♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> HELLO AND WELCOME TO "INSIDE LOUISVILLE" WHERE WE INTRODUCE YOU TO THE PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS THAT MAKE UP KENTUCKY'S LARGEST CITY.

THIS WEEK WE TAKE A CLOSER LOOK AT BOURBONISM.

THAT'S THE TERM THAT COMBINES BOURBON AND TOURISM AND IT IS BOOMING IN THE LAST DECADE.

WHAT STARTED WITH THE CREATION OF THE KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL 25 YEARS AGO IS NOW A $9 BILLION ECONOMIC AND TOURISM POWER HOUSE.

GENERATING MORE JOBS, MORE TOURISTS AND MORE DISTILLERIES IN MORE KENTUCKY COUNTIES THAN EVER BEFORE.

IT GOES FAR BEYOND BOURBON DISTILLERIES, THIS IS A BOOM THAT HAS SPAWNED NEW RESTAURANTS, NEW HOTELS AND MUSEUMS.

THIS WEEK WE SIT DOWN WITH LEADERS IN LOUISVILLE TOURISM AND A MASTER DISTILLER WHO IS MAKING HISTORY AT THE FRASIER HISTORY MUSEUM.

THE PLACE WHERE THE WORLD MEETS KENTUCKY AND OFFICIAL STARTING POINT OF THE KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL.

BUT FIRST WE TAKE YOU TO A ONE OF A KIND MUSIC FESTIVAL, BOURBON AND BEYOND.

>> WHETHER YOU LIKE YOUR MUSIC FESTIVALS NEAT OR ON THE ROCKS, THE ORGANIZERS OF BOURBON AND BEYOND SAY THIS MUSIC FESTIVAL IS PROOF THAT GOOD FOOD AND GOOD BOURBON CAN SHARE THE SPOTLIGHT WITH THE FESTIVAL'S 100 MUSIC ARTISTS.

>> THIS IS THE WORLD'S BIGGEST BOURBON AND FOOD FESTIVAL.

BOURBON IS EVERYWHERE.

YOU KNOW, WE HAVE THE LARGEST MENU OF WEAR BOURBONS THAT YOU WILL FIND ANYWHERE ELSE.

WE HAVE OVER, YOU KNOW, A DOZEN ACTIVATIONS AND BARS ROOTED JUST IN THE BOURBON INDUSTRY.

>> THE FESTIVAL'S BOURBON EXPERIENCE HOST SAYS THERE IS A STRONG CONNECTION BETWEEN MUSIC AND BOURBON.

>> IT'S ABOUT BEING AN ARTIST.

THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BEING AN ARTIST OF CRAFTING THE PERFECT SOCK, BUILDING ALL THE MUSICIANS AND YOU KNOW, PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER AND BLENDING THE RIGHT THING.

NO DIFFERENT THAN WHISKEY.

IT'S ABOUT BLENDING, YEARS OF PRACTICE, GOING IN AND OUT OF THE WOODS JUST TO MAKE THE PERFECT WHISKEY.

THEY GO HAND IN HAND AND THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN DRINKING A BIT OF BOWRVE AND LISTENING TO A GREAT SONG.

♪ ♪ >> AND BOURBON AND BEYOND, YOU GET A LITTLE BOWSH EDUCATION LIKE RIGHT WAY TO DRINK BOURBON AND THE RIGHT GLASS TO DRINK IT IN.

>> SO MY PROFESSIONAL BOURBON EXPERT OPINION, IT FILLS THOSE AROMAS AND PUSHES THEM THROUGH THE TOP OF THE GLASS BUT IF YOU JUST WANT TO GO THROUGH AND ENJOY WHISKEY, WHATEVER VESSEL YOU CAN GET IT TO YOUR MOUTH.

THAT'S THE BEST WAY, GLASSES, SOLO CUPS, WHATEVER YOU CAN.

IT'S ABOUT ENJOYING THE WHISKEY.

DOESN'T MATTER WHAT KIND OF GLASS IT COMES IN.

>> BOURBON EXPERIENCES ARE DILL STILLED IN THE FOUR-DAY FESTIVAL WITH BOURBON INFUSED DISHES, BOURBON PAIRING AND TASTING.

>> EDUCATION.

EDUCATION AND ENTERTAIN THE AUDIENCE AT THE SAME TIME.

THE WELL ON GOAL IS WHEN YOU ARE TASTING A LITTLE BIT OF WHISK CAN HE AND DO SHELF OR CULINARY, ABOUT HOW THE FLAVORS BLEND TOGETHER TO CREATE SOMETHING TOTALLY DIFFERENT.

>> CHEERS TO YOU GUYS.

>> DRAWING A CROWD THAT'S NO SMALL BATCH.

>> I KNOW PEOPLE WHO TRAVEL FROM ALL OVER JUST TO COME BECAUSE THEY KNOW THEY'RE GOING TO GET TO TASTE AND EXPERIENCE THINGS THEY FOREVER GET TO DO ANYWHERE ELSE.

WE SELL PASSES IN ALL 50 STATES AND OVER 27 COUNTRIES.

SO LOUISVILLE TRULY IS A DESTINATION FOR THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.

>> AS BOURBON AND BEYOND AGES TO PERFECTION, ORGANIZERS HOPE THE FANS WILL ALWAYS SAVOR THE SPIRIT OF LOUISVILLE'S RICH CULTURE.

>> WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO SEE IT GROW, CONTINUE TO BRING PEOPLE FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO EXPERIENCE LOUISVILLE.

WE WANT TO MAKE SURE WE KEEP THAT CHARM AND WE KEEP WHAT IS SPECIAL ABOUT IT.

FOR "INSIDE LOUISVILLE," I'M CHRISTIE DUTTON.

>> STACY YATES IS THE CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER FOR LOUISVILLE TOURISM.

SO COMING OUT OF SOMETHING LIKE BOURBON AND BEYOND, IT IS SO INCREDIBLE TO SEE ALL OF THE THINGS, NOT JUST MUSIC FESTIVALS, MUSEUMS, HOTELS, RESTAURANTS, ALL THE THINGS THAT HAVE COME OUT OF THIS BOURBON BOOM.

AND IT REALLY STARTED WITH THE URBAN BOURBON TRAIL, RIGHT?

WHICH WERE YOU BEHIND.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

I WHETHER-- I WILL SAY STARTED IN LOUISVILLE FOR THAT.

HAVE YOU TO GIVE CREDIT TO THE TOWN OF BARDSTOWN BACK IN THE 90s WHO REALLY WAS THE MODEL FOR EVERYTHING WE'VE DONE IN LOUISVILLE.

THEY CREATED AN EVENT CALLED THE KENTUCKY BOURBON FESTIVAL, WHICH IS THE PREMIER FESTIVAL FOR BOURBON IN THE STATE, STILL RUNNING.

THEY HAD DISTILLERIES IN THEIR BACKYARD AND BECAME THE BOURBON CAPITAL OF THE WORLD, WITH JUST FOUR DISTILLERIES AT THE TIME.

NOW WE HAVE OVER 60.

THINK ABOUT THE GROWTH THAT HAS HAPPENED.

THEY WERE THE MODEL.

WE DID NOT HAVE BOURBON TOURISM IN LOUISVILLE.

WE DID NOT HAVE-- WE HAD TWO DISTILLERIES FOR YEARS.

HEAVEN HILL AND AND BROWN FOREMAN, MAKING A THIRD OF THE WORLD'S BOURBON SUPPLY HERE IN THE CITY LIMITS AND OF COURSE WE HAD DRINKERS AND LOVERS OF BOURBON, RIGHT, PART OF OUR CULTURE, BUT IT WASN'T A TOURIST SITUATION BECAUSE THOSE DISTILLERIES WERE NOT OPEN TO PUBLIC TOUR, UNLIKE EIGHT THAT WERE-- THEY CALL THEM THE HER HERITAGE DISTILLERIES NOW, ONLY EIGHT IN 2007 IN THE STATE OF KENTUCKY, A DISTILL ARE YOU THAT YOU COUTURE.

AND IT WAS SIMPLE.

OUR C.E.O.

AT THE TIME WANTED US TO HAVE A STRONGER BRAND IDENTITY BEYOND THE DERBY.

WE WERE, YOU KNOW, DERBY CITY, WHICH WE STILL ARE.

BUT KIND OF BACK AT THAT TIME, UNLIKE, SAY NEW ORLEANS, WHERE YOU CAN FEEL THE SPIRIT OF MARDI GRAS ALL YEARS AND YOU CAN, AS A TOURIST YOU CAN TOUCH THAT EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT THERE IN THE WEEKS LEADING UP TO THAT.

DERBY DIDN'T HAVE THAT SORT OF ALL YEAR APPEAL.

A COUPLE RACING SEASONS.

SO WE WERE LOOKING FOR SOMETHING THAT COULD OFFER THAT 365 DAYS A YEAR TOURISM EXPERIENCE TO SUPPLEMENT ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS WE HAVE.

BUT SOMETHING THAT WE STOOD OUT FOR.

AND SOMETHING THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO MAKE UP, AND THAT'S WHERE BOURBON CAME TO BE, IT WAS ACTUALLY THE KENTUCKY DISTILLERS ASSOCIATION BACK IN THOSE EARLY YEARS AND THE EARLY 2000S, THAT WANTED A PRESENCE IN LOUISVILLE.

AND WE WERE OPENING A NEW VISITOR CENTER IN 2007.

AND GO YOU WERE LOUISVILLE AT THAT TIME, UNLESS YOU HAD SOMEBODY THAT WORKED AT A DISTILLERY LIKE A FAMILY MEMBER, YOU PROBABLY DIDN'T EVEN KNOW THAT MAKERS MARK DOWN THE ROAD EVEN HAD A PUBLIC TOUR, RIGHT?

THE WE WORKED WITH THE FOLKS AT THE TIME, THE LOUISVILLE VISITORS BUREAU TO PUT AN EXHIBIT IN THE VISITOR CENTER NEW AT THE TIME OPENING 2007 AT THE CORNER OF 4th AND JEFFERSON, WE JUST REMODELED IT AFTER ALL THESE YEARS AND IT LOOKS LIKE A BOURBON EXPERIENCE NOW.

BUT BACK THEN IT WAS SIMPLY AN EXHIBIT WITH EIGHT DISTILLERIES ON IT.

WE POSITIONED OURSELVES IN LOUISVILLE AS THE GATEWAY TO BOURBON COUNTRY BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY ALL WE WERE AND CREATED THIS ASPIRATIONAL BRAND.

WE WANTED PEOPLE TO COME TO LOUISVILLE FIRST WHETHER THEY WERE DRIVING OR FLYING, GO TO THIS NEW VISITOR CENTER.

PICK UP THEIR MAP, LOOK AT THE WALL OF EIGHT DISTILLERIES GO OUT AND ENJOY THEM AND COME BACK TO LOUISVILLE AND SPEND THE TIME, EAT AND DRINK AND BE MERRY.

WE DID THAT.

WE DID THAT FOR A YEAR AND SPENT MONEY DOING THAT.

STILL WORKING WITH THE DISTILLERIES.

AND THEN OUR BOARD WAS LIKE OKAY, WE NEED A LITTLE MORE OUT OF THIS.

WE NEED THEM TO STAY IN LOUISVILLE A LITTLE LONGER.

SO WE ACTUALLY TRIED TO GET THE TWO DISTILLERIES TO OPEN AT THE TIME BUT HAVE YOU TO THINK BACK WITH ME TO THAT TIME.

PEOPLE JUST WEREN'T TALKING ABOUT BOURBON LIKE THEY ARE NOW.

IT WAS A LITTLE TOO BEFORE THAT BOURBON REVOLUTION LAPPED.

HAPPENED AND THAT WAS FROM A PRODUCTION STANDPOINT AS WELL.

THE BOURBON BRANDS GOT BETTER AT THEIR PRODUCT AT THIS TIME AS WELL.

SO WE NEEDED SOMETHING.

WE COULDN'T CREATE AND IN TOURISM WE PROMOTE THINGS THAT ALREADY EXIST PRETTY MUCH.

WE ARE NOT BRICK AND MORTAR.

SO WE HAD TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING AND WEIGH CAME UP-- IT WASN'T ROCKET SCIENCE BUT WHAT DO WE HAVE?

AND WHAT WE DO HAVE AND HAVE ALWAYS HAD ARE THESE AMAZING BOURBON BARS AND RESTAURANTS THAT REALLY OUTCLASS THINGS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.

IN NEW YORK AND CHICAGO AT THE TIME, IF YOU HAD 30 BOURBONS IN YOUR BAR BACK, YOU WOULD BE CONSIDERED THAT CITY'S WHISKEY OR BOURBON BAR.

IN LOUISVILLE, IT WAS LIKE EVERYBODY HAS IT.

Mr. GATTIS DOES.

I'M JOKING BUT EVERYBODY DOES.

WE CAME UP WITH THE CONCEPT, NOT ROCKET SCIENCE TO CALL SOMETHING THE URBAN BOURBON TRAIL AND THAT WAS SIMPLY THE BARS AND THE RESTAURANTS THAT WE COULD GET TO PARTICIPATE IN THE THIS LITTLE PROGRAM WITH US, KIDS HAD BEEN-- WE HAD BEEN AT EPICOTT EARLIER THAT SUMMER AND THEY HAD A PASS COURT PROGRAM TO GO AROUND TO THE COUNTRIES.

WE SAID THAT'S WHAT WE WILL DO.

WE MAKE IT BROWN, A PASSPORT.

WE GOT EIGHT RESTAURANTS AT THE TIME.

AND WE TALKED WITH A LOT OF MASTER DISTILLERS, PEOPLE IN THE INDUSTRY, THAT WOULD BE THE NUMBER IF A BOURBON BAR IN CHICAGO HAS 30 AND IN NEW YORK HAS 35, WHAT SHOULD THE NUMBER BE IN KENTUCKY TO MAKE IT COOL AND LEGIT?

WE ARBITRARILY PICKED 50.

SO WE GOT EIGHT RESTAURANTS TO HAVE 50 BOURBONS ON THEIR BAR BACK, COIN THE TERM URBAN BOURBON TRAIL AND IT WAS NEVER MEANT TO BE A DISTILLERY EXPERIENCE BUT TO COMPLEMENT THE DISTILLERIES, CONCEPT, DO THOSE BY DAY AND TEST YOUR NEW FOUND BOURBON KNOWLEDGE AT NIGHT ALONG THE URBAN BOURBON TRAIL.

COLLECT EIGHT STAMPS, GET A T-SHIRT.

AND I AM-- I'LL TELL YOU AFTER ALL THESE YEARS THAT IT HAS BEEN A THING, IT IS HILARIOUS FOR ME TO SEE GROWN MEN AND WOMEN FIGHT TO GET THESE T-SHIRTS, RIGHT.

THAT'S HOW WE STARTED BEING IN THE BOURBON TOURISM BUSINESS.

THAT BUZZED ALONG FOR SEVERAL YEARS.

WE STILL WANTED THE PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT THAT YOU HAVE SEEN TODAY, BUT AGAIN WE COULDN'T SHELL OUT THE DOLLARS TO BUILD A DISTILLERY OR BUILD ANY ATTRACTION.

BUT WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE BUZZ WE CREATED AND BY THE WAY, SPENT A LOT OF ADVERTISING DOLLARS AND P.R.

ON IT AND, YOU KNOW, LIKE A 10-YEAR PERIOD.

WE WOULD SEE THE FIRST DISTILLERY TO OPEN ITS DOORS ON MAIN STREET, WHICH WE RECLAIMED AS WHISKEY ROW WHICH WAS AN OLD TERM FROM PRE-PROHIBITION TERMS.

IT WAS THE WILLIAMS BOURBON EXPERIENCE THAT OPENED IN THE FALL OF 2013 AND IT SEEMED TO REALLY, LIKE LIGHT THAT FIRE HOSE STARTED AND NOW IN 2024, THERE ARE 20 DISTILLERIES WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS OF LOUISVILLE THAT HAVE A PUBLIC TOUR EXPERIENCE.

>> INCREDIBLE.

>> IN ADDITION TO PLACES LIKE THE FRASIER HISTORY MUSEUM, THAT HAS A BOURBON EXHIBIT.

OTHER ATTRACTIONS HAVE GONE INTO IT.

LOUISVILLE SLUGGER OPENED A BARRELS AND BILLETTS EXPERIENCE.

BOURBON DAY SPAS HAVE COME TO THE MARKET.

HOTELS HAVE GOTTEN INTO THE ACT WITH THEMING IN TONES AND COPPER AND RICK HOUSE WOOD AND I TELL PEOPLE LIKE WHEN YOU HAVE A KIDS BIRTHDAY PARTY, THEY'RE A LOT MORE FUN OR ANY PARTY, WHEN YOU HAVE A THEME TO IT AND YOU HAVE THE THINGS THAT LOOK VISUALLY LIKE IT'S SUPPOSED TO BE ON THEME, MAYBE THERE IS MUSIC, MAYBE THERE IS SMELLS, SIGHTS, AROMA.

BUT ALLIST IS WORK TOGETHER AND-- ALL OF IT IS WORKING TOGETHER AND CREATED A BRAND FOR LOUISVILLE.

>> A THEME THAT EVERYBODY CAN GET BEHIND.

>> THAT'S RIGHT.

MAKES IT EASIER TO MARKET.

>> YOU WERE SO INSTRUMENTAL IN THIS THOUGH.

I'M CURIOUS YOUR PERSPECTIVE... >> THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME.

>> ALSO HAD A LOCALITY OF-- ALSO YOU HAD A LOT OF GREAT IDEAS.

I'M CURIOUS WHEN YOU CREATED OR YOU HAD TO IDEA TO REALLY CAPITALIZE BOURBON, DID YOU EXPECT ALL THESE THINGS AT THAT TIME CAME OUT OF IT?

LIKE WAS THAT THE GOAL OR IS IT EVEN BEYOND WHAT YOUR WILDEST DREAMS WERE, WITH THE HOTELS AND THE RESTAURANTS AND SO MUCH?

>> I WOULD SAY HOTELS AND RESTAURANTS WE HAD HOPED FOR, YOU KNOW, THAT'S THE SIGNIFICANT PART OF THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY.

AND WE HOPED THAT THEY WOULD, YOU KNOW, BUY IT, SO TO SPEAK.

AND THEY DID OVER TIME.

BUT I WOULD SAY TO THE LEVEL IN WHICH THEY HAVE, AND THE NEW DEVELOPMENT THAT HAS COME IN, HAS OVERWHELMED ME A LITTLE BIT.

I THINK THE BIGGEST EXAMPLE WOULD BE WHEN THE OMNI DECIDED THEY WOULD BE A PART OF OUR COMMUNITY WHEN WE REMODELED THE CONVENTION CENTER.

AND THE PLANS EARLY ON, THEY HAD ALREADY ADOPTED THE EQUESTRIAN THEME AND BOURBON THEME NOT JUST BOURBON BARRELS IN THE LOBBY, RIGHT?

THAT ITS THAT ATTENTION TO DETAIL, THE SEPIA TONES, THE COPPERS, IT REALLY WORKING IT INTO EVERY PART OF THE BUILDING.

THEY REALLY JUST SET THE TONE FOR THAT.

AND THEN YOU'VE GOT A HOTEL THAT OPENED THAT HAS IT IN THE NAME.

DISTILL, RIGHT?

AND THEY'VE GOT A BOURBON EXPERIENCE THAT HAPPENS EVERY DAY WHEN PROHIBITION WOULD HAVE ENDED WITH A TOAST.

SO THOSE LITTLE THINGS WERE KIND OF SURPRISES.

>> AND PEOPLE COME HERE AND YOU KNOW, OR GO ANYWHERE AND SAY THIS FEELS LIKE LOUISVILLE.

LIKE IT HAS A BRAND.

>> IT REALLY HAS.

AND BRAND IS AN INTERESTING CONCEPT TO SOME PEOPLE.

SOME PEOPLE THINK IT'S A LOGO OR SLOGAN.

AND THAT CAN BE PART OF IT, CERTAINLY.

BUT IT'S MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT WHEN YOU THINK ABOUT A PLACE OR A CITY OR A PERSON.

STARBUCKS IS A GREAT EXAMPLE.

YOU DON'T HAVE TO SEE THE WORD STARBUCKS OR DISNEY TO GET THE FEEL THAT THIS IS SO DISNEY OR THIS IS SO STARBUCKS.

AND I THINK THAT IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED OVER THE LAST, WHAT IS IT 15-18 YEARS, THAT WE STARTED TO SEE AROUND-- IT'S BOURBON ISN'T THE ONLY BRAND PILLAR THAT WE TRY TO PROMOTE, IT IS ALSO THE EQUESTRIAN CULTURE, SOUTHERNNESS AS WE DESCRIBE IT, NOT DEEP SOUTH BUT MORE OF THAT MODERN SOUTH, AND THE GRACIOUS WAY WE HAVE HOSPITALITY HERE, CULTURE AND AUTHENTICITY.

BUT THE BOURBON BRAND JUST SEEMS VERY AUTHENTIC TO LOUISVILLE AND AGAIN IT'S NOT SOMETHING WE HAD TO CREATE LIKE A DISNEY.

IT'S SOMETHING I THINK BRANDS FOR ANY DESTINATION ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL WHEN YOU EXTRACT THEM OUT OF WHAT IS ALREADY GOING ON.

>> IT'S THE HISTORY.

>> THAT'S WHAT WE DID WITH BOURBON.

IT WAS A SIGNATURE AS ASSET OF THE COMMONWEALTH.

WE KNEW WE WERE MAKING IT HERE.

WE JUST WERE NOT CELEBRATING.

SO SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON WHAT WAS ALREADY THERE AND THEN ALL THIS PRIVATE DEVELOPMENT COMES IN BEHIND IT AND NOW IT REALLY DOES SEEM TO BE OUR THING.

AND IT'S NOT-- YOU FLOW, IT'S NOT FOR EVERYBODY, BUT IT DOESN'T HAVE TO BE BECAUSE IT'S NOT ABOUT JUST DRINKING IT.

IT'S ABOUT KNOWING THAT THIS IS ITS HOME PLACE AND RESPECTING THE CULTURE AND HERITAGE BEHIND IT, EVEN IF YOU DON'T DRINK IT ALL.

BUT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN THE HISTORY BY COMING TO THE FRASIER AND LEARNING ABOUT IT OR COOKING WITH IT, YOU KNOW, NOT JUST KNOCKING BACK SHOTS OF IT.

THAT'S REALLY NOT WHAT IT'S BEEN ABOUT EVER.

>> SO EXCITING.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR TIME.

WE APPRECIATE IT.

>> ABSOLUTELY.

MY PLEASURE.

>> WHEN WE COME BACK WE'LL TAKE A CLOSER LOOK INSIDE THE BOURBON INDUSTRY AND TALK TO THE MASTER DILL DISTILLER OF WOODFORD RESERVE, ELIZABETH McCALL.

♪ ♪ ♪ ♪ >> ELIZABETH McCALL IS THE MASTER DISTILLER AT WOODFORD RESERVE JUST A LITTLE OVER A YEAR NOW.

EXPLAIN TO US, FIRST OF ALL, WHAT IS THE ROLE OF THE MASTER DISTILLER?

IT SOUNDS SO MYSTERIOUS.

>> IT DOES.

AND IT'S DIFFERENT AT DIFFERENT COMPANIES.

SO FOR BROWN FOREMAN, IT REALLY IS FIRST AND FOREMOST THE KEEPER OF THE INTEGRITY AND QUALITY OF THE LIQUID SO THAT IS MY NUMBER ONE JOB.

BUT THEN IT ALSO ENTAILS DOING BRAND AMBASSADOR WORK.

IT HAS TO DO WITH INNOVATION, SO I LEAD INNOVATION AND THEN DOING , YOU ARE THE FACE OF THE BRAND.

SO YOU ARE OUT THERE IN FRONT OF CONSUMERS AND TALKING TO YOU AND SO THERE IS JUST A LOT OF LAYERS TO IT.

BUT IT'S DEFINITELY TECHNICAL AND OUTWARD FACING, WHICH IS CHALLENGING.

>> I THINK SOS THIS IS SO FASCINATING YOUR STORY OF HOW YOU ENDED UP AT BROWN FOREMAN AND ULTIMATELY WOODFORD.

YOU HAD A DEGREE IN PSYCHOLOGY.

>> YES.

>> WHAT WAS THIS PATH LIKE?

HOW DID IT HAPPEN?

>> UNEXPECTED PATH FOR SURE.

I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO BE A THERAPIST.

I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HAVE MY OWN CORNER OFFICE WITH WINDOW AND A COUCH AND DO THERAPY SESSIONS AND THEN YOU GET OUT AND START WORKING IN FIELD OF PSYCHOLOGY A LITTLE BIT.

I DIPPED MY TOE INTO IT AND I WAS MAYBE THIS IS NOT SOMETHING I'M EXCITED ABOUT AS I THOUGHT I WAS AND I FOUND OUT ABOUT A POSITION AT BROWN FOREMAN AND IT WAS AN ENTRY LEVEL POSITION AS A SENSORY TECHNICIAN.

AND THE ONLY REASON WHY I EVEN APPLIED FOR THE JOB OR KNEW IT WOULD BE SOMETHING I WOULD BE QUALIFIED FOR IS BECAUSE A GENTLEMAN WAS AT MY YOUNGER BROTHER'S GRADUATION PARTY AND OVERHEARD ME TALKING ABOUT LIKE GETTING A JOB IN PSYCHOLOGY IN THAT FIELD.

HE WAS LIKE IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A JOB, WE HIRE PEOPLE WITH PSYCHOLOGY DEGREES IN THE LAB.

AND I WAS LIKE WHY WOULD THAT BE?

AND IT'S BECAUSE YOU ARE USING HUMAN BEINGS AS AN INSTRUMENT.

YOU ARE READING HUMAN RESPONSE TO A STIMULUS, WHICH OUR STIMULUS HAPPENS TO BE BEVERAGE ALCOHOL, WHICH IS FUN.

AND SO I THOUGHT THAT WOULD BE A MUCH MORE FUN AND ENJOYABLE WAY TO USE MY PSYCHOLOGY DEGREE.

AND PLUS BROWN FOREMAN IS SUCH A FANTASTIC COMPANY.

IT HAS A GREAT REPUTATION IN TOWN SO IT WAS LIKE, I'M JUMPING ON THIS OPPORTUNITY.

>> THAT IS CRAZY.

YOU HAVE TO EXPLAIN, TOO, WHAT THE SENSORY TECHNICIAN?

WHAT WAS THE JOB LIKE?

>> IT WAS NOT GLAM RUSS.

I WAS SETTING UP TASTING PANELS.

YOU SEE PEOPLE IN A BOOTH WITH LITTLE GLASSES AND YOU HAVE A REFERENCE GLASS AND ANOTHER SAMPLE AND THEY'RE NOSING AND TASTING IT TO SEE IF THERE IS A DEFECT, SOMETHING DIFFERENT ABOUT IT.

I MEAN THAT'S WAY WAS DOING AND I WAS TAKING THE DATA FROM THAT, ENTERING INTO OUR DATABASE, KEEPING, MANAGING OUR SAMPLES SO KEEPING THEM ORGANIZED.

I MEAN WRITING BASIC REPORTS.

IT WAS ALL VERY BASIC ENTRY LEVEL SORT OF STUFF SO NOT A GLAMOROUS JOB BUT IT EXPOSED ME TO EVERYTHING AT THE COMPANY.

ALL PRODUCTS THAT BROWN FOREMAN PRODUCES FRO THROUGH THE LAB.

>> SO LET'S TALK ABOUT BOURBONISM, THEY PHENOMENON YOU HAVE SEEN DURING YOUR TIME AT BROWN FOREMAN.

YOU KNOW, THE COMBINATION OF TOURISM AND BOURBON AND HOW THE BOURBON INDUSTRY HAS REALLY CHANGED LOUISVILLE AND KENTUCKY AS A WHOLE.

>> YEAH I MEAN IT'S AMAZING TO SEE WHAT-- BECAUSE YOU LOOK BACK-- WE TALK ABOUT THE KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL THAT THEY JUST CELEBRATED A MAJOR MILESTONE, 25 YEARS OF THE BOURBON TRAIL.

AND WOODFORD WAS AT THE FRONT OF THAT IN 1996 WHEN WE OPENED OUR DOORS.

THERE WERE TWO DISTILLERIES YOU COULD VISIT AND WOODFORD WAS ONE OF THEM AND ONCE WE PRESENTED THIS AMAZING CONCEPT, PEOPLE ACTUALLY WANTED TO VISIT A BOURBON DISTILLERY AND SEE HOW IT IS MADE?

IT TOOK OFF AND BY 1999 THEY HAD TO CREATE THE BOURBON TRAIL AND NOW THERE ARE SO MANY DISTILLERIES WE'VE JUST HAD THE CRAFT TRAIL AND THE BOURBON MAJOR DISTILLERY TRAIL AND NOW IT'S ALL ONE AND YOU'VE GOT FOOD IN THAT AS WELL.

AND SO IT'S JUST BEEN A GREAT RESURGENCE OF EVERYTHING.

BUT IT HAS GOTTEN EVERY NOOK OF THE INDUSTRY INVOLVED AND EXCITED AND JUST TALKING ABOUT THE ECONOMIC GROWTH THAT IT HAS HAD ON KENTUCKY IS JUST FANTASTIC.

VERY EXCITED AND PROUD TO BE PART OF THE INDUSTRY THAT IS REALLY A MADAME MAYOR CONTRIBUTOR.

>> AND-- A MAJOR CONTRIBUTOR.

>> YOU MENTIONED EARLIER, PART OF YOUR JOB IS INNOVATION.

WHAT IS SOME OF THE INNOVATION THAT YOU HAVE ALREADY SEEN AT WOODFORD AND WHAT IS STILL AHEAD?

>> SO THE INNOVATION THAT PIPELINE THAT WOODFORD STARTED WAS WITH THE MASTERS COLLECTION.

WE STARTED PUSHING THE ENVELOPE BY DOING DIFFERENT GRAIN RECIPES, AND EVEN FINISHING BOURBON IN A WINE BARREL.

I MEAN WHEN CHRIS MORRIS DID THAT, WITH THE CHARDONNAY FINISH, PEOPLE THOUGHT HE WAS CRAZY.

HE GOT SO MUCH NEGATIVE BACKLASH OF LIKE HOW DARE YOU PUT BOURBON IN A WINE BARREL.

WHY WOULD YOU EVER DO IT?

NOW IT'S COMMON PLACE AND EVERYBODY IS DOING IT.

SO TO KEEP THAT TRADITION GOING, WE ARE CONTINUING TO REALLY, REALLY INNOVATED WITH GRAIN RECIPES AND DIFFERENT BARREL FINISHES AND PUTTING INTERESTING BLENDS TOGETHER.

SO WE'VE CONTINUED THAT TRADITION ON AND NOW I OWN THAT.

BUT WE ARE LOOKING TO KIND OF STEP OUT OF OUR TRADITIONAL INNOVATION BOX FOR WOODFORD RESERVE AND DO AGE STATEMENT OR HIGH PROOF.

WOODFORD IS PRESENTED AT 94% PROOF.

WE HAVE NEVER DONE A RELEASE WHERE WE PUSHED THE ENVELOPE WITH A REALLY HIGH PROOF.

SO WE ARE GOING TO TEST THE WATERS AND I THINK THAT PEOPLE ARE GOING TO BE EXCITED ABOUT IT AND SEEING SOME MORE LIMITED RELEASES FROM US SO IT'S THIS WILD CRAZY EXCITING TIME WHERE WE ARE LIKE WE ARE GOING TO GET A LITTLE CRAZY AT WOOD FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND DO THINGS-- WOODFORD BUT IT'S ALL IN THE NAME OF SLAYERING WITH OUR CONSUMERS THAT LOVE WOODFORD.

>> ONE THING THAT WOODFORD WAS INNOVATIVE WITH WAS NAMING YOU MASTER DISTILLER, BEING ONE OF VERY FEW WOMEN.

THERE ARE MORE NOW, MASTER DISTILLERS WHO ARE WOMEN BUT WHAT WAS THAT LIKE FOR YOU AND WHAT WAS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THAT FOR YOU?

>> SO I WAS PREGNANT WHEN THEY ANNOUNCED IT.

AND I THINK ONE OF THE FUNNIEST STORIES IS WHEN WE SAT DOWN, SO PEOPLE LIKE DID YOU KNOW IT WAS COMING?

I KNEW I WAS GOING TO BE ANNOUNCED AS MASTER DISTILLER SOME DAY.

IT HAD BEEN IN THE WORKS.

WELL THEN IN THE FALL OF 2022, MY TEAM COMES TO ME AND OKAY, WE ARE THINKING THAT MAYBE JULY WOULD BE A GREAT TIME TO ANNOUNCE YOU AS MASTER DISTILLER.

I WAS OH THAT WOULD BE GREAT.

I MIGHT BE ON MATERNITY LEAVE.

I WAS MAYBE TWO WEEKS PREGNANT AT THAT POINT SO IT WAS SO EARLY ON.

I WAS LIKE WE CAN'T GO DOWN IN RABBIT HOLE OF PLANNING.

SO I TOLD THEM, YOU KNOW, I HAD TO MAKE THAT ANNOUNCEMENT.

IT WAS LIKE WELL WE WILL EITHER DO THIS-- IT WASN'T LIKE OH, NOBODY WAS DISAPPOINTED.

IT WAS LIKE CONGRATULATIONS.

OKAY, LET'S PIVOT.

SO WE WILL DO THIS BEFORE YOU GIVE BRIRTSDZ OR BIRTH OR AFTER AND THEY DECIDED TO DO IT IN TBEB OF 2023, MAKE THE ANNOUNCEMENT AND I WAS JUST SO EXCITED AND PROUD.

IT PROVES THAT LIKE TO HAVE A MAJOR COMPANY LIKE BROWN FOREMAN ANNOUNCE ME AS MASTER STILLER AND BEING PREGNANT, IT DOESN'T MATTER.

WOMEN CAN BE PREGNANT AND STILL DO THEIR JOBS.

IT DIDN'T STOP ANYTHING.

AND THERE WAS NO-- IT WASN'T THE FOCUS EITHER.

IT WAS LIKE OKAY, A BLIP AT THE END OF THE PRESS RELEASE.

SO IT WASN'T LIKE THEY WERE TRYING TO USE IT AS A LOOK AT WAS WE ARE DOING.

WE ARE-- THE MOMENT.

IT WAS LIKE OH YEAH, SHE HAPPENS TO BE PREGNANT.

NEW MASTER DISTILLER.

SHE HAPPENS TO BE A WOMAN AND HAPPENS TO BE PREGNANT AT THE SAME TIME.

IT WAS A REALLY PRIDEFUL MOMENT FOR ME AND I HOPE IT DEMONSTRATED TO OTHER CORPORATIONS AND ANY COMPANY LARGE OR SMALL THAT YOU CAN HIRE A WOMAN IN THAT PHASE OF HER LIFE WHERE SHE IS GROWING HER FAMILY AND IT'S NOT GOING TO TAKE AWAY FROM THE JOB.

HOPEFULLY IT HAD THAT IMPACT.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT FROM BUYING POWER, WHO GOES TO THE STORE AND MAKES MOST OF THE PURCHASES FOR THEIR HOME?

IT'S TYPICALLY WOMEN.

AND THEY GO INTO LIQUOR STORES, LIKE WHAT AM I GOING GO IT?

WELL, WHAT BOURBON DO I WANT.

THERE IS THE BUYING POWER AND ALSO WOMEN JUST ENJOY THINGS THAT TASTE GOOD.

AND IT SHOULDN'T BE SUCH A RECEIVE LYINGSARY THING THAT WE ENJOY BOURBON OR WHISKEY.

THAT HAS BEEN-- THE FACT THAT IT IS MEN DRINKING THAT IS REALLY A MARKETING PUSH AND IT'S NOT WOMEN DRIVEN.

WOMEN HAVE ALWAYS DONE IT.

WE JUST HAD TO DO IT BEHIND CLOSED DOORS FOR A LONG TIME AND NOW WOMEN ARE OUT AND PROUD ABOUT DRINKING THEIR WHISKEY AND THEIR BOURBON AND THERE ARE LOTS OF CLUBS DEDICATED TO IT.

AND IT IS LOW CARB.

>> THERE IS THAT.

>> LOW CARB, TOO.

IT'S EVEN BETTER THAN HAVING A GLASS OF WINE.

>> WELL, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE AND SHARING YOUR STORY WITH US.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME.

THIS IS A LOT OF FUN.

THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR OUR LOOK INSIDE THE BOURBON INDUSTRY.

DID YOU KNOW THE BOURBON DRINK OLD FASHIONED WAS INVENTED BY A BARTENDER AT LOUISVILLE'S CLUB.

IT'S TRUE.

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW TO MAKE LOUISVILLE'S SIGNATURE COCKTAIL, CHECK OUT OUR INSTAGRAM █PAGE WHERE ELIZABETH MIXES ONE UP FOR US.

YOU CAN FIND THAT ON KET INLOU ON INSTAGRAM.

YOU CAN WATCH OR STREAM OR SHARE THIS EPISODE ANY TIME AT ket.org/"INSIDE LOUISVILLE."

BACK HERE NEXT WEEK SUNDAY AT NOON, 11:00 CENTRAL.

UNTIL THEN, MAKE IT A GREAT WEEK.

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