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Pursuit Spirits, a craft whiskey blender, announced a collaboration with Meat Church BBQ to release a honey-finished bourbon called Pursuit x Meat Church Honey Hog Barrel Bourbon. The 105-proof bourbon was made using Texas Wildflower Honey from Burleson’s Honey, which was added to barrels in February 2026. The product is designed to complement smoked meats rather than compete with dessert-style whiskeys.
Today I review Pursuit Spirits’ new honey‑finished bourbon created with Meat Church BBQ, focusing on how it fits an operator’s strategy amid shrinking volumes yet demand for distinct offerings.
The partnership yields a 105‑proof spirit priced at $79.99 per bottle. It will be sold through Pursuit’s Whiskey Row shop and select Texas retailers via Seelbach’s platform, with an initial tasting event slated for June 25. The release is premises‑only; Kentucky’s direct‑to‑consumer cap limits it to 300 cases.
Priced at the upper end of U.S. bourbon retail, the bottle faces a market where overall spirits sales fell 1.4% and total volume dropped 2.9% in 2024 according to IWSR and Statista. Operators will need brand equity or an experiential hook to maintain demand.
The honey finish is the standout element. Pursuit used 55 gallons of Burleson’s Honey from Waxahachie, Texas, coating barrels for three months before finishing in Kentucky and Tennessee casks. The process involved a heated room to melt viscous residues, adding complexity to production.
Bars can leverage the 105‑proof spirit as a robust base for high‑ABV cocktails or pair it with smoked meats—an area where Meat Church excels.
Kentucky’s Alcoholic Beverage Control Board caps direct‑to‑consumer sales at 300 cases, reinforcing the product’s exclusivity. At $79.99 per bottle, the bottle sits firmly in the upper tier of U.S. bourbon pricing.
Wider distribution must go through third‑party channels, potentially reducing exclusivity.
The bourbon‑BBQ partnership illustrates cross‑category appeal, but with 217 craft distilleries closing in 2024 and overall volume declining, operators need robust operational plans to sustain momentum.
Operators who secure the bottle can use its honey finish as a hook for premium pricing or smoked‑meat pairings; otherwise the limited‑edition release remains an event‑centric opportunity.
Original Press Release
LOUISVILLE, KY – June 16, 2026 – Pursuit Spirits, a craft whiskey blender founded by the hosts of the Bourbon Pursuit podcast, today announced its first-ever collaboration with Meat Church BBQ: Pursuit x Meat Church Honey Hog Barrel Bourbon. This cross-category release translates the flavor profile of Matt Pittman’s iconic “Honey Hog” seasoning into a 105-proof, honey-finished bourbon created specifically to pair with smoked meats, rather than competing with traditional dessert-style whiskeys.
The project was initiated in October 2025 when Pittman introduced the blenders to Tim Burleson of Burleson’s Honey. Family-owned and operated in Waxahachie, Texas, since 1907, Burleson’s provides source-certified, premium wildflower honey, establishing a rare, completely traceable farm-to-barrel origin story for this release.
In December 2025, more than 55 gallons of Burleson’s Texas Wildflower Honey traveled to the Pursuit Spirits blending facility in Louisville to coat the finishing barrels. Emptying the thick honey from the barrels in the chill of February proved to be an unexpected comedic challenge when the viscous liquid refused to budge. Founders Kenny Coleman and Ryan Cecil had to move the barrels one by one into a small room equipped with space heaters just to get the honey flowing.
Once the bulk of the honey was removed, the team introduced a proprietary bourbon blend honoring the creators’ regional roots. Coleman and Cecil utilized Kentucky bourbon barrels from Bardstown Bourbon Co. (78% corn, 10% rye, 12% malted barley), meticulously blending them with a Tennessee distilling partner’s bourbon (80% corn, 10% rye, 10% malted barley) to represent Pittman’s birth state. The liquid underwent an additional three-month finishing period inside the honey-coated barrels before bottling.
“We selected this combination of regional mash bills to interact harmoniously with the wildflower honey, but it still needed enough punch to stand up to a bold BBQ spice like paprika,” said Ryan Cecil, Co-Founder and Master Blender at Pursuit Spirits. “The palate plays out like baklava in a glass, coating the mouth with complex layers of pastry and nuts that can easily hold its own against one of Matt’s famous seasonings.”
“This whiskey delivers a sweetness as bold as the pit that inspired it,” said Matt Pittman, Founder of Meat Church BBQ. “At 105 proof, the viscous finish brings a powerful rush of baking spices intentionally dialed up to cut through heavy smoke and fat. It is the ultimate tabletop companion for smoked pork butt or spare ribs.”
While the initial allocation window for Pursuit Spirits’ P.Club members has closed, the founders will host an exclusive launch and tasting event on Thursday, June 25, at their Whiskey Row destination, with tickets available on Eventbrite for $150.
Pursuit x Meat Church Honey Hog Barrel Bourbon will be available in limited quantities at the Pursuit Spirits retail shop on Whiskey Row in Louisville starting July 1 for $79.99, and will roll out across Texas retail outlets and online via Seelbach’s shortly after.
Sources consulted (web research):
- Pursuit Spirits And Meat Church Bbq Fuse Ky Tn And Tx In New Honey Ho…
- Behind The Pursuit 2025 Pursuit Spirits Wrap Up
- Pursuit Spirits Meat Church Launch Honey Hog Bourbon
Source: BevNET