Lexington - BourbonSphere

New Bourbon Experience is Coming to Bourbon Country’s Lexington, KY

PRESS RELEASE provided by Bespoken Spirits: Bespoken Spirits, the innovative California bourbon maker known for its pioneering approach to bourbon aging, is excited to announce the grand opening of its new headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky. The grand opening event is scheduled for March 27th, 2024, from 6 PM to 8 PM at their new distillery in Greyline Station. This marks a […]

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PRESS RELEASE provided by Bespoken Spirits:

Bespoken Spirits, the innovative California bourbon maker known for its pioneering approach to bourbon aging, is excited to announce the grand opening of its new headquarters in Lexington, Kentucky. The grand opening event is scheduled for March 27th, 2024, from 6 PM to 8 PM at their new distillery in Greyline Station. This marks a significant milestone as Bespoken Spirits transitions its operations to the heart of bourbon country.

“Kentucky’s signature bourbon industry continues to see historic momentum,” said Gov. Andy Beshear. “This growth is not possible without quality companies like Bespoken Spirits believing in Kentucky and the business-friendly environment we have established. This grand opening marks a welcome addition to Lexington and an exciting next step for the company. I am thrilled to see Bespoken’s success here in the commonwealth.”

To celebrate its grand opening, Bespoken Spirits and Hell House Whiskey are thrilled to host a special appearance by one of its esteemed Artist Partnerships, Lynyrd Skynyrd. The legendary rock band will join the festivities, and participate in a bottle signing event for their Hell House Whiskey at Total Wine & more the next day from 12 PM to 2 PM followed by their concert at Rupp Arena. Attendees of the grand opening event at Greyline Station can expect an evening filled with tastings of Bespoken Spirits’ exceptional bourbons, music, and the chance to mingle with industry experts and bourbon aficionados alike.

Mayor Linda Gorton stated “I was happy to be involved in recruiting Bespoken Spirits to Lexington. Bespoken Spirits is a perfect fit for Lexington. Agriculture technology companies are attracted to our city because of its quality of life, highly educated workforce, and deep roots in agriculture. By integrating technology into the art of bourbon aging, Bespoken Spirits is now ushering in a new era of craftsmanship here in bourbon country. Welcome, Bespoken Spirits!”

“We’re excited to open our doors in Lexington and share our innovative approach to bourbon with the community,” said Peter Iglesias, CEO of Bespoken Spirits. “This marks the beginning of an exciting chapter for us, and we look forward to contributing to Kentucky’s rich bourbon heritage.”

Schedule of Events:

March 27, 2024
6:00PM – 8:00PM EST
Bespoken Spirits Grand Opening
101 Loudon Ave, Ste 136
Lexington, KY 40508
Free entry.

March 28, 2024
12:00PM – 2:00PM EST
Hell House Meet and Greet / Bottle Signing with Lynyrd Skynyrd
Total Wine & More
2321 Sir Barton Way Suite 165, Lexington, KY 40509
On-site bottle purchase required.
8:00PM EST
The Sharp Dressed Simple Man Tour
Rupp Arena
430 W Vine St, Lexington, KY 40507
Tickets available online.

For the latest in Bourbon, visit www.thebourbonreview.com

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LEXIGTON, KY: Special Valentine’s Day Package Includes 3 Distillery Experiences, Lovely Hotel, Dinner and Breakfast in Bed

Are you looking for a luxurious and memorable Valentine’s Day in Bourbon Country’s Lexington, KY? Look no further! Pegasus Transportation has you covered. Embark on an unforgettable journey with their exclusive For the Love of Lexington Custom Bottling Experience! Package Includes: – Start your Valentine’s adventure at the historic Campbell House in Lexington, KY and […]

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Are you looking for a luxurious and memorable Valentine’s Day in Bourbon Country’s Lexington, KY? Look no further! Pegasus Transportation has you covered.

Embark on an unforgettable journey with their exclusive For the Love of Lexington Custom Bottling Experience!

Package Includes:

– Start your Valentine’s adventure at the historic Campbell House in Lexington, KY and travel in a chauffeured luxury vehicle to J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery for a private custom bourbon blending and bottling experience.

– Your next stop on the tour is Whiskey Thief’s Uncut & Unfiltered Tour, a unique thieve-your-own bourbon experience.

– The last stop on your adventure will be at James E. Pepper Distillery for a tour and tasting.

– Finally, you will be transported back to the Campbell House for a specially curated Valentine’s dinner by famed chef T.J. Harville at The Rackhouse Tavern.

– Finish your romantic evening in a beautifully decorated suite at The Campbell House and enjoy breakfast the next morning at the charming Outpost Cafe.

This amazing Valentine’s Day package is valued at over $2000, but we are currently offering a limited-time promotion for $1189. Book now for a Valentine’s Day to remember!

TO BOOK: CLICK HERE or contact Info@TakePegasus.com to reserve your spot today!

For the latest in Bourbon, visit www.thebourbonreview.com

The post LEXIGTON, KY: Special Valentine’s Day Package Includes 3 Distillery Experiences, Lovely Hotel, Dinner and Breakfast in Bed first appeared on The Bourbon Review.

Changing of the Guard at Ireland’s Midleton Distillery

Master Blender Billy Leighton’s recent decision to step aside from day to day work at Irish Distillers gave his longtime apprentice the dream job of… Read More

Master Blender Billy Leighton’s recent decision to step aside from day to day work at Irish Distillers gave his longtime apprentice the dream job of a lifetime. Dave McCabe is the new Master Blender for Jameson, Redbreast, Powers, and other Irish Whiskey brands, and we’ll talk with him on this week’s WhiskyCast In-Depth.

In the news, Irish Whiskey exports posted a decline in 2023, while Islay’s Ardnahoe Distillery is shutting down part of its visitors center. We’ll have the details on those and other stories, including another new distillery for Kentucky.

Episode 1039: January 14, 2024

Photo courtesy Irish Distillers.

LIVE NOW: Charity Raffle for a 5 Bottle Van Winkle Collection including Pappy 23 Year

Here’s your chance to win a 5 bottle Van Winkle Collection including the big dog 23 year Pappy. Best part, it’s all for a wonderful charity – Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass (Lexington, KY). EVERY TICKET MAKES A DIFFERENCE! ENTER RAFFLE: HERE PRIZE: 2023 5 BOTTLE VW FALL COLLECTION -Pappy Van Winkle 23 […]

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Here’s your chance to win a 5 bottle Van Winkle Collection including the big dog 23 year Pappy. Best part, it’s all for a wonderful charity – Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass (Lexington, KY). EVERY TICKET MAKES A DIFFERENCE!

ENTER RAFFLE: HERE

PRIZE: 2023 5 BOTTLE VW FALL COLLECTION

-Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year
-Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year
-Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year
-Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year
-Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year

BOTTLES SIGNED: All bottles signed by 4th generation family member Preston Van Winkle, son of Julian Van Winkle III.

COST: $100 per ticket. No limit on tickets purchased per person (exception of raffle cap).

TICKET CAP: 1,500 tickets. We hope you will join the RMHCLexington in hitting their goal of $150,000!

WHERE DO FUNDS GO? Each $100 raised (near to the dollar) will cover a family’s one night stay at the RMHC. Stay includes laundry, meals, and transportation. Just one ticket will make a tremendous difference! If the goal is met, each and every room for 3 months of the entire RMHCLexington will be paid for!

DRAWING DATE: Dec 15th, via Facebook Live @rmhclexington.

For the latest in Bourbon, visit www.thebourbonreview.com

The post LIVE NOW: Charity Raffle for a 5 Bottle Van Winkle Collection including Pappy 23 Year first appeared on The Bourbon Review.

New Kentucky Travel Campaign “Joy Ride” Showcases BOURBON COUNTRY and American Pickers Mike Wolfe

Winding roads with heart-stopping views, wineries, historic homes, nature preserves and yes, horses and bourbon, are all highlighted in Kentucky’s latest tourism campaign inviting visitors to take a Joy Ride through Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region. With a nostalgic flair, and the most beautiful scenic byways in America, Kentucky’s Joy Ride campaign encourages travelers to take the […]

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“Travel is booming, and with that, people are re-discovering the joy of the open road,” said Mary Quinn Ramer, President, VisitLEX. “The Joy Ride campaign encourages people to travel like they used to, in the ‘50s and ‘60s, when people took their time to stop at scenic sites along the way, really enjoying the experience of getting to their destination.”

Anchored by a two-minute short film featuring and narrated by Mike Wolfe from The History Channel TV show American Pickers, alongside Heritage Tourism Preservationist Leticia Cline, Joy Ride showcases their trip exploring idyllic spots in Kentucky’s Bluegrass Region. The commercial will run nationwide on Connected TV channels of Discovery Networks, HULU, YouTube, Google and other social channels now through the end of next year.

“As people plan their fall travel and next year’s spring break or summer vacation, we encourage them to travel the way Americans used to travel – taking the backroads and enjoying the time spent together and the memories made,” added Ramer.

Commemorative Posters

The Joy Ride campaign is also supported by nostalgic collectible posters and digital content highlighting these iconic spots in the Bluegrass:

Berea, KY – Historic Boone Tavern
Carlisle – Nicholas County, KY – Wendt’s Wildlife Adventure
Cynthiana, KY – Downtown Cynthiana
Frankfort, KY – Buffalo Trace Distillery
Georgetown – Scott County, KY – Old Friends Farm
Harrodsburg, KY – Shaker Village at Pleasant Hill
Lancaster & Paint Lick, KY – Herrington Lake
Lawrenceburg, KY – Kentucky River at Young’s High Bridge and Wild Turkey Distillery
Lexington, KY – Keeneland Race Track
Nicholasville & Wilmore, KY – First Vineyard and Winery and 1922 House Vineyards and Winery
Paris – Bourbon County, KY – Claiborne Farms
Richmond, KY – Battle of Richmond and Fort Boonesboro
Standford – Lincoln County, KY – William Whitley House and Sportsman’s Hill
Winchester, KY – Ale-8-One Soda, Beer Cheese Trail and Beer Cheese Festival
Woodford County, KY – Woodford Reserve Distillery

Posters are available at each participating site. Kentucky Tourism’s Joy Ride campaign runs from September 20^th, 2023 through the end of 2024. For more information on each site, visit bluegrasskentucky.com

About Joy Ride

Joy Ride is a tourism campaign supported by Team Kentucky through the Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet. The Kentucky Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet is dedicated to fostering and promoting the state’s rich heritage as well as continuing Kentucky’s long history of being a premiere travel destination for all travelers to enjoy. For more information visit Tourism News – Tourism, Arts & Heritage (ky.gov)

For the latest in Bourbon, visit www.thebourbonreview.com

The post New Kentucky Travel Campaign “Joy Ride” Showcases BOURBON COUNTRY and American Pickers Mike Wolfe first appeared on The Bourbon Review.

Carson’s Food & Drink Review

Carson’s Food & Drink is a premiere restaurant and bar in downtown Lexington, Kentucky. With their large bourbon selection, abundant craft cocktails and delicious food, they are not to be missed. Read on to learn more!
The post Carson’s Food…

Carson's Food & Drink is a premiere restaurant and bar in downtown Lexington, Kentucky. With their large bourbon selection, abundant craft cocktails and delicious food, they are not to be missed. Read on to learn more!

The post Carson’s Food & Drink Review appeared first on Bourbon Obsessed℠ .

6 Bottle PAPPY CHARITY RAFFLE for The Ronald McDonald House Charities of The Bluegrass, ENDS SOON

THE CHARITY: Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass THE PRIZE (6 Bottle Van Winkle Collection) Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year (2013) Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year (2021) Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year (2014) Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year (2014) Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Year (2013) All bottles signed […]

The post 6 Bottle PAPPY CHARITY RAFFLE for The Ronald McDonald House Charities of The Bluegrass, ENDS SOON first appeared on The Bourbon Review.

THE CHARITY: Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Bluegrass

THE PRIZE (6 Bottle Van Winkle Collection)

Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year (2013)
Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year (2021)
Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year
Van Winkle Special Reserve 12 Year (2014)
Old Rip Van Winkle 10 Year (2014)
Van Winkle Family Reserve Rye 13 Year (2013)
All bottles signed by Preston Van Winkle

COST: $100 per Ticket

***TO ENTER: CLICK HERE***

DRAWING DATE: Friday, June 16th. Drawn on Facebook Live (@rmhclexington).

EACH TICKET MAKES A DIFFERENCE! At $100 per ticket, EVERY ticket purchased covers (almost to the dollar) ONE night of stay for ONE of the 21 guest families calling RMHC (Lexington, KY) their “home away from home”.

RMHC takes care of families whose children are critically ill and staying longer term in the hospital. Having a child in the hospital is not only terrifying but also devastatingly expensive. RMHC provides housing, meals, transportation and laundry to each of their families at absolutely no cost to them so they can focus on what really matters – the health of their child and being together.

A total of 1,500 tickets will be sold. If it sells out, $150,000 will be raised. This incredible amount of support will cover two entire months of stay for every single guest family.

Thank you for your support now lets raise some money for an incredible cause!

For the latest in Bourbon, visit us at www.thebourbonreview.com

The post 6 Bottle PAPPY CHARITY RAFFLE for The Ronald McDonald House Charities of The Bluegrass, ENDS SOON first appeared on The Bourbon Review.

LexArts Teams Up with Maker’s Mark for 200 Custom Painted Bottles Supporting Local Artists

LexArts (Lexington, KY) has teamed up with Maker’s Mark for its own private barrel selection to celebrate its 50th Anniversary. On December 2nd, you’ll have your chance to own a decorative piece of the action. The barrel will yield over 200 750ml bottles of Maker’s Private Selection. LexArts has teamed up with 100 local artists […]

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The barrel will yield over 200 750ml bottles of Maker’s Private Selection.

LexArts has teamed up with 100 local artists to paint two bottles each as a contribution to our annual Fund for the Arts Campaign. Each artist will receive a special paint kit, compliments of DecoArt. The resulting 200 painted, decorated, re-imagined and adorned bottles will be creatively displayed on the Whisky Wall of Wonder at the LexArts 50th Anniversary Celebration on December 2 at Keeneland. One hundred of the bottles will be available that evening as a ‘bottle selection.‘ The remaining will be available via an online auction coming soon.

Don’t miss your opportunity to own one (or more!) of these one-of-a-kind highly collectible works of art.

Per LexArts, “We are extremely grateful for these artists and their contributions of exceedingly valuable time and talent that will help us continue to nourish the arts in Lexington.”

ONLINE AUCTION
Can’t make it to the CELEBRATION? Want to collect the second bottle of your favorite artist? This auction’s for you! One hundred Maker’s Mark Barrel Select LexArts Artisan Blend bottles are on the auction block. The auction opens in mid-November and will conclude at 11:59pm on Sunday, December 11, 2022.

MORE INFO: HERE

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“Fresh Bourbon” Opens Tasting & Cocktail Room Experience in Downtown Lexington

The Fresh Bourbon Tasting Room brings a premium and sophisticated Bourbon and cocktail experience tailored to KY Bourbon tourists. The location in central downtown Lexington is easily walkable from all major downtown hotels, a first for a Bourbon tourism destination in the city. Tasting room guests will experience a guided Bourbon tasting and interactive, customized […]

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Tasting room guests will experience a guided Bourbon tasting and interactive, customized mixology session led by highly trained mixologists as well as have the opportunity to purchase unique fashion and lifestyle products selected by Tia Edwards.

“The shopping experience will be much like the Fresh Bourbon experience – sophisticated, surprising and unique – elegant instead of rustic. Guests will find a shopping experience and attendance of service on par with the highest class retailers,” Tia explains.

The tasting room interior is a display of modern luxury with marble floors, porcelain tile, chandeliers and imported African Kewazinga wood paneling all designed to reflect and celebrate the elegance, sophistication and glamor of the modern Bourbon and cocktail lifestyle. This focus on the drinker contrasts against the “manufacturing plant” experiences presented at many Bourbon distilleries.

Fresh Bourbon Distilling Co. was founded in 2017 by husband/wife Sean and Tia Edwards, launching their Bourbon 2020 which was produced in partnership with Hartfield & Co. Distillery in Paris, KY.

Fresh Bourbon uses a unique four-grain recipe incorporating honey malt, a very rarely used grain in distilling, which produces a distinctive sweet and floral character. The Bourbon is distilled in a pre-prohibition era style in a copper pot-still and is matured in a mix of barrel sizes from 6 gallon “nano” barrels to traditional 53 gallon barrels with varying maturation times.

“For years, we have been diligently developing our Bourbon and spirits line. We have been very intentional and deliberate in crafting our spirits – from the mash bills up – and we’re excited to share what we have created from our own space,” states Edwards.

Future plans include a multi-million dollar state-of-the-art distillery also located in Lexington, KY, with location announcement and groundbreaking expected before the end of the year.

Bourbon tourism in Kentucky attracts more than 2 million visitors to distilleries each year with an average spend of $400 – $1,200 per visitor. Lexington, KY currently has 4 distilleries in addition to the Fresh Bourbon Tasting Room.

Tickets for the tasting room experience will be available at FreshBourbon.com as soon as it opens to the public. “Start Fresh. Finish anywhere you like.”

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Sipp’n Corn Tasting Notes: Bluegrass Distillers Bottled-in-Bond Blue Corn Bourbon.

Earlier this fall, Bluegrass Distillers in Lexington (www.bluegrassdistillers.com), released the first ever Kentucky Blue Corn Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon. Bluegrass Distillers is the only Kentucky distillery that produces a wheated bourbon with 100% blue corn, a non-GMO corn grown locally in Central Kentucky. Distilling a mash…

This Bottled-in-Bond Blue Corn Bourbon release is comprised of just four 53 gallon barrels, aged 4½ years. Bluegrass previously released a younger blue corn bourbon in 2017, and a Bottled-in-Bond release with yellow corn, but this is the first Bottled-in-Bond release using blue corn.

Bluegrass is banking on more blue corn because this past season it grew 25 acres of blue corn in Woodford County, which will one day go into roughly 500 barrels. To help accommodate that growth, Bluegrass is expanding at the Historic Elkwood Farm in Midway, Kentucky, where it will ultimately relocate in 2022.

Bluegrass Bottled-in-Bond Blue Corn Bourbon Tasting Notes

Bourbon:        Bottled-in-Bond Blue Corn Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Batch 001
Distillery:       Bluegrass Distillers
Age:                4½ years
Mash Bill:      75% blue corn; 21% wheat; 4% malted barley
ABV:              50% (100 proof)
Cost:               $60.00

Appearance:
Amber gold.

Nose:
Sharp cedar, corn mash, spring grass, honeysuckle, and brown sugar. There’s also some light fruit similar to a non-peated Scotch.

Taste:
Soft wheat behind youthful pepper, pecan nuttiness, and subtle earthiness.

Finish:
Medium finish with lingering herbal and cedar notes, and a bit smokey.

Bottom Line
Wheat can be tough under six years but this doesn’t have the hallmarks of a young wheater. While I still give younger bourbons plenty of air, this Bluegrass Blue Corn Bottled-in-Bond is unlike any other wheated bourbon that I’ve had. The earthy, nutty notes are unique and they play well with the brighter fruit and pepper flavors. Maybe it’s the blue corn, but it’s extremely promising for Bluegrass Distillers and I’m excited for future bottlings. Definitely check out Bluegrass Distillers!

Disclaimer: The brand managers kindly
sent me a bottle for this review,
without any strings attached.
Thank you.