That's what happens when the boss is not there.
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If you remember, Alex was not there for the OHLQ style creation.
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Uh and so so there was nobody we nobody could control CT?
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No.
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I I left them all unsupervised.
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I had and to supervise me and set like an XP.
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What good what good is that?
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I mean, and unsupervised you and and unsupervised, and then you have nine and eight years, nine and eight-year-olds at your things, you think she's gonna go for the six-year-olds?
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No.
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No, they know what they were doing.
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Yeah, they know what they were doing with our creeping the OHOQ small badge before.
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So yeah, while we're on that, Matt, talk about it so that people know because you guys have just been on a Ohio tear here the last few days doing some uh some tours.
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I think you probably were, did you open for ACDC last night?
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Uh that's tomorrow night.
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That's tomorrow night.
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No, you know, we've been super fortunate to partner with with OHOQ, the controlling body of liquor uh in the state of Ohio.
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And in creating and collaborating this custom small batch for them, the six barrel small batches we've talked about.
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The past week, Alex and I have been able to tour the state uh to some fantastic liquor stores.
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And yeah, we've been doing two-a-days, right?
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You know, it's not football season yet, but we've had two-a-days every day this week, two liquor store tastings every day, and we're wrapping that up tomorrow.
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I'll be solo at two Cincinnati stores.
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One of them is Giant Liquor up in Mason, the other is Spirits of Madeira in Madeira, just uh on the east side of Cincinnati.
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So, but yeah, started in Cleveland Monday, made our way down to Columbus Tuesday.
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Alex wrapped up with me in Cincinnati Wednesday, and then we're putting a bow on it to Maharo, but we're seeing some incredible numbers.
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You know, bourbon is strong in Ohio.
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We kind of snuck in some weeded samples as well.
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So the brand new weeded single barrel that dropped uh alongside this small batch.
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There you go.
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That has been very well received.
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If you know Ohio, you know Ohioans love their weeded bourbon.
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Big weller state.
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They are enjoying Augusta's weeded single barrel, I would say, just as much these days.
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So excited to see where that takes us in the state of Ohio, but been very well received.
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Excited for the partnership and and can to continue that moving forward.
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Well, and and when you now I know why you were talking about the ferry.
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Because you're probably taking.
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I mean, really, you're a you're a ferry jump away from Ohio.
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So you guys are just right in.
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So to do all it's not that far from where you're you're doing.
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Although if you go up to Cleveland, that was a that would have been I I I was um driving back from northern Michigan on Monday.
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So I wasn't, I knew you guys were there, and then you were in Columbus, and there was no way I could do it because I was in my first day back to in the real world.
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So I was bumped wildfire smoke back.
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Oh, God, yeah, just today.
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Woke up this morning.
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I'm like, it's not that there wasn't, it wasn't that bad.
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And then about 10 o'clock it all started rolling in.
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And that's some, yeah, though the the the yeah, it's not fun to be stuff.
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I was outs outside and I got to breathe in a good four or five hours of it today.
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So yeah, it wasn't fun.
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Matt, the small batch that the state of Ohio released, which kind of they did in conjunction with you and Alex coming to Ohio and the Buckners 13, correct?
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There were two things.
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Yeah, yeah.
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Those are out now, correct?
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So the state of Ohio, you can find these at and I think if you go to the OHLQ website and you click on that little link, it'll pop up on the main page.
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Yeah, it'll show you where they're at.
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And I absolutely listen, it's it's a plug, but it's not a plug.
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Sure.
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Just for$59 for the for the small batch, if you don't go buy that bottle, yeah, I don't even know what type of furniture to tell you to drink.
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I will follow we've been we've been telling people to get a backup as well, right?
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Because you're gonna take it home and you're gonna say, okay, well, you know,$60 bottle, you don't feel as bad opening it immediately and sharing it with a lot of people like you might with a Buckner's 13th.
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You know, right?
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We get that Buckner's 13 and those Buckner's age statements that are older oftentimes can be associated with a special occasion, a rare, a rare event, that sort of thing.
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But this small batch is meant to meant to move.
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And if you don't have a backup, you're probably going to regret it.
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That yielded, even though it was six barrels, it only yielded 1,080 bottles total.
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And the state of Ohio pushed all 1,080 of those out this week.
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So Buckner's 13, good luck, good luck finding that because I'm pretty sure everywhere Alex Castle was signing bottles this week, we sold out or came very close to it, especially on Buckners 13, and we did.
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But by nature, those the the price point will leave some scarcity for that small batch as well.
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So, you know, get batch number one, but also prepare yourself for batch number two, which I'm sure will come at some point.
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Well, I will say that having it for the first time tonight, you guys have matched.
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I mean, I it's like the price point.
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So when I first met when I first saw Buckner's for the first time in my life at my liquor store, was before I ever met you.
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It was I I don't remember ex, but it was expensive.
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You know, that's the first when it first hit Ohio, and it was there for a while, and I was like looking at it, but I never ever knew what to do with it because it was very expensive, but I hadn't met you, Matt.
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I hadn't met anybody, and so I didn't know what you know what you don't just always go and spend the kind of money that it was without knowing or tasting it, right?
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So as we've gone through this endeavor, I mean, your stuff, you have the 13 year, you had the 17 year, the 10 year, and it's all on the on the what would you say, it's on the upper level price point of really good bourbon, and it is really good bourbon.
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I mean, it's fantastic single barrel bourbon.
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I mean, there's no doubt about it.
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And if you have one and it's it's you know, you can't it's not like I can get them all, but you always want to have one because it's so good.
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But this is so close.
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It's and now it's on the level of you know, completely of where where you guys obviously have done your homework as far as where you wanted to be with the small batch price, because it just goes right in there on the cast strength small batch, you know, the craft distillery, which is just that right there is probably the best selling point of any bourbons right now that there is.
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You know, it's not, you know, it's not bookers or whatever, and it's more expensive.
00:18:48.049 --> 00:19:01.169
It's right in there, but it matches up with those higher end bottles that from the big guys, and right now I see everybody loving on that that range, and you guys hit it perfectly.
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And then it's scary to me because I drank this and it's really, really good on to the point where it's really close to your other ones that are on the higher level, you know what I mean?
00:19:14.769 --> 00:19:17.889
Definitely, yeah, I would grab another bottle.
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I probably go back out and get another one tomorrow.
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But I'm just it's fantastic.
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I mean, the the taste is right there with what Augusta should be putting out, you know, and that's that's you know, you guys are doing great job.
00:19:36.210 --> 00:19:37.409
And we sent this.
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Oh, sorry, go ahead.
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No, what I was gonna say is the main reason we brought out the Augustine distillery line, the small batch that we did, is we did recognize that we were playing at a higher price point, right?
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And a lot of people didn't know what we were, and so sometimes it's really, really challenging for a consumer to look at a brand nothing about and drop$150 to$200,$300,$400, right?
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Because is the juice is gonna be good.
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We probably all could have bought a bottle and regretted our choice.
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We get it, and if you're paying a lot of money for it, we don't want you to regret it.
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So we saw an opportunity to come up with an introduction to the brand, and that's what the remote is.
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Is hopefully it is still quality.
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Everything about quality, and hopefully it's something that's at price point as a purchase, you can take that chance, you can take that risk.
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And when you buy it and you drink and you realize, holy crap, this is good.
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Then you trust us, and you're willing then to try that doctor's 10, that doctor's 13, 15, and graduate up to those, and hopefully eventually just enjoy the whole pro the whole portfolio.
00:20:53.009 --> 00:20:59.970
And really, like if you think about it, Augusta, different from a lot of distilleries, did it backwards.
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You know, you guys started out with such a good 13 year, and you you won whiskey of the year, burden of the year.
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Sorry if I messed that up a few years ago.
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And it was like that put you on the map.
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Like people were seeking out that Buckner's 13 because it was just amazing.
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And then wait a minute, there's more batches and there's different proofs.
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There's hazmat, there's non-hazmat, you know.
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So it is kind of the evolution of what happens in the bourbon world that you go from okay, we're we're up here, but now let's find a way to bring in this other bottle.
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And again, at that price point, you're still getting eight, nine-year-old stuff.
00:21:40.929 --> 00:21:48.690
This isn't four-year-old green, you know, this isn't anything weird, it's good age bourbon.
00:21:49.009 --> 00:21:53.169
That I'm gonna tell you, that was one I I told Jeff this before we got going.
00:21:53.329 --> 00:21:55.889
That was one of the hardest barrel kicks I think I've ever been on.
00:21:56.289 --> 00:22:01.089
Most barrel kicks are easy, and I think Andemic even said it.
00:22:01.169 --> 00:22:04.289
She's like, I did not know I was gonna have to work this hard.
00:22:04.609 --> 00:22:15.809
It was it was a challenge because to sit there and take nine different barrels and come down to six and then to find the ones that complemented and work together is no easy task.
00:22:15.970 --> 00:22:17.009
That's it took a lot.
00:22:17.250 --> 00:22:18.609
Yeah, you're telling, you're telling me.
00:22:18.929 --> 00:22:20.450
Right, you know firsthand.
00:22:20.609 --> 00:22:21.009
What?
00:22:21.169 --> 00:22:21.809
Yeah.
00:22:22.369 --> 00:22:27.490
So you're just making Alex look really good at you know, and at her job.
00:22:27.649 --> 00:22:37.089
I mean, yeah, you were doing her job for the day, and I mean, that's just kind of I mean what makes you left because she wanted us to do it for her.
00:22:38.849 --> 00:22:47.169
I'm just gonna I'm gonna say, one, this is this is when I when I like things to make sense to me.
00:22:47.409 --> 00:22:55.009
So when I met you, Alex, for the when we did the podcast, I'm just walking out of there thinking, you know, they do a lot of single barrels.
00:22:55.089 --> 00:22:58.049
They're just she's distilling, putting stuff in barrels.
00:22:58.210 --> 00:23:00.690
There's no way they're sticking to single barrels.
00:23:00.929 --> 00:23:04.450
You don't hire Alex and just do single barrels.
00:23:04.690 --> 00:23:11.970
There's she has a talent for making really good blend, you know, blending barrels for really good whiskey.
00:23:12.049 --> 00:23:21.649
So, yes, it makes sense that you will still do single barrels and that that that is something, but you know, and then when this happened, it Just was like, yes, that's falling in place.
00:23:21.730 --> 00:23:23.730
There's a couple other places that are doing this.
00:23:23.970 --> 00:23:26.769
And it absolutely should happen.
00:23:27.089 --> 00:23:30.609
And I mean, you're talking truly a six barrel.
00:23:30.690 --> 00:23:33.089
So what is your other small batch?
00:23:33.169 --> 00:23:34.210
Is it six barrels?
00:23:34.289 --> 00:23:37.490
Is that the standard right now, as far as how you're putting it out?
00:23:38.049 --> 00:23:40.049
Yeah, so we're doing three to six barrels.
00:23:40.129 --> 00:23:45.490
So when I'm batching for what we call gin's Q, so just what we ship for standard POs.
00:23:45.649 --> 00:23:53.730
If you're gonna find at your liquor store with no pick or anything to it, it's a six barrel because it's literally what my tank is capable of holding.
00:23:53.970 --> 00:23:54.210
Okay.
00:23:54.369 --> 00:24:00.529
Um, but we do offer for the custom, we can go as small as three barrels.
00:24:00.929 --> 00:24:12.690
And if somebody wanted to and they were uh to to cherry pick some of those barrels, they could maybe do seven because there wouldn't be as much in it if they got up to a 10 or 11 year old that they wanted to throw in there.
00:24:13.089 --> 00:24:13.889
Correct.
00:24:14.129 --> 00:24:14.609
Correct.
00:24:14.769 --> 00:24:16.609
You could maybe squeeze in that seven barrel.
00:24:16.849 --> 00:24:28.049
Yeah, because there's always thinking there's always those, those, those, what would you say, entrepreneurs who want seven barrel batches for themselves.
00:24:28.769 --> 00:24:29.569
Very specific.
00:24:29.809 --> 00:24:30.289
Very specific.
00:24:30.529 --> 00:24:33.169
I mean, but but but let's get back to the state of Ohio.
00:24:33.329 --> 00:24:56.289
One of the things that you guys have done just this week, and what you what's necessary, and what I found that is a successful brand, and and Matt, you'll you know out of everybody, an ambassador of meeting people and having them taste good whiskey, and there's an experience, and you are part of that.
00:24:56.369 --> 00:25:02.529
And then you bring in Alex, who with her, and when people meet it and you do the signing.
00:25:02.769 --> 00:25:14.210
I mean, I will tell you in the state of Ohio, the more you do do this, the more people will absolutely choose what they you know.
00:25:14.289 --> 00:25:18.049
Once again, there's so much to choose from on the shelf.
00:25:18.210 --> 00:25:25.089
You walk in, there could there are some good brands out there, but in Ohio, it's like once they've met you.
00:25:25.329 --> 00:25:32.289
I mean, why does Buffalo Trace have to send Freddie Johnson up here signing and doing things?
00:25:32.529 --> 00:25:42.049
Because then you meet them and then they keep the lock on people keep buying it because not only is it good, you know, they have their stuff, but then you're they're doing it.
00:25:42.129 --> 00:25:57.889
So boots on the ground have always been ever since Booker, like really kind of it's when when people choose whiskey and they have a face, they'll choose it every single time over something that they've never tasted before.
00:25:58.049 --> 00:26:08.369
And what you guys are doing, and what you've been doing, Matt, since I met you, is put a face on it of somebody you want to drink bourbon with.
00:26:08.609 --> 00:26:11.970
It's just like every time I'm with you, we have such a good time.
00:26:12.049 --> 00:26:20.369
And the same thing with Alex, and and and now you guys are doing all the distilling, and you guys have so much capacity there.
00:26:20.529 --> 00:26:22.129
It's it's fantastic.
00:26:23.250 --> 00:26:23.730
For sure.
00:26:23.889 --> 00:26:27.169
Yeah, I think you know, there's one thing for me.
00:26:27.329 --> 00:26:29.089
I I get to talk about home, right?
00:26:29.169 --> 00:26:33.250
I grew up in Augusta, it's my home, it's where mom still lives.
00:26:33.490 --> 00:26:45.250
It's this is this is the the career path for me that has blended the lines of personal life and professional life more than I think I ever imagined.
00:26:45.329 --> 00:26:49.089
And so, you know, I've got that angle, and that's always a very special angle for me.
00:26:49.250 --> 00:26:55.649
I will never grow tired of seeing our bottles on shelves and in people's homes across the country and around the world.
00:26:55.809 --> 00:26:59.250
That that's that is, I think, one of the things I'm most proud of.
00:26:59.569 --> 00:27:08.769
But it adds an entirely different level when you know I get to say, come on, Alex, we're you're coming with me for this one, you know.
00:27:08.929 --> 00:27:14.210
Two Illinois trips and one on the way this year, you know, she's about to take off to Minnesota.
00:27:14.690 --> 00:27:16.609
There is something special.
00:27:16.769 --> 00:27:22.129
We went a while as a brand without having that presence, right?
00:27:22.289 --> 00:27:45.649
Without without having Alex, without having a distiller who could go out and tell people, hey, trust that we're putting the best bourbons in the world in bottles right now, but also trust that you have somebody here who knows how to make the best bourbons in the world and is going to be bottling those for the future of Augusta.
00:27:46.129 --> 00:27:48.129
That adds another layer to this, right?
00:27:48.369 --> 00:27:59.089
I I can go out and be anybody's drinking buddy, but like what I can never do is bring the chemistry and the science and the and put the master in any of this.
00:27:59.169 --> 00:28:03.490
And so it's been an absolute game changer because you you know you're spot on.
00:28:03.569 --> 00:28:06.849
It's personality-driven liquid-to-lips interactions.
00:28:07.089 --> 00:28:07.970
That's what it is.
00:28:08.129 --> 00:28:13.089
That's that's how we go from shelf to home bar, from shelf to restaurant bar.
00:28:13.409 --> 00:28:14.210
And that's what it is.
00:28:14.289 --> 00:28:27.569
And then Alex can tell you that's what we saw very unexpectedly, admittedly, in you know, the northern reaches of Ohio, all the way down to Cincinnati this week, because those tastings, Alex will tell you, were at bizarre times.
00:28:28.049 --> 00:28:30.929
They were the weirdest times I've ever done.
00:28:31.169 --> 00:28:33.569
Yeah, like 12 to 2.
00:28:33.970 --> 00:28:36.369
Yeah, two to four on a Monday.
00:28:36.609 --> 00:28:40.690
And when we get to the store, there are people waiting for us.
00:28:41.009 --> 00:28:43.250
We're we're we're professionals.
00:28:44.769 --> 00:28:45.730
An hour before.
00:28:46.049 --> 00:28:46.849
We're professionals.
00:28:48.129 --> 00:28:50.289
I mean, there's a blown away.
00:28:50.769 --> 00:28:53.569
There's probably people who took the day off.
00:28:54.609 --> 00:28:58.769
And that's my takeaway for Monday and Tuesday is that no one in Ohio works.
00:28:59.970 --> 00:29:03.649
No, the bourbon people, the bourbon people with drops, okay.
00:29:03.809 --> 00:29:05.009
We have the same thing.
00:29:05.169 --> 00:29:13.409
There's there's a group and section of retired people or people who work third, and they do the morning drops.
00:29:13.569 --> 00:29:18.129
And throughout the week, bourbon drops all across the state.
00:29:18.210 --> 00:29:26.129
And there are lines on a Thursday morning at nine o'clock that they'll wait till 12 o'clock for the truck to show up.
00:29:26.210 --> 00:29:33.649
And there's a and they they have the retired people who have breakfast clubs, they do the thing, they go out to breakfast.
00:29:33.809 --> 00:29:39.329
And when you wait in line with these people, it's it's it is the bourbon lifestyle.
00:29:39.409 --> 00:29:42.929
You know, people are getting the they're collecting, they want the good stuff.
00:29:43.009 --> 00:29:48.769
And Ohio does a really good job of putting out the stuff.
00:29:48.929 --> 00:29:59.809
I've seen no here, I've seen no let up in allocated or some of the the cash strengths or stuff that's limited, limited.
00:29:59.970 --> 00:30:01.490
There's been no let up in it.
00:30:01.649 --> 00:30:05.169
The lines are the people are still in the lines, they're still there for it.
00:30:05.329 --> 00:30:19.809
And you know, it's it's an it's Ohio really is seriously, I think at one point we'll even go up further because I think some states that were ahead of us dropped off a little bit, and we're not dropping off.
00:30:20.049 --> 00:30:21.009
Right, CT?
00:30:21.569 --> 00:30:22.849
Certainly doesn't feel that way.
00:30:23.089 --> 00:30:28.369
No, no, we we have, I mean, Ohio itself has 40 distilleries within the state.
00:30:28.450 --> 00:30:30.529
I think this registered wow.
00:30:30.690 --> 00:30:38.289
And and that's you don't think that, but then it's overall influence from outside and you guys being just across the river.
00:30:39.009 --> 00:30:40.529
You're almost Ohio.
00:30:40.929 --> 00:30:41.889
Yeah, Kentucky.
00:30:42.210 --> 00:30:59.569
We can see it's yeah, Kentucky is a huge influence in Ohio, so it's but I think Ohio people are just you know, it's we're not next to any major, you know, things other than watching sports and and hanging out with friends and family.
00:30:59.649 --> 00:31:03.089
So I think that they they enjoy finding good product.
00:31:03.569 --> 00:31:03.970
Yeah.
00:31:04.289 --> 00:31:07.970
Well, and with the sports teams in Ohio, you really need some alcoholic.
00:31:08.129 --> 00:31:08.369
Yeah.
00:31:09.490 --> 00:31:11.569
With some of the sports, yeah.
00:31:12.849 --> 00:31:15.329
Oh, yeah, let's not get into that.
00:31:15.730 --> 00:31:16.129
Yeah.
00:31:16.369 --> 00:31:19.569
Hey, growing up in the area, I'm a Cincinnati fan.
00:31:19.730 --> 00:31:22.529
So yeah, I can say it.
00:31:23.490 --> 00:31:27.009
I want the Reds to be good, but uh I can't want it for them.
00:31:27.250 --> 00:31:31.409
I I I mean I at least the Reds at one point were good.
00:31:32.929 --> 00:31:36.450
Like they like what's happening with the Indians is nuts.
00:31:36.849 --> 00:31:41.409
I mean, they're they're it's not like they're not they're whatever, but and the same thing.
00:31:41.649 --> 00:31:54.129
Let's just go into you go into the Browns, they're building a new stadium that they want to charge people billions of dollars to go to, and they put like brand of football is like, you know, it's just kind of like it's crazy.
00:31:54.210 --> 00:31:57.329
But anyways, that's that's neither here nor there at the moment.
00:31:57.730 --> 00:32:01.970
But the one thing you were talking about, Kentucky Bourbon Festival.
00:32:02.129 --> 00:32:05.009
Are you guys going to be at Bourbon on the Banks too this year?
00:32:06.289 --> 00:32:07.569
Yeah, I believe we'll be there.
00:32:07.649 --> 00:32:10.849
I you know, I think that was my favorite time to meet you.
00:32:11.169 --> 00:32:20.049
If I look, if I look at my county, yes, that was a oh how what a serendipitous meetup we had there at the at the at the Irish pub or something.
00:32:20.129 --> 00:32:21.569
Where I don't even remember.
00:32:21.649 --> 00:32:23.970
I was a few Miller High Labs in.
00:32:24.289 --> 00:32:25.329
I'll send you pictures.
00:32:25.569 --> 00:32:26.929
We were all a little bit in.
00:32:28.369 --> 00:32:28.849
Yeah.
00:32:29.490 --> 00:32:30.929
Because they also have a festival then.
00:32:31.329 --> 00:32:33.569
I was having some burgu, it was great.
00:32:34.049 --> 00:32:34.849
Yeah, that's it.
00:32:34.929 --> 00:32:36.049
That is a great festival.
00:32:36.369 --> 00:32:40.210
And we get asked that all the time, and and I believe it's on the calendar.
00:32:40.289 --> 00:32:40.529
Yeah.
00:32:40.849 --> 00:32:41.730
Okay, perfect.
00:32:41.970 --> 00:32:49.009
So I mean, it's just one festival that's we we'll see you at Kentucky Bourbon Festival, and then we'll see you there.
00:32:49.089 --> 00:32:53.730
And I'll probably try and make a time to stop off on my way home one of those times.
00:32:53.970 --> 00:32:56.289
So you should, you should.
00:32:56.450 --> 00:33:02.210
I will tell you, it's it's it's different, way different than than last time you were there.
00:33:02.450 --> 00:33:05.889
Full bar with a really high-class cocktail program.
00:33:06.129 --> 00:33:06.529
Perfect.
00:33:06.690 --> 00:33:08.369
Uh, very comfortable seating.
00:33:08.450 --> 00:33:18.690
Uh, it feels, you know, it feels every day like we're a little bit closer to where we've always wanted to be, but then we have aspirations to continue doing so much more.
00:33:19.089 --> 00:33:21.089
Um, so how's the outdoor?
00:33:21.250 --> 00:33:22.049
It was a work in progress.
00:33:22.210 --> 00:33:22.849
How's the outdoor?
00:33:23.089 --> 00:33:25.250
The outdoors done, it's awesome.
00:33:25.409 --> 00:33:27.009
Yeah, because that that's one thing.
00:33:27.889 --> 00:33:33.089
And like most distilleries, which we talked about this, the restrooms are on point and have been.
00:33:33.250 --> 00:33:36.129
Since Finventu guys remodeled, those restrooms are amazing.
00:33:36.289 --> 00:33:37.970
Yeah, but there was a time.
00:33:38.690 --> 00:33:40.690
There was a time where we used the old.
00:33:43.250 --> 00:33:48.769
Every time I go to the bathroom there, I'm reminded of indoor porta potties.
00:33:48.929 --> 00:33:52.129
I'm reminded of awful experiences.
00:33:52.450 --> 00:33:58.210
I think, I think when I was there the last time, when we did the podcast, the the restrooms were finished.
00:33:58.450 --> 00:33:59.970
I think so.
00:34:00.210 --> 00:34:11.409
Because that's one thing that nobody ever talks about that I know is that distilleries have restroom competitions.
00:34:11.730 --> 00:34:27.490
Because me and me and my wife uh probably about three, four years, three years ago, we used to like be traveling around and we'd stop like at the the Quick Mart or a McDonald's or the the gas station.
00:34:27.650 --> 00:34:33.970
And I'm like, you know, we're not stopping at quick marks or gas stations anymore when we're traveling.
00:34:34.130 --> 00:34:35.170
I don't care where we are.
00:34:35.250 --> 00:34:38.450
We're just gonna find a distillery and when that's where we're gonna go to the bathroom.
00:34:38.610 --> 00:34:44.690
And she's like, that's a really good idea because distilleries have it, it doesn't matter where you are.
00:34:44.930 --> 00:34:50.850
They there's a few craft distilleries that just have average bathrooms, but there's no bad bathrooms.
00:34:51.090 --> 00:34:56.530
But most distilleries have these most it's like an amazing bathroom, you know.
00:34:56.610 --> 00:34:57.810
It's just like you're going.
00:34:57.890 --> 00:35:02.770
I mean, you go to the Woodford Reserve, you go to the bathroom, and it's like you're an art museum.
00:35:03.570 --> 00:35:13.810
It's just like I'm very grateful that cyclosphoria or whatever the lettuce issue did not happen two and a half, three years ago when we had portables.
00:35:13.890 --> 00:35:15.010
Let's just put it that way.
00:35:17.730 --> 00:35:20.290
We would have been back in COVID lockdown.
00:35:20.530 --> 00:35:21.250
I would have quit.
00:35:24.370 --> 00:35:32.450
So you still so to touch base a little bit about Augusta, because people watching, not everybody knows.
00:35:32.530 --> 00:35:36.530
Um, you guys sit right on the banks of the Ohio River.
00:35:36.610 --> 00:35:37.330
We talked about that.
00:35:37.410 --> 00:35:45.250
You can go from you can take uh you can drive there, you can go all the way up to Maysville and then come down about 15-20 minutes.
00:35:45.570 --> 00:35:51.250
But when you get to the distillery, you have options for tours, tastings.
00:35:51.490 --> 00:35:57.090
You've got the bottle your own, which is the oh I the is it the river?
00:36:02.130 --> 00:36:02.610
Uh-oh.
00:36:05.250 --> 00:36:06.050
Damn.
00:36:08.290 --> 00:36:09.890
Did I just lose my internet?
00:38:30.530 --> 00:38:31.490
Wi-Fi.
00:38:43.650 --> 00:38:44.930
Jeff's iPhone.
00:38:47.410 --> 00:38:48.850
See if I can do it.
00:38:50.930 --> 00:38:52.930
I'm gonna try and come back on.
00:38:55.410 --> 00:38:59.730
I am recording, but oh, I'm hooked up to Jeff's Wi-Fi.
00:39:00.210 --> 00:39:01.570
All right, there we go.
00:39:02.130 --> 00:39:03.650
Using cellular backup.
00:39:03.810 --> 00:39:04.690
Okay, I'll wait.
00:39:04.850 --> 00:39:06.530
I got that hooked up.
00:39:07.490 --> 00:39:11.010
Let's go back to this.
00:39:42.210 --> 00:39:42.690
Sorry, guys.
00:39:43.330 --> 00:39:45.810
I mean, it's a it's Oh, you back?
00:39:46.050 --> 00:39:50.050
I'm kind of back because I'm using my my cell phone.
00:39:50.290 --> 00:39:52.850
I might have a crappy feed, I don't know.
00:39:53.490 --> 00:39:56.370
Does it look we lost you there for a minute?
00:39:56.610 --> 00:40:00.610
Yeah, my internet, my internet went completely outright in the middle.
00:40:02.530 --> 00:40:02.930
All right.
00:40:03.090 --> 00:40:13.410
So the other question I had in in conjunction with that was so right now, what is the oldest barrel pick that you've done year to date?
00:40:13.730 --> 00:40:16.050
Or the oldest barrel pick?
00:40:16.290 --> 00:40:19.730
Yeah, like what's the oldest barrel that somebody has actually picked?
00:40:20.050 --> 00:40:25.650
Oh, there was one ever pick of Buckner 17.
00:40:26.450 --> 00:40:27.330
Only one.
00:40:27.570 --> 00:40:28.450
Only one.
00:40:28.770 --> 00:40:29.250
Wow.
00:40:29.570 --> 00:40:32.130
And that went to Bluegrass Barrel Pickers.
00:40:32.610 --> 00:40:36.930
They were one of the earlier groups to jump on board and start scheduling picks with us.
00:40:37.090 --> 00:40:40.370
And that was a wild day because it was Alex's.
00:40:40.530 --> 00:40:42.130
Wasn't that your first day, Alex?
00:40:42.530 --> 00:40:43.730
I think so.
00:40:44.850 --> 00:40:51.970
So we had this group of guys in the in the in the old building while the release was taking place in the new building.
00:40:52.130 --> 00:40:53.570
And people are like, Well, what are they doing?
00:40:53.650 --> 00:40:57.730
I was like, Well, you know, they're longtime customers, they're and they're picking a barrel of this.
00:40:57.810 --> 00:40:59.090
And they're like, What?
00:40:59.810 --> 00:41:04.530
So when you say the old building, is that where we did the first KDF tick in there?
00:41:05.010 --> 00:41:07.810
That's like where we park is kind of right there.
00:41:08.050 --> 00:41:09.250
Yes, yes, yes.
00:41:09.650 --> 00:41:12.450
So that's where we had our first ever guest experience as well, actually.
00:41:12.690 --> 00:41:22.690
It would be three barrels, thievings, and then you know, trying to trying to handsell bottles to folks, and you know, had a fun story in there, had a Nick Clooney video, a really good time.
00:41:22.850 --> 00:41:28.210
But that's also where we hosted some of those early barrel picks in the back when construction was happening, the building next door.
00:41:28.370 --> 00:41:34.690
And if I remember the Buckner 17 launch was like in an active construction zone, right, Alex?
00:41:35.170 --> 00:41:36.050
Oh, yeah, yeah.
00:41:36.210 --> 00:41:40.210
We definitely still had tarps all over the place.
00:41:40.770 --> 00:41:42.210
Yeah, it was it was a nightmare.
00:41:42.610 --> 00:41:44.450
Crazy stuff, crazy stuff.
00:41:44.690 --> 00:41:51.490
But yeah, those are you know, you look back on those days, you see what we're doing now in terms of distribution across the across the US.
00:41:51.970 --> 00:41:55.170
When I started, we were in Ohio and Kentucky, and that was it.
00:41:55.330 --> 00:41:57.570
And we had Buckners 13, and that was it.
00:41:57.810 --> 00:42:09.330
And you know, today we're proud to say we're you know approaching representation in 30 states and you know, hopefully signing on our third international endeavor very soon.
00:42:09.490 --> 00:42:13.170
So really excited to see how far we've come in such a short amount of time.
00:42:13.250 --> 00:42:24.610
It feels some days it feels really short, and then some days it it feels like we've driven from you know the northern reaches of Chicago all the way back in one day, and then you realize you have.
00:42:24.770 --> 00:42:38.930
So you know, and one other thing that's pretty cool about Augusta, about the brand, is that you know, for bourbon nerds, I guess this is a good thing, is that you guys are it's pretty much always been about bourbon.
00:42:39.410 --> 00:42:41.970
There's not you're not making a vodka.
00:42:42.930 --> 00:42:46.610
Are you making anything else other than bourbon at this point?
00:42:49.330 --> 00:42:51.970
So my god, you know, you're awesome.
00:42:52.210 --> 00:42:58.690
It's pretty as crazy as that is, there's not a lot of distilleries that just do bourbon.
00:42:59.250 --> 00:43:00.850
You know, they are it's hard.
00:43:00.930 --> 00:43:01.250
Exactly.
00:43:01.490 --> 00:43:02.290
It's hard to do it.
00:43:02.450 --> 00:43:08.450
It's hard because we're making a product that we want to age for you know eight years and up.
00:43:09.090 --> 00:43:10.930
That's it's not an easy thing to do.
00:43:11.010 --> 00:43:19.810
And it was just it was a commitment that was made from the get-go, and we're we're holding on for dear life to just do that.
00:43:20.290 --> 00:43:32.930
Well, I that's all I think uh when I was there with you that day, that Saturday, one of the things that I noticed is that you were there now, and I uh you were distilling.
00:43:33.490 --> 00:43:41.970
They they they kind of brought tell me if I'm wrong, they brought you in so that they that they you could consistently distill.
00:43:42.210 --> 00:43:54.370
Like you they they wanted a certain amount you to you to acquire a certain amount of bourbon that you're gonna make so that they can as going forward, everything they want to do is gonna be accomplished.
00:43:54.610 --> 00:43:59.410
And you were starting that and you were showing me the barrels that you were filling and everything.
00:43:59.490 --> 00:44:13.650
And I I really feel that again, that a small the the craft distilleries all have been in the sweet spot of this little bit of a let up on or or what plateau.
00:44:14.130 --> 00:44:26.690
The craft distilleries all are making the amount of whiskey that is selling, you know, you're not making, you're not you guys have the craft distilleries haven't made too much.
00:44:26.850 --> 00:44:27.730
Put it that way.
00:44:27.970 --> 00:44:41.490
People are on the trail, they come down to Kentucky, they see your place, you have to have a consistent amount of volume going on there, but then you have your single barrel projects where people are coming in and picking single barrels all the time.
00:44:41.730 --> 00:44:48.290
And then now that you have this, you're you're allowing small batches to go out and more whiskey.
00:44:48.370 --> 00:44:58.370
And then dealing with the state of Ohio, you know, there's a lot of smaller people that aren't dealing with the state of Ohio, and I always think it's a mistake, right, CT?
00:44:59.650 --> 00:45:07.250
Yeah, I mean, I don't I don't know why you would want to be in Ohio above and beyond most things other than Kentucky.
00:45:07.490 --> 00:45:10.930
You know, it's and I and not just because I'm a buckeye.
00:45:11.010 --> 00:45:19.570
I mean, it's just that's the reality, just like Alex said earlier about you know, showing up to Cleveland at 12 o'clock on a Monday and and they've got a line.
00:45:22.930 --> 00:45:27.090
And you know, that just speaks volumes for what where this industry is.
00:45:27.250 --> 00:45:34.450
And speaking of that, Kirk, our our buddy that lives in Montana, said that he you guys need to come to Montana.
00:45:35.090 --> 00:45:41.250
Well, hey, listen, with my freaking arm, I've got a part of the deer and the antelope lay or something.
00:45:41.410 --> 00:45:44.770
I gotta I gotta fly a fishing trip booked out there next month, so I'll be out there.
00:45:45.090 --> 00:45:58.130
And he said, and he said the guy that the person who designed your Augusta single barrel Buckners uh logo, whoever did that needs a needs a raise.
00:45:59.250 --> 00:46:03.730
That's what that was his um his super chat that he put up for us.
00:46:03.890 --> 00:46:04.770
But yeah.
00:46:05.090 --> 00:46:05.490
Nice.
00:46:05.650 --> 00:46:07.330
That's a beautiful bottle for sure.
00:46:07.490 --> 00:46:08.450
It really is.
00:46:10.290 --> 00:46:14.610
Well, that's yeah, that's uh so many good things going on.
00:46:14.690 --> 00:46:16.210
You know, you guys are killing it.
00:46:16.370 --> 00:46:25.330
I know you're probably wore out from the long road in Ohio, but we are excited to have you on and talk about it just because just like this.
00:46:25.650 --> 00:46:30.850
People can can watch this, whether they see it today, they watch it tomorrow when they get up in the morning.
00:46:31.090 --> 00:46:39.170
But again, we'll reiterate go by that that small batch that the Ohio's the Ohio group picked.
00:46:39.250 --> 00:46:40.770
Uh the option for 13.
00:46:41.010 --> 00:46:44.290
If you're lucky enough to find it, I would recommend that as well.
00:46:44.610 --> 00:46:49.730
But if you can't find it or you don't get it, it's across the river.
00:46:49.810 --> 00:46:57.170
It's not that far to go to Augusta and get feral picks that are in there every day.
00:46:57.330 --> 00:47:02.530
You can buy it like I picked up the small batch and the weeded when I was there in the gift shop.
00:47:02.690 --> 00:47:04.770
There's always product available.
00:47:05.090 --> 00:47:10.770
And if you're there and you want to do a tour, you can do a bottle of your own, you can do just about anything.
00:47:10.850 --> 00:47:12.450
So sure, absolutely.
00:47:12.690 --> 00:47:14.290
We welcome the visitors.
00:47:15.090 --> 00:47:16.370
Yes, you do.
00:47:17.810 --> 00:47:21.250
So talk about Walker said something about a slushie.
00:47:22.050 --> 00:47:24.130
Gotta love a cash strength slushy.
00:47:24.290 --> 00:47:29.010
Yeah, he said, he said, I had a brain freeze on the slushie last time I was at Augusta.
00:47:29.410 --> 00:47:33.250
Well, I gotta throw I gotta throw out to Walker.
00:47:33.490 --> 00:47:41.170
All right, so we so Walker did the thieving from the barrel experience, okay?
00:47:41.410 --> 00:47:56.450
And just so y'all know, I I I take a little bit of credit for getting the word out about you guys because that that video right now is our second largest short that we've ever done.
00:47:56.610 --> 00:48:06.050
And I don't and and the other one was Hannah from Whiskey Thief, she had a 32 million video that we had done early on.
00:48:06.210 --> 00:48:09.810
But Walker's right now is at 21 million.
00:48:10.210 --> 00:48:10.610
Wow.
00:48:10.850 --> 00:48:16.690
And in it was on for a year in November, it kind of slowed up, but it's brought back steam.
00:48:16.850 --> 00:48:29.890
So every day, about 24 to 30, even sometimes 40,000 people are seeing the video of him thieving at Augusta.
00:48:31.410 --> 00:48:32.770
That's that's awesome.
00:48:32.930 --> 00:48:34.610
That's a reach right there for sure.
00:48:34.850 --> 00:48:44.850
I mean, it's just like so people know about you in Ukraine, they know about you in Russia, they know about you in India, so it's it really gets out.
00:48:44.930 --> 00:48:48.530
There's a lot of people that you know comment on it and everything.
00:48:48.690 --> 00:48:53.090
So it's a good promotional video that Walker was a part of.
00:48:54.050 --> 00:49:01.650
So if you get a thank you, Walker, if you get a PO from the Ukraine, we would just like to, you know, you can send us a dividends check.
00:49:02.290 --> 00:49:03.410
We already have actually.
00:49:03.890 --> 00:49:04.930
From the Ukraine?
00:49:06.370 --> 00:49:11.730
We shipped we shipped one one pallet of product to to Ukraine.
00:49:12.770 --> 00:49:14.370
Two pallets of product to Ukraine.
00:49:14.530 --> 00:49:16.130
So yeah, yeah.
00:49:17.730 --> 00:49:19.650
Could be based off of that video.
00:49:20.290 --> 00:49:20.530
Right.
00:49:20.610 --> 00:49:24.610
There's a little there's a little bit of of Augusta bourbon all around the world.
00:49:24.690 --> 00:49:30.370
We've seen not probably not necessarily legally, we've seen Augusta on menus in London.
00:49:30.610 --> 00:49:34.290
We've seen, you know, uh very legally we're in Australia.
00:49:34.370 --> 00:49:35.890
We we've got a partner over there.
00:49:36.210 --> 00:49:46.610
You know, and working working on going up north, you know, up to up to our friends in Canada and Alberta, which is primarily the province that's that's ordering American goods right now.
00:49:46.770 --> 00:49:48.850
So working on those relationships.
00:49:49.010 --> 00:49:52.770
And yeah, you know, we like to say where where next, right?
00:49:52.850 --> 00:50:01.090
If there's never gonna be if there's a place that there is no Augusta bourbon, that means we still have room to grow.
00:50:01.330 --> 00:50:02.450
Yeah, yeah.
00:50:02.690 --> 00:50:12.770
Jeff Jeff and I were talking before, and I could not remember what was the thing that happened at Augusta this year when you went down to the golf tournament.
00:50:14.290 --> 00:50:15.410
The thing that happened.
00:50:15.650 --> 00:50:27.810
Didn't you say you you went down to Augusta and then they were tell talking about how the brand and like were you guys a part of the Augusta golf tournament, but you're like, no, we're from Kentucky, and you know.
00:50:28.210 --> 00:50:29.890
Oh yeah, I mean we do that every year.
00:50:30.050 --> 00:50:40.290
You know, we have we we benefit from from Augusta, Kentucky having been founded a little over a hundred years before Augusta National Golf Club.
00:50:40.610 --> 00:50:56.290
So, you know, we can do what we we we can go down there and do that, and you know, we definitely don't pretend to be from down there, but we have a great time and share good Kentucky bourbon with with folks who are very receptive to it, a captive audience down there that week.
00:50:56.450 --> 00:51:02.690
And so we did that for our second straight year this year, and and no plans to no plans to stop, probably, you know.
00:51:03.730 --> 00:51:04.050
It's fun.
00:51:04.530 --> 00:51:19.170
Golf, golf and bourbon is a market that is that is being, you know, right now used to be uh some of like scotch and whatever, but bourbon has started to take hold in the golfing community.
00:51:19.330 --> 00:51:20.370
There's no doubt about it.
00:51:21.090 --> 00:51:24.370
You know, and and how can you not go there?
00:51:24.530 --> 00:51:35.170
At one point, we're hoping you get big enough that you are the just like the Kentucky Derby, you're the the the bourbon of the Augusta golf tournament, you know.
00:51:35.330 --> 00:51:47.570
I mean, I mean every single commercial will have have uh Alex and you talking about Jim Nance to uh to do a voiceover for us.
00:51:47.810 --> 00:51:48.370
There you go.
00:51:48.610 --> 00:51:49.650
Hello, friends.
00:51:49.970 --> 00:51:51.170
Drink Augusta.
00:51:51.810 --> 00:51:52.770
There you go.
00:51:54.530 --> 00:51:55.570
Oh, yeah.
00:51:55.810 --> 00:52:01.090
So anyways, yeah, that that's that's another aspect of what you're doing.
00:52:01.250 --> 00:52:04.770
Maybe tell everybody how they can find you on the internet.
00:52:07.810 --> 00:52:14.210
Uh yeah, so of course we have our main website, Augustakydistillery.com.
00:52:14.530 --> 00:52:16.770
That is also our handle on Instagram.
00:52:17.090 --> 00:52:23.970
Facebook is Augusta Distillery, and then you can find me or just me on Instagram, Augusta underscore distiller.
00:52:24.770 --> 00:52:25.570
And Matt.
00:52:26.050 --> 00:52:30.130
Yeah, I'm Matt Drink Suburbon, because uh that's what I do.
00:52:30.690 --> 00:52:36.130
Drink bourbon, talk about bourbon, sell lots of bourbon, so it's on brand.
00:52:36.370 --> 00:52:48.450
Yeah, you know, and through that as well, if you are in states where we are not yet, and you are a state that allows direct to consumer shipping, we do have shipping, I think now in 48 states.
00:52:48.930 --> 00:52:51.970
And you know, you can find links to that online.
00:52:52.370 --> 00:53:04.930
You know, like we always say, you know, our our first our first per first opportunities for you to go to your local liquor store, wherever you like to buy bourbon, but we know that we're not at the point where everybody can do that just yet.
00:53:05.090 --> 00:53:15.330
So if you're in Montana, and now that I think of it, I don't know that you can get shipped bourbon in Montana, but if you can, order it online or maybe just you know, let me know and I'll bring some with me when I go fly fishing next month.
00:53:15.570 --> 00:53:24.850
Oh, you're you're Kirk Kirk is gonna, I mean, Kirk throws out invitations to come to Montana, stay at his house, and do some stuff.
00:53:25.090 --> 00:53:26.610
He he'll hunt, he'll fish.
00:53:26.770 --> 00:53:28.290
I like stuff, like things.
00:53:28.530 --> 00:53:32.290
He definitely, he definitely, yeah, it that's just that's what he does.
00:53:32.610 --> 00:53:35.170
Also, just quick go through the brands.
00:53:35.250 --> 00:53:43.010
If anybody, you guys have you know, you have a bunch of different uh kind of things going on, but just go through it.
00:53:45.970 --> 00:53:57.170
Yeah, so if you're looking for a good starting point, something that we would call maybe the first rung or two rungs on the ladder to get you to our ultra premium bottles.
00:53:57.330 --> 00:54:05.650
Start with small batch, that's the Augusta Distillery Cask String Small Batch, six whole single barrels batched together for flavor.
00:54:05.890 --> 00:54:11.730
Vast majority of the time created by Alex Castle herself, unless you find something that's custom out there.
00:54:11.970 --> 00:54:23.090
If you're an Ohioan and you like your weeded bourbon, if you're out there finding yourself having to get six different wellers just to combine something that's single barrel, cask strength that I've filtered.
00:54:23.250 --> 00:54:23.730
Guess what?
00:54:23.810 --> 00:54:30.210
Now, for$80, you can find one bottle that has all the characteristics of six different bottles of Weller.
00:54:30.770 --> 00:54:34.530
And, you know, averaging seven years in the barrels going into that program.
00:54:34.690 --> 00:54:37.650
We're really proud of that cask strength, single barrel weeded as well.
00:54:37.810 --> 00:54:47.570
From there, you're going into old Route 8, which is one of our flagships named for the two-lane highway that has connected Augusta, Kentucky to the rest of the world for generations.
00:54:47.650 --> 00:54:57.730
That's going to be anywhere from an eight to a 10-year single barrel, just under 10 years, because once you get into 10 years, you start talking about the Buckners brand.
00:54:57.970 --> 00:55:06.370
10-year, 13-year when available, 15-year when available, and of course 17-year when available, single barrels.
00:55:06.450 --> 00:55:10.850
Again, everything bottled at cask strength and unfiltered.
00:55:11.090 --> 00:55:18.850
If you're coming to Kentucky Bourbon Festival this year, because we know many of you have likely seen the Instagram post.
00:55:19.330 --> 00:55:27.090
No, that bottle on the Instagram post is not what is getting released this year because that, if you zoomed in, was last year's release.
00:55:27.410 --> 00:55:29.650
So, what should you expect?
00:55:29.890 --> 00:55:40.450
You should expect an un a never before released age statement from Augusta Distillery that will be in a different bottle design than ever before.
00:55:40.690 --> 00:55:42.210
We're really excited about that.
00:55:42.370 --> 00:55:53.650
Our friends with Kentucky Bourbon Festival, including Chris, picked three different single barrels of that age statement, which we're not quite ready to release just yet.
00:55:53.730 --> 00:56:02.290
So you'll tell you there was hardly anything in the barrels because we were shaking them around trying to get it out.
00:56:02.450 --> 00:56:04.690
Yeah, Chris had one on each shoulder squatting them.
00:56:04.930 --> 00:56:07.490
So that's that's normal for Chris.
00:56:09.410 --> 00:56:16.210
But we're excited for another fantastic release at Kentucky Bourbon Festival September, 35th anniversary.
00:56:16.450 --> 00:56:17.410
Really special.
00:56:17.650 --> 00:56:20.290
Such a big influential festival in the bourbon scene.
00:56:20.370 --> 00:56:21.810
So really excited to be back there.
00:56:22.210 --> 00:56:26.290
But what you guys did last year, we talked about it real quick, was amazing.
00:56:26.450 --> 00:56:31.570
I mean, it just like it it caused uh and I I look forward to it again this year.
00:56:31.730 --> 00:56:50.690
And Alex has already said, if you like last year, be I will tell everybody that that you should just pay attention to Augusta and you know skip all the other lines and just head right there because when when it goes, I will say the great aspect of your bourbon, okay?
00:56:50.850 --> 00:57:17.970
So everything you got single barrels, their cast strength, cast strength, small batch, the the eight-year, it's all about the you know how much and and it's just like your flavor profile of that big brown sugar, plus you've got so much of the there's a little bit of caramel, but then there's a little bit of that of of just the bourbon flavor.
00:57:18.210 --> 00:57:24.050
The balance of that, of what you guys have always done, has been fantastic.
00:57:24.210 --> 00:57:29.010
And then I swear to God, you guys were right there with hazmat.
00:57:29.330 --> 00:57:34.130
I mean, there's no doubt the hazmat was hitting and you guys were providing.
00:57:35.090 --> 00:57:37.410
Yeah, there were a lot of hazmat last year.
00:57:37.490 --> 00:57:40.770
I mean it's totally unintentional.
00:57:41.090 --> 00:57:50.050
Well, but but you know, and just think about the hazmat you're making right now with this temp these temperatures.
00:57:50.290 --> 00:57:58.450
I mean, are you guys just pulling barrels out and just let them get in the smoke of the uh, and then you can call it the, you know what I mean?
00:57:58.610 --> 00:58:03.810
Just like pull them out, let them outside in the smoke for a while, put them back, and then you can call them, you know.
00:58:06.610 --> 00:58:15.010
I swear to God, I went outside, I was outside in this, and and it smelled like a cigar bar out there.
00:58:15.170 --> 00:58:18.050
I there's a flavor, it's just like, what does that smell like?
00:58:18.290 --> 00:58:21.010
There's a vanilla kind of flavor to it, and then whatever.
00:58:21.170 --> 00:58:28.130
I'm like, it smells like after the next morning when you were, you know, the you were smoking cigars in a room.
00:58:28.370 --> 00:58:34.050
It's just like, I'm like, you know, it doesn't smell like trees, it smells like cigars.
00:58:36.290 --> 00:58:52.050
To give you an idea of what this heat has done, we we have a local distillery, a rather large one, and they were talking about that they just did a barrel pick earlier this late spring, early summer, with a group that came in and picked a barrel.
00:58:52.130 --> 00:58:54.290
It was 154 proof.
00:58:54.770 --> 00:59:04.770
And the group was really concerned that it was gonna drop and vow, you know, that the the uh proof was gonna drop by the time they got it to back to model it.
00:59:05.250 --> 00:59:09.490
They went to model it, it's 159 proof.
00:59:11.890 --> 00:59:13.570
That sounds painful to me.
00:59:13.810 --> 00:59:14.530
It does.
00:59:14.770 --> 00:59:23.490
That does not sound painful, but but in a matter of like three to four months, it went up another four to five percent improver.
00:59:24.450 --> 00:59:26.290
Wow, that's how hot it's been.
00:59:26.530 --> 00:59:31.810
I think Alex would tell you we're we're nervous to see what what this is doing to some of her new fill.
00:59:32.450 --> 00:59:33.010
Oh, yeah.
00:59:33.250 --> 00:59:35.650
Um yeah, I'm a little I'm a little nervous, but it's okay.
00:59:35.730 --> 00:59:36.290
It'll be good.
00:59:36.450 --> 00:59:37.090
I'll be right.
00:59:40.530 --> 00:59:41.970
Quite scared.
00:59:43.570 --> 00:59:45.730
You know, let Mother Nature do its thing.
00:59:45.970 --> 00:59:46.450
That's right.
00:59:46.690 --> 00:59:47.890
Let's single bear away.
00:59:49.410 --> 00:59:50.290
No, yeah.
00:59:50.450 --> 00:59:58.130
I mean, I just I found that, you know, people it's just like I'm gonna say this.
00:59:58.370 --> 01:00:00.690
It's like Florida has palm trees.
01:00:00.930 --> 01:00:09.410
Kentucky doesn't have palm trees yet, but you know, I think it's about time, you know, it we start getting the palm trees up here.
01:00:09.730 --> 01:00:17.810
You know, that's you know, there's desert, but at the same time, you know, it it just kind it's kind of like when they uh they talk about global warming.
01:00:17.890 --> 01:00:20.450
I'm like, you guys are just being selfish.
01:00:20.610 --> 01:00:24.850
You guys all have the heat and the nice weather, and up here, we want some.
01:00:26.850 --> 01:00:30.210
No, they can't they can keep it down there.
01:00:32.770 --> 01:00:42.370
Anyways, yeah, that's um uh it's just like uh so we're we're pretty much at the point that we can finish up the the podcast and end it.
01:00:42.610 --> 01:00:47.570
Oh, we do ask some people to come in that have been watching if they want to ask questions.
01:00:47.730 --> 01:00:50.450
If you guys need to leave, we understand.
01:00:50.770 --> 01:00:54.690
But if you want to take some questions from the the viewers, they'll come in.
01:00:54.770 --> 01:01:05.170
I'll I'll throw out the I I'm just somehow I don't know why my internet went out, but I um I'm I'm working it off of right now.
01:01:05.250 --> 01:01:11.410
I'm working it off my phone, and I did a hot spot to come back on.
01:01:11.730 --> 01:01:15.890
But I will tell you, I'll throw it out there and we'll we'll finish up.
01:01:15.970 --> 01:01:16.770
I'll throw it out there.
01:01:16.850 --> 01:01:24.770
Some people will come on, but once we're on and you guys need to go, all you got to do is say, it's time for me to go and you're out.
01:01:24.930 --> 01:01:25.570
You know what I mean?
01:01:25.730 --> 01:01:27.170
Just feel free to go out.
01:01:27.410 --> 01:01:32.530
CT's really good at that too, but I know there's been a lot of people asking a lot of questions.
01:01:32.690 --> 01:01:36.450
So if you want to hang on, but if you need to go Yeah, let's take a few.
01:01:36.690 --> 01:01:40.210
Okay, so let me let me finish this up right now.
01:01:40.770 --> 01:01:41.650
All right, everybody.
01:01:42.210 --> 01:01:43.250
Drinking, Matt.
01:01:43.810 --> 01:01:44.450
What's up?
01:01:44.610 --> 01:01:45.490
What are you drinking?
01:01:45.570 --> 01:01:47.810
I'm having some old route eight first edition still.
01:01:47.970 --> 01:01:50.850
I'm I've uh I'm gonna smell that in this bottle.
01:01:50.930 --> 01:01:52.770
This was this was fresh when I opened it.
01:01:52.850 --> 01:01:55.650
So your yours is very similar to mine.
01:01:55.810 --> 01:01:57.330
Yeah, look at that, look at that.
01:01:57.490 --> 01:01:59.810
Yours is a little higher, but yeah.
01:02:00.370 --> 01:02:02.050
I'm gonna I'm gonna go to that one.
01:02:02.290 --> 01:02:06.210
All right, www.six proof.
01:02:06.370 --> 01:02:10.610
I was at 122.1 on my Route 8.
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So www.scotchybourbonboys.com for all things Scotchy Bourbon Boys.
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Also follow us on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and X, along with listen to us on Spotify, iHeart, and Apple.
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Whether you listen to us or you watch us, make sure you leave us good feedback.
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You can always join on a membership.
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Any kind of donations is accept, you know, we accept and we put it all towards the podcast, our equipment, our travel, the bourbons that we review.
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And then also remember good bourbon equals good times and good friends.
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Make sure you drink responsibly, don't drink and drive, and live your life uncut and unfiltered.
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And RAI will take us out.