Bourbon can be a daunting hobby to get into. Whiskey geeks have some pretty strong opinions at times, and it can sometimes make newcomers feel uncomfortable. What if you don’t taste ripe cherries or clove in your bourbon? Everyone tastes things differently, so you may not taste what everyone else tastes. That’s OK. But you still need to learn the technique and the vocabulary if you’re going to be able to figure out which bourbon you like and why.
Enter The Filson Historical Society. They have a great series of events called The Filson Bourbon Salon at Oxmoor Farm. In true historical salon fashion, it is a gathering of people in an intimate setting who discuss a set topic. The next Salon topic will be Tasting With The Professionals: The Brown-Forman Sensory Team.
Brown-Forman developed the Flavor Wheel that you may have seen already. It helps you to categorize the different characteristics of whatever whiskey you are trying as well as where those flavors may have come from.
At the Salon, you will learn how the professionals taste the whiskey for the purposes of creating and maintaining the brand’s flavor profile. According to the event page, “Have you ever wondered how professionals evaluate bourbon? Every brand of bourbon carries a different flavor: some oak, some smoky flavor, perhaps a hint of vanilla, and has between 50 and 100 unique chemical compounds. Join Mike Veach and the Brown-Forman sensory team at this month’s Bourbon Salon for an informative discussion on the sensory evaluation of bourbon. Chris Morris, Master Distiller at Brown-Forman, will be speaking along with Elizabeth O’Neill, apprentice taster. The sensory team is responsible for many special release bourbons, including Old Forester Birthday Bourbon and Woodford Masters Collection.”
The event will take place May 28 at 5:30. Tickets are $50 and are extremely limited. You can purchase tickets by clicking here.
Photos Courtesy of Woodford Reserve
