Sometimes as a bourbon writer I get tired of hearing about Pappy Van Winkle. All. The. Time. There are other bourbons out there, many just as good as Pappy. Don’t get me wrong, the Van Winkles along with Ed Foote have made some stellar juice over the years. But it’s time for all you bourbon lovers to branch out a bit.
That’s why I was so excited when I spoke to Tom Fischer from Bourbon Blog the other day about his latest event in Louisville: Five Whiskeys Worth Stealing. Fischer says he got the idea after Pappygate, when several cases of Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon were stolen from the warehouse. The amount of coverage the story received was astounding, and Fischer even did his own investigation into the matter.
“While I certainly don’t encourage theft, there are so many great bourbons available in Kentucky it may seem as though we’re getting away with a crime,” says Fischer. That’s why he decided to create this event at Bourbons Bistro in Clifton on April 8 from 7-9 p.m.
Tickets to this speakeasy-style event are $125, and that price includes appetizers and tastings of five hard-to-find non-Pappy whiskeys. The only way to RSVP is to text the word WHISKEY to (502) 208-8996.
On the tasting roster will be Jefferson’s Reserve Ocean II, Michter’s 20 Year Single Barrel Bourbon, Michter’s 25 Year Old Rye, Bourbons Bistro’s Four Roses Private Label, and a fifth whiskey so top secret that Fischer won’t even spill the beans to me about it.
I’ve had both the Michter’s 20 Year Single Barrel Bourbon and the Michter’s 25 Year Rye, and the Rye alone is worth the price of admission to this event. I love Four Roses Single Barrel, so the private label bourbon sounds like it could be a new favorite of mine. The Jefferson’s Reserve Ocean II is a world-traveler. I’ve heard a lot of mixed reviews about it, but I’m excited to have an opportunity to try it for myself.
There’s just something about going to a speakeasy with limited ticketing and drinking bourbon that’s not available anywhere else that poses a certain element of intrigue. Serious bourbon lovers should not miss this event.
Photos Courtesy of Tom Fischer and Bourbons Bistro's Facebook Page
