Here Are the Bourbon Classic Cocktail Challenge Winners

As I confessed on Sunday, I was too busy enjoying myself Friday evening to pay much attention to the competitive part of the event, but I recognize its importance.

In recent years, Louisville has come on strong as a great place for creative cuisine and cocktails, and in most cases the purveyors are heavy into bourbon. No event of which I'm aware has highlighted this better than last Friday's Bourbon Classic Cocktail Challenge.

In addition to producing a great event, the Bourbon Classic folks have introduced a new term: 'bourbon arts.' We can't all make bourbon, but if we exercise creativity in its service, we are practitioners of the 'bourbon arts.' Okay, why not?

So, here is the press release:

Bourbon Classic 2013, the new bourbon arts celebration that took place at the Kentucky Center for the Performing Arts this past weekend, brought together hundreds of enthusiasts from across the country to identify the best of bourbon cocktail and culinary pairings.

A packed Kentucky Center witnessed Jared Schubert’s “Dust Bowl Smash” take honors as the Grand Champion in the 2013 Bourbon Classic Cocktail Challenge. The Bourbon Classic’s Friday night “Cocktail Challenge” featured cocktails and hors d’oeuvre pairings prepared by teams of chefs and master bartenders.

Emcee Angie Fenton guided attendees through the event as they voted for their favorite small plate. Cocktails were judged by an expert panel including Celebrity Chef Edward Lee, 610 Magnolia, Joy Perrine, author of The Kentucky Bourbon Cocktail Book, and Noah Rothbaum, Editor-in-Chief, Liquor.com.

The following winners were recognized:

• 2013 Grand Champion: Jared Schubert of Monkey Wrench, representing Four Roses.
• 2013 Classic Cocktail Winner: Isaac Fox of Volare, representing Maker’s Mark, serving a “Vieux Carre” cocktail.
• 2013 Contemporary Cocktail Winner: Jared Schubert of Monkey Wrench representing Four Roses, serving a “Dust Bowl Smash.”
• 2013 People’s Choice Classic Small Plate: Anthony Lamas of Seviche, serving Tuna “Old Fashioned” Seviche, paired with Four Roses.
• 2013 People’s Choice Contemporary Small Plate: Shawn Ward of Jack Fry’s, serving Seared Scallop and Dried Citrus with Edamame Puree, paired with Michter’s.

The event represented some of the bourbon industry’s most well-known brands, which signed up as founding sponsors. The Urban Bourbon Trail is the welcoming sponsor of this event and Kentucky Proud is the Culinary Sponsor, joining Buffalo Trace Distillery, Four Roses Bourbon, Michter’s Distillery, Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc., Jim Beam, Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company, Maker’s Mark, Blanton’s, Sullivan University National Center for Hospitality Studies, Angel’s Envy, Bulleit Bourbon, Jefferson’s Bourbon, Nestle Waters, Spirits on Ice, LLC, Wildcat Water, Willett Distillery, Art Eatables, Corsair Distillery, Limestone Branch Distillery and Neil Sulier Art.

The Bourbon Classic was co-founded by Tony Butler of FSA Management Group, an established event planning company based in Louisville, and Justin Thompson and Seth Thompson of The Bourbon Review.

“Congratulations to all these winners, who helped make the event such a huge success,” says Tony Butler, co-founder of the Bourbon Classic. “Like Bourbon Classic, these winners help tell the story of Bourbon—and showcase all the talent that drives the industry forward.”

“Bourbon Classic’s Friday night event brought together nationally known chefs, bartenders and distillers which is believed to be the first attempt at having this many stars of the Bourbon Arts working together at the same event,” says Justin Thompson, co-founder of the Bourbon Classic.