Bourbon Classic (Feb 21 – 24, Louisville, KY) is a celebration of the best of the best in BOURBON, CULINARY, and COCKTAILS, aka the “epicurean trifecta”. We hope you’ll join us for the sensory experience of a lifetime! PURCHASE TICKETS Friday, February 23: Cocktail & Culinary Challenge Cocktail & Culinary Challenge – featuring Bourbon cocktails […]
Bourbon Classic (Feb 21 – 24, Louisville, KY) is a celebration of the best of the best in BOURBON, CULINARY, and COCKTAILS, aka the “epicurean trifecta”. We hope you’ll join us for the sensory experience of a lifetime!
Friday, February 23: Cocktail & Culinary Challenge
Cocktail & Culinary Challenge – featuring Bourbon cocktails and small plate pairings from top talent chefs and bartenders and a closing awards ceremony.
Saturday, February 24: “Bourbon University” and “TASTE”
Bourbon University – Bourbon immersed sessions where education meets entertainment. TASTE – an exclusive opportunity to sample a variety of different Bourbons and enjoy delicious dishes from our featured restaurants.
2024 weekend events will take place at the Kentucky International Convention Center, located in the heart of downtown Louisville, easy walking distance to the nearby urban distilleries.
Special events are also being planned for February 21 and 22. Additional details to be announced.
Tickets are going fast, so be sure to get yours soon!
SPECIAL HOTEL RATE: Book your experience at the Louisville Marriott Downtown (280 W Jefferson St, Louisville, KY 40202)
Rock Town Distillery in Little Rock, Arkansas distills many different bourbons, as well as other spirits. Their Bottled In Bond Bourbon is distilled on their copper hybrid pot still, and has a unique flavor profile that changes considerably over the co…
Rock Town Distillery in Little Rock, Arkansas distills many different bourbons, as well as other spirits. Their Bottled In Bond Bourbon is distilled on their copper hybrid pot still, and has a unique flavor profile that changes considerably over the course of the sip. You can learn all about it in our Rock Town Bottled In Bond Arkansas Bourbon review!
Whisky critics and enthusiasts from around the world are securing their spot for the 18th Victoria Whisky Festival. The event will be held at the Hotel Grand Pacific from Jan. 18 to 21, 2024. There will be a lineup of distillers, brand ambassadors, and distillery managers at this annual event. Visitors will learn whisky stories, […]
Whisky critics and enthusiasts from around the world are securing their spot for the 18th Victoria Whisky Festival. The event will be held at the Hotel Grand Pacific from Jan. 18 to 21, 2024.
There will be a lineup of distillers, brand ambassadors, and distillery managers at this annual event. Visitors will learn whisky stories, discover distillery secrets, and partake in a variety of whisky tasting activities. Tickets go on sale on November 12 at The Strath Wine, Ale, and Spirit Merchants.
The Victoria Whisky Festival 2024
Notably, the Victoria Whisky Festival has a history of selling out of tickets. So, whisky enthusiasts are encouraged to get them as early as possible. A diverse range of ticket options will ensure accessibility for a broader audience at the 2024 festival including additional masterclasses and grand tastings.
One of the great features of the 2024 festival is its focus on new distillers and people. Its whisky tastings and masterclasses highlight established distilleries and introduce newcomers to the industry. The festival also reflects the diversity of whisky enthusiasts by featuring more women and younger people.
“The Festival lineup is reflective of what people are interested in. Popular distilleries with long histories are in attendance beside brand-new distilleries that are trying new things,” said Frank Hudson, festival president and co-organizer.
“We have a number of independent bottlers in attendance who will be showcasing unique and often limited whiskies. Whisky is very personal, and the Festival is where people can explore something new and different.”
The festival will focus primarily on three events.
The Lost Distillery Grand Tasting: This is a special display of Scottish whiskies selected from at least one hundred years ago. Visitors can get a unique taste of these aged expressions.
“The Great Whisky Debate”: This is the second hosting of the flavor war. A contested head-to-head tasting of whiskies from Canada, Scotland and the United States
Rare whisky showcase and limited editions will be available to visitors at special prices.
While there’s never a bad time to purchase a bottle of bourbon, when in Kentucky to visit or to take in the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, there…
While there's never a bad time to purchase a bottle of bourbon, when in Kentucky to visit or to take in the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, there are some bourbons that I purchase nearly every time I'm in the Bluegrass. Find out if some of your favorites made the short list.
Early Times Bottled-in-Bond
While sold across the country, this bourbon adhering to the 1897 Bottled-in-Bond Act rarely seems to make it in quantity to my home state. Formerly produced by Brown-Forman, the brand was sold a couple of years ago and added to the Sazerac lineup, which also owns Barton and Buffalo Trace. The mash bill is similar to its former cousin Old Forester - 79% corn, 11% rye and 10% malted barley. The nose is quite lovely with vanilla, maple syrup, and bananas foster. On the palate, there is vanilla, caramel, and fruit balanced nicely with toasted oak and baking spice. Packaged in a one-liter bottle, and priced around $26 or so, this is a great bargain to keep in your cabinet.
Evan Williams Single Barrel
Flying under the radar for years, this single barrel bourbon from the ,Evan Williams lineup pays homage to Evan Williams - the first commercial distiller of bourbon. Generally found in the 7-8 year range - with an age statement, and a 5-time winner of "Whiskey of the Year", this bourbon was moved from nationwide availability to being only available in the Commonwealth. Whiskey enthusiasts will be greeted with notes of warm bourbon bread pudding accompanied by vanilla bean ice cream and neatly balanced with oak and gentle holiday spices. If you live outside of Kentucky, this is definitely one to bring home for friends and family to enjoy.
Heaven Hill Quality House
The humblest member of this short list is this bargain-shelfer from Heaven Hill. While it isn’t as tasty as the formerly readily available Heaven Hill 6-Year Bottled-in-Bond and the Heaven Hill 6-Year Green Label, this youthful, 80-proof is my go-to for easy sipping and cooking. Made from the same mash bill as the Evan Williams brand along with others at Heaven Hill, this still has the iconic brand flavors, including vanilla, caramel and brown sugar, along with the fruity and doughy sensation of warm apple strudel. Typically found for around $10, this is one to grab for yourself, your kitchen, and a friend.
Allocated Bourbons from Buffalo Trace
There are entire social media sites dedicated to “What’s Available at Buffalo Trace Today” - complete with pictures of long lines and stories of hours spent waiting. Outside of the distillery gift shop, you may find yourself shelling out significant funds to get your hands on a bottle of Weller Reserve, E.H. Taylor, Eagle Rare, and Blanton’s.
Most days, however, you can check the distillery website and see what is available for purchase. We’ve been lucky on several occasions to literally walk in mid-afternoon - with no lines - to find a wall full of these fine bourbons and purchase them for MSRP in the gift shop. On another occasion, seeing the supply dwindling down for Weller Reserve, we made a dash to snag some of the final bottles before seeing staff members bringing cases of bourbon to restock - hence the reference to the “Buffalo stampede”.
Note that as of this date, visitors are allowed to purchase one of these brands every 90 days. For example, if you visit on Monday and purchase a bottle of Blanton’s, you may return on Tuesday to purchase a bottle of Weller Reserve. However, you’ll have to wait 90 days before being able to purchase either of those brands at the gift shop. While you’re there, don’t pass up on the free tastings of some of their premier brands on the second floor. On a recent visit, we even caught up with industry legend Freddy Johnson, one of the stars in the documentary Neat.
Benchmark Expressions
This may sound like a bit of a Buffalo Trace bromance, but I have to say, again, that good selections from that particular distillery just aren’t available back home. So it is with the Benchmark brand. While at home, I can typically find regular Benchmark on the shelves, it’s at the regional liquor stores and grocery stores in the Bluegrass that I find a dizzying array of Benchmark varieties, including a Single Barrel, Top Floor, and Bonded expression. Produced by Buffalo Trace, we don’t know the exact mash bill, but it’s fair to assume that it’s similar to the flagship Buffalo Trace brand.
The brand is named for the early Kentucky pioneers - James, George, and Robert McAfee - who in 1773 first surveyed the area of Frankfort, Kentucky - which later became the site of the OFC Distillery (and later became Buffalo Trace). Smooth and uncomplicated, these are everyday drinkers, with notes of brown sugar, caramel apple, dried fruit, and raisin.
Any Distillery-only Release
It’s always worthwhile when you’re in the Bluegrass to be sure and stop by your favorite distillery for releases that may have limited availability or only be available at the distillery site. Occasionally, you run into some great people, too. After all, it was on a quiet afternoon that we walked into the visitor’s center at Wild Turkey to be greeted by bourbon legend Jimmy Russell who was happy to not only share bourbon tales, but sign some special release bottles. We’ve had good luck snagging limited releases from Woodford Reserve, including a Chocolate Malt Whisper and a Honey Barrel Finish. Lastly, it was at Wilderness Trail that we were able to catch a new 8-Year Bottled-in-Bond release a couple of years ago that I enjoyed immensely.
Scotch whisky distiller Chivas Brothers has opened their luxury Victorian guesthouse, Linn House, to the public. The distillery is responding to the boom in whisky tourism and the demand for antiqued whisky trails. This manor is located in Keith, Scotland, and was previously accessible only by invitation. It promises to immerse visitors in Chivas Brothers […]
Scotch whisky distiller Chivas Brothers has opened their luxury Victorian guesthouse, Linn House, to the public. The distillery is responding to the boom in whisky tourism and the demand for antiqued whisky trails.
This manor is located in Keith, Scotland, and was previously accessible only by invitation. It promises to immerse visitors in Chivas Brothers whiskies and its Speyside surroundings. Jacques-Henri Brive is Chivas Brothers’ head of brand advocacy and is the lead coordinator of this project.
Chivas Brothers Whisky Tourism
Brive told reporters at a press conference that whisky tourism is in great demand based on customers’ curiosity. He said:
“Linn House represents an opportunity for us to encourage global consumers to connect with the region in which many of our iconic whiskies are made.
“Just as a luxury fashion brand has an atelier or a boutique perfumer has its by-invitation salon, the heart of our whiskies lies here in Scotland. As demand for whisky expands around the world, more consumers are intrigued to discover and explore our heritage.
“Linn House is an extension of our brand homes, affording anyone who visits the luxury of time: to rest, to indulge, and to enjoy all that the region has to offer. It is our ambition that Linn House becomes a destination hospitality offering here in Speyside.”
According to a report from the Scotch Whisky Association (SWA), whisky tourism was the top attraction for visitors to Scotland in 2022. The report showed that more than £85 million was spent on sites across Scotland’s five whisky regions – a 90% increase from 2010.
Linn House, designed by Robert Kynoch-Shand in 1870, has been refurbished to meet modern standards and features luxury amenities. The rustic-chic rooms are decorated with the design of Chivas Brothers distilleries across Scotland.
There are numerous activities to enjoy during a visit to the estate. These include relaxing in the drawing room in front of a Victorian fireplace, walking the grounds, or exploring the vast whisky library. The library boasts some of the best whiskies in the Chivas Brothers portfolio.
We recently wrapped our first annual Bourbon & Banter Community Summit held in Louisville, Kentucky. We were thrilled to be able to mix and mingle with our community members from across the country IRL. If you’re curious what it’s like to be a member of our community, here are a few highlights.
At Bourbon & Banter, we are proud of the honest and unfiltered content we provide to our readers. But more than that, we are even prouder to build and foster an incredible community for whiskey lovers. Our community is unique in that we welcome people from all walks of their whiskey journey and more importantly, provide a platform and outlet for open and frank conversation. It isn’t a place to outdo one another on how many allocated bottles are stowed away in your whiskey bunker, but a place to learn from industry experts and insiders what is really going on in the world of whiskey.
We recently wrapped our first annual Bourbon & Banter Community Summit held in Louisville, Kentucky. We were thrilled to be able to mix and mingle with our community members from across the country IRL. If you’re curious what it’s like to be a member of our community, here are a few highlights and reflections from the weekend:
Barrel pick at Four Roses Cox’s Creek
Barrel pick, distillery tour, and flavor education at Green River Distilling
Rye tasting, distillery tour, and cocktails at Michter’s Fort Nelson
Barrel Magic class, bourbon tasting, and cocktails at Buzzard’s Roost
Craft Shoot live and interactive tasting
Multiple swag giveaways that included branded merch from over a dozen distilleries, high end items like Columbia jackets and ice sphere presses
Private dinner and bottle share catered by Mercenary BBQ (our resident vegetarian’s favorite purveyor of meat)
Epic bottle shares with 100+ different labels with whiskeys from four continents and attended by community members and whiskey industry insiders
Private dinner and cocktails at Watch Hill Proper
Complimentary custom cigars
Trip to Art Eatables complete with whiskey and chocolate pairings
I was thrilled to participate in this inaugural event. Throughout the weekend, I was struck by the generosity, geniality, and genuine connections shared by all. It was wonderful reconnecting with friends I’d known for years, putting a face to the tiny profile photo I interact with on social media, and meeting brand new folks, all over a shared dram. Whiskey is delicious but what makes it special is the community it brings together. At Bourbon & Banter, we lean in hard to the community and I am so thankful and honored to be a mainstay of that group.
Here’s what other Bourbon & Banter contributors had to say about the event:
This past weekend was amazing. As we were sitting around the fire pit late Saturday night, Pops and I were discussing the past few days as we finished our cigars. We were talking about how well the first-ever Bourbon & Banter Community Summit went and how much fun everyone seemed to have. Pops and I are usually the last people standing after these events and this night was no different. After three jam-packed days of bourbon events, we finally had time to download and look back on the past 72 hours.
Erin hit the highlights and we did pick two great barrels for our members but that was not the best part for us. As Pops and I were talking, we realized that we had accomplished exactly what we set out to do when we decided to focus on our members beyond just blog content. We were able to provide unique, fun, and exclusive experiences for our community members. Of course, barrel picks are bucket list highlights for everyone and it is always one of my favorite events, but the people are what makes it special.
Like taking your kid to Disney, I get that same feeling when we bring a Community Member to take part in their first barrel pick. These weekends are all about shared experiences and I really enjoy watching a barrel pick rookie get to thief from a barrel for the first time, fill their sample glasses, and watch them process all that is a private pick. Whether it is thieving directly from different barrels on the floor of a rickhouse or staring down at a tasting mat full of ten Glencairns while trying to figure out just what they have gotten themselves into, I just like being able to share it with others. I enjoy the sometimes-heated discussions during private picks about what barrel is best and then still being able to discuss it hours later over more pours of bourbon.
Speaking of sampling different pours, we also hosted two different bottle shares over the weekend. The first one on Friday night was attended by more than 25 people and the second one had about 16 attendees. As I was talking with Pops around the fire, I realized that not only was it a great time, but that I was able to personally talk to every single person there. Obviously, some discussions were much longer than others, but I was grateful that everyone took time out of their busy lives to come hang out and revel in the Bourbon & Banter experience. I am sure the 100+ different bottles to choose from helped as well. Again, I keep coming back to the people. This weekend was all about our Members and being able to provide them with experiences and true value for their membership. The swag giveaways were a nice bonus, too.
Now we need to figure out how to make our next Community Member Summit even better. We are open to suggestions. Let us know.
– Brent Joseph, Single Barrel Program Coordinator & Senior Contributor
Make new friends, taste new whiskeys, experience new stuff—a Bourbon & Banter Summit
Despite my living in Louisville, schedule conflicts this year saw me experience a Summette, as in a slice of the Summit. And that’s a drag. Few things make for a better event than these annual get-togethers because there are always new friends to be made and old ones to revisit.
I caught up with the gang on Friday night for our bottle share and Mercenary BBQ chowdown. (If you don’t already know, bourbon and barbecue is one of the best food and whiskey pairings, period.) I may have known half of the 25-ish people there, but I got to meet all of them before the night was over. Several of the guys brought their wives, which needs to happen more often. (If you’re reading this, Leslie Coomes, you’re coming next year!) Ladies don’t just class up the joint, they have great perspectives on food, whiskey, work and life. Fact is, we don’t talk whiskey to death at these events, we do a great job of getting to know each other—between bites of Mercenary BBQ, of course.
Wish I could have stayed later, but we had a morning rye tasting at The Bar at Fort Nelson, a slice of New York on the second floor of Michter’s Distillery’s tourist center and distillery. Unlike the previous night’s more gregarious bottle share, we all had some sit-down face time at tables while nosing and sipping Michter’s terrific rye line. I like bouncing around a loud room and meeting new people as much as anyone, but getting to know more about people over drinks at a classy bar … that’s hard to beat. As were the cocktails: as good as any anywhere.
Trust me, you don’t want to miss this Summit next year, and I’ll be sure to block out my schedule better and avoid another Summette.
If this sounds like an incredible time to you, be sure to sign up for the Bourbon & Banter community today. Membership includes access to our single barrel club, which will be releasing our picks from Four Roses and Green River just in time for the holidays. And did we mention a membership also makes a fantastic holiday gift?
As we start to quite literally get into the festive spirit, we’re absolutely delighted to announce that on December 6th, we’ll be teaming up again with our friends at Hyde Irish Whiskey, for another epic evening of Irish whiskey exploration.On the nigh…
As we start to quite literally get into the festive spirit, we’re absolutely delighted to announce that on December 6th, we’ll be teaming up again with our friends at Hyde Irish Whiskey, for another epic evening of Irish whiskey exploration.On the night we’ll be pouring and exploring our way through their Hyde No.5 The Áras Cask 6 Year Old Burgundy Cask Finish, No.9 Iberian Cask 8 Year Old Tawny
Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisk…
Welcome to Inbox, our weekly round up of whisky news and PR material that has found its way in to our WFE email. It was created as we cannot write full articles or do justice to every piece received. It features items from around the world of whisky and is published by us each Friday. Within Inbox we aim to write a few lines detailing each press release/piece of news/PR event that we have received and provide links, where possible, for you to find out further information.
Here is this week's whisky news ...
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Benromach
The Speyside distillery of Benromach has released the latest bottling into its Contrast series - the Benromach Double Matured Bordeaux Wine Cask Finish. The new whisky began life maturing in first-fill ex-bourbon barrels before being transferred to ex-Bordeaux red wine casks for a five year secondary maturation. The final casks were selected by Keith Cruickshank, the Distillery Manager. The release is a limited edition, although the exact number of bottles was not revealed in the press release. The Benromach Double Matured Bordeaux Wine Cask Finish is bottled at 46% ABV and will be available globally. A bottle will cost £60.
Eagle Rare
The American bourbon brand of Eagle Rare has announced its oldest ever bottling, which is the first release in the new and experimental Warehouse P series. The Eagle Rare 25 years old has been maturd in Warehouse P, one of two purpose built innovation warehouses at the Buffalo Trace distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. Within this sit many experiments in maturation and ageing - these include barrel char and toast levels, temperature, humidity, light levels, airflow and barrel placement. This is overseen by Harlen Wheatley, the Master Distiller.
Eagle Rare 25 has been bottled after a quarter of a century of maturation and there are just 200 bottles. To signify this the whiskey has been packaged in a sterling silver adorned hand-blown decanter and custom built display casket. It is bottled at 50.5% ABV (101 Proof) and will be available in selected global whisky and luxury retailers. Each decanter will cost $US10,000.
Kilchoman
The Islay farm distillery of Kilchoman has released their oldest general release bottling to date - the Kilchoman 16 years old. The new whisky is created from just 21 casks, most of which are ex-bourbon with a small percentage of ex-Oloroso sherry, some of which are some of the earliest casks produced at Kilchoman in 2006 and 2007.
The casks were selected by founder Anthony Wills and Robin Bignal, the distillery's Production Manager. The Kilchoman 16 years old is available from selected whisky retailers worldwide and is bottled at 50% ABV. It is both non chill-filtered and of natural colour. The price was not revealed in the press release.
"This is a landmark release for the distillery, the oldest global bottling we have done to date at 16 years of age. I look forward to Kilchoman fans around the world tasting this outstanding whisky and experience the evolving character of our single malt."
Anthony Wills.
Leith
Bottlers and distillers The Leith Export Co. have announced the release of two new bottlings into its whisky portfolio - the Perpetuity Batch #2 and Table Whisky. Perpetuity is inspired by the infinity bottle concept, blending whiskies from across Scotland into a perpetual vat of liquid. Housed in its contemporary wine-inspired bottle, the label depicts the story of a 15th Century Leith cooper, Henry Douglas - nicknamed the ‘Cursed Cooper’. Perpetuity Batch #2 (pictured, above) consists of just 3,000 bottles and is released at 46% ABV. A bottle will cost £45.
Table Whisky (pictured, above) is the company's first ever single grain release and is designed to be used in cocktails. There are just 3,000 bottles in the release and it is bottled at 43% ABV. Each bottle will cost £35 and are currently only available via the Leith Export Co. website or in the Port of Leith distillery shop.
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