Last week, on September 20, I shared the special announcements and what we tasted at the festival. This week I wanted to share some of the stories we heard from fellow guests, the social media that shouts out to all the brands we tried and the fest’s results.
What People Said
On the morning of the first day of the fest, we were offered a ride from guests that also owned nearly a dozen bourbon barrels! Just when we thought we were true enthusiasts, we were beat!
On that same first day we met two couples from Minnesota that were big charity donors. They had driven down in a car large enough to carry several cases of bourbon. Their intent? To auction if off to serve their community. (I’m sure they kept some bottles for themselves too!) Check out @WrightCountyWhiskeyClub on Instagram, “MN 501(c)(3) that wants to share their enthusiasm for brown spirits w/ friends across the country & bless their community. $133,283 raised since 10/22.”
We heard from a dad and his two sons who were “stranded” at a Bardstown distillery. There weren’t any Ubers or Lyfts coming their way. After the distillery locked up their doors for the day the three gents sat back in rocking chairs on their porch and opened one of their newly purchased bourbons to bide the time. Then, after about three hours, the groundskeeper who had just finished up mowing the great lawn contacted his wife that had a taxi company and got them a ride home.
On one shuttle trip back to Louisville a fellow enthusiast opened one of his just purchased bottles to share with everyone. The comradery was palpable – get it?
People from all over in lines for the festival bottles created a buzz, all very friendly and talkative sharing what they had purchased. Many greeted each other – having met at the fest before or other bourbon events. We even ran into a couple we had met the previous year. And, we didn’t have to buy a third suitcase this time, limited ourselves to ten bottles for our two suitcases!
Facts & Stats from 2024
- 6,200 ticketed guests
- All 50 states represented and international attendees
- KYBF’s 33rd year
- Third consecutive sell out
- 62 distilleries participating
- 45 exclusive single barrel picks
- 85% of ticket sales outside of Kentucky
Social Media
One: Can I get a “CHEERS!” for the first day of the Kentucky Bourbon Festival? This shouts out to Larrikin Bourbon, formerly known as Lawrenceburg Bourbon, and their big name-change announcement! From there we enjoyed many great tastes including 1792, Mary Dowling, Old Forester, and Red Line! Stay tuned for more fest fun in the coming days! Direct link to festival à KyBourbonFestival.com
Two: What would you do next at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival? We got in on an Angel’s Envy tasting (which included a beautiful etched coupe glass), went back to the Mary Dowling booth for a taste of a bourbon finished in tequila barrels, loved the festival bottles from RD 1 Spirits, from the Bard Distillery we were blown away by Cinder & Smoke for the 17 YO Excelsior + their bourbon finished in Oloroso sherry, got the full tasting from Larrikin bourbon, an 11 YO rye from Hemmingway, and Woodford Reserve’s 121.2% proof bourbon! Direct link to festival for more à KyBourbonFestival.com
Three: Again, which would you go for: a remarkable single malt bourbon from Bulleit, the Drake White Blend from Three Chord, Hartfield and Company ever-so-tasty bourbon and gin, Casey Jones single barrel, Michter’s toasted barrel finish, Fear & Loathing Absinthe (the perfect bourbon palate cleanser and more) and Hidden Barn bourbons from Neeley Family Distillery, a beautiful lineup of collabs from Bardstown, “The Epic” Bespoken rye finished with 4 different wood staves, and The Art of Bourbon by Kyle Lucks Fine Art only at the RD1 booth! Direct link to festival for more KyBourbonFestival.com
Instagram: @kybourbonfest
Tags: #kybourbonfest and #kybf2024
Website: kybourbonfestival.com
Eve Bushman has a Level Two Intermediate Certification from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET), a “certification in the first globally-recognized course” as an American Wine Specialist ® from the North American Sommelier Association (NASA), Level 1 Sake Award from WSET, was the subject of a 60-minute Wine Immersion video (over 16k views), authored “Wine Etiquette for Everyone” and has served as a judge for the Proof Awards, Cellarmasters, LA Wine Competition, Long Beach Grand Cru and the Global Wine Awards. You can email Eve@EveWine101.com to ask a question about wine or spirits.
