Our first blend was done in Lexington, Kentucky, the second and third in Jacksonville, Florida, and now our fourth in New Orleans. 

So I decided to go in June. Not my best choice, but it s when the calendar was free, and if you re going to go to New Orleans, may as well take it full on. I landed early on a Thursday and we got to it! My uber told me I d made a grave mistake. I thought he was being dramatic. Holy crap is it hot in June in New Orleans. Anyways. 

Sean Josephs is one of my favorite folks in Bourbon. With his background as a sommelier and his time at New York s Per Se, he sees the world of flavor just a little bit differently than most and in a way I find insightful, intriguing and above all else: helpful. He s also lived in New Orleans for a good, long, time and that meant a man with his background knew all the best places to grab a bite.

Around our blending exercise, we stopped into more than a dozen bars, restaurants, delis and more to experience the breadth and the staggering competence and excellence of New Orlean s food and bar scene. Through the course of the trip, I realized that the food and hospitality scene in New Orleans is practically second to none. Food and spirits are woven together there in a way that is unmistakably symbiotic and that led to us blending not one, but two exclusive batches for the 4th Edition as a collaboration with two phenomenal establishments in New Orleans: The Chloe and Sylvain. Each blend is a micro-blend of two barrels.