New bourbon tasting experience coming to the Kentucky Derby Museum this fall

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- A new bourbon experience is coming to the Kentucky Derby Museum this fall.

Following the success of the Kentucky Derby Museum's "Bourbon Legends" Series, the museum is offering three new bourbon tasting experiences beginning in September. All three events are hosted by Fred Minnick, "Bourbon Authority" for the Kentucky Derby Museum.

Katrina Helmer, Director of Communications for the museum, joined WDRB Mornings Thursday for a preview of the events and a look at one of the featured cocktails that you can make at home.

"So I brought The Bourbon Sidecar, which is really exciting," Helmer said. "This is a fun twist on it. Three simple ingredients: bourbon, and then you have your lemon juice and then you have your orange liqueur. So we're going to go ahead and mix it all up."

The Bourbon Sidecar featuring Peerless Bourbon will be featured at the first bourbon event set for Sept. 27. Corky Taylor, a fourth generation owner of Peerless, will be on hand "to chat with everyone through the tastings -- five different tastings and a full dinner. This is something really special that you can only do at the museum. When you to a distillery and you do a tasting, you're with a guide and that's it. This is an owner, so you really get the heritage and the history, which is what we're all about."

The events are set to happen from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sept. 27, Oct. 26, and Nov. 15. Participants will have access to all of the exhibits at the museum as well during each event.

The first event on Sept. 27 will let guests enjoy a special dinner with whiskey tastings, including Peerless Small Batch Rye, Peerless Double Oak Bourbon and Peerless High Rye.

The second event, on Oct. 26, features Hidden Barn's Master Blender Jackie Zykan. Zykan will lead guests through a palate sensitivity test followed by bourbon and food pairings and a discussion.

The final event of the series is Nov. 15, and features veteran-owned brands. Some of the featured whiskeys include MB Roland Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Horse Solider Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey and Four Branches Founder's Blend.

Tickets are $100 per event and $275 if purchased as a three-event package, good until Sept. 15. Veterans and Active Duty Military can receive a $25 discount for the Nov. 15 event. Use promo code VETERAN23 at checkout. To purchase, click here.

Also, veterans and active military get in free to the museum all day on Nov. 15.

For more information about the Bourbon and Bridles Events, click here.