I’ve covered a lot of bourbon ground this year. I’ve met a lot of great people within the bourbon community and made a lot of awesome friends in the process. I decided to round out 2014 with a top ten list of my favorite stories along with an explanation of why I liked writing it. These probably won’t all be the highest read stories, but they are the ones that I had the most fun doing and/or learned the most from. So in no particular order, here are my top ten (or more) favorite bourbon stories of 2014:
1. The four part series I did early in the year on becoming a Citizen Bourbon Ambassador was as much a learning experience for me as it was a call to action for the bourbon loving citizens of Louisville. The more I dug into the bourbon culture, the more I knew I had to spread the word. We have something pretty awesome here and I’m happy I get to help spread the word about it. Click here for Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.
2. I get to go to a lot of awesome events so I can tell you all about them. I’ve met Jimmy Russell at the Legends Series at The Kentucky Derby Museum, I was invited to attend the first annual Knob Creek Campout where I met bourbon enthusiasts from over a dozen different states, I met both Jonathan Drew of my favorite cigar company, Drew Estate and Kyle Henderson from Angel’s Envy at Match Cigar Bar, I attended all three of The Whisky Chicks’ Kentucky Sampler events, and I got to hang out with Tom Fischer at Bourbons Bistro for Five Whiskeys Worth Stealing.
3. I got to be part of the media camp for the 2014 Bourbon Classic, which is waaay more awesome than it sounds. The Bourbon Classic itself was amazing, and I sincerely enjoyed the opportunity to meet so many great people from the bourbon community.
4. I recently was invited to tour Maker’s Mark Distillery and see all the renovations that are underway there. It has changed remarkably since the last time I was there, and I especially enjoyed finally seeing the Dale Chihuly installation in the rick house. I also had a wonderful time at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience over the summer when it was still fairly new. The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience is a great bourbon tourism asset to Louisville and I enjoy it more every time I go.
5. I finally managed to show up for and graduate from the Filson Bourbon Academy. This all-day course is held twice a year and is a great overview of the history of bourbon in Kentucky. I highly recommend attending the spring session if you haven’t yet.
6. People often ask me to recommend a bourbon, but the more I learn about bourbon the less I find that I know. I’m happy to share my knowledge, but know that it comes with a lot of caveats. I’m glad I’m able to share my thoughts with a wider audience.
7. I love making lists. Whether it’s Ten Ways Louisville Has Shaped Bourbon And Bourbon Has Shaped Louisville, Ten Reasons Louisville is Great for Bourbon Lovers, or ten ways Louisville is for Learning About Bourbon, I love putting together those lists to remind y’all what a great thing we have going here any time of the year. We even have such a robust bourbon culture that I can recommend the Top Ten Gifts for Bourbon Enthusiasts and Top Ten Bourbon Books for your Summer Reading List.
8. A lot of the time, though, I’m the one getting educated. I seize any and every opportunity I can to learn, like Touring Cave Hill’s Bourbon History with Michael Veach and learning about bourbon history at Haymarket Whiskey Bar.
9. Sometimes I get to be the expert and talk to people on a national level, as I did when I was interviewed for NPR’s All Things Considered. Then of course I bury that fact in my own recounting of the story Pappygate Update.
10. Then I get to end the year by telling everyone about the great bourbon tourism options for their out-of-town guests.
It takes a lot of hard work to bring these stories to you, but I really enjoy doing it. Thank you for reading. I hope to continue to bring you new and exciting bourbon stories into 2015. If you have any suggestions, tweet me @LouGirl502. Here’s wishing all my bourbon friends a safe and happy new year!
Photos Courtesy of Maggie Kimberl
