Bourbon Classic recently announced the winners of the 2026 Bourbon Classic Cocktail & Culinary Challenge, held Friday, February 27, at the Kentucky International Convention Center.
Bourbon Classic’s Friday night Cocktail & Culinary Challenge featured cocktail and small plate pairings prepared by 18 teams of chefs and master bartenders representing sponsoring distilleries. The inventive and delicious creations were judged by an expert panel including Robert Bleifer, Chef; Paul Clarke, Editor in Chief, Imbibe; and Sam Fore, Chef and Owner, Tuk Tuk Snack Shop. Attendees also voted for their favorite cocktail and small plate.
And the winners are:
Judges’ Choice Best Cocktail
Representing Bardstown Bourbon Co.
Bartender: Billy Kunkel, Bardstown Bourbon Co.
Cocktail: Oolong State of Mind
Judges’ Choice Most Creative Cocktail
Representing James B. Beam Distilling Co.
Bartender: Lee Caldwell, The Kitchen Table
Cocktail: On Glenwood Hill
Judges’ Choice Best Small Plate
Representing Bardstown Bourbon Co.
Created by: Chef Ming Pu, TANA
Dish: Beef Noodle Soup “Soup Dumpling”
Judges’ Choice Most Creative Small Plate
Representing Whiskey Thief Distilling Co.
Created by: Chef Steve Atkins, Whiskey Thief Distilling Co.
Dish: Season on the Farm Seared Venison, Weisenberger Grits with Newton Truffiere Perigourd and KY Rose Cheese, Beet Capellini and Whiskey Thief Distilling Co. Bourbon-Brown Butter Gastrique.
Judges’ Choice Best Pairing
Representing Bardstown Bourbon Co.
Bartender: Billy Kunkel, Bardstown Bourbon Co.
Cocktail: Oolong State of Mind
Dish: Beef Noodle Soup “Soup Dumpling”
Created by: Chef Ming Pu, TANA
People’s Choice Best Cocktail
Representing Maker’s Mark
Bartender: Tom Wilburn, Watch Hill Proper
Cocktail: Dove of Two Valleys
People’s Choice Best Small Plate
Representing Stonestreet Bourbon
Created by: Chef Shawn Broadway, Porch Kitchen & Bar
Dish: Porch Bourbon Butter Cake
Photo credit: Kriech-Higdon Photography for Bourbon Classic
