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Pourch Picks: Beacon shines on Wild Turkey’s finale, Woodford gets sweet, and Buffalo Trace battles back

Pull up a chair and pour something neat—this week in bourbon brings a big farewell from Wild Turkey, an intriguing new release from Woodford Reserve, and some welcome recovery news out of Frankfort. Plus, a high-octane brand partnership for Jim Beam. Let’s get into it.

New Releases

Wild Turkey closes out Master’s Keep with Beacon
Wild Turkey is sending its decade-long Master’s Keep series off in style with Beacon, a father–son collaboration from the Russell family that caps the 10th and final entry. The buzz? An 118-proof blend that nods to the past while signaling the future, with older and younger stocks harmonized for a balanced, richly layered pour. If you’ve followed the series since that first 17-year release, this feels like a fitting curtain call—sentimental without being soft, and bold without losing the Turkey soul.
Read the announcement

Woodford Reserve drops “Sweet Oak Bourbon”
Woodford Reserve is playing with the wood in a fresh way, unveiling Sweet Oak Bourbon—aged in an uncommon type of oak and bottled at a higher proof. The promise here is a different spin on the distillery’s silky house profile: think richer sweetness and a unique oak signature without overwhelming the grain character. It’s the kind of experiment that makes a second sip feel mandatory, preferably on a slow evening as the air starts to turn crisp.
Read more

Big Events

Buffalo Trace recovers after major flooding
After a massive flood tied to the Kentucky River briefly halted production, Buffalo Trace says it’s back on its feet and pushing forward. The distillery’s long history is intertwined with that stretch of water, and this latest challenge underscores just how much bourbon-making relies on both nature and resilience. Good to see the team back to work—and the warehouses humming—so the rest of us can keep looking to the future with a little more confidence in our glasses.
Read the update

Company News

Jim Beam inks multi-year deal with Cadillac’s Formula 1 team
Jim Beam is putting its name on the fast track via a multi-year global partnership with the Cadillac Formula 1 team. It’s a splashy alignment of American icons—bourbon and motorsports—and the kind of brand move we’ll likely see show up in paddocks, promos, and limited-edition bottles down the road. For Beam fans, it’s a fun crossover; for the bourbon world, it’s another sign of how mainstream—and international—the category has become.
Read the story

That’s the week, folks. If you’re hunting Beacon, keep your eyes peeled—it’ll go quick. And if Sweet Oak crosses your path, give it a spin and let us know what notes jump out. Until next time, may your pours be steady and your company easy.

Sources

BrandPress ReleaseLink
Wild TurkeyMaster’s Keep Beacon AnnouncementPRNewswire

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