14 Bourbon Industry News Stories (and an Event) You Need to Know!
The Supreme Court takes on home distilling, a Kentucky craft pioneer heads to the auction block and a well-known Indiana distillery, yet again, changes its name. All this and more on this week’s Bourbon and Distillery news!
CONTENTS
00:00:00 Opening
00:05:43 Supreme Court to Review Federal Home Distilling Ban
00:11:44 MB Roland Distillery Heads to Auction
00:16:36 MGP Ingredients Plans to Rebrand as Sempreon
00:19:44 Great Jones Closes Its Manhattan Visitor Center
00:21:52 Lofted Spirits Elevates Nick Smith to Master Distiller
00:23:10 National Bourbon Week Returns June 14–20, 2027
00:25:37 Casey Jones Distillery Sale to B3 Beverage Not Completed
00:28:15 Brother’s Bond Bourbon Joins JetBlue’s Onboard Selection
00:30:07 Craft Spirits Sales Decline for Third Straight Year
00:34:08 ISFAR Critique of Alcohol-Attributable Cancer Mortality Study
00:38:02 Pernod Ricard Reports a 10% Decline in U.S. Quarterly Sales
00:41:26 Larrikin Expands Distribution into Texas
00:42:45 Still Austin Opens The Still Austin Quarter
00:45:26 California Distillery Trail Connects Growers, Distillers and Visitors
00:48:01 Dark Arts Halloween Pop-Up Market
00:49:06 Closing
SHOW NOTES
Ed and Dean discuss 14 bourbon industry news stories and a Halloween event, along with recent tastings and distillery visits.
Read the newsletter and find all our sources here:
bourbonobsessed.com/bourbon-and-distillery-news-for-october-24-2026/
- Home distilling: The Supreme Court takes up the federal ban, and Dean explains the constitutional question.
- MB Roland: The operating distillery heads to auction as its founders prepare to retire.
- MGP/Sempreon: We discuss the planned corporate rebrand and CASK stock ticker.
- Great Jones: The Manhattan visitor center closes, with questions remaining about future production.
- Lofted Spirits: Nick Smith becomes Master Distiller as Steve Nally moves to an emeritus role.
- National Bourbon Week: Bardstown’s celebration returns June 14–20, 2027.
- Casey Jones: The B3 Beverage sale did not close; tours, production and events continue.
- Brother’s Bond: The bourbon joins JetBlue’s onboard selection in 50 mL bottles.
- Craft spirits: Sales decline again, California’s distiller count drops, and local customers remain important. We distinguish 2025 sales from 2026 distiller counts.
- ISFAR: We discuss its critique of an alcohol-attributable cancer mortality study and the difference between death counts and age-standardized rates.
- Pernod Ricard: U.S. sales fall, with little detail about American whiskey beyond Skrewball.
- Larrikin: The Kentucky distillery expands distribution into Texas.
- Still Austin: The Still Austin Quarter adds music, cocktails, food and event space.
- California Distillery Trail: An online trip-planning guide connects distillers, visitors and specialty-crop agriculture.
- Dark Arts: A Halloween Pop-Up Market comes to Lexington on October 31, with evening activities at The Break Room.
Join us later this week for a special Bourbon Litigation Update and next Monday for New Bourbon Releases News. Visit BourbonObsessed.com for our whiskey reviews, distillery write-ups and newsletter sign-up. Find Bourbon Obsessed on Instagram at @bourbon_obsessed and on Facebook at BourbonObsessed. Follow Dean on Instagram at @dean_of_bourbon. Thank you to our supporters, and be sure to follow the podcast on your preferred listening platform so you don’t miss an episode! Cheers!