We invite you to experience, through our eyes, an exceptional VIP Repeal Day Dinner Event that took place at Starlight Distillery on Friday, Dec 6th. This elevated evening kicked off with engaging interactions among fellow bourbon enthusiasts and the esteemed Starlight Distillery Master Distillers and Bourbon Experts. We relished every moment of this celebration, showcasing the perfect marriage of food and spirits with a meticulously crafted multi-course tasting menu. Each chef-prepared course was expertly paired with a pour from one of the five Family Reserve releases, accompanied by insightful discussions led by the Starlight Distillery experts who hand-selected each bottle.
Following dinner, we had the opportunity to purchase each Family Reserve offering, in addition to special Repeal Day Releases.
To see the event unfold and hear from Ted, Black, and Christian Huber about each bottle, watch this video.
Date & Time: Friday, October 4th, 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM Location:The Kentucky History Center, 100 West Broadway St., Frankfort, KY 40601
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer
As part of our Frankfort, KY Bourbon on the Banks weekend, we attended the Secrets to Bourbon Food Pairing with Peggy Noe Stevens & John Medley. We had a big morning of travel from Indiana with our friends, Hap & Judy Aziz, as well as an insightful grounds walk tour at Glenn’s Creek Distilling – home of the historic Old Crow Distillery. We made it to the event just in time and friends had saved us seats right up front – Thank you Lisa & Phil!
EventDescription: The Secrets to Bourbon Food Pairing – Bourbon Hall of Fame and Master Taster, Peggy Noe Stevens and John Medley, the Research and Development Director at Buffalo Trace Distillery take you on a sensory journey with food pairings from Limewater Bistro and our favorite expressions from Buffalo Trace Distillery. -History and Tasting of three premium Bourbons – Bourbon Benchmarking: Understanding three Different Styles – Food and Bourbon pairing and palate training
What We Learned About Pairings
Peggy shared her approach and teaching tool for bourbon pairings called The Flavor Trio. She referred to this technique a balance, counterbalance, and explosion.
Balance: When the flavors of a bourbon MATCH the flavor of a food.
Counterbalance: When a completely OPPOSITE food flavor highlights certain bourbon flavor profiles.
Explosion: When a predominant bourbon flavor is matched with a predominant flavor in a food – this causes a flavor explosion.
With this in mind, you should select your bourbon first and get to know its flavor profile. Next, you would select foods to balance, counterbalance, and explode those flavors. This (and much more) is detailed in the book: “WHICH FORK DO I USED WITH MY BOURBON? Setting the Table for Tastings, Food Pairings, Dinners, and Cocktail Parties.” Peggy Noe Stevens & Susan Reigler. Available on Amazon.
Pairing 1: Buffalo Trace
Buffalo Trace: Caramel, brown sugar, vanilla, and honey with notes of summer fruits and hints of leather and oak.
Balance: Paired with Peach Salad with Molasses Vinaigrette, Fresh Tarragon, and Honey Brown Bread Crouton.
The molasses vinaigrette balanced with the brown sugar; the notes of honey were present in the honey brown bread crouton; and the peach highlighted the bourbon flavors of summer fruits. This combination was truly delightful!
Counterbalance: Paired with Slow-Cooked Brisket with Crispy Gouda Grit Cake, Spicy BBQ, and Green Onion.
While the grit cake complimented the creamed corn from the Weller, the spicy BBQ sauce was the perfect counterbalance to the overall sweetness profile of the bourbon.
Pairing 3: Stagg Jr.
Stagg Jr.: Pipe tobacco, caramel, vanilla, baking spices, dates, with hints of clove and cocoa.
Explosion: Paired with Date and Chocolate Cake with Fresh Blackberry.
Wow! Explosion is a great description for how this tastes together. Amazing!
About our Hosts
Peggy Noe Stevens: As the world’s first female master bourbon taster and founder of the Bourbon Women Association, Peggy is uniquely qualified to educate the audience about Kentucky’s native spirit. Whether you are new to bourbon, or a seasoned enthusiast, she will present an entertaining overview of Bourbon’s flavor influencers during the production process and how to taste like a pro. A customized food and Bourbon pairing will delight your senses and teach you why the many different “styles” of our amber elixir make Bourbon a signature industry for Kentucky.
Rebecca Herman, Judy Aziz, Hap Aziz, Wayne McBrayer, and Peggy Noe Stevens
John Medley: As the Research & Development Director at Buffalo Trace Distillery, John Medley is responsible for providing technical leadership for Sazerac products and implementing improvements in manufacturing processes. Under John’s helm, the new product development team creates successful brands enjoyed by fans all over the world.
Wayne McBrayer, Rebecca Herman, and John Medley
The perfectly prepared food pairings were created by Limewater Bistro.
The pairings were both delightful and educational. This was a fantastic experience. If you have an opportunity to attend a similar event, we highly recommend it. If you are unable to do so, Peggy & Susan’s book is fantastic!
Event Date: Saturday, September 14, 2024 6:00 – 10:00 PM By Rebecca Herman McBrayer
Wayne and I were absolutely thrilled for this event! Over the past two years, we have passionately enjoyed bourbon dinners that have left an indelible impression, and attending the Supper Club events at James B. Beam Distillery has been nothing short of a culinary adventure. Each occasion brought us exquisite food meticulously prepared and captivating stories that enveloped us in the rich heritage of bourbon.
Event Description: A special evening with 7th & 8th generation master distiller’s Fred & Freddie Noe at Fred’s home in Bardstown, KY with some of their renowned friends. Dinner will be provided by the Kitchen Table restaurant with an opportunity to enjoy pours and cocktails from each participating distillery. You will be delighted with stories during an exclusive round table tasting featuring a product from each brand, and the opportunity to interact with top professionals in the bourbon industry.
The speakers for the evening included: Brent Elliott – Four Roses, Royce Neeley – Neeley Family Distillery, Steve Nally – Bardstown Bourbon Company, Rob Samuels & Bill Samuels Jr – Maker’s Mark, and Fred & Freddie Noe – James B. Beam. Baker Beam was also at the dinner but did not speak on the panel.
The Noe’s Home in Bardstown – A Spectacular Setting
As instructed, we parked at a nearby church and walked to the driveway entrance where we were checked in and joined others in anticipation for it to be 6PM. Although it was an incredibly hot day, we were joyful for no rain and excited that the sun would be setting beautifully as the night unfolded. We met some fantastic people in line and enjoyed a delightful dinner with them – Michael & Dawn Mitchell of Chasing Neat.
Freddie Noe welcomed us, provided a brief overview of the evening, and invited us to enjoy our cocktails.
Neeley Family Distillery Cocktail and Appetizers
As described by Chef Landry – the cocktail was a New Orleans classic Sazerac made with Absinthe from the Neeley Family Distillery. Chef sought to match the absinthe flavors with the herbs in the oysters and the fennel in the spinach tart.
They started passing the appetizers early on and they were terrific! The Hidden Barn Cherry Picker Sazerac was outstanding!
Distiller Icon’s Panel Discussion and Tasting
This experience was nothing short of extraordinary! Having the chance to listen to each of these icons delve into their histories, share their passions, and express their spirits was truly awe-inspiring. The atmosphere was wonderfully relaxed and engaging. We were incredibly lucky to have Andy Treinen, the President of the Frazier History Museum, as our moderator, guiding us through this excellent discussion. There were moments of delightful banter among the speakers and some truly entertaining stories shared that added to the magic of the evening!
Each icon had an opportunity to speak and then introduce their pour. **Brent Elliott – Four Roses 2024 Limited Edition Small Batch. **Royce Neeley – Neeley Family Distillery, Hidden Barn. **Steve Nally – Bardstown Bourbon Company, Discovery Series #12. **Rob Samuels & Bill Samuels Jr – Maker’s Mark 2024 Cellar Aged. **Fred & Freddie Noe – James B. Beam, Booker’s ‘The Reserves’ 2024.
At the conclusion of the talks, Chef Brian Landry introduced the menu. He has been working with Fred and Freddie for the last three years and they have done many collaborative dinners. He strives to align well with them and the liquids they place in the barrels. Chef reminded us the the Beam’s saying, “Drink it any damn way you please!” However, he noted that tonight we would be drinking as the distillers’ pleased because they selected the cocktails and then Chef Landry reverse-engineered the menu.
Four Roses Bourbon Cocktail and First Course
Chef Landry – Four Roses Single Barrel Vieux Carre another New Orleans cocktail has a little bit of Benedictine in it, a lot of herbal notes, and it’s finished with some bitters that are heavy on star anise. The pork belly was marinated with soy sauce and then finished with the caramel sauce that has a bit of fish sauce in it. This was served with corn pudding.
The pork belly was cooked to perfection! Plus, the creaminess of the corn pudding was amazing. Fantastic course.
Bardstown Bourbon Company Cocktail and Second Course
Chef Landry – Anytime we come here we have to do Fried Chicken, so we’re going to do a fried chicken thigh with truffle honey, truffle grits, and a wild mushroom au jus that will go with the High Wheat Side Car from Bardstown. The Side Car has a lemon juice and Orange Curacao that will help cut through the richness of the fried chicken.
I’m personally a push-over for fried chicken and love grits – this combo did not disappoint! Wow – the chicken was very flavorful and crispy and the grits were delightfully creamy.
James B. Beam Cocktail and Third Course
Chef Landry – For the final savory course, Fred is the master of the grill, so we are doing a 14 oz veal chop. It is an Italian style dish, a Veal Saltimbocca. It is cooked on the grill with garlicky breadcrumbs, sage, and country ham chips from Freddie’s country ham.
This veal chop was indescribably good. Cooked to perfection and seasoned amazingly. Unfortunately, we were so full by the time it arrived that we could only enjoy part of it. To-go bags would have made for a terrific midnight snack!
Maker’s Mark Cocktail and Dessert
Chef Landry – The final course is sweet. The cocktail is a Maker’s Mark 46 Apple Butter Old Fashioned. Then, the burnt cinnamon pot due crème was made with burnt cinnamon sticks that we steeped in cream and then added a bit of orange zest and vanilla. It is finished off with cane syrup granola, salted caramel, and green apples.
As mentioned previously, we were full by the veal chop. Even so, we had to at least taste the cocktail and this scrumptious dessert. There might have been more than one bite involved!
Freddie Demonstrating the Kentucky Whiskey Ham Luge
Freddie is well-known for his cured hams and for hollowing out a portion to pour bourbon over it. This night probably would not have been complete if Chef Landry hadn’t put the challenge out to do this, which Freddie did with ease. But turnabout’s fair play – Freddie then challenged Chef and he accepted with great skill as well! Fun times!
A Great Night to Connect with Awesome People
In addition to Fred Noe signing a bottle of Booker’s ‘The Reserves’ 2024 for us, he and Baker Beam also signed our 1990s mini set of Booker’s, Baker’s, Basil Hayden’s, and Knob Creek.
We also had an opportunity to chat with and get pictures with Royce & Rebekah Neeley, Steve Nally, and Lisa Wicker!
It was a night that we will always cherish! Thank you, one and all, for spending the evening with us!
As you might have gleaned through other articles, Wayne and I thoroughly enjoy Green River – their spirits, distillery, and most importantly, their people. Therefore, when we learned of their dinner pairing event with Farmer & Frenchman (a place we have wanted to visit), we immediately got tickets for the August 1st event.
We arrived in Robards, KY and were immediately taken by the beauty of the surroundings. There were lovely buildings, little cabins, grape vines, and green for miles.
We had to get a few pictures before the event began!
When we checked in, we were escorted to a private table. In itself, this was different as we are accustomed to such events being at shared tables.
The dining was somewhat divided – the more formal area with chandeliers and white tablecloths and the enclosed patio section where we were seated.
Four Pours of Green River
Our cocktail and three neat pours of Green River.
Four Course Meal
The first two courses were seafood based and that meant that Wayne got double helpings. He enjoyed each offering but felt the Creole Caponata was his favorite of the two.
Description – Creole Caponata: Crawfish, sweet and sour peppers, roasted eggplant, and creole spices on toast.Served with Gold Rush Cocktail with Green River Wheated Bourbon.
Creole CaponataFried Scallops
Description – Fried Scallops: Deep fried scallop pieces, grilled polenta, and green tomato chutney. Served with Green River Bourbon 90 proof.
The Waygu Lasagna was mind blowing. Your palate is expecting a traditional lasagna but this was so rich and with amazing depth.
Description – Wagyu Lasagna: Smoked and braised wagyu beef shank ragu, tomato and red wine sauce, bechamel, and smoked mozzarella. Served with Green River Rye.
Wagyu LasagnaCherry Covered Chocolate
The dessert might have been my favorite bite of the evening. Such an explosion of flavors that worked amazingly well together. Wow!
Description – Cherry Covered Chocolate: Triple chocolate marscapone cheesecake with a warm cherry gastrique. Served with Green River Full Proof Bourbon 117 Proof.
The evening was wrapping up and it was time to say our goodbyes. It was well worth the drive and it has also encouraged us to return to the Farmer & Frenchman for a longer stay.
But before leaving, we had to get a picture with friends – Caryn, Renee, and Aaron!!!
Wayne and I became aware of this event through a few friends posting and sharing it on Facebook and even through private messages. We have enjoyed Hard Truth spirits for several years but we were not familiar with the Cap & Cork in Henderson, KY. We decided to acquire tickets and attend; after all, it was all about great food and great bourbon – what’s not to like?
Imagine our surprise when we arrive and see many familiar faces. We had no idea that folks we have gotten to know via the Beverage Barn in Henderson had started this new adventure.
In an April article by Chuck Stinnett, I was able to learn that Cap & Cork involves three couples: Brian and Justina McDaniel, owners of the Beverage Barn chain of liquor stores; Michael and Danielle Ervin; and Aaron and Heather Nelson. Michael Ervin, who gained cooking experience at a farm-to-table restaurant and a steakhouse, will serve as executive chef as well as managing partner. Aaron Nelson will focus on the bar, while Heather Nelson will work with Michael Ervin in the kitchen and Justina McDaniel and Danielle Ervin will serve as hostesses.
We got a look at the bar and the selection is truly amazing with many impossible-to-find bourbons. And, if the meal we enjoyed is anything like what their gastropub will produce, the Cap & Cork will quickly become a huge success on Henderson’s beautiful waterfront!
Gathering
When we arrived we saw familiar faces and joined Justin Strumpfer, Master of Bourbon, at his table. By the buzz in the room, you could tell that the guests were in high anticipation of a great meal paired with Hard Truth spirits.
Cap & Cork Executive Chef/Partner, Michael ErvinHard Truth Master Distiller/Partner, Bryan Smith
Once the introductions were made, we heard from the Cap & Cork’s Executive Chef/Partner, Michael Ervin, as he described the menu for the evening. Next, Hard Truth’s Master Distiller/Partner, Bryan Smith, discussed the opening cocktail and what we could expect for the evening.
Cocktail: Bourbon Ginger Highball with Hard Truth Sweet Mash Bourbon.
Sharable: Whipped Pork Butter (smoked pork whipped into salted butter with salsa verde) and Focaccia Bread with garlic oil and black lava salt.
2nd Course
The 2nd course was presented and it was lovely. Seared Scallops with serrano cream corn, maitake mushrooms, and Hard Truth Rye cream sauce. We were also served a neat pour of Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye.
Although I do no eat seafood, Wayne was happy to receive my scallops. He said they were perfectly cooked with a nice sear and very tender. He even said that Chef Gordon Ramsey would be pleased. I really enjoyed the serrano cream corn!
3rd Course
Wow! When the 3rd/main course was served, it made quite an impression. The plating was gorgeous and we could not wait to cut into that veal and taste the sauce. It was described as a veal lollypop crusted in coffee and cocoa nibs with bacon tomato jam and broccolini. While the veal was great on its own, including some of that bacon tomato jam with each bite truly took it to another level. We were also served a neat pour of Hard Truth Sweet Mash Rye Chocolate Malt, which happens to be a favorite of ours.
4th Course – Dessert
Dessert was a Brûléed Piña Colada Panna Cotta with a Boozy Antler Single Origin Cold Brew and Hard Truth Coconut Rum. Both Wayne and Justin were raving about each of these and said the dessert was like having a bite of a Piña Colada. Unfortunately, I am unable to eat/drink coconut. However, I was provided an a amazing chocolate cake option that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Brûléed Piña Colada Panna CottaBoozy Antler Single Origin Cold Brew and Hard Truth Coconut Rum
Wrapping Up a Great Event
Things were starting to wind down and we heard from the leadership team of the Cap & Cork and then Bryan Smith shared a parting toast that included a neat pour of Hard Truth’s Sweet Mash Rye Finished in French Oak Cognac Barrels. It was the perfect ending to an amazing evening!
The event helped us to appreciate Hard Truth and the work of Bryan Smith even more than we had before. Plus, we are so excited about the opening of the Cap & Cork. We believe it will be a tremendous success and encourage everyone to make a visit very soon!
Cheers until next time! Rebecca & Wayne
Rebecca, Wayne, and Bryan Smith
Please check out our tasting notes for Hard Truth Sweet Mash March releases HERE.
June 14th was National Bourbon Day! We were thrilled to acquire tickets for this event at Evan Williams Bourbon Experience that included a premium tasting led by Artisanal Distiller, Jodie Filiatreau followed by a plated dinner and exclusive shopping experience.
Tickets included a premium tasting flight, 3 cocktails, a multi-course dinner, and an opportunity to purchase a bottle of Evan Williams 23-Year-Old Bourbon.
We received a welcome cocktail of their take on a Horses Neck. Instead of Brandy, they used 1 part Evan Williams white label bottled-in-bond, Angostura bitters, and 3 parts Ginger Ale. We requested just a splash of Ginger Ale and enjoyed that very much.
After everyone was served, we moved to the lower level – the same room where we have previously enjoyed their Speakeasy Tasting Experience. A live band was playing as we arrived.
We found seating and admired the beautiful setup with the tasting pours prepared for us. We enjoyed terrific passed appetizers with our Horses Neck cocktail while everyone was getting seated. The appetizers included a puff pastry with ham, cream cheese and guava as well as a small bite sandwich of pimento cheese, chipotle, and a pickle on brioche.
Premium Tasting Led by Artisanal Distiller, Jodie Filiatreau
Evan Williams Single Barrel, Square 6 Wheated, Old Fitzgerald 13-year, and Evan Williams 23-year
Jodie introduced himself and shared a bit of his nearly 43-year tenure with Heaven Hill. He started at 20 years old working in the rickhouses and accepted opportunity after opportunity to learn and grow with the organization. He even had the honor of learning under Parker Beam. Jodie loves his role as Artisanal Distiller at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience on Louisville’s historic Whiskey Row.
Jodie was masterful at leading everyone through the four-part tasting. He gave us ample time with each expression and happily answered questions. He also visited with each table to meet, greet, and get to know the guests.
Wayne, Jodie, & Rebecca
Salad Course
This was a kale salad with smoked almonds, crispy bacon, goat cheese, and a bourbon champagne vinaigrette. It was quite tasty.
Dinner Course
While I wasn’t able to record all of the details of the entrée cocktail, it drank like a very well-balanced peach old fashioned. I did note that it was made with Evan Williams 12-year-old bourbon, peach bitters, and garnished with a brûléed peach.
Surprisingly, it was not overly sweet and paired extremely well with the pork entree.
The entrée included a seared pork chop, bourbon achiote sauce, roasted sweet potatoes, and braised greens. Every bite was fabulous!
Dessert Course
We were then treated to a Bourbon Espresso Martini made with Evan Williams black label. We have had something similar served at other dinner events; however, this was by far the best ever. All guests at our table felt it was the best cocktail of the evening.
The dessert was bread pudding with bourbon dulce de leche. It was amazing!
Note: The Mayan Cafe catered the event. Every bite was fantastic and the staff was outstanding.
Shopping and Bottle Signing
At the conclusion of the meal, we visited the gift shop. Each guested was permitted to buy one of the Evan Williams 23-year-old bottles as well as other items available in the gift and bottle shop. We greatly enjoy the Square 6 Wheated and used this opportunity to acquire a back-up bottle. Jodie was also kind enough to sign bottles.
This was the FIRST dinner that Evan Williams Bourbon Experience has held. Wow – what a tremendous first-time event. They knocked it out of the park! We hope that they will add more events as we would be honored to attend.
As a start to the two-day BBQ & Barrels event in Owensboro, KY, Wayne and I drove over the blue bridge last night to attend our 2nd Annual Spirited Bourbon Pairing Dinner with Green River Distilling. We always enjoy our visits at Green River and this one looked to be terrific.
On the agenda was a unique bourbon dinner crafted by Chef Matt Weafer of Niko’s Bakery Cakes and of course, cocktail pairings crafted by Green River.
Throughout the evening we were serenaded by this amazing group!
Cocktail, Appetizers, &Salad
Once seated, we enjoyed a smoked salmon dip and smoked pimento cheese.
With the salad course we were served a Lemon Thyme Whiskey Sour made with Green River Wheated Bourbon, Lemon Juice, and Thyme Simple Syrup.
The Maque Choux Salad included local greens, corn, tomatoes, onions, celery, red peppers, creole dressing, and bacon.
Dinner & Cocktail
The entrée cocktail was a Honey Ginger Old Fashioned made with Green River Kentucky Straight Bourbon, Ginger/Honey Rich Syrup, and Angostura Bitters.
The entrée included pecan crusted sea bass with smoked tomato chutney, pommes duchesse and asparagus.
We were then served duck a l’range with duck confit and bourbon orange glaze over chili-infused grits and brussel sprouts.
Dessert & Cocktail
We were then treated to a Blackberry Manhattan made with Green River Rye Whiskey, Blackberry infused Sweet Vermouth, and Fernet.
The dessert was a lovely bourbon poached pear with goat cheese cremeux, smoked miso caramel, and almond gateau.
Bourbon with Friends
With every bourbon event, there is an opportunity to connect with friends and make new ones. We had a lively table and a great time was had by all! We are looking forward to Saturday’s events.
Rebecca, Wayne, Barry, ToriRebecca, Wayne, Todd, Susan, Ann, Vicky, Jeff, Ann
This was another fantastic event hosted by Green River Distilling.
Last night was the 4th Annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival (KBF) Bourbon Pairing Dinner at the Levee Bourbon Bar in Louisville, KY. It was the perfect setting for such an event during Derby Week. The riverside location allowed us to watch the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Great Steamboat Race. Many of the event attendees wore traditional Derby attire including flamboyant hats for the women and jackets for the men. It made for a very colorful evening.
When the doors opened, we were offered the official 2024 Kentucky Bourbon Festival cocktail. It had a very balanced flavor – Old Fashioned with Elijah Craig Small Batch. It had a very nice hint of cinnamon.
The Levee Bourbon Bar is terrific and with an amazing selection. We will need to make plans to visit again. The patio has a fantastic view of the Ohio River and we decided to sit outside and enjoy the festivities.
The wait staff was awesome. Food trays were passed frequently, and someone was also ensuring that everyone had bottled water on this rather warm evening. The passed appetizers were top notch!
* Elijah Craig cured salmon on house-made blini, fried capers, and crème fraiche. * House-made smoked chicken sausage, with Kalamata olives, fennel sprigs, and fresh citrus. (Wayne’s favorite) * Kenny’s Cranberry Fromage Blanc baked on brioche topped with Elijah Craig sorghum glaze. (Rebecca’s favorite)
CuredSalmonSmoked ChickenSausageBaked Brioche
The Great Steamboat Race
Just as Conor O’Driscoll was about to speak, he noticed that the steamboats were approaching and invited everyone to enjoy the event from the balcony. The riverfronts on each side of the Ohio were lined with onlookers and the boats were filled with people having a great time. We were surprised that their speed was greater than we anticipated. It was fun to witness.
According to the festival site, this race on the Ohio River has taken place since 1963. Tickets are available to ride on the boats with various amenities. This year’s race featured the Belle of Louisville and the Belle of Cincinnati. The race was anticipated to last approximately two hours. According to news reports, the Belle of Cincinnati was victorious.
We then enjoyed a terrific salad: Crisp Roma Crunch Lettuce topped with apple chips, Elijah Craig-soaked dried cherries, shaved Kenny’s Bleu Gouda cheese and finished with a toasted vanilla bean vinaigrette.
This lovely salad also gave us an opportunity to meet those we were sitting with – a very fun and friendly table!
Dinner with Entrée Cocktail
The entrée cocktail was like the welcome cocktail, but it was more citrus forward. The plated dinner was fantastic. Chef John Varanese and his team prepared smoked beef tenderloin topped with a duck confit ragout over a savory cornbread panzanella, roasted asparagus, heirloom carrot and red peppers finished with Elijah Craig caramel demi-glace. It was a good as it sounds and appeared, and I did not notice any leftovers around the room!
Entrée CocktailSmoked Beef Tenderloin
Dessert with Dessert Cocktail
The dessert was light and very tasty. The panna cotta was just perfect, and the dried apricot really added a bright fruit essence to the dessert. The cocktail was an espresso martini. It has a great coffee flavor, but the overall profile was a tad sweet for most at our table.
Description: Milk chocolate genoise, with a dried apricot marmalade, fermented honey and a vanilla panna cotta.
Chocolate Genoise and Vanilla Panna CottaEspresso Martini
Master Distiller – Conor O’Driscoll
We were excited to meet Conor O’Driscoll. We caught a live interview he did with Jason at The Mash & Drum and we thoroughly enjoyed it! Conor’s drink of choice was the Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond … and he was truly loving it. We appreciated his candor to the questions that were asked, and he came across as very approachable and “real.” Listening to him during the interview encouraged us to meet him. This was about four weeks ago and shortly afterwards, I received the email about this dinner. It just seemed like it was meant to be!
During the interview, one of Jason’s subscribers asked a question about whether he thought there was something to the “neck pour” of a new bottle not being as good as the rest. Conor literally laughed out loud. Then, what we will never forget … he took his bottle, flipped it over, and said, “wait, here’s your neck pour, oh, now it’s gone” as he flipped the Heaven Hill BIB bottle. We laughed so hard and kept replaying it.
We took an unopened bottle of the Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond to the dinner and asked Conor to sign it with that comment. He did one better and flipped the bottle and signed part of it upside down. Oh my – this will always be cherished! Thank you, Conor!!
Bourbon with Friends
With every bourbon event, there is an opportunity to connect with friends and make new ones. This one was no different. We got to see Mark Rucker and his wife Annita. Our table mate and new friend Bryan Miller … as well as his guests Pat and Pat! Thank you for the cigars, wish we didn’t have to drive back home so we could have had them with you and visited some more! Next time!
Rebecca, Mark, and WayneBryan, Wayne, and Rebecca
Closing Thoughts
KBF PinElijah Craig PGA Coin
The event exceeded our expectations. The KBF team organized and executed a fantastic evening from start to finish. When we arrived at our reserved seating, the KBF pin and Elijah Craig PGA coin were waiting for us.
At the end of the evening, we were each offered an Elijah Craig rocks glass and a set of golf tees. All will be great mementos. We look forward to adding this annual event to our Annual Bourbon Events Calendar. After attending this one, we really want to return!
Your Bourbon Journey 