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On this edition of The NOLADrinks Show with Bryan Dias, we have extended coverage of the third annual New Orleans Bourbon Festival! We talk with Peggy Noe Stevens, Carla Carlton, Susan Reigler and event organizers Tracy Napolitano and Barbara Hirsch-Napolitano.
Pictured above from left – New Orleans Bourbon Festival – Bryan Dias of The NOLADrinks Show, bourbon master taster and founder of Bourbon Women Peggy Noe Stevens, and bourbon author and “The Bourbon Babe” Carla Carlton.
NOLADrinks Show – 4-1-19 – New Orleans Bourbon Festival
We start things off on this installment talking about this week’s show and letting you know about our extended coverage of the third annual New Orleans Bourbon Festival. We also give you some info on the next couple of shows – our French Quarter Fest Series with Paul Sanchez and John Boutté on the eve of the fest and, the following week, cocktail experts Jeff “Beachbum” Berry, Jim Meehan, and Greg Boehm on vintage cocktail books and their relevance today.
Then, it’s our featured interview at the New Orleans Bourbon Festival. We talk with two bourbon educators and advocates, Peggy Noe Stevens, this first female master bourbon taster, and Carla Carlton, noted bourbon author and journalist. Among other things, Peggy, founded the Bourbon Women Association of which Carla was a charter board member.
We discuss the organization, the popularity of and attitudes towards bourbon among women, their education and speaking work, Carla’s blog “The Bourbon Babe,” and much more. We also talk about the festival and about the panels and discussions led at the event.
Our conversation continues on our podcast-only portion of the show – “Another Shot with NOLADrinks” – and we’ve got a lot more! Peggy and Carla stick around, and we sip on and discuss some bourbon. We also touch on the idea of a “sense of place” as it relates to bourbon.
Pictured above – New Orleans Bourbon Festival – bourbon author and educator Susan Reigler and Bryan Dias of The NOLADrinks Show.
Pictured above – New Orleans Bourbon Festival – “Best in Show” award-winner, Cooper’s Craft Barrel Reserve Bourbon 100 Proof.
Next up, we welcome New Orleans Bourbon Festival organizers Tracy Napolitano and Barbara Hirsch-Napolitano. We talk about the festival, its growth, and the terrific experience they provide. They let us know about the children’s charitable cause the event benefits this year – St. Michael Special School. We chat about the grand tastings, the excellent seminars, and they even reveal the “Best in Show” winner for the fest!
We close out our extended coverage with distinguished bourbon author and educator Susan Reigler. We discuss Susan’s numerous publications and her career trajectory stemming from a journalism background in Kentucky. She also lets us know about an upcoming project that looks a larger scope of whiskey beyond bourbon.
Since our interviews from the festival were pretty extensive, we wrap things up with a really quick parting shot!
Cheers, You All!
~ Bryan