Betting on Bulleit

One of the best places to live as a bourbon lover is Louisville, Kentucky. With so many distilleries in town or less than an hour drive away, there is definitely no shortage of this whiskey in my hometown. Aside from the distilleries, one of my favorite places to visit to learn about bourbon and the whiskey industry is the Frazier Historical Museum. Located downtown, the museum calls itself the “official starting point of the Bourbon Trail”. Their entire 3rd floor is an exhibit dedicated to the history and craft of bourbon making entitled “The Spirit of Kentucky”. It is an interactive exhibit that showcases so many amazing aspects about the ingredients, distillation, and history of bourbon. The museum also hosts frequent after-hours events where they partner with distilleries and people in the industry to offer special experiences for people. I had the pleasure of attending one of those special events last week and I wanted to share the experience with you.

The event in question was called “Bourbon & Bites with Bulleit and Blade & Bow”. Now, alliteration aside, that is a mouthful. We were welcomed with a specialty cocktail called a Scofflaw which contained Bulleit’s rye whiskey. One of my favorite things about these after hours events is that the doors to the museum open 30 minutes prior to the event, so guests are able to explore the exhibits before entering the venue itself. So we wandered for a few minutes, taking in the newest exhibit on “Kentucky Rivalries” we were ushered upstairs to that third floor exhibit I mentioned earlier. Woven through out the exhibit were tables set up with various drinks or small bites to consume.

We were first ushered to a bar area where everyone was given the choice between a neat pour of Bulleit’s Rye Whiskey, Straight Bourbon, or their 10-year aged Bourbon. I chose the 10-year, which was smooth going down but had a hint of spice in the finish. Bulleit has always had a “pepper” flavor to me. Spread across the bar to the right of this bartender were several items that the guests were encouraged to take for themselves as well. Grabbing a drawstring bag, we quickly shuffled through Bulleit branded merchandise including ice molds, t shirts and bar towels.

We grabbed a bite to eat from Pig Beach BBQ, a small slider with bbq pork, onions and what appeared to be peppers perhaps? Whatever they were, it was delicious and we quickly consumed the sandwiches while waiting in line for the main star of the night: the Bulleit 17-year-aged bourbon. This bourbon was a single barrel bottle, specially chosen for this Frazier event. What also made it special was that there would be a lottery later in the night for the opportunity to purchase a bottle for yourself. The barrel picked would fill less than 100 bottles so getting your name drawn to be able to purchase a limited-edition item was a big deal. Once I got my pour and tasted the special 17-year whiskey I knew that if I was lucky enough to have my name drawn in the lottery, I would rush to buy a bottle. The bourbon was smooth, with an almost leather taste to it. There was still that spice at the end, leaving its mark as always, but the flavor overall had a heavy oak influence and made me feel like I had been transported back to an old timey western saloon.

Exploring the exhibit a bit more as we slowly indulged in the 17-year-old bourbon, we stopped in the “hall of bourbon” which is a short hallway lined with multiples shelves and dozens of bourbons on display. The goal is to count how many of the bourbons on display you have had as a challenge to each other to see who’s tried more. However tonight this hallway led to something else.

A hidden door, when closed blends into the shelves of whiskey and goes unnoticed, has been propped open. We step inside to discover the remnants of an old exhibit that explored the city’s impact during the Prohibition era. A wax statue of Al Capone sits in a booth in the corner and an empty stage beckons passerby to indulge in their Gatsby-esque fantasies. Between these two sets, against the back wall, lies a wooden bar. While normally empty, for this event there is a special set up with decadent chocolates. As the bartender pours a sample of bourbon, she explains to us that Art Eatables makes truffles mixed with popular bourbons and the specific truffle we would be trying contained Blade & Bow, the very same whiskey we would be drinking alongside it. Whiskey and chocolate, what a perfect combination.

But now on to the most important part, the lottery. Did our name get pulled? Were we able to buy a bottle? After 2 of the 3 rounds had passed, I felt my luck running out. I had resigned that we would leave after the lottery as I did not want to try to rush back and hope that there were remaining bottles left for sale. Round three began and with each name I clapped politely and waited for them to announce the end. 24 names read off one by one until the announcer proclaimed that he held the final name in the lottery. Even though I did not have high hopes, I could not stop myself from feeling that little tug of yearning inside me as I waited, unintentionally holding my breath. They called my name! I must’ve have hollered much louder than intended because we made the announcer laugh loudly. I didn’t care though, I grabbed my things and rushed back to the table where winners were queued to purchase a bottle. I left that night feeling ecstatic, cradling my newest addition to my collection in my arms. It was a fulfilling event and I left with my hopes (and my stomach) filled.