Calling all bourbon lovers! Garden & Gun Magazine is offering what they describe as a “once in a lifetime” trip to Kentucky to experience the birthplace of bourbon.
G&G Distilled is a week of Garden & Gun-curated events that showcase the incredible food, people, music and spirit of Kentucky. The week-long experience is a partnership between Team Kentucky, Bullitt County Tourism, Louisville Tourism, Oldham County Tourism, Visit Bardstown, Visit Lex and Heaven’s Door Distillery.
“This exclusive Garden & Gun event promises an unparalleled Kentucky experience,” says Christian Bryant, vice president and publisher of G&G. “Guests joining us in Bourbon Country will encounter the finest bourbons and have the opportunity to engage with Kentucky’s luminaries of music, culinary arts, fine craftsmanship, and the distinctive personalities who define the state. Our sincere appreciation extends to the State of Kentucky, and we eagerly anticipate reuniting with all our friends in April.”
The event kicks-off April 23, 2024 and offers unparalleled access to the birthplace of bourbon, bringing together featured talent from distillers to chefs, musicians and more. Here’s the schedule for the week:
April 23: Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Shively, Kentucky at 6:00pm
Enjoy Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey cocktails and live music from Brother Smith and The Local Honeys while shopping curated goods from Kentucky makers.
April 24: Jim Beam Distillery in Clermont, Kentucky at 4:30pm
Join seventh and eighth generation master distillers Fred and Freddie Noe, who will share their insight on rare bourbons and unreleased spirits. After an intimate distillery tour and wax-dipping a commemorative bottle, guests will embark up the hill to the private Knob Creek House for a Beam family barbecue with live music, and, of course, more bourbon.
April 25: Yew Dell Botanical Gardens in Crestwood, Kentucky at 11:00am
Join female chefs Ouita Michel, owner of Honeywood restaurant; Sam Fore, owner of Tuk Tuk Snack Shop; and Sara Bradley, owner of freight house, alongside bourbon pairings thoughtfully selected by the leading female voices in spirits, including Marianne Eaves of Forbidden Bourbon and bespoke bar provisions from Van Winkle family scions, Carrie Van Winkle Greener and Louise Van Winkle Breen, sisters and owners of Pappy & Company.
April 25: Castle & Key Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky at 5:30pm
Join co-hosts Will Arvin, Castle & Key owner, and Jon Carloftis, designer of Castle & Key’s award-winning gardens, for a tour of the distillery grounds, including Warehouse B, the longest bourbon rickhouse in the world. Guests will have the opportunity to enjoy cocktails in the Sunken Garden, followed by an immersive dinner in the Old Bottling Ruins, allowing them to experience Castle & Key as it once was—abandoned and overgrown for nearly half a century. Featuring a menu curated by Lexington’s lauded proprietor of The Apiary, Cooper Vaughn, the meal will showcase flavors from the grounds of Castle & Key, including herbs from the gin garden and bourbon cocktail pairings.
April 26: Keeneland in Lexington, Kentucky at 6:00am-2:00pm and 5:00pm-7:00pm
Rise at dawn for trackside coffee while watching the horses work, then enjoy breakfast in the world-famous Track Kitchen alongside jockeys, owners, and trainers. Following an intimate, behind-the-scenes tour of Keeneland, guests will enjoy lunch and an afternoon of thoroughbred racing in the Keeneland Clubhouse. Watch a race from the Winner’s Circle with Shannon Arvin, president and CEO of Keeneland, and commemorate the day with a photograph taken by Keeneland’s track photographer. Celebrate with a bourbon toast led by Rob Samuels, managing director of Maker’s Mark. All guests in attendance will receive a customized commemorative bottle. After a mid-afternoon break, the group will return to attend the legendary Horses of Racing Age Sale, where they’ll have the opportunity to meet a bloodstock agent who will share the ins and outs of buying into a racing syndicate or purchasing a horse from the Keeneland Sale. To cap it all off, we’ll end the day in the Northern Dancer Bar with a celebratory toast led by Julian Van Winkle III of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery.
April 26: The Last Refuge in Louisville, Kentucky at 6:30pm
Visit Louisville’s newest bourbon bar and music venue, The Last Refuge, to celebrate the creative spirit of American whiskey producer Heaven’s Door Whiskey. Take in the musical stylings of Sofar Sounds artists Matt Myers, Carly Johnson, Scott T. Smith, and Ellie Ruth, as they pay homage to the distillery’s legendary co-founder, Bob Dylan, by pairing performances with specialty cocktails and a coursed dinner, all within the nave of a former church sanctuary.
April 27: Bardstown, Kentucky at 6:00pm
Experience Bardstown like a local at four simultaneous, intimate dinners in four private homes of Kentucky tastemakers. Each supper features a noted Kentucky chef partnered with a select Bardstown distillery, who will present a unique, coursed dinner menu accompanied by bourbon cocktails and tastings. After dinner, the groups will come together for an afterparty at Bardstown Bourbon Company for dessert, live music, and more bourbon.
LOCATIONS:
Suppers: Chef Newman Miller of Mr. Tubs + Heaven Hill Distillery
Chef Nokee Bucayu of KANIN + Preservation Distillery
Chef Andrew McCabe of bar Vetti + Lux Row Distillers
Chef Matt Johnson + Chef Andy Myers of Decade + Log Still Distillery
April 28: Gardencourt in Louisville, Kentucky at 12:00pm
Gather at the historic Gardencourt grounds to honor the creative spirit of Kentucky. Guests will immerse themselves in a visual installation by the Speed Art Museum and then select their favorite spirit from a library of Louisville bourbons. Adjourning to the garden, guests will gather for a plein air luncheon prepared by chef Edward Lee, owner of Magnolia 610 and Nami, along with a live musical performance.
Each event is unique to its location and showcases the one-of-a-kind aspects of Kentucky with the most exclusive and elevated details that can’t be replicated.
“Kentucky is long past being a hidden gem of the south, it’s a must-visit, bucket-list destination,” says Stacey Yates, chief marketing officer of Louisville Tourism. “Like Napa Valley is to wine, Kentucky’s Bourbon Country is the homeplace and epicenter of America’s native spirit. We’re grateful for the community collaboration, and of course to Garden & Gun for their thoughtful direction in planning such immersive event experiences for our visitors.”
Tickets for G&G Distilled events are on-sale now and range from $85-$2,500 a la carte. A VIP ticket package is available and includes tickets to all eight events plus additional access starting at $6,500. To purchase tickets and view a detailed list of events, featured talent and travel accommodations, visit www.gardenandgun.com/distilled.
