Honoring the Legacy of Tom Bullock: Ideal Bourbon Tasting Experience at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience
This October, Heaven Hill Brands honored the legacy of legendary bartender Tom Bullock as part of Elijah Craig Old Fashioned Week. As the first Black American to write and publish a cocktail book, The Ideal Bartender, Bullock set a precedent in the bourbon industry that continues to inspire today.
Bullock, a Louisville native, refined his bartending skills at The Pendennis Club, where he began as a bellboy and rose to prominence behind the bar. His innovative approach to cocktail creation earned him a place in history, with many attributing his Old-Fashioned recipe to shaping the way Bourbon is enjoyed today. That’s quite a legacy.
The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience team was invited to share Tom’s story in the newly redecorated Rathskeller at The Pendennis Club on October 18th as part of their Bourbon-themed dinner. During the event planning it was discovered that the date happened to fall on Tom Bullock’s birthday! A proper and propitious celebration for a legendary bartender.
In tribute to Bullock’s contributions, the EWBE collaborated with Louisville Tourism’s Unfiltered Truth Collection in 2020 to launch The Ideal Bartender Experience. This immersive experience, held in the EWBE Speakeasy, transports guests back to the final days of Prohibition. In a 45-minute journey, visitors sample three premium whiskeys from our award-winning portfolio, hear stories of Tom’s impact, and enjoy one of his iconic creations.
Today, the Ideal Bartender Tasting Experience continues to be available at the EWBE, inviting visitors to celebrate Tom Bullock’s legacy firsthand. For more information on this experience, click HERE.
