Parody - BourbonSphere

Taylor Swift to Launch Exclusive Whiskey Collection Inspired by Iconic Albums

The result is a collection as diverse as Swift’s discography, featuring barrels aged 7-8 years, each corresponding to one of her iconic albums.

In a move that's sure to shake up both the music and spirits industries, global superstar Taylor Swift has announced her latest venture: a series of whiskeys designed to celebrate her illustrious music career. The Bourbon & Banter team, known for their uncanny ability to sniff out the most intoxicating stories, got the inside scoop during Swift's electrifying 'Era's' tour last summer. Whispers of this project had been fermenting since then, and were finally confirmed amidst the pre-game buzz of the NFL playoffs.

For years, behind the scenes and unbeknownst to the public, Swift has been meticulously crafting this project with the guidance of Peggy Noe Stevens, the visionary founder of Bourbon Women. This collaboration has brought Swift together with a quartet of the industry's most distinguished distillers: Rebecca Harris of Catoctin Creek, Heather Greene of Milam & Greene, Britt Kulsveen of Willett, and Elizabeth McCall of Woodford Reserve. Their meetings, held under the guise of Swift's 1989 tour stops in Houston, Washington D.C., and Louisville back in 2015, laid the groundwork for what promises to be a groundbreaking series.

At just 26, Swift caught the whiskey bug, inspired by band members who savored a dram post-performance. Realizing the potential within the burgeoning American whiskey scene, she embarked on a journey to distilleries during tour breaks. There, alongside her newfound mentors, Swift delved into the art of whiskey tasting and selection, compiling notes to create blends that would bear her signature touch.

The result is a collection as diverse as Swift's discography, featuring barrels aged 7-8 years, each corresponding to one of her iconic albums. But there's a twist – each whiskey release is paired with an exclusive "barrel proof" NFT, unlocking a vault of digital delights, including unseen concert footage, a 30-minute acoustic set recorded at the distillery, and a virtual happy hour with Swift and friends.

This whiskey series is a harmonious blend of music, craftsmanship, and technology, born from Swift's partnership with the Bourbon Women organization. The official announcement is set to stir the spirits world at this year's Bourbon Classic.

Here's a sneak peek at the lineup:

Tortured Poets KY Straight Bourbon Whiskey: A nod to Swift's lyrical depth, this 115 proof bourbon from Noah’s Mill, selected with Britt Kulsveen, promises complexity and character.
Midnight Smoke Rye Whiskey: Paired with the 'Midnights' album, this 92-proof rye by Catoctin Creek is finished with smoked staves for a sultry sip.
Evermore Four Cask American Whiskey: A blend reflecting Swift's eclectic sound, combining Texas and Kentucky bourbons, Tennessee whiskey, and Pennsylvania rye, curated with Heather Greene.
Double Lover: A Woodford Reserve Double Oaked expression, aged in Cabernet barrels for a 90.4 proof romance, crafted alongside Elizabeth McCall.
Red Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon Whiskey: A tribute to Swift's 'Red' era, this soft red winter wheat bourbon is a collaboration with Nancy Frahley, rumored to have a touch of Kansas City Chief's magic.

Stay tuned for more on this intoxicating fusion of melodies and malts. The Bourbon & Banter team remains your exclusive source for the latest in high spirits and high notes.

Remember to listen to our most recent podcast episode, Taylor Takes a Drink, where we first broke news of the Taylor Swift Whiskey Collection.

Jefferson’s Pumpkin Patch Bourbon Review

I really don’t think you can go wrong with this bottle. Whether you’re embracing your inner white girl or are just one of those adults who is way too into Halloween, this bottle is not to be missed. If you can snag a bottle, definitely do it!

BOTTLE DETAILS

DISTILLER: Jefferson's Bourbon
MASH BILL: 77% Corn | 13% Rye | 10% Malted Barley (unconfirmed)
AGE: Non-Age Stated but rumored to be 4-6 years old
YEAR: 2023
PROOF: 80 (40% ABV)
MSRP: $40

ERIN'S NOTES

NOSE: Kohl's Flannel | Freshly Ground Clove | Pure Vibes

TASTE: Gentle Maple | Warm Cinnamon-Sugar-Duster Apple Cider Donuts | Late Stage Capitalism

FINISH: Salty caramel that melts into that wax-paper-enveloped mystery candy your old folks neighbors gave out, and we still can’t quite figure out why they were always half oozed out of their wrappers. And then it closes with just a gentle whisper of that unshakable desire to go out of your way to step on that very crunchy-looking leaf only to realize that the leaf was, in fact, rather damp and in no way crispy.

SHARE WITH: Your favorite basic bitch. Preferably in an apple orchard, pumpkin patch, or corn maze. It is especially apt to enjoy while perched atop a bay ride. Perfect for featuring in your Tinder profile pic to attract the ladies to lure in a Q4 cuffing season situationship.

BOTTLE, BAR OR BUST: I really don’t think you can go wrong with this bottle. Whether you’re embracing your inner white girl or are just one of those adults who is way too into Halloween, this bottle is not to be missed. If you can snag a bottle, definitely do it! Enjoy alongside your candy corn while doling out sweets on the 31st or proudly display on your coffee bar next to your vast collection of HomeGoods “Live, Laugh, Love” and “Fall, Y’all” wood cutouts.

OVERALL: Whether you like it or not, Pumpkin Spice is a flavor phenomenon that is here to stay. Forged in the corporate marketing fire of Pike Place, the Pumpkin Spice Latte debuted at Starbucks in 2003. Today, Pumpkin Spice products account for nearly $1T in sales of products ranging from the snacky (hummus, Pringles, Twinkies) to the scatological (Poo-Purri, butt wipes) to the downright stupefying (engagement rings, caviar). But soon to join the ranks of the Pumpkin-Spiced potpourri is something near and dear to our bourbon-loving hearts: Jefferson’s Pumpkin Patch.

On the heels of their Tropics release and to usher out the summer, Jefferson’s Pumpkin Patch delivers a warm, spicy hug to usher in the fall season. As a white woman, I see no limit to the number of products that can be spiced with the essence of pumpkin and autumnal baking flavors, so I was thrilled when I had the opportunity to review this new release.

And oh, Charlie Brown, the Great Pumpkin has indeed arrived! Wow. I cannot imagine anything better to sip on while taking selfies in front of a hay wall and holding a quirky-looking fantasy pumpkin. If cheugy were a flavor, Jefferson’s just bottled it.

Jefferson’s continues to outdo itself in finding new and innovative ways of harnessing ambient flavors and imbuing them into their whiskey to deliver a truly special experience that transports the drinker to a special time and place while quaffing. When asked about the impetus for this newest release, Trey Zoeller, Founder and Master Blender for the brand and avid equestrian, said he was inspired to craft these seasonally-inspired flavor journeys during the pandemic.

“One day during the fall of 2020, I was riding one of my beloved horses when the undeniable scent of pumpkin pie spice wafted across the field. It was the first time I found myself grinning uncontrollably since the beginning of the pandemic. I thought, ‘nature must be healing,’ I wanted to share that warmth and joy with Jefferson’s fans everywhere, whether they were cooped up inside or sitting at a bar.”

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Trey Zoeller during one of his 2020 inspirational rides.

“Jefferson’s Pumpkin Patch offers a transformative experience that we endeavor to infuse into each installment of the Voyages series,” continued Zoeller, who was recently inducted into the Bourbon Hall of Fame. “I realized I wanted to make something that brought joy to the face of everyone, not just the hardcore bourbon bros. After all, bourbon is for everyone, no matter how basic they may be.”

BRAND NOTES

NOSE: Baking spices, notably ginger and nutmeg. Light roast espresso.

FLAVOR: Creamy squash, allspice dram, Iight molasses, touch of sweet hay.

FINISH: A Kentucky hug filled with warm cinnamon, ribbed for her pleasure.

It cannot be denied that Pumpkin Spice has become an inextricable part of the modern American gustatory zeitgeist. Pumpkin Spice is not just a melange of common baking flavors but the defining flavor experience of a generation. We are proud to celebrate this unique flavor experience with an equally distinctive whiskey, aged and finished in the playful Jefferson’s way discerning drinkers across the globe have come to love and respect.

Jefferson’s will also offer a limited edition line of fall-inspired clothing to accompany the special whiskey release, so you can look the part while drinking this expression. The carefully curated capsule collection will include branded offerings ranging from wide-brimmed felt hats, pumpkin-hued plaid blanket scarves, and unique Glencairn glasses dipped in candy-corn-colored wax.

At Jefferson’s, we constantly seek to surprise and delight our loyal whiskey drinkers who, with each dram, seek to explore new flavor destinations and experiences. We are thrilled to introduce this latest seasonal addition to the Jefferson’s Voyages family, which will thrill the palates of our existing fans and entice new ones. We can’t wait to show you where we’re going next.

Jefferson’s will also offer a limited edition line of fall-inspired clothing to accompany the special whiskey release

Disclaimer: Jefferson's Bourbon did not provide Bourbon & Banter with a sample of their product for this review because it is as real as the Easter Bunny, the Tooth Fairy, & that Lusty Claw is actually sourced from Stitzel Weller. It's a joke damnit! However, we do appreciate their sense of humor and willingness to take part in our parody efforts. Thank you.

Supreme Court to Rule on “Bad Spaniel’s” Trademark Lawsuit

March 22, 2023 – In a nearly 90-minute hearing punctuated with laughter, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a lawsuit over whether a “Bad Spaniel’s” dog toy violates the trademark protection Jack Daniel’s has for its whisky bottles. The lawsuit (Jack Daniel’s Properties, Inc v. VIP Products) filed by Jack Daniel’s owner Brown-Forman claims the dog toy creates consumer confusion, while the poop-themed toy’s maker argues it falls within legal exceptions for parodies. The Supreme Court agreed to take the case after VIP Products won an appeals court ruling when the court used a standard defining when Read More »

March 22, 2023 – In a nearly 90-minute hearing punctuated with laughter, the United States Supreme Court heard oral arguments in a lawsuit over whether a “Bad Spaniel’s” dog toy violates the trademark protection Jack Daniel’s has for its whisky bottles. The lawsuit (Jack Daniel’s Properties, Inc v. VIP Products) filed by Jack Daniel’s owner Brown-Forman claims the dog toy creates consumer confusion, while the poop-themed toy’s maker argues it falls within legal exceptions for parodies.

The Supreme Court agreed to take the case after VIP Products won an appeals court ruling when the court used a standard defining when a potential trademark infringement enjoys First Amendment protection. The court ruled that because the dog toy was a “non-commercial use” done with humorous intent for an “expressive purpose,” it is protected on free speech grounds.

During today’s hearing, Justice Elena Kagan appeared to have some issues understanding the parody involved in the “Bad Spaniel’s” dog toy in an exchange with VIP Products lawyer Bennett Cooper.

JUSTICE KAGAN: Well, what is there to it? What is the parody here?

MR. COOPER: The parody?

JUSTICE KAGAN: Yeah.

MR. COOPER: The parody is of —

JUSTICE KAGAN: Because maybe I just have no sense of humor, but — (Laughter) – what’s the parody?

MR. COOPER: The parody is multifold. The — the — the testimony indicates, and it’s not been disputed, that the parody is to make fun of marks that take themselves seriously.

JUSTICE KAGAN: Well, I mean, you say that, but you — you know, you make fun of a lot of marks: Doggie Walker, Dos Perros, Smella R Paw, Canine Cola, Mountain Drool. Are all of these companies taking themselves too seriously?

MR. COOPER: Yes. In fact, you don’t see a parody as — as a bourbon —

(Laughter.)

JUSTICE KAGAN: I mean, just like soft drinks and liquor —

MR. COOPER: And — and I would say all —

JUSTICE KAGAN: — companies take themselves too seriously as a class?

MR. COOPER: I think there are a lot of products that take them too seriously — seriously and merchandise. You don’t see, for example, something near and dear to my heart, a parody of Woodford Reserve bourbon because you don’t get that building up of an edifice of making them into an iconic — a cultural icon and reference point.

Listen to the Oral Arguments

The case could be a landmark one for trademark holders. Attorneys for Jack Daniel’s argued in a court filing that a ruling for VIP Products “gives copycats free license to prey on unsuspecting consumers and mark holders” by producing all forms of products under the argument that they qualify as parodies.

The Court is expected to rule on the case before the end of its term in June.

Sipp’n Corn Bourbon Law Update – Jack Daniel’s v. “Bad Spaniels” Dog Toy.

Ever since Old Crow and Old Taylor aggressively protected their trademarks in the 1800’s, setting the stage for current-day trademark law, whiskey has kept trademark attorneys busy. Brown-Forman’s Jack Daniel’s brand and VIP Products’ “Bad Spaniels” dog toy now have the opportunity to establish…

Ever since Old Crow and Old Taylor aggressively protected their trademarks in the 1800’s, setting the stage for current-day trademark law, whiskey has kept trademark attorneys busy.

Brown-Forman’s Jack Daniel’s brand and VIP Products’ “Bad Spaniels” dog toy now have the opportunity to establish limitations on how far an alleged “parody” use of another’s famous brand and trade dress can go before it becomes illegal infringement. On January 31, the Supreme Court of the United States set oral argument for March 22, 2023 in this epic legal battle.

Basically, VIP sells a dog toy that is shaped like a bottle of arguably the most famous brand of American whiskey and makes all sorts of “poop jokes” on the toy. It is indisputable that the dog toy’s look, design, and words are intended to trade on the brand recognition of Jack Daniel’s, but VIP insists that it’s all in good fun. In fact, in a brief filed with the Supreme Court where it tried to convince the Court that it should not even consider the case, VIP smugly argued that “It is ironic that America’s leading distiller of whiskey both lacks a sense of humor and does not recognize when it—and everyone else—has had enough. [Jack Daniel’s] has waged war against [VIP] for having the temerity to produce a pun-filled parody…” And when famous brands are made fun of, “the world did not end.”

Jack Daniel’s argues that the dog toy tarnishes its brand and is likely to confuse consumers. The First Amendment was never intended to protect speech that confuses and misleads consumers, and the Lanham Act restricts commercial use of protected Marks, so no matter how funny poop jokes might be, it’s no laughing matter to violate the law. Jack Daniel’s insists that it likes dog and jokes—including jokes at its expense—but VIP is mimicking Jack Daniel’s iconic trade dress to mislead consumers and to profit off of Jack Daniel’s goodwill. Plus, Jack Daniel’s doesn’t want its customers confused or have them “associating its fine whiskey with dog poop.”

The United States District Court in Arizona (where VIP is based) sided with Jack Daniel’s, but the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals reversed, setting the stage for the Supreme Court to rule on whether anyone can use famous trademarks to sell dog toys or whatever else they want, as Jack Daniel’s suggests—“sex toys, drinking games, or marijuana bongs, … all in the name of just having fun.”

Bourbon Crusaders & STRAW Announce Four Horsemen Kentucky Straight Bourbon

As first reported in Episode 23 of the Bourbon & Banter Podcast, the Bourbon Crusaders are partnering with the Society for Transparency in American Whiskey (STRAW) for a release that can only be described as a bourbon nerds dream. Fred Noe, Jimmy Russell, Jim Rutledge & Chris Morris got together and hand-selected barrels from each of their respective distilleries. For the first time in history, barrels from Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve, and Rutledge’s stock of Cream of Kentucky barrels will be mingled for what the most anticipated release in bourbon history. The Four Horsemen Kentucky Straight Bourbon is scheduled for a fall 2022 release.