Bourbon and Distillery News for December 26, 2025

Welcome to the latest edition of the Bourbon Obsessed Bourbon and Distillery News! Since it’s a holiday week, there isn’t all that much going on. So, we will dive a little more deeply than usual into the first two news items.

But First, Here’s What’s New on BourbonObsessed.com!

Not too much on this holiday week! We have one new review and a new video:

• Pursuit United Barrel Proof Triple Mash Rye Review – Pursuit United’s Barrel Proof Triple Mash Rye brings together three rye mash bills from two distilleries, Bardstown Bourbon Company and Sagamore Spirit. It’s bottled at a robust 121.8 proof, and, along with the “low” 88 proof expression were announced as line extensions earlier this year. Read my full review learn more about this high proof rye!
• Check out this Instagram Reel from the Wagyu & Cellar Aged Series Dinner At Maker’s Mark Distillery this past week. They have a new chef, Jamie Prouten, who just knocked it out of the park! The amazing food, combined with great friends and some fantastic drinks, including a flight of the 2023, 2024 and 2025 Cellar Aged made for a fantastic event! See it all in this short Reel.

Bourbon and Distillery News For December 26, 2025

Bourbon and Distillery News

As we approach New Year’s resolutions and “Dry January” for some, this article is particularly apropos. Since there isn’t much news this week, we can dive a little more deeply into this topic than we normally would.

Heart Association Review Rekindles Debate Over Light Drinking and Heart Health

A recent New York Times article reports renewed debate over alcohol and cardiovascular disease following a scientific review published by the American Heart Association (AHA) in July. This is of particular interest as U.S. dietary guidelines are expected to be updated by the end of the year. According to the Times, the AHA review concluded that light drinking—defined as one to two drinks per day*—posed no increased risk for coronary disease, stroke, or sudden death and possibly heart failure and might even reduce risk, a position that contrasts with recent studies, public-health warnings, and the organization’s own guidance advising “limited or preferably no alcohol.” Critics cited by the Times argue the review gives undue weight to observational studies, has a biased study selection, diverges from CDC guidance that even moderate drinking may increase harm, and risks confusing the public amid well-established links between alcohol and cancer. AHA officials told the Times the review was intended for cardiologists, not as formal guidance, and reiterated that its advice to patients has not changed: “If you don’t drink, don’t start.” Source: New York Times. Read the full article at nytimes.com

Editor’s note: The article in question was published in the journal Circulation in July 2025, and can be found here. On my reading of the article, I did not find it to be as favorable on the effects of alcohol on cardiovascular diseases as the New York Times initially implied, although they go on to discuss the controversy and differing opinions. The article does cite significant limitations and confounding factors involved in studies relating alcohol and health. While the summary figure at the end of the article indicates no increased risk—and possibly a decreased risk—for certain conditions among those drinking one to two drinks per day, a closer reading of the article reveals substantial limitations in drawing firm conclusions. It is also of note that higher levels of alcohol consumption were shown to increase the risk for all of those conditions. Even for outcomes where the authors cited no increase—or even a decreased risk—their recommendations to patients acknowledge further uncertainty. For example, their patient education point regarding stroke states: “The impact of ≤2 drinks/day on stroke risk remains uncertain because of conflicting results.” The bottom line is that unless randomized controlled studies can be performed, these questions will remain very difficult to resolve definitively.

*Let’s quickly review the definition of a drink in the U.S. and some related calclulations:

The current definition of a drink is 14 g of pure alcohol, or 0.6 oz. According to the article in Circulation, 1 drink = 12 ounces of regular beer (≈5% ABV); 5 ounces of wine (12% ABV); or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof liquor (40% ABV). Using this method to calculate what a drink is, 1.2 oz of 100-proof liquor is 1 drink, slightly less than a standard 1.5 oz bar pour. However, only 0.92 oz of a 130 proof spirit is 1 drink. So, if you have a 2 oz pour of a 130 proof bourbon, you have consumed 2.2 standard drinks! So, when we are enjoying a barrel strength single barrel bourbon, one single pour puts men just above the moderate alcohol use range (<= 2 drinks in a day) but it puts women well above it (<= 1 drink in a day) according to the current U.S. Dietary Guidlines! Also, you can see how these definitions might cause misleading results when studies are based on self-reported data.

Suntory Global Spirits To Pause Production at Beam’s Main Distillery in Clermont, Kentucky

This news story has been reported by virtually every media outlet, so I’ll assume most people are familiar with it. In a nutshell, starting January 1, 2026, Beam is going to pause production at their main distillery in Clermont, Kentucky.

So, let’s dive a little deeper about what all this means. Is this a sign of impending demise of the bourbon industry? I don’t think so. I’ve made a short video about this as well. You can check it out on Instagram, TikTok or YouTube.

The main production distillery for Beam’s core products is their Booker Noe Plant, in Boston, Kentucky. That is the brand’s workhouse distillery and produces probably around 2/3 of their whiskey. The main distillery at Clermont, the James B. Beam campus, produces most of the other 1/3, with the Fred B. Noe Distillery, also on the Clermont campus, producing a “mere” 65-75 barrels a day. Beam’s total production per day is reported to be around 1200 barrels. It is not clear how much Beam’s production will be reduced by this pause at the Clermont distillery, and how much can/will be shifted to the Booker Noe Plant. Interestingly, some articles are calling the Fred B. Noe Distillery the “Freddie Booker Noe Distillery”, probably getting it confused with the Booker Noe Plant.

The main distillery on the Clermont campus is fairly old, so the company’s statement that they are upgrading/updating it is totally believable. It is also being reported that no employees at the Clermont distillery are being laid off, and they will work elsewhere at Beam. Finally, other operations on the Clermont campus, such as aging, bottling, the visitor center and restaurant, will all remain open. Likewise, Beam’s gigantic bottling facility in Frankfort will also remain operational.

So, is all the doom and gloom being reported by many media outlets justified? It’s of course not great news when there is a shutdown, and we know that we are in a time when bourbon production and supply are exceeding demand. So, there will need to be some adjustments made. The unbridled growth from the past couple of decades had to come to an end at some point. And, if you have an aging distillery that could use some upgrading, it seems like a great time to do it! Time will tell.

Heaven Hill Brands Marks 90 Years of Distilling Legacy

Heaven Hill Brands is celebrating its 90th anniversary, marking nine decades of independent, family-led stewardship in the American spirits industry. Founded in 1935 with no brands or inventory, the company has “grown into a leading global supplier shaped by generational leadership, trusted relationships, and a portfolio of consumer-beloved spirits.” The milestone year includes the launch of the company’s refreshed corporate identity and Thriving Together platform, the opening of a new Louisville corporate office, and the commissioning of the new Heaven Hill Springs Distillery. In 2025, Heaven Hill also earned significant industry recognition, welcomed more than 300,000 visitors to its visitor centers, and supported more than 100 charities through employee volunteerism and corporate giving. Read the full press release here.

Bourbon and Distillery News For December 26, 2025

This news is not about the U.S. whiskey industry, but it is upbeat, so I am including it:

Irish Whiskey Exports and Distillery Tourism Return to Growth

According to The Spirits Business’s World Spirits Report 2025, Irish whiskey is showing renewed momentum, with exports rising 13% in value and 3.6% in volume last year, based on data from Bord Bia (The Irish Food Board). Distillery tourism has also rebounded, with visitor numbers exceeding one million in the year to June 2025, the highest level since the pandemic, according to the Irish Whiskey Association (IWA). While the U.S. remains the category’s largest market, exports to it declined by 3.5% last year. However, growth has been driven by other regions, including India, Japan, and the UK, with India overtaking the UK to become the fifth-largest export market after a 57.5% increase in 2024. Looking ahead, Euromonitor projects continued growth, estimating Irish whiskey volumes will rise 2.1% in 2025 and 2.8% in 2026, alongside increasing export value of 4% and 6.4%, respectively. Source: thespiritsbusiness.com

Kentucky Distillers’ Association Announces 2026 Leadership Academy Class

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association announced the incoming class of its 2026 Leadership Academy, a 20-member cohort from distilling and industry-affiliated member companies. Launched in 2022, the Leadership Academy spans 10 sessions held January through November, providing hands-on exposure to every facet of the Bourbon industry including bourbon tourism, legislative priorities, technical safety standards, and more. According to KDA President Eric Gregory, the program reflects “the talent that’s inspiring and fueling Kentucky’s signature industry.” This will be the fifth KDA Leadership Academy class. Read the full press release and see the list of class members here.

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Well, that’s it! I hope you have enjoyed reading this week’s Bourbon and Distillery News! If you would like our newsletters delivered directly to your inbox, please sign up here. Our next New Bourbon Releases News may be published on Friday January 2 if there is anything to report. Otherwise, it will be postponed until January 9. In addition, the podcast and YouTube versions of this newsletter will go live on Monday December 29. If you enjoy our content, I would greatly appreciate if you would follow us on Instagram and Facebook. I hope you have a great weekend! See you next time! Cheers!🥃

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