Mixology is a blossoming sector of the spirits industry. I’ve had the pleasure of meeting many talented mixologists over the last year, but one I keep somehow missing is Molly Wellmann from Japp’s, Myrtle’s Punch House, Old KY Bourbon Bar. We’ve crossed paths many times over the last year and we have lots of friends in common, but somehow we still haven’t met. I hope to change that in the near future.
Wellmann is known far and wide for her signature and classic cocktails. She wrote a book called Handcrafted Cocktails: The Mixologist's Guide to Classic Drinks for Morning, Noon & Night [4] which contains recipes for all different types of cocktails, as well as recipes for house-made mixers such as bitters and simple syrups using unusual ingredients such as five-spice, eucalyptus, lavender, and rosemary.
It's mixologists like Wellmann, who have jumped into the bourbon boom and helped to give rye whiskey a huge comeback over the last few years. Rye whiskey is a spirit that, for decades, had all but disappeared. That is, until mixologists started to revive classic rye cocktails such as the Manhattan.
Friday night January 30, Buffalo Trace Distillery [5]will celebrate the resurgence of rye whiskey with a cocktail party hosted by Molly Wellmann. She will mix up cocktails using Sazerac Rye, Sazerac 18, Thomas Handy Rye, and E.H. Taylor Rye, all while teaching party-goers all about which foods to pair with them.
An optional tour starts at 6 pm, while the event itself starts at 7 pm and ends at 9 pm. Wellmann will also be selling and signing copies of her book at the event. Tickets are $60 each and can be purchased by contacting events@buffalotrace.com.
Photos Courtesy of Buffalo Trace