The Whiskey You Are Buying May Not Be What It Seems-Bourbon Real Talk Episode 74

The boom in American whiskey caused an explosion of growth in the form of new whiskey producers and new brands by old producers. Many of these brands have unknown origins despite their prices being extraordinarily high.This piece is an attempt at making sense of the new brands market for consumers who have not done enough research to know the true origin story of every brand. Every whiskey enthusiast needs to know this information to avoid getting duped into an unwise purchase!
Please Subscribe, Review, Like, and Comment!

[@alanpawlowski1202]

You have the most underrated bourbon channel on KZbin. This, Mash and Drum and Fred Minnick's are the best. No quirks, gimmicks, huge personality or ego here. Great information and reminders as always.

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Wow, thanks! I worship those other channels! Thank you for the support.

[@alanpawlowski1202]

@@BourbonRealTalk no problem. I think that $7M video got me here. The way you handled yourself in the presence of someone who is surely much more knowledgeable than all of us and you held your own sold me immediately. Unfortunately, there were so many unbearable personalities (channels) I had to suffer through before arrival here. Those channels may have more likes and subs but you'll get there if you stick with your straightforward, professional, honesty.

[@BourbonRealTalk]

@@alanpawlowski1202 You can't imagine how encouraging this is to me. Thank you!

[@tomchipego]

Here is my question. I've been watching his videos for a little while now. How is it possible he only has 8k subscribers? Thats ridiculous, the information he puts out is great. Keep up the hard work and great videos, your time will come soon

[@BourbonRealTalk]

You're crazy and I love you for it! I'm just here trying to do the next right thing and seeing what comes. Thank you for your support!

[@fturla]

Boy, this guy gives god level opinions and advise. It's the type of commentary that should be in an ESPN of whiskeys with his own show.

[@BourbonRealTalk]

😂 I am just good at googling stuff!

[@rossgullet4436]

Awesome job of explaining all the things I need to know about enjoying my Bourbon,Whiskey & Rye. Great Reviews and General Information Thanks!

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Glad it was helpful!

[@yehoshuanathaniel573]

I gotta tell you I really enjoy your channel. I'm new to the Bourbon community and trying to learn as much as possible. Very informative and you give the real deal. Thank you

[@BourbonRealTalk]

I really appreciate that! Thank you!

[@Americca_Is_Doomed]

i just found your channel , you have some great content ! I don't mind MGP or NDP if it doesn't come with some outlandish background story and the prices aren't to inflated because of said story. I'd rather they just call it best damn new whiskey and charge a fair price long as it tastes good.

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Totally agree!

[@andrew5916]

hey man thanks for all the Bourbon ,, REAL TALK ,, AWESOME info if you dont really know much about whiskey and Bourbon ,, i watch a few bourbon channels witch i enjoy totally .. the difference is you are more about educating folks along with tasting and rating .. makes your channel awesome .

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Thanks! Since you like the show I would like to invite you to join our free member community. facebook.com/groups/bourbonrealtalkcommunity

[@cameronw8528]

When I first started really getting into whiskey/bourbon, I certainly got taken advantage of with the NDP stuff. As I learned more, it became clearer & I was able to really figure out what I liked. There are some great bottles out there that are NDP, I am a massive Pinhook fan for example, but Randy is right. Plenty on the shelf that you can find for half the price that is just as good. If you are newer to whiskey/bourbon, the little bit of advice I can give is to start with the bottles everyone knows & recommends. Learn a bit more, figure out what you like before you start chasing they hype bottles (even if they are hitters). Great video!

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Love this!

[@machokie]

Wow dude, great video. Glad to find you and happy to subscribe. I’ve already shared your channel with some of my fellow whiskey bros. This single video was so much more informative than the droves of other videos I’ve watched where people just tell me what they taste and smell from a particular dram. Thanks! Very sorry to hear about your brother.

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Thank you for the support!

[@frankspotts2664]

For a newbie in the chase for bourbon this was very informative.

[@BourbonRealTalk]

So glad you enjoyed it! I make a lot of content that is meant to be informative and always hope people enjoy it.

[@thomasmuller2591]

"more whiskey lovers should view this!it is things we think about quite often but really have not been informed about! thank you so much for putting this out!a bit of information that will definitely play a part in my decision making process when picking future bottles!often wondered now I definitely know!thanks again!

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@wadewoodard9805]

The $10 per year is crock. Willett started it 6-7 years ago and I laughed at it then. Eagle Rare is 10 years old and costs $28. Evan Williams BiB is 4 years old and costs under $10 a bottle if you buy in a 1.75 liter handle. Yes each year of aging adds to cost because of inflation, taxes and angel's share, but these companies are making huge revenues at way less than $10 per year. But overall pretty solid information; reminds me of the same info I've been preaching for years.

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Wade is correct. $10 per year is not a hard and fast rule. It certainly does not apply to legacy producers who have long since paid for their equipment and are large enough to not worry about overhead. It applies more to new NDPs trying to cover start up costs and overhead. And thank you for saying it is "pretty solid". I consider that high praise.

[@HotButteryRolls]

@@BourbonRealTalk I see it more as a “Top Limit” I’m quickly willing to pay, so I think it’s a helpful guideline.

[@Hoglaw]

Great talk loved the info!

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@petermitchell545]

I love MGP juice... I don’t need it to be ultra old, it’s just good

[@BourbonRealTalk]

I love MGPI too!

[@RebeccaPaige]

MGP is like finding out the pie you got for $$$ at the fundraiser was bought at Walmart.

[@BourbonRealTalk]

I hear you, but unlike Walmart pie there are no high aged MGPI products on the market for a low price any longer. This to me is an indication that the value of their product has shifted, and I for one am willing to pay way more than I was just a few years ago for a nice MGPI product.

[@irishsausage6]

I'm glad Dickel is bottling more of their high age-stated juice under their label now. The BiBs have been really good and at $40 are a huge steal! I just wish I could find their 9 and 15yr SiBs. MGP is also bottling more of their juice under their own labels AND bought out Luxco, so it will be interesting to see how easily these NDPs can get MGP juice moving forward. I decided to get a bottle of Hunt & Gather 15yr at $99, which nobody can seem to figure anything out about where the juice was distilled...but at 15yrs and how good it tastes...whatever!

[@BourbonRealTalk]

If I found a 15 year bourbon at $100 I would definitely buy it.

[@BudsCartoon]

You said Old Charter, you meant Old Carter. Old Charter is the BT brand. Mark & Sheri are pretty upfront and open with their sourcing. They used Dickel up to batch 3 for their bourbon, but started using MGP afterwards. They buy the old, expensive barrels and release an actual premium product. Their price tag comes from their actual blending experience from being one of California's best wine producers and from them starting Kentucky Owl. Their American Whiskey is always one of my top 3 of the year. This year's was 13 at 139.6 proof. Their 27 year Very Old Carter is the best whiskey I've ever had (then again it his all 3 of my needs, high age, high corn (95%) and barrel proof). They are currently aging their own juice contract distilled at Castle & Key, though I will definitely miss their current releases.

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Sorry for the mis-spoken word. I do that too often. I will push back a bit...no one's "blending experience" takes a $45 dollar bottle to $180. It isn't as if these NDPs get to hand select the 50 barrels they are going to use to make their blend out of thousands. They simply put in an order for 50 barrels and 50 barrels show up. They don't get to reject the ones they don't like. They don't get to drain pour the ones they don't like. Ever barrel bought is randomly selected and every barrel received ends up in a batch. I am sure blenders do their best to make the best blends they can, but when you are not in control of your blending material and can not choose to through out barrels you do not like the truth is the person at the producing DSP who selected your barrels for your order had more to do with the outcome of your blend than you did as the blender.

[@BudsCartoon]

@@BourbonRealTalk That's actually not true, at least with the Carters and MGP. They do get to select their barrels. They don't just accept what they get selected for them. Maybe they have a relationship dating back from their Kentucky Owl days or maybe they pay a premium to do it, but that's the whole point of their operation. I've heard it first hand a dozen times from them. I'll pay $179 for some 13 year 95% corn, barrel proof whiskey anyday. Especially if its blended well. I have been getting some Cat's Eye Distillery MGP sourced Light Whiskey, 13-14 years 95% corn anywhere from 138-145 proof. Yes, distilled at a higher % but it's up there with my favs and my little secret. Shhhh.

[@BourbonRealTalk]

@@BudsCartoon I am going to do a podcast on blending and NDPs. Also, I love MGPI high age light whiskey. The club I help admin Someone Say Whiskey started our own label called Un-Allocated and we have sourced some barrels through a friendly DSP who will bottle them for us. So excited.

[@BudsCartoon]

@@BourbonRealTalk That sounds cool. Are you on IG or just facebook?

[@BourbonRealTalk]

@@BudsCartoon I am on IG but I don't really interact over there. Just post a pick with a link to each episode. I really never figured out how to use IG as a podcast.

[@thisarfingai]

Thank you SO MUCH for this.

[@BourbonRealTalk]

You are so welcome!

[@aaronm4907]

Great knowledge and message at the end!

[@BourbonRealTalk]

I appreciate that! Thank you for watching.

[@kudukilla]

If the bottle says Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, it has to have been distilled and aged for at least 1 year in Kentucky, therefore it can’t be an MGP.

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Yes. A year and a day to be called Kentucky. 2 years for Straight with age statement and 4 years for non age stated. Which whiskey did I say was MGPI that says it is Kentucky on the label?

[@kudukilla]

@@BourbonRealTalk I’d have to re watch to see the one in question, but you read Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey off the front label, but then read bottled in Kentucky off the back; just pointing out the redundancy not an error. If it says Kentucky Straight Bourbon on front, no need to look on back for state distilled in.

[@jonathanwright1761]

You are the man Randy!

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Thank you for your support! Cheers!

[@wessowell6616]

Good stuff Randy! What’s your opinion on Sam Houston 14? I’ve heard that it’s most likely Barton juice but everyone I’ve talked to said they do a fantastic job of picking their barrels. I grabbed one a couple of weeks ago but have yet to pop the top on it. Cheers buddy!

[@BourbonRealTalk]

TBH I have not tried it. I am a big ol' tater so I would likely buy one just to open it for people to try.

[@wadewoodard9805]

NDPs like Sam Houston brand don't get to stroll through a rickhouse and pick honey barrels. That's not the way it works. The reality is a broker will send 1 or 2 samples from a large batch of barrels they own. They will tell customer the samples represent the barrels and do you want to buy.

[@HotButteryRolls]

@@wadewoodard9805 sooooo... like they get to taste and pick the barrels they want from the broker? Sounds like honey barrels with extra steps...

[@fabiancampos4972]

Great video. Thanks for the info!

[@BourbonRealTalk]

So glad you liked it!

[@terrykost4677]

Always informative, entertaining...and Fun

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you for the support!

[@chuckdickson8723]

Great video...thanks

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Glad you liked it!

[@pumpedupdart6859]

Great info once again! Thank you sir!

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Thank you!

[@mohnjayer]

Gah, Sweeten’s Cove is the worst offender here. It’s Dickel BiB. Which is decent whiskey and if they were selling it for like $60, cool. But $200 MSRP is an absolute joke. I live in Tennessee and it’s just sitting on the shelves in a few places I’ve been.

[@BourbonRealTalk]

That was the one I was thinking of when I recorded this.

[@vinnier6]

Fantastic as usual

[@BourbonRealTalk]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@bostonasphalt2]

by matter if principle, I won't buy something with a celebrity's name on it, especially in the spirits space

[@BourbonRealTalk]

In general it is a good rule, but there have been some exceptions of celebrities who happen to love spirits who end up producing a solid product for a reasonable price. Cheers!

[@tooManywaystoFall]

So, call it creative marketing, sugar coat it , whatever, bottom line , these celebrities that are already rich that are in this are THIEVES - Learn their creative marketing is nothing but trying to polish a turd and dupe the buying public into trying to pick it up on the clean end. Knowledge is power.

[@BourbonRealTalk]

There are some celebrity brands that I feel that way about...like Sweatens Cove. On the other hand Belfour Spirits is in it for the long haul and will not even source product. Brother's Bond is another example of them sourcing but releasing at a reasonable price and haven taken time to build the brand out the right way. But there are probably more examples of "polished turd" celebrity brands then there are brands that were honestly developed for the long run. Cheers!