New Orleans Bourbon Festival 2024

This year the New Orleans Bourbon Festival was bigger than ever. It is one of my favorite Bourbon Festivals because they put an emphasis on educating Bourbon drinkers. There were loads of very good speakers on Friday and Saturday. There were the Grand Tasting events on Friday and Saturday evenings that were filled with plenty of distilleries pouring whiskey and restaurants sampling food from their menus.

We flew down on Thursday evening and on Friday Matt and I did a presentation and tasting of Leiper’s Fork whiskeys. I poured from bottles of Leiper’s Fork Bourbon, Tennessee Whiskey and Rye Whiskey I was given on my last visit to the distillery. It was a full room in New Orleans and Matt and I tasted each with a dried cranberry, a pecan and dark chocolate. There was no clear favorite as the attendees loved all three whiskeys, but I would give the edge to the rye whiskey, followed closely by the Tennessee whiskey and then the Bourbon. On Saturday, I presented a talk on the origin of Bourbon. There was no tasting element to the talk, yet still, it was a full room. I had many excellent questions from the crowd.

There were many other great panels on both days. Maggie Kimberl did a pairing of Bourbon and cigars each day and they were sold out, as well. There was a panel discussing women in the industry with Lisa Wicker on the panel, but I was sorry to miss that one. Marty Duffy talked about Glencairn glasses and Bernie Lubbers did his bluegrass and Bourbon talk, which was competing against Heaven Hill whiskeys with Conor O’Driscoll! I like the fact that attendees had to make tough choices when selecting a panel discussion. It gives people another reason to come back the next year to hear panels that they have missed.

The Grand Tasting was larger than ever. The organizers had to turn away fifteen distillers that wanted to come because they did not have room for them. Next year they are going to expand the Grand Tasting to accommodate everyone. Matt and I visited with the distilleries and saw many old friends and met new ones. For me, the highlight was finally meeting in person Seth Dettling. He is the distiller (he does not use the term “Master Distiller”) and owner of the Big Escambia Distillery in southern Alabama which makes Dettling 1867 Bourbon. He owns the distillery and every barrel of whiskey in his inventory. He does not have investors. The distillery is not open to the public as he operates it as a part time job, working a day job. I am amazed that he can do both and put out such a good whiskey.

The New Orleans Bourbon Festival gets better every year. The organizers and volunteers, led by Tracy Napolitano and his wife, Barbara, work hard every year to make it happen. The festival officially starts with some Bourbon dinners on Wednesday and Thursday, but the educational panels and Grand Tastings are on Friday and Saturday. They have a charitable element to the festival and make donations every year supporting the hospitality industry. They sold 3,500 tickets this year, giving part of the proceeds to charities. They hold the festival every March, when the weather is warm and comfortable – not in the heat of summer. If you are looking for a good spring break trip, might I suggest a trip to the New Orleans Bourbon Festival. You will not regret it.