New Orleans Bourbon Festival – It’s About Damn Time.

Edited to include the Legends of Bourbon seminar. 

There’s always something to do here in New Orleans. Every weekend there’s a festival in the area, whether it be the Jazz & Heritage Festival, Oyster Festival, or Shrimp & Petroleum Festival (yes, that’s a thing). But no bourbon or whiskey festival. Sure, there’s Tales of the Cocktail, but it covers all spirits and focuses on cocktails. New Orleans is a major bourbon market, and has been pretty much since the beginning. Remember that story of barrels of white whiskey being floated down the Mississippi River to New Orleans from Kentucky and picking up color and flavor along the way? Even bourbon historian Michael Veach said bourbon is named after Bourbon Street. Sazerac Company is based down here. You get the picture. We’ve been overlooked when it comes to a bourbon or whiskey festival.

Until now.

The recently announced New Orleans Bourbon Festival kicks off it’s inaugural year March 24th, 25th & 26th with three days of events planned. I recently had the chance to talk to the festival organizers, and after about three hours of chatting and a lot of whiskey, I came out excited and optimistic about their first outing. Here’s a look at some of what they have planned:

GRAND TASTINGS

There will be a big whisky tasting both Friday and Saturday night at the Sugar Mill. Ultimate VIP and VIP ticket holders get early access (and some “off menu” whiskies and possibly a unicorn or two). For all others, the Grand Tasting runs from 7:30 to 10:30. As of the writing of this post, the following brands are confirmed to show:

Diageo (Bulleit, IW Harper, Blade & Bow), Jim Beam, Virgil Kaine, Sazerac (Sazerac Rye, Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare), Brown Forman (Cooper’s Craft, Old Forester, Woodford Reserve) Wild Turkey, Heaven Hill, Jefferson’s, Calumet Farms, and Limestone Branch.  

There are currently more than 50 different whiskies confirmed to show, but organizers are expecting 20 – 25 more to sign up soon.

SEMINARS

Saturday is filled with whiskey-related seminars. It’s not all sitting and listening to great speakers – many of these seminars include their own whiskey tasting. In terms of speakers, some very notable names are showing up and imparting some knowledge. Among the many speakers are Chuck Cowdery, Michael Veach, Bernie Lubbers and Peggy Noe Stevens.  A full updated list of all speakers and seminars can be found here.

The big one… at least the one I’m looking forward to most, is the Legends of Bourbon Seminar featuring two distilling legends: Fred Noe and Jimmy Russell.  I can’t begin to imagine the stories they’ll tell!

BOURBON DINNERS

Borrowing a page from Tales of the Cocktail’s Spirited Dinners, the New Orleans Bourbon Festival is organizing bourbon dinners at various New Orleans restaurants the night before the festival officially kicks off, Thursday, March 23rd. Heaven Hill is sponsoring a dinner at Kenton’s Restaurant, while Jim Beam is taking over the Foundation Room at the House of Blues. Jefferson’s Trey Zoeller will host a dinner at Salon by Sucre.  Festival organizers plan to announce a few more bourbon dinners as soon as they’re confirmed.

BOURBON JUDGING

On Friday, March 24th, there’s a bourbon judging event for Ultimate VIP ticket holders. Participants will blindly judge different bourbon and rye whiskies, awarding the top prizes during a Sunday brunch.  There aren’t a lot of availabilities for this event, so you’d better sign up quickly if you’re interested.

On paper, it looks like it will be a couple of great days for whiskey geeks and newbies alike.  Also, keep this in mind – at least 25% of the net profits from the festival will go directly to the St. Michael Special School, an organization very close to festival organizers.  Giving to charity earns them a great mark in my book.  

I do wish the festival great success, as it can only grow bigger and better in the future.  I’ll be attending, and hope to see you there.  I plan to update this post weekly, as news is announced.  You can also go straight to the source: neworleansbourbonfestival.com

Redemption Rye Whiskey Review

A year after Deutsch Family Wine & Spirits acquired Redemption Whiskey, the brand has seen a new bottle and label design.  Gone is that tall bottle, replaced by a more traditional whiskey bottle.  It sort of looks similar to the Bulleit bottle.  Looks good, but what about the more important matter – the whiskey?  

Redemption Rye is sourced from MGP in Indiana, using their 95% rye / 5% barley mash bill.  Rye whiskey drinkers will recognize this mash bill.  It’s the same one used for Bulleit Rye, Dickel Rye, and many others.  Don’t roll your eyes yet.  Proof, age, and other factors provide some differences between the brands using the same mash bill.  Redemption Rye is bottled at 92 proof.

Look at the label closely and you’ll notice it’s not a straight rye whiskey.  That’s because on the back it states the whiskey is aged no less than one year.  Press materials mention the average age being 2.5 years.  So it’s a young whiskey.  Nothing wrong with that.

As the young age implies, this is a grain-forward whiskey.  The nose is young and vibrant, giving a sharp rye grain note, Juicy Fruit gum, allspice and vanilla.  Taste-wise, the sharp grain is tempered by a little toffee sweetness.  A little airtime reveals some fruitiness along with grain spice and a hint of vanilla and dill.  The medium finish is sweet and a touch spicy.  

Not bad for a young rye, but my personal preference lends to rye whiskies a bit more mature.  I’d recommend this one more as a mixer than a sipper (makes a great Manhattan).  But at an SRP of $29.99, it’s a bit pricey for a mixer.  7/10

Redemptionwhiskey.com

Thanks to Redemption Whiskey for the sample!  As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

A Couple of Burns Night Laphroaig Cocktails

Every January 25th, folks around the world (okay, mainly in Scotland) celebrate the great poet Robert Burns’ birthday with a big haggis and whisky dinner.  I’ve never had haggis, but would love to try it.  At this point it may be a goal for next year’s Burns Night.   This year, my celebration will be very small.  I’ll be making Scotch Eggs and the Ode To Whisky (Sour) cocktail (see below).

Our friends at Laphroaig shared a couple of cocktail ideas inspired by Burns Night.  In addition, they’ve also provided a neat infographic to help with your Burns Night planning.

Caitie McCabe Photography

Tam O’Shanter
By NYC mixologist Andrey Kalinin

Ingredients
1 1/2 parts Laphroaig® Select Scotch Whisky
1/2 part Drambuie® Liqueur
1 part Bordeaux Red Wine
3 dashes Orange Bitters
Orange Peel (for garnish)

Method
1. Add all ingredients together in a mixing glass and stir.
2. Strain into a chilled coupe or martini glass (served up).
3. Garnish with a flamed orange twist.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

Caitie McCabe Photography
Ode to Whisky [Sour]
By NYC mixologist Andrey Kalinin
 
Ingredients
2 parts Laphroaig® Select Scotch Whisky
3/4 part Lemon Juice
3/4 part Heather Honey Syrup
3 dashes Cardamom Bitters
1 Egg White
Fresh Cardamom (for garnish)

Method
1. Combine all the ingredients in a cocktail shaker.
2. Dry shake (if using egg white).
3. Add ice and shake vigorously.
4. Pour into a coupe or martini glass (served up).
5. Garnish with cardamom flakes.

All trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

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