By Richard Thomas A media buzz phrase these days is how we live in a “post-truth” environment, but active disinformation (to say nothing of ordinary ignorance) has been part of modern living for decades. Marketing truth and spin are more or less the same thing, applied to different fields of endeavor. Yet going on the internet in search of reliable ...

By Richard Thomas For at time, it looked like the fires of the “misleading whiskey label” mania had finally sputtered out and died, crushed under the weight of its own inane frivolity. But it seems a few embers were left and have given rise to a new lawsuit, suing Sazerac for putting a misleading label on Old Charter. Nicholas Parker ...

By Richard Thomas If any premium bourbon brand name has achieved true crossover fame, departing the realm of whiskey enthusiasts and entering popular culture at large, it is Pappy Van Winkle. So great is Pappy’s renown that I am periodically contacted by past acquaintances (in one instance, the last time I saw or spoke to this person was in grade ...

What A Post-EU Future Holds For The Scotch Whisky Industry By Richard Thomas Britain’s Scotch industry campaigned hard against Brexit, warning of dire consequences if the referendum vote went against remaining in the EU. Despite this and other strong warnings against an EU departure, the June 2016 vote was a clear victory for Brexit, and Britain’s new Prime Minister, Teresa ...

Twenty Years After The Fire, You Can Still See Some Scars By Richard Thomas On Monday I found myself between appointments at Willett and the Bardstown Bourbon Company, and nestled right between them is the property of the old Heaven Hill Distillery. Today, it still has active rickhouses, offices,  a major bottling plant, and a visitor center. What it does ...