Tom Wilmes

Tom Wilmes is a journalist based in central Kentucky, specializing in bourbon and other spirits. A contributor for Garden & Gun, he has also written for Whisky Advocate, The Local Palate, Southbound, and various other publications. Follow @kentuckydrinks on Instagram.

A glass of bourbon

Distilled

A growing number of distilleries provide a personalized and tasty experience

Two men stand over a distilling tank

Distilled

Why some distillers believe this alternative method to the usual sour mash is worth the effort

A portrait of a man with bourbon

Distilled

The whiskey savant and Iraq war veteran on his new book, “Bottom Shelf,” and the power of savoring what you love

bottle of bourbon against dark back drop

Distilled

Charred barrels, Prohibition, no Prohibition, Jack Nicholson, Pappygate: a timeline of two centuries of bourbon history and lore

Inside a distillery

2026 Bucket List

Heaven Hill reemerges from the ashes

Horses circle in a grassy ring

2026 Bucket List

The Kentucky track thunders into its tenth decade with new facilities and timeless traditions

Gail Simmons

Distilled

Bourbon, blood orange, and bubbles mingle in this holiday sipper from the “Top Chef” judge and cookbook author

old-fashioned cocktail

Distilled

More whiskey brands are getting into the RTD game. Here are six that bring some real flavor to the party.

a cigar and bourbon

Distilled

Five worthy brands to try that bring bourbon’s signature notes to your smoke

non-alcoholic whiskey

Distilled

More and more NA whiskeys are hitting the shelves, and they’re not just for teetotalers

Jim Gaffigan

Distilled

The comedian and cofounder of Fathertime Bourbon on his whiskey education and bourbon’s funny side

whiskey

Distilled

Break out one of these bottles with bourbon-loving friends and you might surprise some folks

ASW distillery's Flights & Bites bar

Food & Drink

ASW Distillery’s Flights & Bites touches down at Hartsfield-Jackson

People hold bourbon glasses

Travel

A spirited celebration is coming to a city near you

A hotel lobby with a polished interior and copper still

Travel

With five bars, a Bourbon Butler service, its own private-label whiskey, and even IV drips, the Trail Hotel aims to be a bourbon country headquarters

Portraits of three bartenders

Distilled

Six pros from top bourbon bars across the Bluegrass State give their picks for “everyday” bottles that offer value and versatility

A jockey in a red and white silk raises his arms to the sky

Sporting

The Hall-of-Fame jockey on his mission to help behind-the-scenes workers at Churchill Downs and beyond—and the unbridled joy of a Derby victory

Two shotgun shell-shaped containers of whiskey and a bottle of bourbon

Food & Drink

Ducks Unlimited and World Whiskey Society collaborate on a pair of bottles for waterfowl lovers

Inside a bourbon museum with shelves of bottles

2025 BUCKET LIST

The Samuels House is steeped in two hundred years of whiskey history

Food & Drink

The historic designation has seen a comeback as a mark of quality in today’s crowded whiskey field. Here are several recent releases from producers large and small