How MGP Took Over Bourbon – Seagram’s Collapse & Rye Whiskey’s Secret History

Описание: 🥃 What the Heck Is MGP and Why Should You Care?

What is MGP? If you’ve ever picked up a bottle of bourbon or rye and seen “Distilled in Indiana” on the label, chances are you’ve been sipping whiskey from MGP of Indiana — one of the most important (and secretive) players in the American whiskey industry.

In this episode of Tortured Bourbon, Heather and B dive into one of the most jaw-dropping stories in bourbon history. From the rise of Seagram’s to a billion-dollar blunder involving Hollywood dreams, we unpack how MGP quietly became the engine behind some of the biggest names in bourbon and rye whiskey today.

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🧊 FROM CANADA TO INDIANA: A BOURBON EMPIRE IS BORN

Our journey begins in 1857, in Waterloo, Ontario, where Seagram’s was founded as a small whiskey operation. During Prohibition, the Bronfman family transformed it into a liquor empire by flooding the U.S. market with Canadian whiskey. When Prohibition ended, Seagram’s had massive aging warehouses and the perfect timing to dominate the American whiskey scene.

By the mid-20th century, Seagram’s owned iconic brands like Crown Royal, Seagram’s VO, and Chivas Regal, and built distilleries across North America — including a massive one in Lawrenceburg, Indiana, a location that would eventually define modern rye whiskey.

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💥 THE $9 BILLION BLUNDER THAT ENDED A DYNASTY

By the early 1990s, Seagram’s owned 25% of DuPont, one of the most profitable corporations in the world. That stake brought in over $500 million annually.

But in 1995, Edgar Bronfman Jr. sold it for $9 billion to buy MCA/Universal Studios and chase his dream of becoming a Hollywood mogul. That bold move collapsed the company’s finances, forcing the family to sell Seagram’s in pieces. Major brands were picked up by Diageo, Pernod Ricard, and Bacardi.

The Lawrenceburg distillery? It was left behind — until MGP Ingredients, a Kansas-based company known for wheat protein and industrial alcohol, bought it for just $11 million in 2011.

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🏭 MGP: THE BOURBON & RYE GHOSTWRITER

That $11M acquisition turned out to be one of the best whiskey deals of the 21st century. MGP inherited a turnkey operation: column stills, expert staff, thousands of barrels aging, and a distillery perfectly designed for high-volume, high-quality whiskey production.

Rather than building their own consumer brand, MGP became the contract distiller behind the scenes — producing bourbon and rye whiskey for dozens of brands that source their liquid from Indiana.

Many of those brands either don’t reveal the source or market it as their own craft product. But MGP’s whiskey — especially its rye — has become the blueprint for an entire category.

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🥃 BRANDS THAT USE MGP WHISKEY

If you’ve tasted any of these, you’ve tasted Indiana whiskey made by MGP:
• Bulleit Rye
• Templeton
• Redemption
• Smoke Wagon
• Smooth Ambler
• Angel’s Envy Rye
• Early High West
• OKI, Backbone, George Remus, and more…

MGP’s signature 95/5 rye mash bill (95% rye, 5% malted barley) has defined the modern rye profile: spicy, minty, clean, and bold. Their high-rye bourbon mash bills are widely used in single barrels and sourced brands across the U.S.

Today, MGP produces:
• Over 15–20% of all American bourbon and rye sold at retail
• Over 70% of all rye whiskey sold in the last decade

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🔬 WHY THIS MATTERS TO BOURBON LOVERS

So why should whiskey fans care? Because the whiskey in your glass may not be made where you think. Many sourced brands are tight-lipped about their supply chain. Understanding the role of MGP helps bourbon lovers make informed buying decisions — and appreciate the artistry in blending, finishing, and barrel picks.

In this episode, Heather and B cover:
• Bourbon sourcing transparency
• Why Lawrenceburg is the Silicon Valley of rye
• How MGP became the ghostwriter behind modern whiskey
• And what makes MGP’s own labels worth trying

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🥃 WHAT WE’RE DRINKING

To wrap the episode, we’re sipping two MGP products that wear their Indiana heritage proudly:

🔹 Rossville Union 6-Year Bottled-in-Bond Rye
Unique mash bill: 51% rye, 49% malted barley
Tasting notes: roasted grain, mint, baking spice, chocolate malt
100 proof. A balanced, malty rye with real depth.

🔹 George Remus Straight Bourbon – 113 Proof Single Barrel
High-rye bourbon with notes of cherry, brown sugar, toasted oak
A single barrel that shows off MGP’s craftsmanship at full strength.

These aren’t sourced brands — they’re MGP’s own labels, and they deliver.

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🎥 WATCH, LAUGH, LEARN & SUBSCRIBE

If you love bourbon history, sourced whiskey drama, and want to finally understand why so many bottles say “Distilled in Indiana,” this one’s for you.

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