Pursuit United Batch 1
Kenny Coleman and Ryan Cecil of the Bourbon Pursuit Podcast are some of my podcast/whiskey media icons. I’ve listened to every episode of Bourbon Pursuit, tried most of their releases and single barrel picks, and, in all honesty, they’re one of the reasons I’m here writing this.
When I decided to truly get into the whiskey lifestyle, I dove into books, bars, and podcasts. At that time (around 2016/2017) there were only a few podcasts about whiskey: WhiskyCast, hosted by Mark Gillespie, is probably the most revered and the most formal (I listen to every episode of that, too), then there was Bourbon Pursuit - hosted by a pair of friends who started the podcast because they wanted to learn more about bourbon and meet and talk to people in the industry.
Fast forward to today: Bourbon Pursuit is now approaching (or just passed) 300 episodes. They added bourbon luminary Fred Minnick along the way and launched their own line of whiskey under the Pursuit Spirits label. Pursuit Spirits sources bourbons, ryes, Tennessee whiskies, and other American whiskies from multiple states and produces them under the Pursuit Series label for single casks/small blends, and more recently the Pursuit United Batch 1.
Kenny and Ryan (and Fred!) are sponsored by Barrell Craft Spirits, and I’m willing to bet they asked Joe and Tripp for advice when blending. To be clear, that’s a good thing! I don’t like 100% of what Barrell puts out, but I respect 100% of what they put out for the craft, and they would be an invaluable resource for anyone looking to get into the sourcing and blending game.
Pursuit United also follows the Barrell path of transparency. If you’ve read a few of my notes, you know how important that is to me. The straight bourbons chosen for Pursuit United Batch 1 come from Bardstown Bourbon Co. in Kentucky, Finger Lakes Distilling in New York, and an undisclosed distillery in Tennessee. I know what you’re thinking: undisclosed doesn’t equal transparent! But, in this case, I’m going to give them a break - they specifically say “Undisclosed, not in Tullahoma”, and let’s be real: when you see Tennessee Bourbon, the automatic thought is Cascade Hollow, home of George Dickel and located in Tullahoma (it wouldn’t be Jack Daniel’s, since they wouldn’t call their product ‘bourbon’). So, this undisclosed Tennessee bourbon could be from a few different places, and I feel that by ruling out Tullahoma the guys made the statement they needed to.
So, how is it? This is a great first step, and more so shows nuance in its blending. I don’t think any particular state/distillery/source profile stands out above another. I’m excited to try this again in a few weeks, as this was a neck pour. I’m pleased with this purchase and intrigued to see how it will develop. At $65, this isn’t outrageous, and it’s different without tasting experimental. Bottom line, if you enjoy Barrell blends or other distillery blends, take a chance on this.
And finally - if any of you three read this, Kenny, Ryan, Fred - thank you for helping to launch my own whiskey journey, and thank you for continuing to inspire that journey as I launch my own podcast. Hope to have you all on someday.
Pursuit United Batch 1: Specs
Classification: Bourbon
Origin: Pursuit Spirits, Blended Straight Bourbons from KY, TN, and NY
Mashbill: Undisclosed
Proof: 108 (54% ABV)
Age: NAS
Location: Kentucky, Tennessee, and New York
Pursuit United Batch 1 Price: $65
Pursuit United Batch 1 Review: Tasting Notes
Eye: Coppered maple syrup. Thin rims bleed droplets and leave them on the glass when the legs disappear.
Nose: Honey butter on cornbread. Pleasant, sweet rye undertones are a supporting actor. Walking into a handmade leather shop, individually wrapped caramel chews. Dark chocolate and orange zest open up with a little air. There’s complexity here….
Palate: Citrusy, especially orange - juice and zest. Strong cider/mulling spice grip on my tongue - literally feels like cinnamon, clove, and star anise are grabbing my tongue, and yet I like it. Milk chocolate-covered caramel squares. The rye is even less prominent than on the nose. Mouthfeel is light at first but builds as I sip to a thin-medium, very little proof burn and a little oak spice mostly concentrated on the tongue. Milk chocolate caramels keep growing.
Finish: Semisweet chocolate, like a malted milkshake with caramel sauce. The orange and citrus notes have largely dissipated, but there’s still an oak backbone. Medium length.
Overall: This is the chocolate show featuring caramel. The proof feels right where it should be - there’s a brief burst on the palate to open the flavors up, then the heat subsides and lets the chocolate and spices shine. There’s a stronger malt component than I usually get with bourbons (reminder: mashbill unknown), but it plays really well with the chocolate.
Final Rating: 6.8
10 | Insurpassable | Nothing Else Comes Close (Blanton’s Straight from the Barrel)
9 | Incredible | Extraordinary (GTS, Elijah Craig Barrel Proof B518 and B520)
8 | Excellent | Exceptional (12+YO MGP Bourbon, Highland Park Single Barrels)
7 | Great | Well above average (Blanton’s Original, Old Weller Antique, Booker’s)
6 | Very Good | Better than average (Four Roses Small Batch Select, Knob Creek 14+ YO Picks)
5 | Good | Good, solid, ordinary (Elijah Craig Small Batch, Buffalo Trace, Old Grand-Dad Bottled-in-Bond)
4 | Sub-par | Many things I’d rather have (A.D. Laws Four Grain, Compass Box “Oak Cross”)
3 | Bad | Flawed (Iron Smoke Bourbon, Balcones)
2 | Poor | Forced myself to drink it (Buckshee Bourbon and Rye)
1 | Disgusting | Drain pour (Virginia Distilling Co. Cider Cask)
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