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Don’t Blink: Booker’s “Phantom Pipes” lands, Riley Green’s Duck Club Bourbon takes flight, and Wyoming Whiskey salutes our National Parks
Pour yourself a healthy splash and settle in—this week brought a flurry of fresh bourbon drops, a marquee Kentucky event announcement, and a few notable headlines from around bourbon country. Here’s everything worth chasing before it’s gone.
New Releases
Booker’s wraps 2025 with “Phantom Pipes”
Booker’s is closing out the year with a classic power move: a new batch dubbed “Phantom Pipes,” a nod to old pipes found in the rafters at the Beam distillery in Boston, Kentucky. It’s the final Booker’s batch of 2025, and early buzz says it’s a heater, even by Booker’s standards. If you hunt barrel-proof bruisers, this one’s squarely in your crosshairs.
Expect that signature Booker’s intensity—big oak, plenty of warmth, and a finish that lingers like a campfire at last call. It won’t sit around on shelves long, so if you see it, don’t overthink it.
Country star Riley Green launches Duck Club Bourbon
Riley Green is stepping onto the bourbon stage with Duck Club Bourbon, a new label rolling out across the South in 2025. First up: Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Missouri, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas, with a wider expansion already in the works. Celebrity brands can be hit or miss, but this one looks tuned for the tailgate and the duck blind—approachable, easy-sipping, and ready for campfire stories.
If you’re in one of the launch states, keep an eye on local shelves come 2025. This feels like the kind of bottle that disappears during hunting season.
Wyoming Whiskey releases its Fifth National Parks Expression
Wyoming Whiskey is back with the fifth entry in its National Parks series—bottles that celebrate America’s wild places with the same kind of reverence we reserve for a well-aged barrel. The series has become a cult favorite for its sense of place and thoughtful blending, and this year’s edition is poised to keep that streak going.
Whether you’re collecting the full set or just love a well-framed pour from the Mountain West, expect this one to get snapped up fast.
Locke + Co. x University of Denver limited-edition bourbon
Colorado’s Locke + Co. teamed up with the University of Denver for a limited-edition bourbon that’s been aging patiently—five years in oak before its campus debut. It’s a fun, local collab with real age behind it, and exactly the kind of bottle that becomes a conversation piece on the shelf.
DU alums and Rocky Mountain bourbon fans, this one’s calling your name.
Big Events
New Louisville showcase: Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction & Celebration
Mark your calendars: a brand-new, bourbon-forward event is headed to Louisville on Presidents’ Day Weekend. The Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction & Celebration promises to spotlight Kentucky’s signature spirit with rare bottles, experiences, and plenty of reasons to raise a glass.
For collectors and bourbon travelers alike, this has “destination weekend” written all over it.
Company News
Clyde May’s Troy distillery plans growth
Business is humming in Troy, Alabama, where Clyde May’s is celebrating its roots and looking ahead. The distillery plans to add 50 jobs as it builds on momentum—like its Straight Bourbon being called a “perfect for wine lovers” pour. It’s good news for fans of the brand and for a growing whiskey scene in Alabama.
Heaven Hill hospitality pro honored with ROSE Award
Cheers to Jewell Douglas of the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience, who took home Louisville Tourism’s ROSE Award in the Attractions category. If you’ve ever visited the Bardstown campus, you know how much the front-line folks shape the experience—this honor feels spot on.
It’s another reminder that great bourbon is about great people, too.
Read Heaven Hill’s announcement
Conclusion
From a year-ending Booker’s to a new celebrity label and a fresh reason to book a Louisville trip, bourbon season is still in full swing. If any of these bottles catch your eye, don’t sleep—limited releases tend to vanish faster than we can pour a second dram. Until next week, see you on the porch.
Sources
| Press Release | Link |
|---|---|
| Country Superstar Riley Green Launches Duck Club Bourbon | https://finance.yahoo.com/news/country-superstar-riley-green-launches-140000067.html |
| The Kentucky Bourbon Country Auction & Celebration Launches Inaugural Event | https://www.breakingbourbon.com/bourbon-whiskey-press-releases/the-kentucky-bourbon-country-auction-celebration-launches-inaugural-event-presidents-day-weekend |
| Heaven Hill: Jewell Douglas Honored for the Heart She Brings to Hospitality | https://heavenhill.com/news-and-notes/jewell-douglas-honored-for-the-heart-she-brings-to-hospitality/ |
