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Ashley Barnes explains how refurbished French oak, rapid Amburana cycles, and patient blending create luxury profiles without losing Kentucky bourbon’s soul
Manage episode 513393439 series 2810554
Ashley Barnes walks us through the craft behind Lucky Seven’s luxe finishes and Curley’s everyday versatility while we trade festival stories, hotel speakeasy tips, and single-barrel wins. From refurbished French oak to five-day Amburana cycles, we dig into how consistency, balance, and smart lab design keep each pour true.
• Lucky Seven’s luxury profile, cigar-lounge vibe, and age statements
• Refurbished French oak on The Frenchman for layered depth
• Amburana strategy on The New Yorker with rapid, repeated cycles
• Finishing to profile and pulling barrels at readiness
• Single-barrel identification during blend building
• Blending lab design for speed, control, and consistency
• Curley’s heritage revival, D.J. Curley’s bluegrass legacy
• Curley as a versatile, citrus-friendly house bourbon at $39.99
• Festival community, bottle signings, and bourbon-minded hospitality
Lucky Seven Small Batch available here at Kentucky Bourbon Festival
Ever wonder how a master blender keeps luxury bourbon silky, expressive, and consistent without sanding off its soul? We sit down with Ashley Barnes to unpack the real work behind Lucky Seven’s hallmark finishes and the revival of Curley, a heritage Kentucky name with bluegrass roots and modern bar-cart value. Ashley opens the doors to her process—why refurbished French oak gives The Frenchman more depth than new wood, how five-to-seven-day Amburana cycles capture pastry-shop spice without burying the bourbon, and the way “finish to profile” timing creates batches that feel both reliable and alive.
We dig into the nuts and bolts of selection—how single barrels are discovered during blend building, why outliers become treasured releases, and how consistency comes from decisions, not luck. Ashley also shares the physical side of craft: a purpose-built blending lab with custom cabinetry and clean workflow that protects sensory focus, speeds iteration, and keeps notes tight over months of tasting. The result is a portfolio that hits an old-Hollywood, cigar-lounge mood for Lucky Seven while staying unmistakably Kentucky.
Then we time-travel with Curley, honoring D.J. Curley’s early 1900s ambition and reintroducing a house bourbon designed for real life—neat, rocks, or citrus-forward cocktails—at a price that invites it into weekly rotation. Add Kentucky Bourbon Festival stories, friendly chaos in signing lines, and a hotel speakeasy built for bourbon-minded conversation, and you’ve got an episode that blends technique, history, and community in equal parts. If you love learning how great whiskey is truly made—and why some bottles keep tasting great—hit play, subscribe, and tell us your favorite finish or cocktail. Your pour might just inspire the next blend.
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Chapters
1. Sponsor & Festival Setup (00:00:00)
2. Introducing Ashley Barnes and Brands (00:02:18)
3. Lucky Seven’s Luxury Profile (00:03:04)
4. Finishing Philosophy and Consistency (00:04:24)
5. The Frenchman and Refurbished French Oak (00:06:14)
6. Amburana Strategy for The New Yorker (00:07:39)
7. Single Barrels: Selection Process (00:09:54)
8. KBF Stories and Community (00:11:54)
9. Blending Lab Design and Workflow (00:15:04)
10. Hospitality, Speakeasy, and Bourbon Hotel (00:18:04)
11. Curley: Reviving a Heritage Brand (00:20:59)
12. Curley’s Flavor, Versatility, and Value (00:23:44)
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