Ep. 101: Barrel Brokerage with Jason Barrett

In the last two years, how many products have we seen that contained 15-, 20-, even 30-year-old Canadian whisky? A dozen? two dozen? 

Also - want to know how buffalo horn buttons help Jason move whiskey across borders? (Don't worry, the horns fall off naturally, no hunting involved).

None of these products came from Canadian producers, though - all the ones I could find were put out by NDPs or producers blending it with their own spirit. So where does one find those barrels? When a brand suddenly has a 15-year-old bourbon on the shelf, how did they get their hands on it? 

If it was the Canadian juice, it likely came through Jason Barrett. Known more for founding Black Button Distilling in Rochester, NY (check out an earlier episode with Alex Hunnell of Black Button from early last year), Jason practically fell into the barrel brokerage business.

Turns out, lots of companies want whiskey of all types, and there's plenty of room in the sandbox for new entrants. Jason will humbly say that there are five major players (he says he's the smallest of the largest) and a dozen or so minor players moving whiskey all around the world. In just a few years, he's made his mark, and there's room to grow. 

Listen in for the ins and outs of the barrel brokerage business, how his existing relationships from his family's button manufacturing helped ease his path, and how Black Button fits into his vision for a dual business structure. 

______________________________________________________

Before we jump into the interview just a few quick notes:

The first WRP barrel pick is coming! I'm back from Tennessee after picking two barrels - that's right, two! - of Jack Daniel's Barrel Proof Rye. There are also upcoming picks of KO Distilling, Barrell Rye, and Spirits of French Lick (trust me - Alan has picked out some funky things for us to try!). $25 members get the chance to join me on picks: one of your fellow Patreon members joined me in Lynchburg, one is on the Spirits of French Lick team, and I'll be picking one or more for the KO pick once samples come in!

Join the Patreon now for early access to the barrels!

If you haven’t joined the Patreon community yet, please consider doing so! Only 1 Spot Remains in the Barrel Club.

• The $5 tier has access to the Patreon-only segment called “Under the Influencer”, where some of your favorite YouTubers/Instagrammers/Podcasters and more join me to talk whiskey, life, and influencing. This tier will also have priority access to upcoming barrel picks.
• The $25 tier - for people who really want to propel the pod and website forward - will have the same benefits as the $5 tier plus right of first refusal to join me on future barrel picks, access to bottles I'm sent to taste and review, and more. Only 1 spot remains! 

You can still support for as little as $1 a month if you’d like to stay up to date with these changes and news about what we’ve got coming up. 

Finally, please do like and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you’re listening - it really helps the Whiskey Ring Podcast move up the rankings. 

If you haven’t yet, please follow Whiskey in my Wedding Ring and the Whiskey Ring Podcast on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to the newsletter on the website. 

Black Button Distillery

• Black Button Distilling Website
• Black Button Distilling on Facebook
• Black Button Distilling on Instagram

Thanks to our Presenting Sponsor, ImpEx Beverages

• https://impexbev.com
• ImpEx on Instagram
• ImpEx on Facebook
• ImpEx on Twitter