Kentucky Distillers’s Association Sues Sazerac

[pepcycle]

WTF Good is a Bourbon Trail that extends all over the state, but every time there's an event, other than The Salato Sampler, its in Bardstown. This has been a major complaint of the non-Bardstown distillers, including Makers, for years.
C'mon. If KDA wants to take credit for the Bourbon Trail, they should spread the events out.
I'm thinking that FR and WT have enough pull to move The Bourbon Festival to Frankfort.

C'mon KDA. It isn't the Heaven Hill Bourbon Festival or the Jim Beam Bourbon Festival.

How about Louisville?

Bardstown will fold without the Bourbon Festival. I see the GN closing without our support.

The KDA wants as many Bourbon Trail sites as possible. They should earn them.

[ErichPryde]

Never had it 20 years ago so I can't really say.
But it has been no secrect here on the SB.com forum for a couple of years now that I am the leader in calling out Wild Turkey for to young whiskey in their Kentucky Spirit and 101.

You didn't have it 20 years ago, but you're having turkey from 20 years ago today, so to speak. It's no secret that one thing you and I, and a couple of other people on this forum have in common, is our love of old turkey. I count my favorites on my right hand, and of four, three of them are turkey and they no longer exist. The other is a member of the BTAC... but I digress.

The fact is no one is making standard whiskey releases that even come close to what was once possible. Demand is too high, everything is chill-filtered and has a high exit/entry proof.

If we all pretend for a moment that we didn't try Wild Turkey RR101, 8 year, 12 year, 17 year- ETL107, AA107, ER101---- If we all pretend that none of those were even remotely available, would you not see Rock Hill Farms on your "to buy" list? It's damned good bourbon, especially the Julio's versions of it.

I think if it weren't for that complete ******* of a BT rep you guys have up there, you wouldn't feel so strongly against BT. I can't blame you, it's amazing how much damage one idiot can do to an entire company. May he drown in rain vodka.

[OscarV]

Perhaps you should update your profile now? You've just trashed all of your "Recommended" bourbons except The Rose's.

-Matt

No, I only had to delete one and qualify two others.
Thanx 4 the suggestion.

[OscarV]

A. would you not see Rock Hill Farms on your "to buy" list? It's damned good bourbon, especially the Julio's versions of it.

B.I think if it weren't for that complete ******* of a BT rep you guys have up there, you wouldn't feel so strongly against BT. I can't blame you, it's amazing how much damage one idiot can do to an entire company. May he drown in rain vodka.

A. Actually I did have a Julio's RHF last year, it was a very good bottle of whiskey.
I wasn't interested in it from my experience with their standard releases which are, (here goes that G word again) grassy.
But another SB.com'er insisted I get it, I did and glad I did.

B. Man I've been over that a long time ago, you just can't tell by my posts though.
I just lost interest in the BTAC and yes, it did have a lot to do with the distributors and retailers, they took the fun out of it.
I have at least 2 bottles of every release of WLarueW and to keep the collection intact I will get another one this fall.
As soon as one shows up on eBay, those guys are the greatest, they don't play games, they got the goods and are glad to serve.

[Josh]

WTF Good is a Bourbon Trail that extends all over the state, but every time there's an event, other than The Salato Sampler, its in Bardstown. This has been a major complaint of the non-Bardstown distillers, including Makers, for years.
C'mon. If KDA wants to take credit for the Bourbon Trail, they should spread the events out.
I'm thinking that FR and WT have enough pull to move The Bourbon Festival to Frankfort.

C'mon KDA. It isn't the Heaven Hill Bourbon Festival or the Jim Beam Bourbon Festival.

How about Louisville?

Bardstown will fold without the Bourbon Festival. I see the GN closing without our support.

The KDA wants as many Bourbon Trail sites as possible. They should earn them.

The KDA probably feels that since they made the Bourbon Trail, and own the trademark, then they have the right to decide how the name is used. That said, The Bourbon Trail without BT is a joke. They have arguably the best tour (the Hardhat) and arguably the best visitor's center. The only one that comes close is the BHC.

It doesn't make any sense for Saz to be mad about the location of the Bourbon Festival, since after they acquired Tom Moore they have the only working still (with the possible exception of KBD) in Bardstown. One could even walk easily from Tom Moore to the grounds of the KBF.

That means that 3/3 of the big KBF events are in cities with a Sazerac distillery. They should have a strong presence at all those events but for whatever reason, they don't. The only whiskey being served at the BT booth at the Sampler this year was BT. No Weller, Eagle Rare, Elmer T Lee, RHF nothin'. This while Beam was pouring JB, JBB, Booker's and Bakers and whiskey sours. It was great to see Greg Davis at the Sampler, but all they were pouring was 1792. VOB is one of the best value for money bourbons on the market and has been for years, but you would never have known that they made it.

Thanks to Craig for posting that article. But now I have more questions than I did before! I get the feeling that there's a lot more to the story.

[bourbonv]

The law suit has been filed and it is over the use of the term "Kentucky Bourbon Trail". Sazerac is trying to negate the KDA trademark of the term. If that happens then anybody can place themselves on the "Kentucky Bourbon Trail" and we could see the"Kentucky Bourbon Trail Wendy's" and the "Kentucky Bourbon Trail Sewer Service" since anybody will be able to use the term. The KDA is fighting to save their trademark.

Mike Veach

[OscarV]

The KDA is fighting to save their trademark.


Mike Veach

That seems perfectly resonable.
I wish KDA a success in court.

[pepcycle]

Why does Sazerac have to infringe?

Because they chose to opt out of THE bourbon trail.

Why are they out?

Because they don't get any benefit from KDA?

Why not?

Who knows?

My point is that if KDA wants distilleries in and to supprt their trail, then they should support other cities besides Bardstown.

[craigthom]

While I agree that the KDA needs to do things outside Bardstown, Sazerac now has a large distillery there and will have the same benefit that Heaven Hill and Jim Beam do.

It would be nice if the festival was held every other year in Lawrenceburg. There are two distilleries there and two more close enough.

[Stu]

There's a lot of planning, expense, and work to do putting on an event like KBF. Do the other cities want to do it? Do they have the money, facilities, manpower, and local interest to do it? Louisville or Lawrenceburg could easily host an activity at a non conflicting time if they so desire. I think the reason Bardstown has it is because they have the manpower, facilities (including the Getz), time, etc to do it. They also have a spark plug in their tourist bureau named Johanna. Any city wishing to vie with them would also need such a spark plug.

My two cents worth, and I'll give you two pennies change.