This Is ... Interesting

 

The "updated" Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame® award.

I was inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame (KBHOF) in 2009. It's a nice honor. It came with a replica copper still, with my name on it, and a personalised lapel pin. That's pretty much it. There is no actual, physical hall. A list of all members, not yet updated for 2023, is here. 

For all intents and purposes, those two pages are the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame.

Current, living members of the KBHOF have no role in the selection of prospective members or, well, anything. The KBHOF is run by the Kentucky Distillers Association (KDA), which apparently also owns the registered trademark for it. The only on-going perk of membership was the annual induction luncheon during the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, but now hall members are expected to buy tickets for that like everyone else. The invitation included a free glass. At least, I think it was free.

Then this arrived today:

"Greetings Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame® Members - 

"As you may be aware, in 2022 the Hall of Fame Selection Committee and Kentucky Distillers’ Association [KDA] took the initiative to update the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame® award. The KDA commissioned glassblowing artist Brook Forrest White, Jr. of Flame Run in Louisville to design and craft a unique and contemporary award that incorporates Bourbon-inspired motifs such as amber colors, oak, Copper and water. The limestone award based has been crafted by JoEl E. Ford, owner of Kentucky Cut Stone, located in Lancaster, to symbolize the natural-cut limestone so valuable to the Bourbon industry. The award rounds-out with a Copper name plate that includes the recipient’s name, industry award and Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame® logo. For your reference, see image below/attached.

"The KDA has been reached by several Hall of Fame members requesting the opportunity to purchase this new award style. 

"If you are interested in ordering a new Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame® award, reach (NAME AND EMAIL ADDRESS REDACTED). Please note you will be invoiced for $1,000 to cover the cost of the award. You will be notified when your award is ready and available for pick-up at Kentucky Distillers’ Association headquarters in Frankfort, KY – we are unable to ship the awards. Orders will be accepted until, Friday, October 6th. Production will take approximately 6 weeks."

Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame Class of
2009, with the original awards.

I redacted the name of the contact person at KDA, who can hardly be blamed for this, but who perhaps bears responsibility for the grammatical lapses and weird capitalization in the email. 

I have been persona non grata with the KDA for about a decade, ever since I posted this and this, and probably a few other things. All constructive criticism, of course.

Needless to say, my check for $1,000 is not in the mail.