Kentucky Bourbon Affair –

2017 Bourbon Fantasy Camp Almost Sold Out

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE; JUNE 2, 2017

Louisville, Kentucky – There are big things coming to Louisville starting Tuesday, June 6^th …big BOURBON things to be exact. The Kentucky Bourbon Affair is a world-class event that features daily behind-the-scenes access to the nation’s most iconic distilleries, with elite dinners and events starring Louisville’s historic Bourbon culture and top-shelf culinary scene.

Golden Tickets for this year’s event are sold out, but there are plenty of ways to experience the Kentucky Bourbon Affair™ including the inaugural Higher Proof Expo. This Bourbon Day Camp is designed to delve deep into the history, techniques, science, and lore of Kentucky’s Bourbon culture. Guests will learn from masters of the industry including Fred Minnick, Dr. Pat Heist, Doug Kragel, Joyce Nethery, Corky Taylor, Chris Zaborowski and more.

The $99 one-day pass will provide access to sessions with detailed education on specific techniques about distillation, fermentation, aging, etc. with samples and sensory evaluations, unique tastings of sought-after products not yet on shelves, deeper explorations of brand history and development with tastings and firsthand experience and pop-up shops featuring the best of Louisville and Kentucky’s food, drink and retail.

This is also the 2^nd year that Louisville will be a host city for the world renowned Whisky Live. This is an international celebration of the world’s finest whiskies. Whisky Live has been in cities such as London, Tokyo, Sydney, Los Angeles, NYC and D.C., but it is coming back to Louisville for its second time ever.

Whisky Live Founder Dave Sweet said, “Coupled with the week-long celebration of the Kentucky Bourbon Affair, Whisky Live Louisville 2016 was our most successful first launch event ever with attendees from more than 20 states, coast-to-coast. This year there will be an ever greater array of Scotch, Irish and other international whiskies, alongside the best Bourbons that the industry has to offer.”

Other one-of-a-kind experiences that have available tickets include:

Jeptha Games

Jeptha Creed Distillery, 500 Gordon Lane, Shelbyville, KY (only 28 miles from Louisville!)

Wednesday, June 7^th | 6:30-9:30pm | $125

This is a first-time event that is sure to become a crowd favorite! Guests will have the chance to participate in three events, including axe throwing, archery and foot golf. Winners will receive a bottle of Bloody Butcher’s Creed Straight Bourbon Whiskey. After the games, everyone will join Master Distiller Joyce Nethery on a tour of her family’s distillery. Here, you will have a chance to bottle your own bottle of Bloody Butcher’s Creed Whiskey and take it home BEFORE it hits the shelves! Soon after the tour you’ll enjoy a Jeptha Feast (a twist on a Scottish Feast) and a Bourbon toast.

Bourbon Country’s Finest – Horses, Beer & Town Branch Bourbon

Saxony Farm, 469 Browns Mill Road, Lexington, KY | Alltech’s Brewing & Distilling Co., 475 Angliana Avenue, Lexington, KY (only an hour drive from Louisville!)

Thursday, June 8^th | 10:30am-3pm | $125

Participants will have the opportunity to take a complimentary bus from the Louisville Marriott East to Saxony Farm at 9:15am. Guests will arrive at the Saxony Farm for a tour of the facilities as well as up close interaction with thoroughbreds. Saxony is primarily a nursery for mares and foals but also specializes in boarding, racing sales and quarantine for thoroughbred horses. After the farm tour, a catered lunch with be provided onsite that has been created with an emphasis on Bourbon and cocktail pairings. Afterwards, guests will travel to Town Branch Distillery to receive a special tour and tasting led by Master Distiller Mark Coffman. The day will end with a chance to fill, cork and label you own bottle of Town Brach Single Barrel Bourbon.

Hometown Social with Four Roses & Wild Turkey

Downtown Lawrenceburg, KY (less than an hour drive from Louisville!)

Thursday, June 8^th | 6:30-10:30pm | $200

Participants will have the opportunity to take a complimentary bus from the Louisville Marriott East to Lawrenceburg at 5:30pm. Once you arrive, Al Young and Jimmy Russell will share the rich bourbon history of Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. Four Roses Master Distiller Brent Elliot and Wild Turkey Master Distiller Jimmy Russell will discuss the similarities and differences between their two distilleries. Guests will have the chance to sip some of their finest Bourbons, included Al Young’s 50^th Anniversary Limited Edition Small Batch and Master’s Keep Decades, as well as delicious Bourbon cocktails. There will be a sit-down Bourbon-inspired dinner set up down the center of Main Street. After dinner, you can learn about the art of hand rolling cigars from Lawrenceburg’s very own Kentucky Gentleman Cigar Company. The evening will end with dancing in the streets to live music provided by Hot Brown Smackdown.

Butchertown Social

Copper & Kings American Brandy Company., 1121 E Washington Street, Louisville, KY (in the Butchertown neighborhood)

Friday, June 9^th | 7pm-midnight | $50

Copper & Kings is a modern American Brandy distillery built by South Africans, Joe & Lesley Heron. During this unique event, guests will enjoy a traditional South African braai (BBQ) featuring legendart South African sausage – “boerewors” accompanied by a ”Tjop” (lamb chops) and a “dop” (delicious brandy cocktails), local craft beer, and music by Fela Booty. Joe will also interpret Seffrican accents for guests and there will be an opportunity to enjoy cigars around the fire pit. Distillery tours will be offered with a chance to meet distillers Brandon O’Daniel and Travis Thompson. Guests will end their tour on the Skydeck, enjoying views of downtown Louisville while drinking newly released Copper & King products.

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About the Kentucky Distillers Association (KDA)

The KDA is a non-profit trade association founded in 1880 to promote, protect and elevate Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Heritage members include Beam Suntory (Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark), Brown-Forman Corp. (Old Forester and Woodford Reserve), Diageo North America, Four Roses Distillery, Heaven Hill Brands, Michter’s Distillery and Wild Turkey Distillery. Proof members include the Louisville Distilling Company and Willett Distillery.

Craft members include Alltech’s Town Branch Distillery, Bardstown Bourbon Company, Barrel House Distilling Co., Bluegrass Distillers, Boone County Distilling Company, Boundary Oak Distillery, Casey Jones Distillery, Copper & Kings American Brandy Distillery, Corsair Artisan Distillery, Dueling Grounds Distillery, Hartfield & Co. Distillery, Jeptha Creed Distillery, Kentucky Artisan Distillery, Kentucky Mist Moonshine, Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co., Limestone Branch Distillery, MB Roland Distillery, New Riff Distillery, The Old Pogue Distillery, O.Z. Tyler Distillery, Second Sight Spirits, Wadelyn Ranch Distillery and Wilderness Trail Distillery. The Distilled Spirits Epicenter is the KDA’s official educational distillery.

Member benefits include media relations, international trade development, private sampling events, technical assistance, economic development support, networking, legal defense, marketing strategies, governmental and regulatory advocacy and innovative tourism experiences through the KDA’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® adventures. The KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving. For more information about joining the KDA’s distilling family, contact KDA President Eric Gregory at (502) 875-9351. Visit www.kybourbon.com and www.kybourbontrail.com to learn more.

KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL CRAFT TOUR®, KENTUCKY BOURBON AFFAIR™ and BOURBON TRAIL™ are trademarks/service marks of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. Please drink responsibly.