Bourbon and Distillery News For January 23, 2026

Welcome to the latest edition of the Bourbon Obsessed Bourbon and Distillery News! There’s quite a bit happening this week!

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

We’ve got some new reviews this week!

• Lost Lantern Fall 2025 Collection Triple Eight Distillery Bottlings Reviews – Lost Lantern’s Fall 2025 Scotch Lovers’ Collection features three single casks from Triple Eight Distillery, each offering a distinct take on American single malt. From lightly peated to bright and fruity to richly finished in Sauternes casks, these bottlings show impressive range. Read my full breakdown and tasting notes.
• Ampersand Malus Review – Ampersand Malus blends rye whiskey and Calvados apple brandy into one unique pour, bottled at 92 proof. If you enjoy apple-forward spirits with layered spice, this one might surprise you. Read my full review to learn all about it!
• Outlaw Kentucky Bourbon Review – Jesse James Edition (Preservation Distillery) – Preservation Distillery’s Outlaw Kentucky Bourbon – Jesse James Edition is a pot-distilled small batch wheated bourbon blending 7–8 year barrels and bottled at 107.6 proof. This one surprised me in the best way! Read my review to learn all about it!
• Wheel Horse Barrel Master Select Barrel Proof Rye Review – Launched in late 2019, Wheel Horse Whiskey sources their bourbon and rye from Green River Distilling in Owensboro, Kentucky. They blend and bottle their products in Rhode Island. Stephen Corrigan, their Barrel Master, leads their whiskey production, cask finishing and barrel selections for each batch. How did this first batch of blended barrel proof rye turn out? Read Craig and Cynthia’s review to find out!

Take a Survey for my friend Heather Wibbels – the Cocktail Contessa!

Tell Heather about your best (spirits) flight! Heather Wibbels is a whiskey educator and is conducting a short (5–7 minute) survey for whiskey and spirits enthusiasts. She’s researching what makes certain tasting-room/brand flights stand out, specifically when the flight design and storytelling reinforce each other and build trust.

This is not a “favorite distillery” list. She’s trying to pinpoint the tactics that make tastings more memorable and effective, so brands can build better experiences. Head here for the survey:
https://forms.gle/uy1mJfQo9xiEaNMa9

Bourbon and Distillery News For January 23, 2026

OK, let’s get on with the news!

Bourbon and Distillery News

Kentucky Distillers’ Association Announces New Board of Directors Officers and Members

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) has elected Gigi DaDan, General Manager of Louisville Distilling Co., as Chair of the Board of Directors. She succeeds New Riff Distilling founder Ken Lewis and will serve through December. DaDan has served on the KDA board since 2022 and most recently as Vice Chair in 2025.

“As I take on the role of Chair, I’m deeply grateful for the leaders who have poured their wisdom, passion, and innovation into the bourbon industry,” DaDan said. She added that she is “honored to carry forward the legacy of America’s spirit.”

Joining DaDan in board leadership are David Salmon, COO and Founder of Jackson Purchase Distillery, as Vice Chair; Chris Morris, Master Distiller Emeritus at Brown-Forman Corp., as Treasurer; and Kaveh Zamanian, Founder, Rabbit Hole and Mary Dowling Whiskey at Pernod Ricard, as Secretary. Additional officers represent both “Proof” and “Craft” level members, alongside a full board of industry leaders from Kentucky distilleries and spirits companies.

KDA President Eric Gregory said he looks forward to working with the new board, noting, “Our homegrown industry must rely on the unity, history and camaraderie that have built Kentucky bourbon into an economic and tourism powerhouse.” Read the full press release here.

Casey Jones Distillery Sells To B3 Beverage Company

According to a press release issued by Casey Jones Distillery and B3 Beverage Company, “Casey Jones Distillery (Hopkinsville, KY) has joined the B3 family, an expansion into distilled spirits that strengthens B3’s platform where craftsmanship, people, and smart manufacturing work together.”

However, according to local media outlets Christian County NOW and WKDZ, the distillery has actually been sold to B3 Beverage Company. Christian County NOW reports, “During the monthly Pennyrile Area Development District meeting on Jan. 12, Community Development Specialist Brian Jones announced that B3 Beverage LLC out of Pennsylvania is purchasing all membership interest of Steelworks LLC, which is Casey Jones Distillery. This sale includes branding, equipment, inventory, real estate and assumption of all existing debt.”

According to the press release, B3 Beverage Company currently owns four craft breweries in the Northeast, making Casey Jones their first expansion into the distilling industry. According to WKDZ, the current Casey Jones staff will remain in place. caseyjonesdistillery.com

Company Distilling Appoints Cassie Halley as Chief Executive Officer

Company Distilling has appointed Cassie Halley as its new Chief Executive Officer, following her work this year leading the company’s marketing and retail operations. According to the press release on Breaking Bourbon, the Company Distilling Board of Directors named Halley CEO to help bring “greater cohesion and clarity across the organization” as the brand continues to expand its presence across multiple states.

Cassie Halley is reported to come from “a blended background of agency marketing, brand strategy, and hands-on hospitality leadership,” and previously served as Chief Marketing Officer and Chief Operating Officer of Little Arrow Outdoor Resort in East Tennessee, where she helped drive its growth into a top-rated destination known for hospitality and community connection. Master Distiller Jeff Arnett is quoted saying, “Cassie brings a rare combination of operational discipline, creativity, and a genuine love for this industry,” and that she “understands how to build a brand that lasts” as Company Distilling enters its next chapter. Read the press release on Breaking Bourbon.

Bourbon and Distillery News For January 23, 2026

Whiskey House of Kentucky Completes First Seven-Story K-RAX Warehouse

Whiskey House of Kentucky completed construction of the first seven-story state-of-the-art rickhouse utilizing innovative K-RAX barrel storage technology, the first of 12 warehouses it will build over the next decade with The Koetter Group. Constructed in Elizabethtown, Kentucky, each warehouse will hold 48,048 barrels and is designed to “improve barrel maturation performance, enhance worker and contractor safety, reduce maintenance needs, and strengthen structural integrity and longevity.” The company said construction reached completion one month ahead of schedule. Read the full press release.

Stoli Group’s U.S. Entities Move to Chapter 7 Liquidation

The U.S. division of global spirits company Stoli Group, including its Kentucky Owl American whiskey business, has filed motions to convert its bankruptcy from Chapter 11 to Chapter 7, effectively initiating a liquidation process for its U.S. assets. According to The Spirits Business, the two entities — Stoli Group USA LLC and Kentucky Owl LLC — initially sought protection under Chapter 11 but were unable to secure a reorganization plan acceptable to creditors, prompting the move to full liquidation under court supervision.

This development marks a significant setback for the U.S. arm of the Luxembourg-based company best known for its Stoli vodka brand and the premium Kentucky Owl whiskey. Under Chapter 7, control of the bankrupt estates will transfer to a court-appointed trustee responsible for selling off assets and distributing proceeds to creditors. The move reflects broader challenges in the U.S. spirits market and ongoing efforts to manage financial pressures faced by Stoli’s American operations. Source: The Spirits Business.

According to Fox Business, the debtors told the court they filed for Chapter 11 after a cyberattack disabled the Stoli Group’s SAP system, which they said caused financial reporting failures, undermined Fifth Third Bank’s confidence and contributed to liquidity problems. However, fixing that problem never fixed the business. The creditors argued the cyberattack explanation doesn’t hold up because the company’s problems continued long after it said the system would be fixed. (Source: Fox Business)

California Extends Direct to Consumer Craft Spirit Sales and Allows Shipping into California From Out Of State Craft Distillers

Starting in 2026, there is a significant change affecting how distilled spirits are sold and delivered in California. Under AB 1246, effective January 1, 2026, out-of-state craft distillers may now sell and ship spirits directly to consumers (after obtaining a Type 94 permit), an activity previously limited to in-state craft distillers.

A “craft distiller”, according to California regulations, is defined as a distiller that produces no more than 150,000 gallons of distilled spirits per fiscal year (July 1 through June 30), excluding any brandy the distiller manufactures, or has manufactured on its behalf under a brandy manufacturer license.

Additional limitations on the direct to consumer shipping are that the distiller’s sales may not exceed the equivalent of 2.25 liters in any combination of prepackaged containers per day per consumer and that spirits shall be solely for the consumer’s personal use and not for resale.

Additionally, the on-premise direct to consumer sales limit has been increased to up to 4.5 liters of prepackaged containers of the licensee’s spirits per day per consumer at its premises. As with similar prior provisions, these are all temporary and expire on January 1, 2027. Sources: https://www.abc.ca.gov/craft-distiller-direct-shipper-permit/ and https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1246/id/3259899.

Bourbon and Distillery News For January 23, 2026

RNDC to Sell Seven Markets to Reyes Beverage Group

Less than one year after Republic National Distributing Company’s “catastrophic collapse in California” and the loss of major supplier accounts, VinePair has reported that the country’s second-largest wine and spirits wholesaler will sell a portion of its national operation to the country’s largest beer distributor: Reyes Beverage Group. Republic National Distributing Company (RNDC) has reached an agreement in principle to sell its operations in seven markets to Reyes Beverage Group, according to VinePair. The reported markets included in the deal are Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Maryland, South Carolina, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. The report notes the transaction would shift RNDC’s footprint in those states/markets to Reyes. “Upon completion of the transaction, Reyes plans to run the newly acquired businesses separately from their current operations.” Source: vinepair.com.

Whiskey JYPSI Offers 10% Discount To First Responders, Military Active Duty & Veterans and Healthcare Workers

In an email on January 14, 2026, Whiskey JYPSI announced that they are offering a standing 10% discount on online orders to:

• Military & Veterans: Active Duty, Veterans & Retirees
• First Responders: Police, Fire & EMT
• Healthcare Workers: Doctors, Nurses & Staff

People who are eligible can register for their discount here.

In related news, the brand also announced an expansion of the list of states where they can ship: Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, Maryland, Maine, Missouri, Montana, Vermont and Wyoming. They are also now available in stores, restaurants and bars in Indiana and Oklahoma. For more information, visit: whiskeyjypsi.com

The Daily Pour and WhiskyX Join Forces to Expand Premium Whiskey Events

The Daily Pour and WhiskyX have joined forces to create what they describe as “the nation’s largest premium whiskey events platform.” Beginning in 2026, The Daily Pour’s flagship festival, Whiskey Washback, will expand from five to seven cities, integrating WhiskyX’s “key markets, partnerships and experiential elements” into The Daily Pour’s events ecosystem. The move follows The Daily Pour’s 2024 acquisition of Whiskey Washback and Arte Agave, and builds on its broader experiential strategy, which recently included hosting the first zero-proof consumer-facing festival in the U.S.

Under the new structure, former WhiskyX CEO Brian Murphy will serve as Senior Strategic Advisor to The Daily Pour, helping guide the transition while ensuring continuity for existing brand partners. According to the announcement, WhiskyX partners will have “a clear path to continue their participation through Whiskey Washback and other Daily Pour experiences,” with expanded reach across a larger national footprint. The Daily Pour founder Dan Abrams said, “This expansion solidifies us as the national leader in premium whiskey experiences,” while Murphy added that the collaboration “honors our brand partners and elevates the industry.” Event details and ticket information are available at whiskeywashback.com. Source: Mediaite.

Bourbon and Distillery News For January 23, 2026

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