I finally had the opportunity to meet the fabulous Molly Wellmann when I attended Buffalo Trace’s Rye Cocktail Party last night. As I've said before, rye whiskey has made a serious comeback on the back of bourbon. As bourbon has gained popularity during the boom, bartenders and mixologists have been able to revive classic cocktails such as the Manhattan and the Old Fashioned. They've now turned to rye whiskey, which had been a staple in classic cocktails for decades.
To celebrate, Buffalo Trace invited legendary mixologist Molly Wellmann to mix up classic cocktails and host a cocktail party celebrating one of America’s oldest spirits. The evening began with tours of the rick house, bottling line and barrel receiving warehouse, led by the legendary Freddie. If you’ve never had a tour with Freddie you need to call and schedule one. His family has worked at the distillery for decades, so he’s highly knowledgeable about the history, but he’s also hilarious and full of amusing anecdotes. He’s one of my top five favorite people in the bourbon industry.
After the tours, we were taken to the Elmer T. Lee Clubhouse where Molly Wellmann served classic Sazerac cocktails. People mingled and ate fabulous appetizers and then Wellmann introduced chefs and mixologists from three bourbon-themed Kentucky restaurants- Distilled at Gratz Park Inn, Bour-Bon in Paris and Old Bourbon County Kitchen. Each restaurant offered a different small plate paired with a rye cocktail. The food was great and the cocktails were tasty and strong, and I got the chance to mingle with some old bourbon friends and make some new ones. At the end of the day bourbon is all about making new friends and having fun with old ones - Buffalo Trace clearly understands this. I highly recommend this event in the future.
Photos Courtesy of Maggie Kimberl
