Kentucky is the largest bourbon producing state in the country, with a rich history and reputation for producing fine bourbons throughout the years. But which era could be classified as the greatest when it comes to what Congress declared the “distinctive product of the United States?” Mike Veach will talk about the history of bourbon distilling, from the humble beginnings of the farmer distiller to the era of the bourbon baron, in order to determine which period could be considered “The Golden Age of Bourbon.”

Michael R. Veach is an associate curator of Special Collections at The Filson and the author of Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey: An American Heritage. He is a bourbon historian and a member of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame.