Sampler guests name Four Roses Petal Pusher official drink of the KBF
By SYLVIA HORLANDER
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Monday, March 27, 2017 — Bourbon professionals and enthusiasts from near and far came together Saturday night in the Bourbon Capitol of the World at The Guthrie Opportunity (GO) Center for quite a tasty event — The Bardstown Bourbon Sampler.
The Sampler featured 11 iconic Kentucky Bourbons, including: Blanton’s, Barton 1792, Woodford Reserve, Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, Lux Row, Michter’s, Maker’s Mark, and Four Roses.
Three local restaurants were also featured at The Bardstown Bourbon Sampler, including Mammy’s Kitchen, The Kentucky Bourbon Marketplace, and The Old Talbott Tavern.
The doors to the GO Center opened at 5:30 Saturday night for Bourbon connoisseur with VIP access. The VIPs were double-downing the Bourbon experience, as they enjoyed and judged samples from the participating distilleries and three restaurants. With a clean palette and clear mind, the VIPs then cast their votes for the People’s Choice Winner.
One of the VIPs was Sandy Mountain, an elementary school principal visiting from Wisconsin, who makes it a point to attend The Bardstown Bourbon Sampler every year during spring break. She says the bourbon brought her to Bardstown — and keeps her coming back.
“There’s just no place in the world like it”, Mountain said. “I absolutely love Kentucky, Bardstown in particular. It’s beautiful, and I feel like it (Bardstown) keeps calling me back. I would love to retire in the area”.
The Old Fashioned Julep from Blanton’s won the People’s Choice award.
A select group of Bourbon experts sipped and savored bourbon, then chose the Official Drink of the 2017 Kentucky Bourbon Festival. Bardstown resident Tammy Thompson Blincoe was this year’s chairperson of The Bardstown Bourbon Sampler. Blincoe was asked to chair the event by Jill Hawkins, Executive Director of The Kentucky Bourbon Festival. Blincoe said they were happy with this year’s turnout, and are excited about the upcoming festival in September.
Four Roses Petal Pusher won the judges’ choice, making it The Official Drink of the 2017 Kentucky Bourbon Festival.
After the votes were cast and being tallied, more bourbon partakers eagerly and attentively entered the GO Center at 7 p.m. New guests began to sample and existing ones continued to do so as the regional restaurant and distillery mixologists prepared specialty and unique Bourbon drinks. Most guests paired their bourbon samples with hors’d oeuvres, including a mac and cheese station, catered by Lady Fingers.
Singer Caleb Cecil contributed to The Bardstown Bourbon Sampler with his musical entertainment. The event lasted until 10:00 p.m.
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