I Tried Every Cocktail at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival
Along the way, we hit a few unexpected twists: accidentally wandering into an allocated bourbon tasting, and navigating everything from meticulously batched cocktails to a full “choose your own adventure” bar where you could build your cocktail from the ground up.
Lines at the Kentucky Bourbon Festival have become part of the experience. Usually, folks queue up to snag a taste of a rare release. But outside the Barrell Craft Spirits tent, the crowd wasn’t chasing a special pour; they were eager to snag a sip of something far more refreshing. That’s right, y’all, it was a cocktail.
Cocktails were one of the biggest trends at this year’s KBF. We pride ourselves on bringing you the most honest content in bourbon, and the only way to do that is through hands-on research. Our mission was simple: sample and rate cocktails from every major distillery. And for Old Fashioneds, we had to take a more exacting approach: remember the time we tried to order an old-fashioned at The Club at ATL?
Along the way, we hit a few unexpected twists: accidentally wandering into an allocated bourbon tasting (free Old Rip 10, yes, please!), and navigating everything from meticulously batched cocktails to a full “choose your own adventure” bar where you could build your own cocktail.
Join us as we explore all the creative, surprising, and palate-cleansing ways bourbon brands brought their cocktail game to life at last year’s KBF.