Bourbon and food fanatics got a real dose of Southern charm and hospitality Wednesday night in D.C. as Jim Beam’s master distiller wowed a sold-out crowd at Acadiana. Fred Noe, the great-grandson of the last Jim Beam, also brought along one of Kentucky’s top chefs, and Johnathan Lundy’s dishes shined alongside those of Acadiana’s Jeff Tunks.
“Here are the real stars of the night,” Noe said of the culinary masters.
Lundy’s lamb rack chops with mint julep jelly sure wowed the palate, as did Tunks’ cherry wood smoked quail. But regardless of what the self-deprecating Noe said, the spotlight was on him and his whiskeys.
Even though he’s the seventh-generation of the family making the world’s top-selling Bourbon, he spends a lot of time away from his old Kentucky home in Bardstown to ply his wares around the globe. In addition to providing some tips to his tablemates — rubbing a mix of Bourbon, honey and lemon on babies’ gums is a great calming technique; and sniffing whiskey should be done with your mouth open — Noe also said Australia and Germany are surprisingly strong markets for Jim Beam. And Noe’s all about getting out to meet folks and talking Bourbon.
“With more information, more education,” Noe said, “the sky’s the limit.”
