NEW ORLEANS – Bourbon lovers will come together to celebrate at the inaugural New Orleans Bourbon Festival from Friday, March 24 – Sunday, March 26, at The Sugar Mill, 1021 Convention Center Blvd., and the New Orleans Downtown Marriot at the Convention Center, 859 Convention Center Blvd.
Food, spirit and culture will converge at a marketplace featuring an array of Bourbon-centric products; two grand tasting events from the world’s finest distilleries; live panels with some of the greatest names in the bourbon industry, and a bourbon jazz brunch.
Central to this year’s kick-off event is attention on “Women in Bourbon,” one of the fastest growing segments in the industry.
A portion of the festival proceeds will benefit St. Michael Special School – an educational facility that teaches students ages six through adulthood with special needs.
Scheduled events include:
• Pre-Festival Dinner – Thursday, March 23
The Legends of Bourbon Series will feature five exclusive four-course pairing dinners at top local restaurants. Organizers said dinners will be hosted by the best Master Distillers in the country: Fred Booker Noe III of Jim Beam at The Foundation Room at The House of Blues; Eddie Russell of Wild Turkey and Russell’s Reserve at The Bourbon House; Trey Zoeller of Jefferson’s Bourbon at Salon by Sucre; Diageo Brands at Morton's Steakhouse; Sazarac at Cochon; and Heaven Hill at Kenton’s.
Dinners are $130 per person, all inclusive, and feature bourbon pairings with each course, as well as an amuse bouche and welcome cocktail. Guests of the Jim Beam, Jefferson’s Bourbon and Wild Turkey dinners will receive a complimentary signed bottle of bourbon.
• Grand Tastings – Friday, March 24, Saturday, March 25
Festivalgoers and bourbon aficionados can roam about a marketplace adorned with Bourbon-centric products; taste the finest bourbon in the world; and nosh on New Orleans best bites by 20 local restaurants while enjoying live entertainment provided by local jazz pianist Matt Lemmler.
The events take place at The Sugar Mill from 7:30 p.m. – 10:30 p.m. VIP doors open at 6:30 p.m.
Participating restaurants include:
• Cochon
• Congreso Cubano
• The Creole Creamery
• Galatoire’s
• Kenton’s
• Maypop
• Morton’s Steakhouse
• Old School Eats
• Primitivo
• Salon by Sucre
Bourbon offerings includes:
• 1792 Port Finished
• 1792 Single Barrel
• 1792 Small Batch
• 1792 Sweet Wheat
• Baker's
• Basil Hayden's
• Bird Dog 10 Year
• Bird Dog Small Batch
• Blade and Bow
• Booker's
• Boone County Eighteen 33
• Breckenridge
• Buffalo Trace
• Bulleit
• Bulleit 10 Year
• Bulleit Rye
• Calumet
• Clyde Mays 5 Year
• Clyde Mays 6 Year
• Clyde Mays Special Reserve
• Cooper's Craft
• Devil's Cut
• Eagle Rare
• Elijah Craig Barrel Proof
• Elijah Craig Small Batch
• Evan Williams 1783
• Evan Williams Bottled-In-Bond
• Evan Williams Single Barrel
• Four Roses
• Henry McKenna Single Barrel
• Herman Marshall
• Herman Marshall Rye
• High West
• High West American Prairie
• High West Double Rye
• High West Rendezvous
• Rye Hudson Baby
• Hudson Four Grain
• Hudson Manhattan Rye
• Hudson Maple Cask Rye
• IW Harper
• Jack Daniels Single Barrel Rye
• Jefferson's
• Jim Beam
• Knob Creek
• Lexington
• Maker's 46
• Maker's Mark
• Minor Case Rye
• Old Forester 1870
• Old Forester 1897
• Old Forester 1920
• Old Forrester Classic 86
• Old Forester Mint Julep
• Old Granddad
• Old Overholt Rye
• Pikesville Rye
• ri1 Rye
• Rittenhouse Rye
• Russel's Reserve
• Russel's Reserve Rye
• Russel's Reserve Single Barrel
• Rye
• Sazerac Rye
• Templeton Rye 6 Year
• Templeton Rye 10 Year
• Virgil Kaine Ashcat Blended
• Virgil Kaine Ginger-Infused
• Virgil Kaine High-Rye
• Virgil Kaine Rye
• Wild Turkey
• Wild Turkey 101 Rye
• Wild Turkey Decades
• Wild Turkey Forgiven
• Wild Turkey Kentucky Spirit
• Wild Turkey Rare Breed
• Wild Turkey Rye
• Woodford Reserve
• Woodford Reserve Double Oaked
• Woodford Reserve Rye
• Yellowstone Limited Edition
• Yellowstone Select
• Live Panels – Saturday, March 25
Live panels will be held all day at the Marriott Convention Center, starting at 9:00 a.m., with top speakers including Trey Zoeller, Founder of Jefferson’s Bourbon; Fred Booker Noe III of Jim Beam and Eddie Russell of Wild Turkey Distillery. The featured “Women in Bourbon” panel will bring out some of the industry’s most recognized females including Carla Carlton – The Bourbon Babe; Susan Reigler – author, professor and executive bourbon steward; and Peggy Noe Stevens, master taster, author and brand strategist.
View a full list of available seminars here
• Awards Brunch – Sunday, March 26
Beginning at 11:30 a.m., at the Marriott Convention Center, the celebratory brunch will announce winners of the bourbon tasting and will feature craft cocktails, culinary delights and live music from the New Orleans Jazz Revival Band.
Tickets range from $59 – $490 for Ultimate VIP passes.