The Bourbon Classic is approaching, bourbon geeks. It’s one of the biggest and best bourbon celebrations of the year, and it’s held February 26th and 27th in Bourbon Central, USA: Louisville, KY. Be there.
If you’ll remember, ModernThirst covered the main events, plus was a part of the media tour last year, where we visited multiple distilleries for behind-the-scenes looks at where bourbon is made. We will cover the Friday and Saturday events this year. Since this year’s media tour was apparently filled mostly with “actual” media folks (aka professional journalists), and because our livers can’t handle touring around a bus drinking bourbon for a straight week again (we’re over 40 now), we’re going rogue. We’ll be on a smaller, but more targeted tour with select bourbon media members on Thursday, the 25th, and Friday, the 26th prior to the cocktail competition. The ShadowBuss, as it is known in dark corners of the seedy bourbon underworld, is likely to produce highly entertaining posts, tweets, and social media content both days. We’ll clue you in on the ShadowBuss roster as it is filled so you can follow along.
Bourbon Classic Schedule:
Friday, February 26, 2016:
Cocktail Challenge: 7:00pm – 10:00pm; Event with cocktail tastings paired with chef created small plates.
Saturday, February 27, 2016:
2:45pm – 3:45pm Bourbon University Classes (5 Classes)
4:00pm – 5:30pm General Session – The Bourbon Masters
5:45pm – 6:45pm Bourbon University Classes (5 classes)
7:00pm – 9:30pm The Taste, a bourbon marketplace with bourbon tastings, bourbon inspired food, and other products
Click here for tickets. It sells out fast.
I guess the only real question is whether or not I’ll wear the blue plaid sport coat again… Chances are good.
2015 Bourbon Classic Coverage:
I am often asked by visitors who come to the area to experience the bourbon culture of Kentucky which distillery I enjoy most. The regular names always come to mind- Jim Beam, Buffalo Trace, Makers Mark, Evan Williams, Woodford Reserve, etc. For some reason, one of the oldest and largest of the distilleries always seems Modern Thirst was extremely fortunate during last week’s Media Tour for the Bourbon Classic to have the services of Ben Durant, a professional photographer, Modern Thirst contributor, and retail liquor store proprietor. Mother Nature did her best to put a damper on the tour, dumping from 8-12 inches of snow, more in some places, on Central live on the edge of the bourbon world. Bourbon is my drink of choice and a driving force behind the profitability of the liquor store I own. While I know a lot about the industry, I am by no means an expert. Recently, I got an invitation to join some friends on a media tour If anyone ever calls you and asks if you’d like to attend the Bourbon Classic, there is only one correct answer. It’s yes. It’s a resounding yes. There are bourbon festivals all over the country. There are bourbon themed bars and restaurants. There is nothing like the Bourbon Classic. It is the World Cup of America’s I know, I know. We attend the biggest, baddest, bestest (sue me) bourbon event of the year right here in Louisville and a full two days with no review of the actual event? Real life beckons. So while we sort out what we actually remember versus what is a bourbon-induced hallucination, here’s some of the Modernthirst.com will be on location covering the 2015 Bourbon Classic on February 20-21st in Louisville. Are you planning to attend? We’d love to meet up with ModernThirst readers at the event! So let us know if you’re there, and we’ll be on the lookout! And if you’re in town, be careful! If you need a ride,
Touring the Forgotten Distillery – Barton 1792 Distillery
Scenes from Buffalo Trace, Photos By Ben Durant
Guest Post: A Beautiful Amber Haze; the 2015 Bourbon Classic
2015 Bourbon Classic
Bourbon Classic Media Tour – Tasting, tastings, and more tastings
2015 Bourbon Classic: Will you be there? Details released!
