563 - The State of Contract Distillation for 2026

Today, we’re digging into the backbone of the modern whiskey boom: contract distillation. We’re tracing the roots from the early days of "shhh, don't tell them it's MGP" to the massive, high-tech operations like Bardstown Bourbon Company that have turned being an NDP into a badge of honor. But as consumer palettes get more sophisticated, the demand for transparency is hitting an all-time high, and we’re talking about why "faking the funk" with a made-up story just doesn't fly in 2026. We also tackle the elephant in the room: market oversaturation. With speculative investments pouring in and foreign tariffs squeezing exports, the landscape is shifting under our feet. We get real about the struggles new distilleries are facing just to keep the lights on, but there’s a silver lining. We’re envisioning a true whiskey renaissance as those massive inventories of aging barrels finally hit the market, likely leading to some of the most unique, high-quality releases we've ever seen. Whether...