Where NBC
Whiskey
Comes From

Midwest Grain Products (MGP) is one of the largest and most respected contract distilleries in America, operating out of the former Seagram's distillery in Lawrenceburg, Indiana. MGP produces two primary bourbon mashbills used in the NBC portfolio: the 75/21/4 recipe (75% corn, 21% rye, 4% malted barley) used in the Founders Fourteen, and the 60/36/4 high-rye recipe (60% corn, 36% rye, 4% malted barley) used in the Grateful Kelvin series. MGP's Indiana location is significant — Indiana corn and limestone water produce a distinctly different base spirit than Kentucky production, with more pronounced grain character at new make and more vanilla expression after aging.

• Founders Fourteen: 75/21/4 mashbill, 8yr, Kelvin cooperage — NBC's founding barrels
• Grateful Kelvin Series: 60/36/4 high-rye mashbill, 8–10yr, Kelvin cooperage — NBC's highest-rye program
• The Compromise (bourbon component): 9yr 60/36/4 Kelvin MGP — the bourbon half of the #16 Fred Minnick blend

DSP-KY-67 is the federal Distilled Spirits Plant number for the Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky — operated by Jimmy and Eddie Russell since 1954, now part of the Campari Group. Wild Turkey uses a higher rye mashbill than many Kentucky competitors, producing a bourbon with more spice and structure. The Russell family's commitment to longer aging and minimal intervention results in barrels with pronounced orange peel, vanilla, dark caramel, and rye spice. NBC's C-Series represents NBC's own independent barrel picks from DSP-KY-67 — not Wild Turkey-branded products, but NBC's direct selections from the same warehouses.

• C-Series: 8–9yr single barrel picks from DSP-KY-67, cask strength, $99.99–$119.99
• Current available: C52 (9yr, 124.42°), C15, C13, C24, C9

The Vault Series represents barrels sourced from a Tennessee distillery and aged 20 and 21 years — making them among the oldest Tennessee whiskeys available for purchase anywhere. The 84% corn, 8% rye, 8% malted barley mashbill is the classic Tennessee bourbon recipe — sweeter and softer than Kentucky high-rye recipes, transformed by two decades of Tennessee oak interaction into dark fruit, leather, toffee, and profound tannic depth. ISC cooperage was used for these barrels.

• Vault Series 21yr: Barrels #1471, #1470, #1480 — currently in stock at $299.99
• Vault Series 20yr: Barrel #1439 — currently in stock at $279.99
• Sold-out Hazmats: Multiple barrels over 140° proof have sold through

Foursquare Distillery, operated by Richard Seale in St. Philip, Barbados, is widely regarded as one of the world's elite rum producers. Foursquare's commitment to traditional pot and column still production, long aging, and additive-free bottling has earned it a cult following among spirits enthusiasts. NBC's 15-year Foursquare single barrel rum (barrel #947, 120.76 proof) represents NBC's extension beyond bourbon and rye into premium aged rum — applying the same barrel selection philosophy to one of the world's most respected rum distilleries.

Kelvin Cooperage is a Glasgow-based barrel maker with a facility in Louisville, Kentucky. Kelvin is known for their heavier char levels and a specific wood selection that produces more toasted vanilla, dark caramel, and a slightly smoky, savory finish compared to standard American ISC cooperage. This cooperage character is the defining thread running through both the Founders Fourteen and the Grateful Kelvin series — giving NBC releases aged in Kelvin barrels an immediately identifiable profile that distinguishes them from standard MGP releases aged in conventional cooperage.

• Founders Fourteen: 8yr MGP 75/21/4 in Kelvin — NBC's founding barrels
• Grateful Kelvin Series: 8–10yr MGP 60/36/4 in Kelvin — NBC's highest-rye program
• The Compromise (bourbon component): 9yr MGP 60/36/4 Kelvin — half of the #16 Minnick blend

Fred Minnick is the author of Bourbon: The Rise, Fall, and Rebirth of an American Whiskey, Whiskey Women, and several other titles. He is a longtime judge at international spirits competitions and one of the most cited voices in American whiskey criticism. His annual Top 100 American Whiskeys list is among the most followed in the industry. NBC's relationship with Minnick spans two independent touchpoints:

• #4 — Fred Minnick Top 100 American Whiskeys 2023: An early NBC appearance establishing national credibility
• Club Marzipan barrel pick: Minnick selected an NBC barrel for his subscriber community — a separate, independent collaboration
• #16 — Fred Minnick Top 100 American Whiskeys 2025: The Compromise, NBC's highest-ever Minnick ranking

Two appearances on the same critic's Top 100 across two years, plus a direct barrel collaboration, is the strongest single-critic endorsement in the NBC story.

Nashtucky Whiskey Co. is a Nashville-based whiskey label and NBC's primary collaboration partner. The most significant Nashtucky collaboration is The Compromise — a 50/50 blend of NBC's 9yr Kelvin MGP bourbon and Nashtucky's 7yr Kentucky straight rye, bottled at 122.60 proof. The Compromise was ranked #16 on Fred Minnick's Top 100 American Whiskeys of 2025 and distributed nationally by Skurnik Wines & Spirits. Nashtucky also produces the Nashtucky 21yr Tennessee Whiskey and the Nashtucky Alzheimer's charity bottle.

• The Compromise: 50/50 NBC bourbon + Nashtucky rye — #16 Fred Minnick 2025
• Nashtucky 21yr: Tennessee straight whiskey, available at NBC Nashville

Skurnik Wines & Spirits is one of the most respected importers and distributors in the US market, known for curating a portfolio of high-quality, often independent producers across wine and spirits. Skurnik selected The Compromise for national distribution — giving it access to Skurnik's retail, restaurant, and bar network across the country. Skurnik's description of The Compromise as combining "the rich, sweet caramel and vanilla notes of the bourbon and the spicy, herbal, and fruity kick of the rye" has been widely cited by retailers carrying the product.