We had the pleasure of attending Bourbon Classic 2025 in Lousiville, KY as Blue Run Spirit’s guests. During this weekend we were also invited to attend their Media Day at Justin’s House of Bourbon. There, attendees had the opportunity to taste a preview of their now released Flight III series.

In the previous two posts I described our visit to Southern Distilling Co. in Statesville, North Carolina for their "Honey of a Holiday" event where they released their Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Honey Barrels. After that event, we had the pleasure of meeting the founders, Pete and Vienna, to learn more about the company. Then to top it all off, we had opportunity of experiencing a guided tasting with Pete himself.

In the previous post I mentioned we visited Southern Distilling Co. in Statesville, North Carolina on December 14, 2024 for their "Honey of a Holiday" event where they released their much awaited Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Honey Barrels. After the event, we had the pleasure of meeting the founders, Pete and Vienna, to learn more about the company. They took a small group through a behind-the-scenes look at their distilling process, from grain to glass. From the mashing and fermentation system, to the stills, and even to exploring the barrel aging warehouse, everyone left with a greater understanding of their end to end process.

On December 14, 2024 Southern Distilling in Statesville, North Carolina welcomed people from near and far for their "Honey of a Holiday" event where they released their much awaited Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Honey Barrels, which took place from 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. EST. We even drove about 2.5 hours to attend and purchase this much anticipated release.

We had the pleasure of attending Black Bourbon Run 5 this year, and couldn’t help but do a little bourbon hunting at distilleries while in Kentucky! Black Bourbon Run (BBR) is an annual curated experience hosted by Paul Holmes with the intent to foster diversity and inclusion on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Bourbon Boule 2023, hosted by the Black Bourbon Society, brought together bourbon enthusiasts from near and far for a weekend filled with unique experiences and celebrations of bourbon culture. The event, held over the Labor Day weekend, featured a diverse range of activities designed to delight attendees and deepen their appreciation for the beloved spirit.

During Black Bourbon Run 4 (BBR4) Paul Holmes planned an epic Bottle Share. The night was filled with the clinking of glasses, laughter, and an abundance of whiskey to choose from. As bottles of bourbon and whiskey quickly filled up the table, everyone was able to enjoy bottles they may have never seen before, or even finally getting the chance to finally try that long sought after pour that has eluded them.

Paul, one of the founders of Black Bourbon Run, initiated the idea of a Blue Run Barrel Selection with Trey Wade during BBR4. Instead of your typical handful of select people, everyone was included. Yes, almost fifty whiskey aficionados convened for a remarkable barrel selection event lead by none other than Trey Wade of Blue Run Spirits in Louisville, KY during Black Bourbon Run 4.

Founded in Loretto, Kentucky in 1953, Maker's Mark Distillery holds a rich history deeply rooted in bourbon craftsmanship. The distillery was established by Bill Samuels Sr., who sought to create a bourbon that would stand out from the traditional harsh whiskies of the time. With a focus on quality and consistency, he crafted a new recipe using red winter wheat instead of rye, giving the bourbon its signature smoothness.

Several bourbon enthusiasts had the pleasure of visiting Watch Hill Proper in Kentucky during Bourbon Boule 2023 hosted by the Black Bourbon Society over Labor Day Weekend. With an impressive collection of over 1,600 unique bottles of American whiskey, this Louisville Bourbon Bar & Kitchen has certainly raised the bar high in terms of whiskey offerings. They even had non-alcoholic cocktails that I was able to enjoy! Not to mention, the venue itself is a sight to behold.