Susan has been writing about bourbon since the 1990s, when she was restaurant critic and drinks columnist for the Louisville Courier-Journal. She now contributes to Food & Dining, among others. Her books include Kentucky Bourbon Country: The Essential Travel Guide and The Bourbon Tasting Notebook, now in its second edition. From 2015 to 2017, she was president of the Bourbon Women Association.

At 15, Steve Coomes started bussing tables in a fine-dining restaurant and got hooked on the business.  He’s written about restaurants for nearly three decades, while adding spirits, travel, and ghostwriting to the mix. Clients include Nation’s Restaurant News, Restaurant Hospitality, Edible Louisville,American Whiskey, Whiskey, Delta Sky, and Winston Industries.

Gabrielle’s first intro to bourbon was watching her father and grandfather enjoy a dram together as a way to bond and celebrate good times. She’s since become a fan of the brown spirit, especially when it’s crafted in her home state of Texas. With bylines in publications of the likes of Imbibe, Whisky Advocate, and more, Gabrielle is compelled to tell the stories of the people and places that make bourbon so special.

The man behind ManTalkFood.com. Freelance food, drink ,and travel writer who’s been published in Whisky Advocate, Eater, Tales of the Cocktail, The Whiskey Wash, Distiller and more.

Aaron Goldfarb is a novelist and the author of Hacking Whiskey: Smoking, Blending, Fat Washing, and Other Whiskey Experiments. He writes for Esquire, PUNCH, VinePair, and WhiskyAdvocate. His upcoming book is Gather Around Cocktails: Drinks to Celebrate Usual and Unusual Holidays. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife, daughter, and Maine Coon cat.

Terry Allen brings 30 years of experience to his photo shoots. In the 1980s, Allen managed rock band Dreams So Real and did photographic work for almost every major record label and music magazine, including Columbia, Arista, Electra, and Warner Brothers, Spin, and RollingStone. The Athens, Georgia-based advertising and travel photographer has been featured in Double Gun Journal, Sporting Classics, Covey Rise magazine, and more.

Stephen is a freelance food photographer and director based in Birmingham, Alabama. Stephen got his start in editorial photography and now does a variety of work ranging from editorial to commercial to directing. When he’s not shooting, you can find Stephen sipping on one of his favorite bourbons from his vast collection or out hunting for more to add to it.

Gary Gillman, based in Toronto, Ontario, established his blog, beeretseq.com, in 2015. He writes on beer, whiskey, and food, with a special focus on their history. Gary has traveled extensively in Kentucky and elsewhere to develop his knowledge, and also has a vast knowledge of Canadian whisky and its history. Gary also judges annually in beer and spirits for the UK-based World Drinks Awards.

Reed Sampley is a lifestyle photographer and bourbon and cigar enthusiast based in the heart of Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail. He’s an international traveler and a crucial piece to Sampley Brothers Production’s team. With a camera in hand, there’s no telling where you might find this young man. Hunter S. Thomson said it best when he said. “Anything that gets your blood racing is probably worth doing.” Photography does just that for Reed Sampley.

Kevin Gibson is a free-lance writer who writes for numerous publications, including Thrillist and Alcohol Professor. He also is author of Louisville Beer, Secret Louisville, and several other books. In his three decades as a professional writer, he has won numerous awards but doesn’t know where most of them are now (they’re probably in the basement). He lives in Louisville, Kentucky, with his dog, Atticus.

Jesse Sampley is a Film Director & Producer. He’s the Co-owner of Sampley Brothers Productions and makes brand content for corporations like Sazerac, Brown-Forman, and Heaven Hill to name a few. Fred Minnick, Editor-in-Chief of Bourbon+ Magazine, says “Jesse is filled with creds. From the No. 1 Spirits Network show to a Tribeca film cred, Jesse Sampley, as young and vibrant as he may, lives life, not through his lens, which appears on ET, National Geographic, NBC, and Duck Dynasty, shows up on time, delivers, dominates a set and allows no misunderstanding that creative should be untold.”

Clay Risen is an editor at The New York Times, where he covers spirits and the spirits industry. He is the author of the best-selling American Whiskey, Bourbon and Rye: A Guide to the Nation’s Favorite Spirit and the forthcoming Single Malt: A Guide to the Whiskies of Scotland.

David Mahoney has more than 30 years of experience editing and writing for a variety of magazines. He was a travel writer and senior editor at Sunset and the editor of Minnesota Monthly, and he was also the founding editor of Drinks and Real Food. He has served as a judge for the San Francisco World Spirits Competition since 2008, and is currently a member of the editorial board of the upcoming Oxford Companion to Spirits and Cocktails.

Internationally renowned curmudgeon and whiskey writer, specializing in American whiskey. Member of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame. Author of Bourbon, Strange: Surprising Stories of American Whiskey, Bourbon, Straight: The Uncut and Unfiltered Story of American Whiskey, The Chuck Cowdery Blog and The Bourbon Country Reader.

Culture and lifestyle writer who has written for Esquire, Maxim, Men’s Journal, Southern Living, and more. Assistant editor and tasting coordinator at Cigar Aficionado until 2014.

Queen of the Queen City cocktail scene. Renowned mixologist, face of Wellmann’s Brands LLC—Famous Neons Unplugged, Japp’s Since 1879, Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar, and Myrtle’s Punch House. Author of Handcrafted Cocktails: The Mixologist’s Guide to Classic Drinks for Morning, Noon & Night.

Andy Hyslop began taking pictures with the camera his parents gave him at age 14. While that particular camera may have been retired to the shelf, Andy never stopped shooting. Clients include: Ashbourne Farms, The Atlantic, The Brown-Forman Corporation, edible, Ford Motor Company, Garden & Gun, imbibe, The James Beard Foundation, Men’s Journal, and USA Today.

Sara Havens has covered the bourbon scene for more than 15 years as a Louisville-based writer and editor, and her work has appeared in local, regional, and national publications. She’s also an avid bottle collector who isn’t afraid to pop open a prized possession. Known as The Bar Belle, she maintains her own website, barbellelou.com, and leads bourbon tours for Mint Julep Experiences.

Seattle-based Matt Pietrek once donned a Hawaiian shirt and made a proper 1944 Mai Tai. That moment led to him becoming one of the world’s leading spirits authorities. He was a finalist for the 2018 Spirited Awards’ Best Cocktail & Spirits Writer, as well as Saveur magazine’s Best Drinks Blog for his blog Cocktail Wonk. He also drinks a lot of bourbon.

Lew has been writing full-time about spirits and beer since 1995. Author of Tasting Whiskey; former managing editor of Whisky Advocate; regular contributor to The Daily Beast, The Whiskey Wash, and more. He’s the best laugh in the business.

Brad Japhe is a freelance journalist specializing in food, beverage, and travel. He moonlights as a beer and spirits consultant, hosting monthly craft pairings/educational dinners in both Los Angeles and New York, and curating drink menus for festivals and restaurants. He prefers Scotch to bourbon, IPAs before lagers, and a pub burger over a prime ribeye. His favorite breed of dog is unequivocally the Siberian Husky and he suffers from an irrational, unrequited love for the New York Knicks.

 John Hafner has been blessed to travel the world, shooting assignments for many of the outdoor industry’s biggest names. From Alaska to Zimbabwe, he’s photographed amazing places, countless faces, and unforgettable adventures. He collaborates on advertising campaigns and editorial assignments with brands that share his passion for God’s great outdoors. And as a native Pennsylvanian, getting to point his camera at Terry Bradshaw—one of his boyhood heroes—was definitely a thrill.

Tom Johnson is a magazine and television writer and former bartender based in Louisville, Kentucky. As a trainer for the Aroma Academy US, he teaches both enthusiasts and professionals how to properly nose and assess fine wines and spirits. He also dabbles in politics, consulting with campaigns at every level of government.