KENTUCKY DISTILLERS’ ASSOCIATION ANNOUNCES 2026 LEADERSHIP ACADEMY CLASS

20-MEMBER COHORT ADVANCING BOURBON’S NEXT ERA

FRANKFORT, KY. — The Kentucky Distillers’ Association has announced the incoming class of its 2026 Leadership Academy, an immersive program designed to provide a comprehensive view of the global distilling landscape and the pivotal role KDA plays in shaping Kentucky’s Bourbon industry.

Launched in 2022, KDA’s Leadership Academy spans 10 sessions held January through November, giving participants from distilling and industry affiliated member companies hands-on exposure to every facet of the Bourbon industry. Session topics include Bourbon tourism, the KDA’s legislative priorities, technical safety standards, and more.

“As we welcome the fifth class of KDA’s Leadership Academy, I’m reminded once again of the talent that’s inspiring and fueling Kentucky’s signature industry,” KDA President Eric Gregory said. “The diverse perspectives and unity of our membership are essential to our success, and I look forward to working with this exceptional group in 2026.”

The KDA congratulates the 20 individuals selected for the Leadership Academy Class of 2026:

·     Corbin Arrasmith, Pensive Distilling Co., Newport

·     Nolan Boswell, Green River Distilling Co., Owensboro

·     Jasmine Clark, Lux Row Distillers, Bardstown

·     Grant Cobb, Stedman Machine Company, Aurora, Indiana

·     Emma Cochran, Blue & Co., Louisville

·     Ally Edgington, Heaven Hill Brands, Louisville

·     Nicky Edwards, Angel’s Envy, Louisville

·     Katherine Foley, James E. Pepper Distilling Co., Lexington

·     Dave Bob Gaspar, Town Branch Distillery, Lexington

·     Michelle Harrison, Castle & Key Distillery, Frankfort

·     Shawn Hughes, Bardstown Bourbon Company, Bardstown

·     Cole Irvin, Brown-Forman Corporation, Louisville

·     Dustin Letourneau, Campari America, Lawrenceburg

·     Sophia Markley, Dark Arts Whiskey House, Lexington

·     Jessie Martin, Larrikin Bourbon Co., Lawrenceburg

·     Hannah Melillo, Whiskey Thief Distilling Co., Frankfort

·     Haley Moloney, Augusta Distillery, Augusta

·     Marshall Rogers, Kentucky Artisan Distillery, Crestwood

·     Brent White, Jeptha Creed Distillery, Shelbyville

·     Maggie Young, Bluegrass Distillers, Midway

“As we welcome the fifth class of KDA’s Leadership Academy, I’m reminded once again of the talent that’s inspiring and fueling Kentucky’s signature industry.”

— Eric Gregory, KDA President

 Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) is the Worldwide Voice of Bourbon™.

About the Kentucky Distillers’ Association:

Founded in 1880, the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is the legendary voice for Kentucky’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. Its diverse and growing membership produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s Bourbon, from historic, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are fostering the next generation of the Commonwealth’s landmark economic engine and its thriving, timeless craft. Member benefits include media relations, international trade development, private sampling events, technical assistance, economic development support, networking, legal defense, marketing strategies, governmental and regulatory advocacy and innovative tourism experiences through the KDA’s world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® adventures. A 501(c)(6) nonprofit organization, the KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving. Learn more at www.kybourbon.com and www.kybourbontrail.com.

KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL CRAFT TOUR®, KENTUCKY BOURBON AFFAIR™, KBT®, BOURBON TRAIL™ and KENTUCKY BOURBON HALL OF FAME® are trademarks/service marks owned by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.

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Our Scotch Whisky annual is out now! Curated by Whisky Magazine, the annual charts a year in Scotland’s whisky industry. Inside, you’ll find distilleries in focus, interviews with the people behind the bottles, and explorations of what Scotch looks like in 2025.

Also, limited-edition and core-range whiskies are put to the test in an epic collection of 100 Scotch reviews, all blind-tasted by our experts. It’s the perfect place to find inspiration for the bottle you’ll add to your shelves — perhaps to share with friends and family this holiday season.

An Answer from the Whisky Gods: K&L Pick from Mars Tsunuki
Mars Tsunuki 8 Year Old K&L Exclusive 1st Fill Sherry Cask #T326 Japanese Single Malt Whiskey (700ml) ($189.99)
“If you love the great sherried beasts of Islay, this magical cask will absolutely knock you out for the count” — David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

The wonderful Tsunuki distillery is truly a pilgrimage worth taking for any lover of great whisky. I’ve made the trek twice, and along with Kanosuke, it stands as one of the crown jewels of the recently anointed Kagoshima whisky trail. Visiting this historic property can be deceiving, as you might expect a new distillery to feel new, but it’s actually the longtime home base of Hombo Shuzo’s historic operations. The reception center is literally Hombo-san’s family home where he grew up, and the site also includes the old, now defunct grain stills that were crucial to the success of Hombo Shuzo’s shochu business. The beautiful property also features World War II era dunnage warehouses, where this special cask was aged. The selection of this barrel represents one of my favorite cask-picking experiences in nearly twenty years of doing this. After a beautiful tour with chief distilling manager and blender Tatsuro Kusano, we retired to an elegant tatami-adorned washitsu tucked behind the visitor center.

There was an impressive lineup of casks waiting for us, and every single one was a joy to taste. We initially selected a beautiful medium-peated Komagatake, but the others were almost impossible to separate. After plenty of hemming and hawing, I mentioned to Kusano-san that many of our customers are obsessed with heavily peated, heavily sherried malts, a style we see less and less out of Scotland, and wondered if Tsunuki had ever gone in that direction. His eyes lit up, he raised a finger, and said, “I’ll be right back.” He sprinted across the campus to his blending room and returned with two samples dark as night. It felt like I’d spoken and the whisky gods had answered. The cask was everything we hoped for, a big, bold, unapologetic beast with deep barbecue intensity. Fittingly, Kusano-san is a huge fan of American-style barbecue, so if you ever visit the distillery, that’s the perfect omiyage.

I just about started crying and was so honored and grateful that this generous colleague had gone the extra mile to find something so special for us. It’s not only these experiences that put Tsunuki at the top of my list, it’s the incredible whisky they continue to produce ever single day. We bought 2 more barrels this October and hopefully many more to come. The barrel rested for another year after selection and only grew more compelling over time. During bottling, the distillery even sent us a photo showing thick, opaque fatty oils suspended throughout the whisky and asked if we wanted it filtered. The answer was an emphatic no. Keep every bit of that cloudy magic.

I won’t bother with a formal tasting note here, because if you haven’t already grabbed a bottle, you’ve probably already missed the boat. But if you love the great sherried beasts of Islay, this magical cask will absolutely knock you out for the count.

— David Othenin-Girard, K&L Spirits Buyer

Mars Tsunuki 8 Year Old K&L Exclusive 1st Fill Sherry Cask #T326 Japanese Single Malt Whiskey (700ml) ($189.99)

K&L Notes: This exceptional single cask from Mars Tsunuki represents a crucial chapter in the long and often storied history of Japanese whisky. Produced by Hombo Shuzo, a family owned company founded in 1872, Mars traces its whisky lineage to the very beginnings of malt distillation in Japan. Long before Japanese whisky gained international fame, Hombo was quietly experimenting with malt production, helping lay the technical and philosophical groundwork for the category. While Komagatake Distillery serves as the spiritual heart of Mars, Tsunuki represents its future. Established in 2016 in Kagoshima at the tropical southern tip of Japan, Tsunuki was built firmly in traditional practice, drawing on the region’s warmer climate and abundant natural resources to explore a different expression of Japanese malt whisky. But because it was yet to be defined, the distillery offered Mars a chance to push the boundaries of what’s possible. This heavily peated single cask is a perfect example of the courageous potential of this special distillery. Distilled in 2017 from barley peated to 50 ppm and aged high quality first fill sherry hogshead. This is rich sherry and peat at its very finest and a style almost never seen in Japan. Aged in the hot, humid dunnage style warehouses at Tsunuki for nearly 9 years, it was bottled at natural cask strength without chill-filtration. A total of 236 bottles, this release stands as a bold statement of intent for the distillery and for Mars as a whole.

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Torabhaig 2018 Scottish Oak Single Cask

From Skye’s second and newest distillery – the first built in over 190 years – Torabhaig 2018 Scottish Oak Single Cask is an exclusive release for The Whisky Exchange. Boldly coastal and smoky, it balances maritime intensity with a distinctive elegance. Drawn from a single hand-selected 2018 cask, this extremely limited bottling offers a rare glimpse into Torabhaig’s early character.

On the nose there’s sweet peat smoke and worn leather which lead into baked apples and caramel, layered with coastal notes and damp greenery. The palate brings pepper, lime peel and dark chocolate, finishing long with mint, gentle smoke and grassy freshness.

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The Good Dram Show – Episode 617 ‘Bartels Whisky’

Welcome to the first episode of the show for 2026. This week I’ll be looking at a selection of samples from Independent bottler Bartels Whisky, which came my way in December. The Good Dram Show with Chris Goodrum Episode 617 – A Cure For The January Blues..! Filmed in The Study Nottingham

Featuring

Highland Laird Tobermory 2007 (17 year old) 44.6%
Highland Laird Mortlach 2014 (10 year old) 58.4%
Highland Laird Dalmore 2015 (10 year old) 57.7%
Highland Laird Tobermory (Ledaig) 2007 (17 year old) 50.7%
Highland Laird Caol Ila 2014 (11 year old) 53.9%
Highland Laird Bruichladdich (Port Charlotte) 2008 (15 year old) 62.3%

www.bartelswhisky.com

TOAST HEARD AROUND THE WORLD:

KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL® TAKES HOME TWO HONORS AT KENTUCKY TRAVEL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION’S TRAVERSE AWARDS

World Bourbon Toast™ Recognized with Award of Distinction

FRANKFORT, KY. — The Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA) is honored to announce that it has received two prestigious honors at the 2025 Traverse Awards for Excellence in Tourism Marketing. The Awards are presented and hosted annually by the Kentucky Travel Industry Association (KTIA) and celebrate excellence and innovation in travel marketing across Kentucky’s tourism industry.

The two distinguished awards won include:

• Award of Distinction: World Bourbon Toast™ campaign, a first-of-its-kind, global livestream celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®.
• Gold Award: Kentucky Lottery Games Collaboration, bringing Bourbon excitement to new audiences through statewide retail promotions.

Eric Gregory, President of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, expressed, “We are deeply grateful to KTIA for recognizing these initiatives. Each year, Kentucky’s top travel and tourism businesses vie for the Traverse Awards, and we are proud to be among the great. These awards reflect our commitment to telling Kentucky’s story boldly and beautifully. There’s truly nothing in the world like Bourbon, and nowhere in the world like Kentucky.”

According to KTIA president & CEO Hank Phillips, “Even more than the huge quantity of 200+ entries, our judges were struck by the entries’ quality and creativity and by their positive impact on communities throughout the Commonwealth. The stakes continue to rise each year, and 2025 was no different, showcasing why tourism is a signature industry for Kentucky.”

About World Bourbon Toast™ Campaign:

Launched September 17, 2024, the World Bourbon Toast™ was a 24-hour digital celebration connecting Bourbon fans from every time zone. The global livestream featured distillers, influencers and fans from 32 countries across 6 continents, creating a moment of unity for Kentucky’s signature spirit. The social media and livestream blitz generated more than 17 million impressions, record-breaking web traffic, and new followers for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® program.

Largely successful, the World Bourbon Toast™ elevated Kentucky’s global tourism profile, bringing industries and tourism partners from across the Commonwealth, and world together, inspiring Kentucky tourism and Bourbon curiosity.

“This recognition is a testament to the creativity, collaboration, and world-class hospitality that define Kentucky Bourbon. The World Bourbon Toast™ showed that while Bourbon is made in Kentucky, its story belongs to the world—and we couldn’t have done it without the partnership and leadership of VisitLEX and our tourism colleagues across the state,” shared Gregory.

Mary Quinn Ramer, President of VisitLEX, shared, “VisitLEX was honored to help lead this extraordinary project celebrating the craftsmanship, culture, and global appeal of Kentucky Bourbon. The World Bourbon Toast brought our industry together in a way we’ve never seen before, connecting our homegrown spirit with audiences around the world. It showcased not only what makes Bourbon special, but what makes Kentucky an absolute must-visit.”

Made possible through funding from the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), the World Bourbon Toast™ partnered with marketing organizations across the Commonwealth, including Bardstown Nelson Co. Tourism, Danville-Boyle Co. CVB, Lebanon Tourist & Convention Commission, Louisville Tourism, meetNKY, and VisitLex.

About Kentucky Lottery Games Collaboration Campaign:

The KDA’s Kentucky Lottery Games Collaboration demonstrated creative partnerships in action. Introducing limited-edition lottery tickets inspired by the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, the collaboration offers players a chance to win branded merchandise and distillery experiences, further expanding the reach of Kentucky Bourbon.

Since 1999, the KDA and Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour have given visitors an intimate, educational look behind the state’s most historic distilleries, and last year topped a record-breaking 2.7 million distillery visitors. In the last 10 years, attendance throughout the iconic journey has skyrocketed a phenomenal 273%.

“Whether it was at a gas station, their home or one of our 60+ distilleries along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, players were able to experience the state’s signature industry in a fun, exciting way, thanks to our Kentucky Lottery Games Collaboration,” said Gregory. “It’s safe to say it was the perfect pairing.”

About the Kentucky Distillers’ Association:

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association is a 501(c)(6) non-profit trade association that passionately unites, promotes, protects and elevates the Commonwealth’s signature Bourbon and distilled spirits industry. The KDA maintains an open membership policy, champions a strong commitment to the responsible and moderate consumption of spirits, and fights to curb underage drinking and drunk driving.

KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL CRAFT TOUR®, KENTUCKY BOURBON AFFAIR™, KBT®, BOURBON TRAIL™, KENTUCKY BOURBON HALL OF FAME®, ORDER OF THE WRIT®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TALES®, KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL WELCOME CENTER®, URBAN BOURBON TRAIL® and THE PROOF IS HERE® are trademarks/service marks of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.

Email: wine@klwines.com
Phone: (877) KL-WINES (Toll Free 877.559.4637)
K&L Wine Merchants 3005 El Camino Real Redwood City, CA 94061 USA
San Francisco, Redwood City, Hollywood CA

Campbeltown Blend Malt 2016 9 Year Old, Watt Whisky

£66.50

TyndrumWhisky.com
The Green Welly Stop
Tyndrumwhisky, Tyndrum
Crianlarich, Perthshire FK20 8RY
United Kingdom

North British Signatory Vintage 2009 Whisky Folk Exclusive Cask – Whisky Folk Review

THE VIDEO