The Bourbon Flight was lucky enough to be invited to Clermont, Ky., to the James B. Beam Distilling Company’s brand new on-site restaurant, The Kitchen Table, to celebrate the release of Knob Creek’s 18-Year-Old bourbon.
The event was hosted by Fred B. Noe, seventh-generation master distiller, and Freddie Noe, eighth-generation master distiller.
When we arrived, we were greeted with a cocktail called The Louisville. This cocktail won The Louisville Cocktail Competition back in September, using Knob Creek bourbon and other ingredients.
After brief stories by Fred and Freddie Noe, we were ushered into the new restaurant. The décor was warm and inviting, and the expansive bar sat like a watch tower in the middle of the restaurant.
Each course, the chef explained, was meticulously paired with a Knob Creek bourbon.
The first offering was a Chicken Leg Confit with ricotta dumplings. It was paired with a Chai Rye Ball. The chicken was crisp and cooked to perfection, and the Chai Rye Ball brought out the herb seasoning of the dish.
The next plate was a spicy jambalaya with a BBB Old Fashioned. This was no ordinary jambalaya. It had pork four ways, belly, shredded, bacon and chicharron. The pork and rice married well, but I was not a fan of the BBB Old Fashioned. The bourbon barrel balsamic was too tart and did nothing for the dish.
During his dedication of the whiskey, Fred explained that they must have a beef tenderloin no matter what else was on the menu. The selected cocktail was named Monte Clermont, featuring bourbon, Benedictine, absinthe, Peychaud’s bitters and finally, angostura. The beef was superbly cooked to a perfect medium rare, along with a potato galette. It was easily the best dish of the night. Monte Clermont was selected because of its bold flavors that worked well with the entrée.
If that was not enough, the dessert was a chocolate overload. A chocolate malt with an espresso cookie and a bourbon ball. The last cocktail was a play on an Old Fashioned. The star of the show, Knob Creek 18, was included with demerara, angostura, and orange to finish the night.
As we departed, Fred, Freddie, and Baker Beam, Jim Beam’s nephew and fellow distiller, signed bottles and posed for photos.
Overall, it was a great night for The Bourbon Flight as we sat down and broke bread with icons of the bourbon industry.
We thank Jim Beam for inviting us to attend such a special event.
The Louisville
- 1.5 parts Knob Creek bourbon
- 0.5 part Cynar
- 0.75 parts Dry Curacao
- 0.75 parts lime juice
- 0.25 part cinnamon syrup
