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Go to the Source! How Contract Distillers and NDPs View Bulk Whiskey
Moderator Steve Coomes will lead this discussion on how hundreds of non-distilling producers find contract producers to make their whiskies for them. Joining him are:
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Full Throttle or Easy Does it? The Risk of Growing Brands Too Quickly or Slowly
Moderator Steve Coomes will lead this discussion on how these panelists approached growing their now-successful whiskey brands. Joining him are:
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What Created the Bourbon Bubble, and Could It Still Burst?
Moderator Steve Coomes will lead this discussion on where bourbon sales are globally today, and what lies ahead for the future. Joining him are:
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2026 World Championship Barrel Relay
The World Championship Bourbon Barrel Relay® (presented by ISC) will be held during the 35th Anniversary Kentucky Bourbon Festival. This high-energy, free and open to the public, family friendly event takes place at the Nelson County Courthouse on Saturday, Sept. 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Watch and cheer on distillery warehouse teams as…
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Bourbon in the Air
Kick off the 2026 Kentucky Bourbon Festival in style with Bourbon in the Air — an exclusive Thursday evening celebration set against the backdrop of the Great Lawn. This highly sought-after event offers a limited number of guests a first look at the festival grounds before they officially open, with early access to select distillery…
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Ingram Distillery’s Sunday Brunch with Whiskies and Cocktails!
Few better ways to kick off an easy Sunday morning than with brunch featuring Ingram Whiskies!
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Michter’s Distillery’s Saturday Brunch with Whiskies and Cocktails
When Michter’s Andrea Wilson and Dan McKee put on a whiskey-centric brunch, they require fabulous food to go with the distillery’s legendary whiskies.
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Tiki Isn’t Just for Rum! Clever Bourbon Cocktails for Adventurous Drinkers
Aften Locken takes a decidedly delicious but non-traditional approach to bourbon cocktails in this tasting of Kentucky tiki drinks. Her “Why not shake bourbon with pineapple, orgeat, mint and allspice dram?” approach will shift your thinking about drinking to what you’ve been missing and should be tasting more often. Leave your cocktail preconceptions at the…
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Sipping History: A Vintage Bourbon Tasting
Finding dusty bottles, sharing the liquids within them and telling brand stories about them is what Patrick Garrett does for a living. Join “Pops”— as he’s called by friends and clients—for a tasting of four whiskies older than most Kentucky Bourbon Festival attendees. Suffice it to say, you’ll not find these sippable treasures available for…
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Go West for the Best of Kentucky Food and Bourbon
Using the connection of barbecue, this food and whiskey pairing brings Western Kentucky food and whiskey to the heart of Bourbon Country in Central Kentucky. A quick-sellout in 2025, the pairing returns with new bites created by Henderson, Ky.’s own Cork & Cap and Thomason’s Barbecue restaurants. This year’s whiskey lineup includes pours from Ingram…