Master Distiller at Michter's

[wadewood]

I received an email invitation to a bourbon dinner at the Bourbon House in New Orleans. The headline read "Join us for dinner with Michter's Master Distiller Willis Pratt".

I sent an email back questioning the use of Master Distlller since Michter's does not distill. To my surprise, I did receive an email back from the restaurant. Their explanation was that "Although Michter’s is distilled at Kentucky Bourbon Distillers, Willis Pratt oversees all production of Michter’s." We all know the reality of this statement.

I know it all marketing hype, but someone uses the title of Master Distiller, should they not actually distill something themselves?

[BourbonJoe]

One would think so.
Joe

[sku]

I know it all marketing hype, but someone uses the title of Master Distiller, should they not actually distill something themselves?

I am actually a Master Distiller as well. Although I don't actually distill anything and have no idea how to distill (though I believe it has something to do with one or all of warts, beer and some sort of coffee), I personally oversee a small collection of whiskeys that I keep in my closet.

That should do it, right?

Sku
Master Distiller

[callmeox]

We need someone to go to the dinner and quiz the "master distiller" on his experience running the still at KBD.

I bet he has all sorts of great stories about it.

[Josh]

I think there's a fine line these days between master distiller and mascot (and a football coach and a mascot in the case of Joe Paterno).
Willis Pratt is obviously the latter.

I give credit to Beam for calling Fred Noe a "Brand Ambassador" rather than giving him the title master distiller.

[Josh]

We need someone to go to the dinner and quiz the "master distiller" on his experience running the still at KBD.

I bet he has all sorts of great stories about it.

DON'T TALK ABOUT KBD!!!

None of us bastards have any idea of what is, isn't or has been "about to happen" for at least five years.

[cowdery]

DON'T TALK ABOUT KBD!!!

None of us bastards have any idea of what is, isn't or has been "about to happen" for at least five years.

Five years? Try 20.

As for Michter's, good for you, Wade. The majors, at least, have gotten more careful about this. In the official program for the Kentucky Bourbon Festival this year, Tom Bulleit is called "founder and bourbon ambassador." Ken Pierce at Tom Moore is called "chief chemist and bourbon ambassador" (although they incorrectly identify the distillery as Barton). Fred Noe is identified as "7th generation distiller and bourbon ambassador."

I also learned that the Kentucky legislature has declared the Kentucky Bourbon Festival to be the commonwealth's official state bourbon festival. Take that all you other bourbon festivals in Kentucky.

[Josh]

Five years? Try 20.

I stand corrected.

[sailor22]

Also the dinner is $20 more expensive then the two previous ones. I'm sorry I missed the first two - Wild Turkey and Van winkle.

[cowdery]

Also the dinner is $20 more expensive then the two previous ones. I'm sorry I missed the first two - Wild Turkey and Van winkle.

Fake master distillers cost more.