Episode 495: September 7, 2014

When you’ve worked at the same place for 60 years, it’s hard for your colleagues to keep a secret from you. Wild Turkey and the Kentucky Distillers Association managed to keep a secret from Jimmy Russell for months, though. This Wednesday will be his 60th anniversary at the distillery, and last week, the KDA held a luncheon at Wild Turkey to honor Jimmy with only the sixth lifetime honorary membership ever presented by the association in its 130-year history. We’ll hear from the “Buddha of Bourbon” on just how surprised he was, along with the KDA’s Eric Gregory…and Jimmy even gives us advance details on a new release of Wild Turkey Forgiven, too.

In the news, there are plenty of new Bourbons on the way, along with several new single malts from Scotland, and we’ll also get some of the reaction to last week’s interview on whisky labeling issues with Steve Gertman of California’s Ascendant Spirits.

Links: Wild Turkey | Kentucky Distillers Association | Old Forester | Four Roses | Buffalo Trace | Jim Beam | anCnoc | Tomatin | Cù Bòcan | Balcones Distilling | Ascendant Spirits