🥃 Think you’re drinking “craft?” Flip the bottle. Read the back.

💥 Opening Pour

“Distilled in Indiana.” Most folks scroll right past that line.
But once you know what it means, you’ll never look at a label the same way again.

This week, I’m giving you the tools to spot sourced bourbon, decode hidden details, and sip smarter — no whiskey snobbery required.

📖 The Story

A few years ago, I shelled out $90 for a sleek bottle with wax, foil, and a romantic backstory about heritage craftsmanship. It screamed top-shelf.

But one line near the bottom stopped me cold:

I knew the brand wasn’t based there — and that was the clue.

Turns out, the bourbon came from MGP, a massive distillery that cranks out quality juice for dozens of private labels. This wasn’t a scam — just sourcing, plain and simple.

And the juice? Surprisingly solid.

But that moment taught me a lesson:
The back label tells a very different story than the front.

Today, I’m showing you how to spot the truth. Because when you can decode a bottle, you can find great bourbon hiding behind forgettable labels — and avoid paying extra for marketing fluff.

🕵️ Bourbon Label Decoder

What to scan on the label before you buy:

✅ “Distilled by” vs “Bottled by”

• “Distilled by” = made in-house

• “Bottled by” or “Produced by” = likely sourced

✅ DSP Number (Distilled Spirits Plant)

• Looks like: DSP-IN-15018

• Search it online to trace the real distillery

✅ Sourced Hotspots

• Lawrenceburg, Indiana → almost always MGP

• Boone County, KY and Tullahoma, TN = popular sourcing hubs

✅ Red Flag Language
Watch for filler phrases when facts are missing:

• “Carefully selected barrels”

• “Curated blend”

• “Handcrafted” (but no distillery address)

🧪 Try It Yourself

Next time you're at the store:

1. Pick up two bottles — one labeled “Distilled by…”, one labeled “Bottled by…”

2. Find the DSP number or distillation location

3. Google it

4. See if you’re sipping from a big-name contract distiller

It’s not about shame — it’s about knowing what you’re drinking.

🥇 The Weekly Pour

Bottle: George Remus Repeal Reserve Bourbon (Series VI – 2022 Edition)
Price: ~$149.99
Proof: 100
Age: Blend of bourbons aged 8–14 years

Nose: Maple syrup, caramelized sugar, cinnamon, light tobacco
Palate: Dark fruit, clove, baking spice, toasted oak
Finish: Long and warm with vanilla, leather, and a peppery fade

✅ Distilled in Indiana by Ross & Squibb (formerly MGP)
✅ Sourced — with transparency
✅ Rich blend of high-rye mash bills

🛒 Buy it now → $149.99

🍹The Art of Mixing

Repeal Reserve Old Fashioned

Ingredients

• 2 oz Remus Repeal Reserve

• ¼ oz Demerara syrup

• 2 dashes aromatic bitters

• 1 dash orange bitters

• Orange peel

Instructions

1. Stir with ice until chilled

2. Strain over a big cube

3. Express orange peel over the top

Tip: The deep cherry notes in this blend make for a dangerously smooth Old Fashioned — skip the cherry garnish and let the bourbon do the talking.

🍖 Flavor Pairing Picks

Pair it with:

🍗 Charcoal-Grilled Lamb Chops — Bold enough to match this bourbon’s spice
🍫 Dark Chocolate Sea Salt Bark — Highlights the sweet and bitter edge
💨 Arturo Fuente Don Carlos — Savory and smooth with a cedar finish that lingers

🧠 Big Lesson of the Week

Sourced bourbon isn’t bad bourbon — it just means someone else made it.
If the bottle’s good and the label’s honest, let the pour speak for itself.

🥂 Final Toast

To the truth behind the label, the joy of discovery, and the whiskey that earned its place — no matter who made it.

🥃 Repeatable Proverb

“Sourced or not, the glass never lies.”

✨ Step Inside The Lounge — Where Whiskey Stories Live

You’ve been writing your whiskey journey.
Now share it with others who pour with the same passion.

When you join The Lounge, you’ll get:

• 📖 Exclusive Report — Top 10 Whiskeys Under $50 (yours free the moment you join).

• 🏆 Real Rewards for Real Participation — earn whiskey swag gifts just by showing up and sharing.

• 💬 Civilized Conversation with Pour-Curious People — no snobbery, just good pours and good company.

• 🌍 Connect with Like-Minded Whiskey Enthusiasts from All Over the World — your tribe is waiting.

🕰️ Free Lounge Entry — Secure Your Spot at the Bar

Now Its Your Turn

Have you discovered a great sourced bottle? Or ever been surprised by one?
Drop your pick — or send this to a friend who thinks “sourced” means “skip it.”

Cheers to detective work, dark labels, and deeper pours,

Ethan “Neat” Whitmore

P.S. Friday, I’ll show you how to build your own Bottled-in-Bond tasting flight — and what time, proof, and barrel laws reveal when poured side-by-side.