Justin Willett and Dierks Bentley inside a rick house

Country star Dierks Bentley performs at Green River, launches Row 94 Full Proof

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Dierks Bentley and Justin Willett at Green River Distillery
Dierks Bentley and Justin Willett start the tour at Green River Distillery. | Photo by Sara Havens

Anytime I can get over to the historic Green River Distillery in Owensboro, Ky., it’s a win in my book. But when you lure me with a free concert by Dierks Bentley and a taste of his new Row 94 Full Proof, there is absolutely no twisting of any arm in this case — despite the two-hour scenic drive.

I can’t say I am well-versed in Bentley’s catalog of country songs, but I do know he sang a duet once with Shania Twain. And I feel like he’s always remained true to his lane in Nashville, opting for authenticity over the cookie cutter cowboy crooner image coming to a state fair near you. Authenticity keeps careers steady, and it’s great in the bourbon business as well.

Row 94 Full Proof bottle
Row 94 Full Proof is 120 proof. | Photo by Sara Havens

Bentley released his first Kentucky bourbon under the Row 94 label last year, and this new Full Proof is the third expression from the brand.

He said he chose Green River Distillery to make the bourbon because he knew the team and he knew they made solid Kentucky bourbon.

The standard Row 94 uses a mash bill of 70% corn, 21% rye and 9% malted barley (which is the same as Green River’s flagship bourbon) and is bottled at 94 proof.

Turns out 94 is the year Bentley first moved to Nashville, so it’s an important figure to him. And the new Full Proof is the same whiskey at 120 proof.

“During the development of our Row 94 bourbon, I tasted it at full proof and instantly knew we had something special,” said Bentley in a news release. “There’s something raw and powerful about the uncut experience that really stuck with me. I love our flagship bourbon at 94 proof, but I’ve been looking forward to sharing this 120 proof expression with our fans ever since.”

Bentley on (Distillery) Tour

Justin Willett and Dierks Bentley inside a rick house
Justin Willett and Dierks Bentley explore a Green River rick house. | Photo by Sara Havens

The event at Green River started out with a press conference with Bentley and Justin Willett, vice president of operations for Lofted Spirits (the contract distilling arm of Bardstown Bourbon Co. and Green River). The country star talked about his love of bourbon and what brought him to Kentucky. And he compared the historic Owensboro distillery to his guitar — “it’s weathered, but it still makes great things.”

Green River is the 10th oldest distillery in Kentucky and dates back to the 1800s.

Then, Bentley and Willett took members of the media on a private tour of the distillery grounds. Willett did most of the talking, explaining the fermentation, distillation and maturation processes of bourbon, and Bentley became one of us: an outsider of bourbon-making who is enamored with every step.

I don’t know about you, but I have yet to become bored on a bourbon tour, and I go on A LOT of them a year. You’d think I’d know how to fire up a still by now, but I’ll leave that to the experts.

Anyway, after the tour, we gathered in the visitor center where Bentley performed four songs and walked us through a tasting of his three bourbons. We tried the flagship Row 94, the new Full Proof, and then the Broken Branches release, which is finished with well-seasoned oak staves. I enjoyed the Full Proof the best out of the three, but I tend to like high-proof whiskeys in general, so that’s not a surprise.

We also finished the day with some world famous Moonlite Bar-B-Q from Owensboro, which was the cherry on top of a platinum day. Don’t sleep on the baked beans!

Row 94 Full Proof is available in most states for a suggested retail price of $54.99.

Dierks Bentley sings
We were treated to four Dierks Bentley songs. | Photo by Sara Havens
Bernie Lubbers and Steve Cooley playing bluegrass

Want a little bluegrass with your bourbon?

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Bernie Lubbers and Steve Cooley playing bluegrass
Bernie Lubbers and Steve Cooley host “Bourbon Through Bluegrass.” | Photo by Sara Havens

Is it just me, or does it seem like every week there’s a new bourbon experience coming to Louisville? I’d say we have definitely earned our moniker of Bourbon City. And I welcome it all and feel like bourbon tourism hasn’t slowed a bit.

But when I experience something bourbon-related that is truly one-of-a-kind, I feel like I need to shout it from the rooftops — or just write about it on this here website because I’m afraid of heights. A few weeks ago, I was invited to a top secret event after-hours at the Frazier History Museum, and it involved bourbon (of course) and bluegrass music.

A glass of bourbon
Sip bourbon and enjoy bluegrass. | Photo by Sara Havens

Called “Bourbon Through Bluegrass,” the fun, informative and very entertaining event featured a bourbon tasting and history lesson that was told through bluegrass music. Led by the walking bourbon encyclopedia that is Bernie Lubbers, as well as his sidekick and bluegrass icon Steve Cooley, the event is part concert, part bourbon tasting and part Kentucky History 101.

Lubbers is known as “The Whiskey Professor” and has been a respected brand ambassador for Heaven Hill for more than 13 years. He’s a champion for bottled-in-bond whiskeys, all of which you can find tattooed on his arms.

And Cooley has played bluegrass since the ’70s, sharing stages with the likes of Grandpa Jones, Bill Monroe, Sam Bush and so many others — plus he has some Grammy nominations under his belt as well.

How Can You Go?

The good news is, it wasn’t just a one-time gig. “Bourbon Through Bluegrass” will be ongoing and open to the public (for ages 21+) on Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings at 10 a.m. Tickets are $125 and include a welcome cocktail, four whiskey and bourbon pours, the 90-minute experiences and a self-guided tour of the Frazier History Museum afterward.

If you’re a history buff who isn’t into bourbon, don’t worry — you’ll get just as much out of the session as the person you gift your samples to (pick me!). Lubbers and Cooley effortlessly weave stories of Kentucky’s heritage and bourbon traditions throughout traditional bluegrass songs of the 1800s and 1900s.

The stage at "Bourbon Through Bluegrass"
“Bourbon Through Bluegrass” will entertain both whiskey warriors and bluegrass buffs. | Photo by Sara Havens

Since I’m more of a bourbon aficionado than a bluegrass buff, I enjoyed the whiskey that was chosen specifically to highlight the ups and downs of Kentucky’s bourbon industry. And Lubbers enchanted the audience with stories behind the brands, why he chose them, and how they play an important role in the past, present and future.

This would be the perfect thing to take your mom or dad to, and if they don’t drink whiskey, well then I guess it’s your lucky day. “Bourbon Through Bluegrass” is the exact thing Louisville needs to further brand itself Bourbon City, and it’s a great alternative to the plethora of tasting rooms and distillery tours.

For tickets, click this link.

Bardstown sign: Bourbon Capital of the World

Celebrate National Bourbon Week in Bardstown

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Bardstown sign: Bourbon Capital of the World
Bardstown is hosting National Bourbon Week from June 9-15. | Courtesy of Visit Bardstown

Since National Bourbon Day falls on Saturday, June 14, it only makes sense that the city known as “The Bourbon Capital of the World” extends that one day into a full week. Bardstown plays host to National Bourbon Week from June 9-15, and there are many events that still have availability.

The bourbon-soaked week is organized by the Bourbon Capital Alliance, a nonprofit focused on bringing events, experiences and the visual presence of all things bourbon to Bardstown. They work closely with the nine distilleries in the area as well as Visit Bardstown, Bardstown Mainstreet, and the Bourbon Capital Guild.

If you’re not familiar with the Bourbon Capital Guild, it is an esteemed bourbon club based in Bardstown that includes the industry’s top advocates, enthusiasts, distillers and staff, etc. I was fortunate to join the Guild this year as a member of the media, and I’m looking forward to experiencing all there is to do during National Bourbon Week — along with secret handshakes, backroom pours and classified industry intel.

Only kidding about the last three, but wouldn’t that be cool?

National Bourbon Week sign

Let’s dive into the schedule for the week, and maybe you’ll see something you want to join me at.

Monday, June 9

Vintage Connoisseur Experience at Preservation Distillery — 2 p.m.

The Beam Backyard Luau — Sold Out

Tuesday, June 10

Vintage Connoisseur Experience at Preservation Distillery — 2 p.m.

Whiskey & Science at the Brindiamo Penthouse — Sold Out

Tailgates & Toasts: A Celebration with Elijah Craig at Heaven Hill — 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, June 11

Vintage Connoisseur Experience at Preservation Distillery — 2 p.m.

Old SteelHouse Distillery: Proof is in the Proof at the Brindiamo Penthouse — 4 p.m.

Master Distiller’s Dinner at Lux Row — 6 p.m.

Thursday, June 12

Vintage Connoisseur Experience at Preservation Distillery — 2 p.m.

Ham & Whiskey Pairing with Steve Coomes at Preservation Distillery — 4:30 p.m.

Log Still’s Pour & Paired: A Bourbon Social at the Brindiamo Penthouse — 6 p.m.

Clermont Supper Club at James B. Beam Distilling Co. — 6 p.m.

Friday, June 13

Vintage Connoisseur Experience at Preservation Distillery — 2 p.m.

Summer Patio Series at Bardstown Bourbon Co. — 5 p.m.

Bourbon Capital Mash Up at Bespoke In Bond — 7 p.m.

Saturday, June 14

Bourbon & Brunch at Preservation Distillery — 9:30 a.m.

Vintage Connoisseur Experience at Preservation Distillery — 2 p.m.

Maker’s Mark Totally Bourbon Bash at the Brindiamo Penthouse — 2 p.m.

Sunday, June 15

Vintage Connoisseur Experience at Preservation Distillery — 2 p.m.

_________________

Bourbon Capital Mash Up event poster
If you can only come to one event, make it this one!

As I mentioned, there are still tickets available to some of these events. The one I’m most looking forward to is the Bourbon Capital Mash Up on Friday at the new venue Bespoke In Bond next to Bardstown’s Neat Bourbon Bar. The inaugural event will feature special pours from the area distilleries as well as paired food from local chefs and restaurants.

There will also be a DJ and a charitable bottle pull, as well as a cash bar. And if you want to spring for the VIP ticket, you get “very special” pours (like a pre-fire Heaven Hill and vintage Maker’s Mark) and your party starts an hour earlier at 6 p.m.

Hopefully I’ll see some of you at these events! And remember, if you don’t like a bourbon, just find me and I’ll be your human dump bucket. It won’t be the first time.

Milam & Greene's The Answer bottles

How does bourbon age differently in Texas? Milam & Greene has ‘The Answer’

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Milam & Greene's The Answer bottles
Texas vs. Kentucky bourbon via Milam & Greene is “The Answer.” | Courtesy

Of course bourbon ages differently depending on its environment. We know this to be true, especially if you’ve ever tasted a young Texas bourbon that appears to be the color of a 10-year-old. Milam & Greene, one of my favorite Texas distilleries, has conducted an experiment along these lines to find “The Answer,” and perhaps it has spawned even more questions.

The experiment was simple: Take the same Kentucky-made distillate and put it into barrels. Some of the barrels will age in Kentucky and some in Texas’ Hill Country (Blanco, Texas, to be exact). Check back in five years and share the two bourbons with the public. The 375ml bottles are now being sold as a set called “The Answer” for $149.99.

“We wanted to better understand how temperature fluctuation between the two environments influences flavor extraction in our whiskey, so one of the first activities we did together as a team was lay down these barrels in two states in 2019,” said Heather Greene, CEO and Master Blender at Milam & Greene, in a news release. “The popular hypothesis that the hotter, drier climate significantly differentiates Texas bourbon across the board with higher oak extraction compared to a Kentucky bourbon is a good one, and now you can taste it.”

Yesterday I was fortunate to sit in a Zoom conference with Greene and Master Distiller Marlene Holmes where we tasted both the samples and also blended them together. It was surprising to see that just about everything about both samples were different: different proofs (KY 108 | TX 117); different colors (KY lighter | TX much darker); and vastly different tastes (KY fruit-forward, sweet | TX oaky, rich).

Greene said she enjoyed seeing how “nature writes itself into whiskey,” and she wasn’t too surprised with the results. She even coined the term “Texification” to label how the Texas heat rapidly ages bourbon distillate to produce quicker flavors and colors than the slower aging process in Kentucky.

While she doesn’t say she has a favorite between the two, she recommends getting the best whiskey by blending them together, which is what she does on a daily basis at the distillery in Blanco. Milam & Greene make some of their proprietary distillate on a column still at Bardstown Bourbon Co. and age barrels in Kentucky, and they also produce distillate on a copper pot still in Texas and age barrels there. The magic is in blending them together.

“Individually, each bourbon is delicious, and batched together, the combined bourbons also create gorgeous, complex whiskey,” said Greene. “This experiment puts a spotlight on everything we do at Milam & Greene as we bring together the best casks aged in different states.”

Marlene Holmes and Heather Greene of Milam & Greene
Marlene Holmes (top) and Heather Greene of Milam & Greene

Greene and Holmes mentioned they have a few other experiments up their sleeves that might include aging barrels in other parts of the Lone Star State, because, after all, you could fit about six Kentuckys into Texas, and the climates are also vastly different.

My 2 cents: I enjoyed both bourbons, but I found the Kentucky to be richer and more complex. Yes, the Texas showed great color at 5 years old and was tasty as well, but it didn’t have those fruity/cherry notes found in great bourbons and the finish was quick and dry. It also came off a little hot to me. But as Greene mentioned, the beauty was in the blend of the two.

It’s a fascinating experiment, and I love how they’re letting the consumer in the lab to experience and taste the differences for themselves. I have a feeling some will prefer the big oak of Texas and some will enjoy the soft subtleties of Kentucky.

To find “The Answer” at a store near you, check out this link.

Scene from Dixie Demuth historical marker ceremony

Louisville bar legend Dixie Demuth honored with historical marker

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Scene from Dixie Demuth historical marker ceremony
Dixie’s family and friends gathered to honor her legacy. | Courtesy

I hear Dixie’s Elbow Room was a fun and lively place to hang out downtown in the 1960s and ’70s. Situated at 516 S. Fifth St., which is now unfortunately a parking lot, the unassuming little bar made big waves in Louisville in the early 1970s for not only hiring a female bartender — gasp! — but serving female patrons at the bar.

That’s right. Until 1972, women could not bartend or sit at the bar of any establishment in Louisville that served alcohol. The commonwealth had reinstated archaic, pre-Prohibition laws in the ’30s, and nobody had stepped up to challenge them.

Dixie Demuth historical marker
Dixie’s historical marker sits at 516 S. Fifth St.

Until Dixie.

Dixie’s Elbow Room was owned by Dixie Sherman Demuth, a 5-foot-2 firecracker who comes from a long lineage of fellow pot-stirrers and Kentucky royalty known as the Samuels family — as in the Samuels who started Maker’s Mark and, before that, ran the T.W. Samuels & Son Distillery in Deatsville, Ky.

In 1968, she decided to challenge the outdated law and took out an ad in The Courier Journal to announce that her establishment welcomes women to the bar and hires female bartenders.

According to an article by Joseph Gerth of The CJ, Kentucky ABC officials raided the bar and fined her for the flagrant violation. From there, she fought the fine all the way to the Kentucky Court of Appeals, which was the highest court in the state at the time. Finally, in 1972, the court sided with Dixie, and the sexist statutes were thrown out.

On Monday, May 19, Dixie was honored with the city’s first historical marker in a new program championed by Mayor Craig Greenberg. In 2023, Dixie was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame, three years after she died at age 102.

“This marker highlights an interesting story from our past, and more than that, it highlights the important and powerful role that women have played and continue to play in our city,” said Mayor Greenberg at the ceremony. “Dixie fought all the way to the highest court in Kentucky to fight what she knew were unconstitutional laws.”

“Dixie didn’t think the law was fair, and she also didn’t think it was good business, especially when you’re trying to attract young men to your business,” said Bill Samuels Jr., chair emeritus of Maker’s Mark and a third cousin of Dixie’s, at the event. “After numerous run-ins with the law and a suspension of her liquor license, Dixie finally said enough was enough and sued on the grounds that the law was unconstitutional. I’m really excited and proud of my cousin, and today we’re memorializing a great lady.”

Raising a toast at the ceremony to Dixie
Peggy Noe Stevens raises a toast to Dixie, along with Dixie’s family and friends. | Photo by Sara Havens

Raise a Toast to Dixie

For me personally, since my moniker is The Bar Belle of Louisville, I owe much gratitude to Dixie and her fight for what was right. She is an inspiration, and she stepped up when others were afraid to. The fact that these archaic laws remained forcible long into the 1970s is a sad reality of our backwards government, but it’s people like Dixie Demuth who challenge “the way it’s always been done” mentality and carry Kentucky into the modern era.

Had I been in her shoes, I hope I would have had half her courage to buck the system and stand up for what’s right.

Heaven Hill Springs Barrel 1

Heaven Hill brings distilling back to Bardstown

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The first barrel is filled at Heaven Hill Springs Distillery
The first barrel is filled at Heaven Hill Springs Distillery. | Photo by Sara Havens

History was made this morning as the first barrel from the new $200 million Heaven Hill Springs Distillery was filled. Dozens of people — from media to staff — gathered to witness the momentous occasion, as it signified the first time Heaven Hill distilled in Bardstown since the devastating fire at its original distillery in 1996.

“Filling this first barrel is both a homecoming and a major step into the future of Heaven Hill,” said Allan Latts, co-president of Heaven Hill Brands, during the presentation. “This $200 million investment is our view of the future of Kentucky bourbon.”

Heaven Hill staff
Conor O’Driscoll, Max Shapira, Kate Latts and Allan Latts fill the first barrel. | Photo by Sara Havens

He shared that the new distillery will be producing about 150,000 per year but has the potential to make 450,000 annually. Heaven Hill continues to distill at its Bernheim Distillery in west Louisville as well.

In line with the family-owned company’s 2030 Environmental Sustainability Strategy, the design of Heaven Hill Springs reflects the company’s dedication to play a role in forming a more eco-conscious bourbon industry.

“Everybody has brought their A-game to this new distillery,” said Conor O’Driscoll, Heaven Hill master distiller. “It reflects where we’ve come from and where we’re going.” He then toasted to Charlie Downs, Master Distiller Emeritus, who has worked at every Heaven Hill distillery since its founding in 1935.

Downs even worked at this new one last week for three days, he told me. Proof that you can take the man out of the distillery but not the distillery out of the man.

The distillery will officially open to the public in September. But for now, the 60-foot-tall Vendome-made copper still will be churning out bourbon for future generations.

Top bottles of bourbon

My 10 most memorable bourbons

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Top bottles of bourbon
Here’s a handful of some of the best bourbons I’ve ever had. The list is always changing and rotating.

To commemorate International Whiskey Day, I’ve decided to list the top 10 most memorable pours of bourbon I’ve ever had. It’s hard to narrow this down to 10, but people always ask me for my favorites, so here they are in no particular order. 

1) William Larue Weller — I was still new to unicorn bourbons, but I was able to try the 2016 WLW the year it came out for $28 an ounce. I was blown away that a whiskey at 135.4 proof tasted as smooth as butter. 

2) Four Roses Al Young 50th Anniversary — I’m lucky to have called Al a friend, and he signed this bottle to me personally. It’s a memory I will keep forever. And the bourbon inside is a masterpiece in blending.

3) King of Kentucky — I’m not really sure I have a favorite year of this Brown-Forman release because they’re always solid pours. I just wish it didn’t cost the price of a castle to worship the King.

4) Old Crow Chessman Decanter — I was fortunate to get a pour of this rare bourbon from the late 1960s at the secret Vintage Library inside Bardstown Bourbon Company. I spent at least 30 minutes sipping less than an ounce of whiskey, and I’ll never forget it. 

5) Michter’s 20 Year Bourbon — Michter’s president Joe Magliocco isn’t afraid to pull out some amazing stuff sometimes, especially if you’re visiting with other members of the media. This 20-year bourbon blew my mind and my taste buds. It continues to haunt me in dreams — in a good way.

6) Belle Meade Honey Bourbon — Back when Belle Meade used MGP bourbon, this nectar of the gods featured straight bourbon finished in Trubee honey casks. The bottle I have is 116.4 proof, so it packs quite a punch. But that faint whisper of honey is perfection. 

7) Jack Daniel’s 14 Year — Just released this year, the buzz is real. I love that they kept it at barrel strength, as my sample I was fortunate to try was a whopping 126.3. It should taste like fire, but instead it’s Grandma’s country biscuits lathered in honey, butter and banana.

8) Russell’s Reserve 15 Year — I’ll always be a Wild Turkey girl at heart, so this latest unicorn release from the legendary distillery doesn’t disappoint. I just wish my last name was Russell and I had keys to their rickhouses. 

9) Maker’s Mark Denim Bottle — Made to celebrate the University of Kentucky basketball team winning the NCAA Championship in 1996, this highly sought-after prize is a butterscotch bomb through and through. I don’t know what they did back then that they don’t do now, but it is simply marvelous. 

10) Pappy Van Winkle 15 Year — Yes, I’ve had the complete vertical of Pappy products, but my favorite to this day remains the 15-year-old. Perfectly balanced and intricately nuanced, the wheated bourbon has just enough oak influence you want without going overboard. 

A scene from last year's Tailspin Ale Fest

Tailspin Ale Fest turns 12-pack on March 1

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A scene from last year's Tailspin Ale Fest
The 12th annual Tailspin Ale Fest will take place March 1 at Bowman Field.

The always solid Tailspin Ale Fest that kicks off warmer weather each year finally is a 12-pack years old. I feel like I’ve been attending this crazy beer fest much longer than a dozen years, but perhaps I’m just old. It’ll be held Saturday, March 1, at Bowman Field, and there are still a few GA tickets left — so you better grab ’em while you can!

This year will feature more than 50 breweries sampling 250+ beers, ciders, seltzers, etc. A lot of that is local, but there is also a great selection of top beers from around the country, as well as an impressive (and high octane) lineup of bourbon-barrel-aged stouts and other varieties.

People smiling at last year's Tailspin
Beer makes you happy.

And if beer isn’t your thing at a beer festival, then you can enjoy Drake’s Silent Disco (the restaurant, not the rapper), a cider and sour bar, live music from Vinyl Richie, food trucks and so much more.

It’s a great people-watching event, too, because folks will get crunk with all the options that abound. And by crunk, I mean ready for Derby.

They’re also bringing back the VIP potty option for those who don’t want to wait in line for port-o-pots. For an extra $30 (well worth the money, trust me), you can get access to bougie restrooms that are equipped with heat, running water and elbow room. I think I even used some hand lotion and hairspray last year in one.

This year’s Tailspin will sell out, so if you’re on the fence, just go ahead and buy the ticket. The charity this year is Pints for Parkinson’s/TKO, so the funds go to a great cause. They also have shuttle bus opportunities from various locations around the city. So there’s no excuse!

Beer there or beer square.

Woodford Double Double Oaked bottle

Woodford’s Double Double Oaked doubles in size

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Woodford Double Double Oaked bottle
Woodford Double Double Oaked 2025 comes out Monday, Jan. 13. | Courtesy

If you’ve followed my bourbon journey at any point along the beaten path, you know I’m a big fan of Woodford Reserve‘s annual release, Double Double Oaked. And I’m not alone, since it flies off shelves every January when it’s released.

But that might be changing.

Woodford announced today that the beloved Double Double Oaked will no longer be sold as part of its 375 ml Distillery Series (available only at the distillery for the most part), but will instead become a permanent line extension of the brand and sold in 700 ml bottles all over the United States.

That’s great news for bourbon fans who don’t reside in Kentucky, as they had to often purchase DDO on secondary market sites at a high cost. The news release that came out today did not indicate how many cases were being released, so I’m still not convinced the bourbon will be readily available wherever you shop. But at least it’s moving in that direction.

Oh, and there’s also a premium price tag on the 700 ml bottle: $199.

What’s so special about Double Double?

“Rare and revered, this handcrafted double-barreled bourbon has a deep richness, unlike any other American whiskey on the market,” said Master Distiller Elizabeth McCall in the news release. “Resting five to seven years in the first barrel, then up to two years in a second barrel, this liquid features extraordinary flavor notes. It is unexpected and complex.”

DDO first debuted in the summer of 2015, and I know that because I wrote about it way back when. I also have a bottle from every year it has been released because it quickly became one of my favorites to hunt down each year.

2015 bottle of Double Double Oaked
DDO used to be sold in 375 ml bottles. | Courtesy

I believe that first year the story was that they “accidentally” forgot about an aging barrel of Woodford Double Oaked in the rickhouse, and by the time they found it, it had aged an additional two years in the second lightly charred, heavily toasted barrel.

We’ll never know if that was a marketing ploy or a true story, but the Double Double mystique was born and has continued to pick up steam ever since.

I remember one year, not too long ago, DDO sold out within hours of its release at the distillery. I was also there trying to nab my own two bottles, and traffic was a nightmare.

And I also recall another year where there wasn’t a limit on how many you could buy, so my friends and I went in on some cases. Those were the days.

How can I get one?

The bigger, badder Double Double will be released today at the distillery in Versailles starting at 10 a.m., or you can go online and try your luck there. And you might get lucky at your local liquor store, because technically they’re supposed to be sold across the U.S.

Once I get my hands on one, I will post some tasting notes here. Wish me luck!

Taste of Louisville sign

Taste 50 years of Louisville

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Taste of Louisville sign
The Taste of Louisville is Oct. 16.

What does Louisville taste like? And has that changed over 50 years?

My answer to the first question would be: Hot Browns, bourbon and regret. And to the second question, I’d say, “Of course it has! Duh.”

Here’s where I’m going with this: The 50th anniversary of the sample extravaganza known as The Taste of Louisville will be held Wednesday, Oct. 16, and there are still tickets available! Chefs from the past and present will be in attendance and offering up bites of some of their favorite dishes.

How many, you ask? How does 75 restaurants and 25 spirits brands sound to you? That’s a helluva lot of food and drink to consume, and you can do that at your own pace while enjoying live music, a silent disco and catching up on 50 years of tea with your friends and neighbors and favorite chefs.

This year, Taste takes over the Mellwood Arts Center from 6-9 p.m., and all proceeds benefit two local charities: Frankie’s Family and Feed Louisville. Both of these organizations are doing great work for the people who need help the most in our community.

Derby Pie
You better believe there will be pie!

I’m excited to attend this year’s event, as I’ve missed it the last couple of years. You’ll likely find me near the bourbon booths, but if someone has got some white chicken chili or any type of chocolate entity going on, I could step away for a few minutes to indulge. Please, someone bring the ice cream!

Tickets are $85 in advance or $75 for a pack of four — so go grab three other friends and get a deal. Brings some Tums and let your tastebuds go wild. Get your tickets here.