Bourbon Industry News for August 7, 2026

13 Bourbon Industry News Stories You Need to Know!

This week we focus on Bourbon Industry News. If you want to find out about new releases instead, our latest New Bourbon Releases Newsletter can be found here. To receive my weekly newsletters in your email inbox, subscribe here. As a special treat, we will be publishing a bonus edition of our Bourbon Litigation Update News early next week.

Contents

Jameson & the NFL — Oaklore — Next Century Spirits — H. Obernauer & Co. — Jim Beam — Wheatley Vodka & NASCAR — Unreined Whiskey — SirDavis Whisky — MGP — Diageo — Campari — Brown-Forman — RNDC

Bourbon Industry News For August 7, 2026

But First, Here’s what’s new on BourbonObsessed.com!

• Yellowstone Small Batch 107 Bourbon Review Yellowstone Small Batch 107 Bourbon is a 6-year, non-chill-filtered 107-proof release priced at $45. Read Ray Marcano’s review to find out what it’s like!
• Starlight Mizunara Reserve Bourbon Review Starlight Mizunara Reserve brings together eight-year estate-distilled bourbon and a finish in rare Japanese Mizunara oak. Batch No. 0003 is bottled at cask strength and offered at 110 proof. Read my full review!
• Yellowstone 2026 Limited Edition Bourbon Review Yellowstone Limited Edition returns for its 11th annual release with a blend of 7- and 14-year-old Kentucky straight bourbons finished in ruby and tawny port casks. Bottled at 101 proof and priced at $99, this release takes inspiration from the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone. Read my review to find out how the two port cask finishes worked!
• Jeptha Creed Bruce’s Blue Bourbon Review Jeptha Creed Bruce’s Blue Bourbon is made with a proprietary heirloom corn varietal developed by Bruce Nethery and grown on the family’s Shelbyville farm. Learn more about this 100-proof release in my review!

Bourbon Industry News For August 7, 2026

OK, now let’s move on to the news!

Bourbon Industry News for August 7, 2026

Jameson Becomes the NFL’s Official Spirits Sponsor

Jameson announced a multiyear partnership as the Official Spirits Sponsor of the National Football League. The partnership puts Jameson at NFL events including the Super Bowl, NFL Draft and International Games, with the brand serving as Presenting Sponsor of the Super Bowl Tailgate Concert. The agreement secures official global league rights excluding Brazil and Mexico, and Jameson will serve as an official sponsor across four NFL International Games each year. The partnership will also expand existing relationships with the Arizona Cardinals, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers, Minnesota Vikings, New York Giants, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Read the full press release here.

Editor’s Note: Last year, Crown Royal was the NFL’s Official Whisky Sponsor, and this year Jameson is its Official Spirits Sponsor. I once again wonder why the sponsor isn’t an American brand. I imagine the price of the sponsorship is fairly astronomical, which could have something to do with it.

Oaklore Distilling Introduces New Lower Everyday Whiskey Prices

Oaklore Distilling Co. announced a new long-term pricing model across its full portfolio of whiskey products, effective August 1, 2026. The new pricing structure will apply across all Oaklore whiskey expressions. Confirmed reductions include Oaklore Four Grain Bourbon going from $69.95 to $49.95 and Oaklore North Carolina Straight Rye going from $79.95 to $59.95. The pricing will apply at retail partners, through online national shipping and at Oaklore’s locations throughout Charlotte. The announcement follows the purchase of a 50,000-square-foot facility in Charlotte’s Lower South End district to be used as an expanded production and barrel warehousing hub, and comes as Oaklore executes a statewide launch in South Carolina. Read the full press release here.

Editor’s Note: In case you missed it, you can read our article or listen to our podcast about Oaklore Distilling right here.

Next Century Spirits Acquires Grain & Barrel Brand Portfolio Including Chicken Cock Whiskey

Next Century Spirits announced the acquisition of certain brand assets from Grain & Barrel Spirits, including Chicken Cock Whiskey, Dixie Southern Vodka, Elvis Whiskey, and E.G. Booz. The acquisition gives NCS its first presence in Kentucky and includes the Circa 1856 tasting-room destinations in Bardstown and Louisville. Grain & Barrel Founder and CEO Matti Anttila will join the NCS board, allowing him to continue guiding Chicken Cock’s growth. Damon DeSantis, a director of Celsius Holdings and INBP and former CEO of Rexall Sundown, will also join the board. Read the full press release.

H. Obernauer & Co. Announces Revival of Historic Pittsburgh Whiskey Brand

H. Obernauer & Co., a historic Pittsburgh whiskey company originally founded in 1885, is returning home more than a century after closing its doors. As part of the brand revival, the company will establish its future home at 2613 Smallman Street in Pittsburgh’s Strip District, where a tasting room is planned to open in the coming months. After the company’s closure in 1915, the H. Obernauer & Co. name gradually faded from memory. That changed when Herman’s great-great-grandson, Matthew Obernauer, uncovered the family’s forgotten whiskey legacy and set out to restore a piece of Pittsburgh history. Additional details regarding the tasting room experience, whiskey portfolio, and opening plans will be announced in the coming months. Read the full press release here.

Bourbon Industry News For August 7, 2026

James B. Beam Distilling Co. Launches Creator Campus

James B. Beam Distilling Co. announced the launch of Creator Campus, a new initiative that invites podcasters, musicians, filmmakers, digital creators and storytellers to apply for the opportunity to develop original work at its historic Clermont, Kentucky campus. Selected participants will receive access to the distillery’s expansive grounds and distinctive spaces to bring projects to life – from recording podcasts and filming content to producing music and hosting collaborative retreats. Participants will also have the opportunity to explore the distillery through whiskey tastings, educational experiences, restaurants, special releases and signature events, including the Clermont Supper Club series. Selected participants will be chosen based on the originality of their ideas, their creative vision and their alignment with the collaborative spirit and storytelling that define the JBBDCo. brand. Creator Campus is open only to content creators and influencers who are 21 years of age or older. Read the full press release here.

NASCAR Names Wheatley American Vodka Its Official Vodka

NASCAR announced a new multi-year partnership with Wheatley American Vodka, naming the spirit, which is made at Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky, the Official Vodka of NASCAR. Wheatley American Vodka will also become the entitlement partner of the Wheatley Vodka Clash, NASCAR’s first Cup Series exhibition race of the season. The annual preseason event will return to Daytona International Speedway on Saturday, February 13, 2027. Wheatley will hold vodka-category rights for marketing and promotion, including year-round integration across NASCAR’s platforms and events, a custom promotional spot and on-site activations at The Clash. NASCAR and Wheatley also plan to create a program supporting service members and military veterans, with details to be announced later.

Unreined Whiskey Opens Visitor Center and Rickhouse at Wildhorse Ranch

Unreined Whiskey, the Official Whiskey of Texas A&M Athletics, will hold the grand opening of its visitor center and rickhouse at Wildhorse Ranch in College Station, Texas, on Saturday, August 8. The four-story, 30,000-square-foot facility includes a Kentucky-style rickhouse where visitors can experience the aging environment firsthand, along with guided tours, curated tastings, watch parties, private events and a speakeasy-style lounge. The rickhouse was built by Buzick Construction of Bardstown and designed by Louisville-based Joseph & Joseph. Unreined has also partnered with restaurateur John Harvey Slocum and his restaurant group to serve farm-to-table bison burgers sourced from Wildhorse Ranch, tallow fries and cocktails. Debuting with the visitor experience is Unreined Wheated Bourbon, a seven-year blend of straight wheated bourbons distilled in Kentucky and Texas and bottled at 104.2 proof. (A suggested retail price was not provided.) Beginning August 8, Unreined will be open Tuesdays and Wednesdays from noon to 5 p.m. and Thursdays through Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. unreinedwhiskey.com

Beyoncé Takes Full Ownership of SirDavis Whisky

Beyoncé Knowles-Carter has taken full ownership and control of SirDavis American Whisky after Moët Hennessy sold its undisclosed stake in the brand. SirDavis said it is beginning “a new independent chapter” following a nearly four-year collaboration through the brand’s creation, development and 2024 launch. Beyoncé developed the whisky with Dr. Bill Lumsden (of Glenmorangie and Ardbeg) and head blender Cameron George. It is made with a mash bill of 51% rye and 49% malted barley and distilled by MGP Ingredients in Indiana before being finished, blended and bottled in Texas. The transaction makes SirDavis a woman-, family- and Black-owned company. No reason for the sale was given, and financial terms were not disclosed.
Sources: The Spirits Business and Global Drinks Intel

Editor’s Note: I find it interesting that the brand had not revealed the distiller of this whiskey previously, and it is now mentioned matter-of-factly to be MGP in The Spirits Business article.

MGP Ingredients Reports Lower Second-Quarter Sales as Whiskey Demand Declines

MGP Ingredients reported lower sales and earnings for the second quarter of 2026, primarily because of expected declines in its Distilling Solutions business. The company nevertheless reported growth among several of its American whiskey brands and reaffirmed its full-year financial guidance.

• Consolidated sales decreased 15% to $124.4 million, while gross profit declined 20% to $46.5 million. Net income was $12 million, compared with $14.4 million a year earlier, and adjusted EBITDA decreased 23% to $27.6 million.
• Branded Spirits sales decreased 1% to $59.6 million. Excluding primarily private-label bottled products, sales increased 3%, the segment’s highest growth rate in two years.
• Premium-plus sales increased 5%, led by Penelope Bourbon, which grew 13%. Yellowstone also recorded significant growth, driven by a limited-edition release.
• Distilling Solutions sales decreased 42% to $29.2 million. Lower demand for aged and new-distillate whiskey drove a 59% decline in brown-goods sales, although the segment’s gross margin increased from 37.6% to 38.7%.
• MGP maintained its 2026 outlook of $480 million to $500 million in sales, adjusted EBITDA of $90 million to $98 million and adjusted earnings of $1.50 to $1.80 per share.

Source: MGP Ingredients

Editor’s Note: Note that the company is still profitable, although net income is decreasing.

Diageo Reports Nearly $2 Billion in Fiscal 2026 Net Profit

Diageo reported $19.6 billion in net sales and net profit of $1.96 billion for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026. In the United States, Diageo owns American whiskey brands including Balcones, Blade and Bow, Bulleit, George Dickel, I.W. Harper, Seagram’s 7 Crown and the Orphan Barrel collection.

• Reported net sales decreased 3%, while organic net sales declined 2%. Reported operating profit fell 27.2% to $3.16 billion, largely reflecting restructuring and impairment charges, while operating profit before exceptional items increased 2% organically to $5.68 billion.
• North American organic net sales decreased 8.4%, while U.S. Spirits net sales fell 11.5% and volume declined 9%.
• U.S. whiskey net sales declined 8% organically, while volume decreased 6%. Diageo did not provide results for individual American whiskey brands.
• Crown Royal, which is Canadian whisky, recorded a 15.9% net-sales decline, primarily because of softness in Crown Royal Deluxe and comparisons with Crown Royal Blackberry’s strong prior-year performance.
• Free cash flow increased by $463 million to $3.21 billion.

Source: Diageo

Editor’s Note: We have reported on restructuring plans and various cost-cutting measures and consolidations, including layoffs, for this company. Yet, they are reporting almost $2 billion in net profit. So, profits may be down, but they are still well in the black.

Bourbon Industry News For August 7, 2026

Campari Reports First-Half Growth as Whiskey and Rum Sales Decline

Campari Group reported first-half 2026 net sales of €1.51 billion (approximately $1.75 billion), a 1% reported decline but a 2.7% organic increase. Group net profit declined 37.7% to €129 million (approximately $149 million), while adjusted group net profit increased 4.7% to €226 million (approximately $261 million).

• North American organic sales grew 2.6%, including 1.5% growth in the United States.
• The company’s Whiskey and Rum division, representing 12.5% of total sales, declined 6% organically and 10.3% on a reported basis to €189 million (approximately $218 million). Campari said Wild Turkey was affected by challenges in the U.S. category, the integration of its South Korean distribution operation and demand-driven supply constraints affecting Russell’s Reserve.
• Campari did not provide separate results or commentary for Wilderness Trail. The company acquired an initial 70% interest in the Kentucky distillery for $420 million in 2022, valuing the entire business at $600 million, with an agreement to acquire the remaining 30% in 2031.
• Campari reaffirmed its expectation of approximately 3% organic sales growth for 2026 and raised its adjusted operating-margin guidance, partly because it now expects a smaller tariff impact.

Euro amounts were converted using the European Central Bank’s August 6, 2026, reference rate of €1 to $1.1542.

Sources: Campari Group H1 2026 results, Campari Group Wilderness Trail acquisition announcement.

Editor’s Note: Campari’s report is more difficult to interpret (for me) than Diageo’s and MGP’s. With the help of ChatGPT, in plain English, Campari’s underlying sales and adjusted profit improved modestly, but its actual reported profit declined sharply because of write-downs and other portfolio-related adjustments. Meanwhile, its Whiskey and Rum division performed poorly, with Wild Turkey facing U.S. market pressure and Russell’s Reserve experiencing supply constraints. Wilderness Trail was not discussed at all.

I think most people have seen this news already, but the story broke after our last newsletter:

Brown-Forman Rejects Sazerac’s Renewed $15 Billion Acquisition Proposal

Sazerac renewed its effort to acquire Brown-Forman by sending a letter to the company’s Class A shareholders asking them to reconsider its previously rejected $15 billion takeover proposal. The Class A shareholders include members of the Brown family, whose descendants control the company’s voting power. Brown-Forman’s board subsequently announced that it had received the unsolicited proposal and concluded that it was “not actionable.” Wolf Pen Branch, a group of Brown family members representing the majority of the Class A shares, said Sazerac’s proposal did not align with its vision for Brown-Forman’s future.
Sources: Brown-Forman and The Wall Street Journal

Likewise, this news also has been making headlines, although it was not unexpected. We will cover it in-depth in our Bourbon Litigation Update News next week.

RNDC Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

Republic National Distributing Company filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection on July 26. RNDC said it will use the court-supervised process to pursue potential sales of its remaining markets and conduct an orderly wind-down of other operations. The bankruptcy petition lists estimated assets of $500 million to $1 billion and estimated liabilities of $1 billion to $10 billion. RNDC said sales completed before the filing preserved more than 5,000 jobs. National Distributing Company is not part of the bankruptcy, and Alaska is the only RNDC joint venture included, while the Company’s joint ventures in New York, Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Indiana and Kentucky are not part of the filing.
Sources: RNDC and the Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition

Bourbon Industry News For August 7, 2026

Well, that’s it! I hope you have enjoyed reading this week’s Bourbon Industry News! We will also publish a bonus Bourbon Litigation Update News early next week. If you would like our newsletters delivered directly to your inbox, please sign up here. Our next New Bourbon Releases News will be published on Saturday, August 15, 2026. In addition, the podcast and YouTube versions of this newsletter will go live on Monday, August 10, 2026. If you enjoy our content, I would greatly appreciate it if you would follow us on Instagram and Facebook. I hope you have a great weekend! See you next time! Cheers!🥃

Would you like to learn more about distilleries and bourbon? Are you planning a trip to Kentucky Distilleries? Maybe you would like to live the bourbon life vicariously through us? If any of these are true, then check out BourbonObsessed.com today!