In 2007, Kentucky Sen. Jim Bunning sponsored a bill to officially declare September as “National Bourbon Heritage Month,” and it was passed by unanimous consent. And so it is that we are now entering the 10th year of dedicating this month to celebrating – in moderation, of course – what is now fondly referred to as “America’s native spirit.”
There are plenty of reasons to spend an entire month celebrating the heritage of this special libation, which has acquired more than 200 years of history as a quality alcoholic indulgence unique to the United States (with particularly close ties to Kentucky), and there are also, of course, no shortage of ways to celebrate bourbon in the Bluegrass region. We’ve outlined a handful below, several of which you can read more about on the following pages.
• Join the Lexington Bourbon Society – read more about this laid back bourbon-themed social club. More Information
• Tour our local distilleries – central Kentucky boasts at least nine within a 45-minute drive of Lexington. (Click here to read more!)
• Host your own bourbon-tasting party. Pick up an assortment of airplane (mini) bottles or ask everyone to bring a bottle to share.
• If you want to go all out, host your own bourbon tasting dinner party with a professional bourbon educator. Like an in-home wine dinner with a sommelier, bourbon experts are available to educate and entertain your guests.
In celebration of National Bourbon Heritage Month, we’d like to introduce our Bourbon Master, Tim Knittel. Tim is a professional Kentucky bourbon educator with over nine years of experience. He is a former bourbon industry insider as the Culinary Center General Manager and Homeplace Host at the Woodford Reserve Distillery. He holds the title of Executive Bourbon Steward through the Stave & Thief Society which is currently the highest certification available for a bourbon education professional.
Tim has partnered with Destination Bluegrass with a variety of tasting opportunities. Check out our exclusive bourbon tasting packages. More Information