Whiskey fans from across the Tri-State are invited to attend the second-annual John G. Carlisle Bottled-in-Bond (BIB) Competition and Celebration from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 3, at Smoke Justis in Covington.
In its second year, the event celebrates the date that Congress, with the help of Covingtonian John G. Carlisle, passed the BIB Act, which set stringent standards and an authentication process to uphold the quality of whiskey-making in America.
In partnership with meetNKY and The B-Line®, Smoke Justis will celebrate the date with a guided blind-pour tasting of three of the best BIB whiskey varietals in the country. The tasting is paired along with specially crafted charcuterie boards to complement each flavor profile.
Attendees will also collectively vote to crown the best BIB whiskey and award it with the John G. Carlisle Award. At the inaugural event in 2022, New Riff Distilling was crowned as the winner, which celebrated the 125th anniversary of the passage of the Bottle-In-Bond Act on March 3, 1897.
“This event was such a fun way to celebrate Covington’s strong historical ties as a leader in setting high standards for the whiskey industry,” said president and CEO of meetNKY, Julie Kirkpatrick. “We can’t wait to welcome everyone back to Smoke Justis to celebrate one of Kentucky’s signature industries, bourbon and whiskey, with a little fun competition to honor John G. Carlisle.”
“Smoke Justis is looking forward to celebrating Kentucky’s rich whiskey traditions and John G. Carlisle, who helped set the standard for whiskey sipping with this second-annual event,” said Richard Dickmann, owner of Smoke Justis. “We can’t wait to see who is crowned the next winner of this event and share some great food, drinks and fun with spirit enthusiasts.”
Before the passing of the BIB Act in 1897, much of the whiskey produced nationwide often included harmful additives like iodine, tobacco and even paint thinner. As a result of the Act, participating BIB distillers are required to put their products into federally bonded warehouses for at least four years and bottle at 100 proof (50% alcohol by volume). Additionally, owners must stipulate on the labels of their bottles where the whiskey is distilled and where it was bottled, if not at the same location where it’s distilled.
The 2023 BIB celebration kicks off with a welcome drink, short education on BIB and John G. Carlisle’s role in passing the legislation and then moves into the three-course tasting menu paired with a guided BIB tasting.
The event takes place from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, March 3, at Smoke Justis, 302 Court St., Covington. For this year’s ticketed event, meetNKY in partnership with The B-Line® and Smoke Justis also increased capacity to invite more people to celebrate. Details about the event can be found at meetNKY.com. Single tickets for this year’s event cost $25 and can be purchased through Eventbrite here.
