James B. Beam Distilling Co. Archives

The sold-out Kentucky Bourbon Festival (KBF) starts today and continues through Sunday. If you are lucky to have scored tickets, here are some special new bottles to keep an eye out for. They might be at each distillery’s booth for a taste, or some might even choose to sell them there as well.

I’ll be posting from the KBF every day on the Bourbon Country social media platforms (@justaddbourbon), so be sure to follow my bourbon-soaked shenanigans. I will try and behave myself for the most part, and if you’re there on Sunday, Sept. 15, stop by the Bourbon:30 panel discussion on bourbon journalism with myself and some very cool writers in the industry. It runs from 1:30-2 p.m.

Four Roses 2024 Limited Edition Small Batch

OK, so this one will most likely NOT be at the KBF, but it is being released at the nearby Cox’s Creek Four Roses Warehouse & Bottling Facility as well as the Lawrenceburg distillery on Saturday, Sept. 14. It’s first-come, first-serve, so you’ll have to line up early. I believe they’ll start letting people in line around 3 a.m. Shoo!

This year’s release features bourbon aged 12-20 years old and is bottled at 108.2 proof and non-chill filtered. I received a media sample and can say with 100% certainty that it’s delicious and worth the time in line. I get a lot of citrus and vanilla notes from this one, as well as a lovely baked cherry note, some of that Four Roses spice, and also an underlying flavor of toffee and creme brûlée.

Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged 2024

This one WILL be for sale each morning at the KBF while supplies last. This year’s Maker’s Mark Cellar Aged release clocks in at 119.3 proof and comes from a blend of 12- and 13-year-old bourbons.

If you recall last year’s inaugural release, it’s created from taking fully mature barrels of Maker’s Mark (4-6 years old) and then relocating them inside the Maker’s cellar for extra aging. The moderate conditions inside the cellar allow the bourbon to age gracefully, and in turn, they’re not losing as much to the angels.

It’s tasty, as always, and is everything I wanted added to my standard Maker’s Mark: age and proof.

Angel’s Envy Triple Oak

For the first time in over 10 years, Angel’s Envy is adding a third bottle to its signature, everyday lineup, in the form of a Triple Oak bourbon. It’s a is a blend of whiskeys finished in three types of barrels: Hungarian Oak from Hungary, Chinkapin Oak from Kentucky, and French Oak from — you guessed it — France. It’s bottled at 92 proof.

This bottle will eventually be distributed throughout the U.S., but if you just can’t wait, it’ll be available at the Louisville distillery on Saturday, Sept. 14, as well as at the KBF that morning, too. Master Distiller Owen Martin will be at the festival as well, and I hear he’ll be doing a tasting of it on Friday. So if you’re interested, head to the AE booth and ask for details.

The Triple Oak bourbon is rich and nuanced, and I seem to taste something different every time I try it. (Full disclosure: I was given a media sample to review.) Sometimes I get milk chocolate and coffee, while other times I get a nice oak toast and cinnamon.

Booker’s Bourbon “The Reserves”

If you’re a fan of Booker’s, this release is like a “very special episode” of Booker’s. It blends bourbons that are 8-14 years old and will be released in smaller quantities because of the rare nature of these bourbons. The 2024 release spans eight production dates and eight different warehouses, and it is bottled at 125.9 proof.

I’d like to get a taste of this before I commit to buy, but deep down I know it’s going to be amazing — especially since I’ve never met a Booker I didn’t like. Hopefully I can taste it at KBF, where I’ll be stalking Freddie Noe for his country ham.

Little Book “The Infinite: Edition 1“

And speaking of Freddie Noe, he has a new Little Book release just in time for the KBF and National Bourbon Heritage Month: “The Infinite: Edition 1.” This is the first-ever brand extension from Little Book that features whiskey laid down by three generations of the Noe family: Booker, Fred and Freddie.

The whiskey ranges in age from 7-20 years old, and each is a Kentucky Straight Bourbon. It’s bottled at 119.3 proof. I haven’t tried this one yet either, but here are some details from the news release:

“Edition I: The bourbon distilled by Booker Noe lays the groundwork with notes of oak, char, and smoke. Fred Noe’s bourbon brings in rich flavors of dark fruit, cherry, and brown sweets. And it’s all rounded out with bourbon Freddie Noe made where caramel, vanilla, and spice notes really shine through. Perfectly balanced yet unlike anything made before.”

I’m hoping they’ll have both the Booker’s and Little Book at the KBF, but I don’t have confirmation. So we’ll just mosey on over there and pray for a miracle.

Other bottles to look out for …

Now that distilleries can sell bottles at the KBF, I’d say most of them will come with something special. My advice would be to head to your favorites as soon as you get in the gate and find out what they have. Heaven Hill always brings some great bourbons, as does Bardstown Bourbon Company, Green River and Lux Row.

Also, remember that the KBF has partnered with most of the distilleries involved and picked special single-barrel releases in honor of the festival. These will also be for sale at each distillery each day. So your chances of scoring a great bottle of bourbon are extremely high. Hopefully higher than the rain chances this weekend!

See you there!

The Kitchen Table façade — The Kitchen Table: Come as a friend, leave as family. | Photo by Sara Havens

For 18 long months, the James B. Beam Distilling Co. (aka Jim Beam Distillery) in Clermont, Ky., was closed to the public. The powers-that-be decided, in essence, that while the world dealt with the ensuing global pandemic, it would be best to shut down tours and renovate and expand the campus.

After all, this was part of Beam’s five-year expansion plan, which included constructing a new distillery (Fred B. Noe Craft Distillery); expanding and renovating the visitor center, which is now called The American Outpost; and adding a full-service restaurant and cocktail bar called The Kitchen Table; among other projects.

Turns out the Beam crew was quite productive in those 18 months, and now the distillery is open again for tours — as well as delicious meals and creative cocktails.

I recently visited The Kitchen Table as part of a media experience, and I can say — with all due respect to the other distilleries in Bourbon Country — that Beam has just one-upped every other distillery in Kentucky and beyond. The restaurant is not only approachable and welcoming, but it offers gorgeous views of the distillery grounds and spectacular cocktails that highlight each Beam brand — from Booker’s and Basil Hayden to Baker’s and Knob Creek.

The restaurant was inspired by the Noe family kitchen table, where generations of Beams have shared meals and, of course, lots bourbon! Beam partnered with QED Hospitality out of New Orleans on the project, and the food as well as the vibe of the place is Southern hospitality at its finest.

Here are a few things I was able to try, which are a great representation of the menu.

First Course

Jim Beam Highball — I love a refreshing highball, and this was top-notch!
Spiced Pork Rinds — Yum! Cajun-seasoned rinds were delish!
Venison Poppers — I don’t usually eat venison, but I did, and it was pretty tasty.
Pulled Pork Empanadas — One of my favorites of the day: The pulled pork was smoked on the premises.
Lamb Ribs — A savory treat, with fall-off-the-bone meat.

Second Course

Golden Hour — This cocktail was made with Basil Hayden, Aperol and fillet blanc, and it was light and crisp.
Hot Brown Pizza — Fun fact: The chefs use the same yeast for the pizza crust that is used in Jim Beam bourbon. This pizza is a best-seller so far.
Smoked Pork Pizza — My favorite pizza of the bunch!
Wild Mushroom Pizza — The smoked gouda on this one was a highlight.

Third Course

Smash — A cocktail made with Old Grand-Dad 114, lemon, mint and sugar. It was kind of hybrid of a mint julep and hot toddy, served cold over crushed ice.
Burger — Wow! This was my favorite of the day, a double-decker fried burger that tasted like a Frisch’s Big Boy back when Frisch’s used quality meat.
Smothered Catfish — I don’t usually eat fish, but I made myself try this because it looked like chicken tenders. It was pretty darn good! Fluffy and fried.
Smoked Trout — I hate to say it, but I passed on this dish because of, well, fish.

Dessert

Basil Hayden Caribbean Cask — A neat pour, tried and true.
Bourbon Balls — Can’t go wrong with these balls.
Spiced Apple — This as a treat: vanilla pudding with caramel, granola and baked apple pieces.
Chocolate Blackout Cake — Can I get a hell yeah!? This was my fav dessert because of the luscious hot fudge poured all over it, plus bourbon whipped cream and bourbon-soaked cherries.

As you can see, there’s a wide range of food here, and it’s all sourced locally (when possible). The table I sat at was patterned after a similar table in the Noe kitchen, and it’s reserved for VIPs, although you can request it when making reservations. Because everyone is a VIP at The Kitchen Table, right?! You better believe it.

And I also tried the Black Manhattan, which was made with Baker’s — one of my favorite Beam products.

Right now, The Kitchen Table is only open for lunch Wednesday through Sunday, and it’s recommended you just stop by and come on in. If you’re waiting for a tour or are killing time after a tour, it’s also recommended you sip on a cocktail or two from the oval-shaped center bar.

And lastly, I just love how the restaurant is all windows, showing the dazzling, serene sights of the distillery grounds. I could just sit there all day and look out onto the campus — as long as they kept my glass full, that is.

Here is a collection of photos from my experience. Enjoy!