Bourbon News for March 31, 2025

Welcome to the Bourbon Obsessed Distillery and Bourbon News Newsletter! I am so glad you are joining me!

Also, be sure to listen to our podcast on Apple Podcasts, YouTube Podcasts, Spotify Podcasts or your favorite platform. You can also find it here. As usual, my friend and bourbon aficionado, Dean Langdon, and I will discuss this week’s bourbon news and bourbon releases, mixed in with entertaining banter. Our podcast will be live by 5am on Monday March 31, so be sure to tune in! Without further ado, let’s get on with the Distillery & Bourbon News For March 31, 2025!

Distillery & Bourbon News For March 31, 2025

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Distillery & Bourbon News For March 31, 2025

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

• Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey Review – Drumshanbo Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey is crafted by The Shed Distillery from a mash of malted and unmalted barley and Irish Barra oats. This Irish whiskey is triple distilled and aged in a combination of first fill Kentucky Bourbon and Oloroso sherry casks. it is a very enjoyable, albeit unpredictable, whiskey. Read my full review here.

• Blue Note Juke Joint Bourbon Whiskey Review – Laura Becker’s review of Blue Note Juke Joint Bourbon takes a deep dive into this unfiltered, small-batch bourbon distilled in Kentucky and then crafted in Memphis, Tennessee. It is aged for a minimum of 3 years and bottled at 93 proof. The flavors in the nose of this bourbon reminded Laura of spring, and she found it to be an approachable drinker. Read her full review here.

• Blue Note Crossroads Bourbon Review – We explore Blue Note Crossroads Bourbon, a bourbon distilled in Kentucky and then crafted in Memphis, where it is finished with two types of toasted French oak staves. Bottled at 100 proof, Laura felt that it has a great deal of complexity, warm on her palate with an exquisite finish. Read Laura’s full review here.

• Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2024 – A Spirited Celebration – Since tickets for this year’s KBF go on sale soon, you might find my article about last year’s festival helpful as you make your plans for this year’s festival. My recap covers the highlights of last year’s festival, including ticketing options, premium events, special sessions, limited bottle sales, after parties, brunches, and more. I also share some tips! Read my full article here.

Distillery & Bourbon News For March 31, 2025

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Distillery & Bourbon News For March 31, 2025

Now, on to the news!

There were quite a few interesting news stories and new bourbon releases this week. Read on to learn all about them!

Bourbon and Distillery News:

• Kentucky Bourbon Festival 2025 Ticket Sale Dates Announced – The Kentucky Bourbon Festival has announced that tickets for the 2025 event will go on sale starting April 17, 2025, with early access for “Bourbon Insiders” on April 16. The festival is scheduled to take place from September 5-7, 2025, in Bardstown, Kentucky. Various ticket tiers will be available, ranging from $190 for three-day Bourbon Taster passes to $6,995 for the new ultimate VIP experience, the Oris President’s Club. A Sunday only pass will also be available for $105. VIP tickets tend to sell our extremely quickly, so you’ll want to be a “Bourbon Insider” and purchase them on April 16. Special Session tickets also go on sale at that time, too. Read the full press release here.

• 2025 Kentucky Bourbon Festival Distiller’s Dinner featuring Angel’s Envy Announced – The 2025 Kentucky Bourbon Festival Distiller’s Dinner will take place on April 30, 2025, at Savor at River House. Angel’s Envy Master Distiller Owen Martin will guide guests through a tasting of Angel’s Envy Triple Oak, the KBF Distillers’ Row Sherry Finish Single Barrel Pick, the Angel’s Envy 2024 Bourbon Cask, and a special Mystery Pour. The evening will include a welcome cocktail featuring the official 2025 KBF recipe, a four-course dinner by Chef John Varanese, and a dessert cocktail to conclude the event. Doors open at 5:15 p.m. and the dinner starts at 6:00 p.m. Tickets are $150 per person, limited, and non-refundable. Learn more or purchase tickets here.

• Fireball Whisky Offers Lifetime Supply Contest for 90+ Year Olds – Fireball Whisky has announced a contest offering a lifetime supply of their product exclusively to individuals aged 90 and above. Eligible entrants (or their nominator) must submit their information and a photo enjoying Fireball on the contest’s website by March 31, 2025. That’s today, so hurry and sign up! Read the full article here.

• Mary Dowling Whiskey Company Launches Multi-City “Mother of Bourbon” Book Tour – Mary Dowling Whiskey Company, an award-winning bourbon brand on a mission to restore the lost legacy of Mary Dowling, announced the launch of a multi-city U.S. book tour for its new historical fiction novel, “Mother of Bourbon: The Greatest American Whiskey Story Never Told.” The tour will feature signings, tastings, and events across multiple cities, including Louisville, Chicago and Detroit. Read the full article here.

• James B. Beam Institute Launches Kentucky Wildcask Bourbon, Groundbreaking Student-Created Project – The James B. Beam Institute will be releasing Kentucky Wildcask Bourbon this April. Students in The Commercialization of Distilled Spirits class created a bourbon brand from start to finish. Their bourbon is a blend of three Kentucky Straight Bourbons bottled at 100 proof. It will sell for $54.99 for a 750ml bottle. Read the full article here.

• Mellow Moments Club Updates – On March 14, the first MMC Private Barrel Selection of 2025 took place, where members hand-selected three exceptional barrels that will soon be available for purchase. The selected barrels include:

• 9.2-year OESV – TS 37-6 D, 124.2 proof
• 10.1-year OBSO – SN SO-6 P, 121.4 proof
• 10-year OESK – FS 58-4 I, 121.7 proof

To ensure fairness, MMC is introducing a new random drawing process for members to purchase these exclusive releases. Starting in April, members can enter a drawing to purchase a single bottle, and, if selected, will be invited to pick up their bottles at the Visitor Center in Lawrenceburg, KY.

Additionally, the 2024-2025 MMC Bourbon Board has completed its final session, providing valuable feedback from a select group of members on member benefits, including private barrel selections, newsletters, and Facebook live events. Applications for the 2025-2026 Bourbon Board will open soon. www.fourrosesbourbon.com

• World Whiskies Awards 2025 Global Results Announced – The World Whiskies Awards 2025 has announced its global winners, recognizing excellence across various categories of whiskey. Several American whiskies earned top honors, including:

• World’s Best Bourbon – Old Fitzgerald 2024 VVS
• World’s Best Single Barrel Bourbon – Blanton’s, Straight from the Barrel
• World’s Best Small Batch Bourbon – Boulder Spirits, 2024 Cask Strength Bourbon
• World’s Best Finished Bourbon – Wenzel, Sherry
• World’s Best Corn (Whiskey) – Ironroot Republic, Hubris Corn Whiskey
• World’s Best Tennessee Whiskey – Jack Daniel’s, Tennessee 12 Years Old Batch #2

In addition, several Americans and an American Company were recognized in the Icons of Whisky 2025 awards:

• American Whiskey Brand Ambassador of the Year – Drew Mayville, Sazerac
• Sustainability Officer of the Year – Rachel Nally, Heaven Hill
• Innovation Manager of the Year – Ryan Gill, Three Chord Bourbon
• Brand Innovator of the Year – Bardstown Bourbon Company

Read the full list of winners here.

Distillery & Bourbon News For March 31, 2025

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Distillery & Bourbon News For March 31, 2025

New Bourbon and Other Whiskey Releases:

There are quite a few new releases this week:

• Old Forester 117 Series Bottled in Bond Rye – Old Forester has released its newest 117 Series expression: Bottled in Bond Rye. This rye whiskey was distilled during the spring season of 2015 and bottled in 2025, making it just about 10 years old. Following the strict guidelines of the Bottled in Bond Act, Old Forester’s first Bottled in Bond rye is bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV) and produced at a single distillery in one distilling season. The suggested retail price is $64.99 for a 375mL bottle. Read the full press release here.

• Maker’s Mark The Keepers Release Announced – Maker’s Mark has unveiled The Keepers Release, the latest addition to its Wood Finishing Series. This limited-edition bourbon honors the distillery’s warehouse team and is bottled at 109.2 proof (54.6% ABV). It should be available at U.S. retailers now, with a suggested retail price of $74.99. Read the full press release here.

• Buzzard’s Roost Announces Signature Double Oak Bourbon – Buzzard’s Roost has unveiled Signature Double Oak Bourbon. It’s a new bourbon to its line-up that fully expresses the proprietary double-oak style for which the brand is known, and is priced to appeal to all whiskey lovers. After spending years maturing in new American white oak barrels, the new Buzzard’s Roost Signature Double Oak Bourbon is finished in proprietary casks that were lightly charred and precision-toasted for optimum flavor extraction. Bottled at 100 proof (50% ABV), Signature Double Oak Bourbon is priced at $45 SRP and will be available nationally. The first bottles will be released on April 17, 2025, at the Buzzard’s Roost Whiskey Row Distillery and Tasting Room. Read the full press release here.

• Booker’s Barry’s Batch Bourbon – The First 2025 Release Honors Beam Legend Barry Berish – Beam has announced the first Booker’s Bourbon of 2025: Barry’s Batch, honoring Barry Berish, the former Beam Chairman and CEO. Barry’s Batch is an uncut, unfiltered bourbon that has been aged for 7 years, 2 months, and 4 days. Bottled at 125.7 proof (62.85% ABV), this batch is made up of barrels from four production dates that were aged in five different warehouses. The suggested retail price is $99.99 for a 750mL bottle. Read the full press release here.

• New Riff Announces 2025 Edition of Silver Grove Bourbon & Rye – New Riff has announced the release of the 2025 Editions of Silver Grove Bourbon & Rye. Silver Grove Bourbon is bottled at 110.3 proof, aged 4 years and priced at $55.99. Silver Grove Rye is bottled at 110.2 proof, aged 5 years and also priced at $55.99.  Both will be available exclusively through New Riff’s gift shop, starting at 11:00AM Friday, April 4. A percentage of proceeds from Silver Grove sales support the Silver Grove Community Foundation, which funds community-led projects to enhance the city’s quality of life. Read more information here.

• Jim Beam Introduces a Tropical Twist to Kentucky Tradition with the Launch of Jim Beam Pineapple – Jim Beam has unveiled Jim Beam Pineapple. “This new expression blends the bold flavor of pineapple with signature smooth Kentucky straight bourbon – a fresh and flavorful take that adds a tropical piña twist to classic Southern traditions.” Jim Beam Pineapple is Beam’s first new flavored spirit release in 4 years. It is bottled at 65 proof (32.5 ABV) and has an SRP of $19.99 for a 750ml bottle. Read the full press release here.

• World Whiskey Society Unveils Two Limited Edition Straight Bourbon Whiskeys: The Special 10-Year-Old Kentucky Bourbon and Shotgun Shell – The World Whiskey Society has partnered with Ducks Unlimited to introduce two limited-edition whiskeys: The Ducks Unlimited Special Edition 10-Year-Old Kentucky Bourbon and Ducks Unlimited Shotgun Shell – American Single Malt. The bourbon comes in a Ducks Unlimited inspired bottle which is packaged in a wooden box resembling an antique hunting rifle case. The American Single Malt comes in a red fluted glass bottle resembling a shotgun shell, and it is packaged in a gun barrel inspired metal tube case. The bourbon is bottled at 104 proof and priced at $299 and the American Single Malt is bottled at 96 proof and priced at $119. Read the full press release here.

• Veritable Distillery Releases Ship’s Bell Bourbon – Veritable Distillery, a Connecticut-based spirits company dedicated to crafting authentic, premium historically-inspired spirits, proudly unveils its first two expressions: Ship’s Bell Bourbon and Southwick’s American Gin. Veritable Distillery is committed to sustainability, ethical production, and transparency. Ship’s Bell Bourbon is an authentic blend developed in collaboration with the renowned Bardstown Bourbon Company in Kentucky. Aged for three years in new American white oak casks, the bourbon is then blended with The Veritable American Single Malt Whiskey—crafted from 100% malted barley and aged for three years in ex-Rye casks from Bardstown Bourbon Company. The mash bill consists of 73% corn, 21% rye, and 6% malted barley, and the bourbon is bottled at 86 proof (43% ABV). Ship’s Bell Bourbon is available online and at select retailers in Connecticut, Rhode Island, and New York for an SRP of $24.99. Read the full article here.

• Lux Row Distillers Announces Lux Row Small Batch Albariño Cask Finish Bourbon – Lux Row Distillers has introduced Lux Row Small Batch Albariño Cask Finish Bourbon, the latest addition to the growing line of Lux Row bourbons. It is “an expert blend of 4-year-old wheated and ryed bourbons finished for an additional six months in casks that held Albariño wine, a dry white wine known for its citrus flavors, acidity and hint of salinity.” Bottled at 105 proof (52.5% ABV), this release should be available now at the Lux Row Distillers gift shop. The suggested retail price is $59.99 for a 750ml bottle. Read the full press release here.

• Blood Oath Pact No. 11 Finished in Añejo Tequila Barrels Launches April 2025 – Lux Row Distillers has announced the release of Blood Oath Pact No. 11, a unique blend that continues the series’ tradition of blending well-aged Kentucky straight bourbons with innovative finishes. This year’s secret blend features a union of two well-bred bourbons – a 14-year ryed and a 10-year wheated – blended with an impressive 7-year ryed bourbon finished in barrels that held Añejo tequila. Bottled at 98.6 proof (49.3% ABV), this release will be available for in-person purchase starting at 9:30 a.m. on April 26 at Lux Row Distillers in Bardstown, Kentucky at a suggested retail price of $129.99 for a 750mL bottle. It will then be available at retailers. Read the full press release here.

• Michter’s 10-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon 2025 Release Announced – Michter’s has announced the release of its 2025 10-Year Kentucky Straight Bourbon. Michter’s Master Distiller Dan McKee and Michter’s Master of Maturation Andrea Wilson have approved a release of Michter’s 10 Year Bourbon that will begin reaching stores, bars, and restaurants this April. “Rather than on a strict age schedule, at Michter’s we bottle whiskey when our production team deems it fully matured. This continues the standards set by Michter’s first Kentucky Master Distiller Willie Pratt,” said Michter’s President Joseph J. Magliocco.” This year’s release is bottled at 94.4 proof (47.2% ABV) for a suggested retail price is $195 for a 750mL bottle. Read the full press release here.

Distillery & Bourbon News For March 31, 2025

Well, that’s it! I hope you have enjoyed this week’s Bourbon News! If you would like our bourbon and distillery news delivered directly to your inbox, please sign up for our newsletter here. You can also follow us on Instagram and Facebook. I hope you have a great week! See you next time! Cheers!🥃

If you would like to read some of my other recent newsletters, then check out my Bourbon News for March 17, 2025 and my Bourbon News for March 7, 2025. You can also head over to our Newsletter Archive to see all the prior editions.

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!