As many of you know, I had a very difficult year in 2023. On my way to a press conference in January I got the call that my Aunt Marta had lost her long battle with cancer. Just about a week later my grandfather entered hospice, where I sat with him day after day until he died, just three weeks later. Then in April I received news that my cousin, who was six months younger than me, with whom I had shared a crib as a baby, had died. Then came the big one — In June as I was walking out of my vacation condo at the beach, I learned that my mother had died and that she had been deceased for upwards of three weeks before anyone found her. Needless to say, it has been an exceedingly difficult year for me, particularly for my mom’s side of the family which is now half the size it was at the beginning of the year. But fortunately the highs were high enough to sustain me through the lows this year. While it felt like “David After Dentist” most of the time, I also learned just how many amazing people I had in my corner. Thank you to all of you for reading and watching along this year — you’ve helped me more than you will ever know.

1. On the morning my grandfather died, I had gotten up to go back to the nursing home only to hear from my Mee Maw that there was no reason to return. I started going through a bin of his most precious items to look for a photo for his obituary. I found his Kentucky Colonel certificate as well as his father’s, photos of his grandparents, and then I spotted a familiar face: Jasper Newton Daniel. I learned that my grandparents had been Tennessee Squires before I was born, and I set out to learn as much as I could about the organization. I eventually traveled to Lynchburg, Tennessee and transferred their Squireship into my name. It was like a message in a bottle from my grandparents letting me know they were still with me and they supported me in my career choice. Read “Becoming a Tennessee Squire.”
2. Last summer, I was captivated by the story of Detra Thomas on Humans of New York. I read along with people from all over the world at the bravery and trials of this woman as my soul cheered her on. In early December, a friend from Bourbon Women, Becky Yannayon, messaged me on Instagram telling me that Detra had released her own line of cigars and that I really needed to talk to her. I didn’t have a spot for the story at the moment, but I took the opportunity and within a week I was on the phone with Detra learning about her journey into the world of cigars. I sat on that interview for months until I found a spot for it and published it in American Whiskey Magazine. Read “Cigar Pairings: Detra’s Story.”
3. Freddie Johnson is a legend in the Kentucky Bourbon industry. He’s the third generation of his family to work at the Buffalo Trace Distillery, called Ancient Age when his father worked there and Stagg when his grandfather worked there. Johnson played in the rickhouses as a child, often evading his dad and granddad. He’s the keeper of not only a lot of Buffalo Trace history, but also of a lot of local Frankfort history. He’s working to restore and care for the Green Hill Cemetery in Frankfort, thought to be the oldest cemetery in Franklin County. Read “Interview: Freddie Johnson of Buffalo Trace Distillery.”
4. Last summer I traveled to an uninhabited island in Lake Michigan to watch a crop of rye growing. It was Rosen Rye, and here is the story I did about it last year. Rosen Rye continues to be a really big deal — at one time it was revered by distillers for its superior flavor. We are just now starting to see the first large quantities of Rosen Rye whiskey rolling off of stills after painstakingly bringing it back from the brink of extinction. I look forward to what the next five years brings on the Rosen Rye front. Read “The Modern Case for Reviving Rosen Rye.”
5. I interviewed a bunch of really amazing people for Whisky Magazine this year, including Lisa Wicker, Tracie Franklin, Dave Schmier, Heather Greene, and Stephen Gould. For Relish & Whisky Magazine I interviewed Shea Gammon, Tracie Franklin, and Owen Martin. These are all people you should get to know.
6. I visited many amazing places in 2023, including Wyoming Whiskey, Jack Daniel’s, and Holladay Distilling. At Wyoming Whiskey, I finally met the wonderful and talented Nancy Fraley, one of the best whiskey blenders in the business. At Holladay in Weston, Missouri, I got to witness the rebirth of one of the oldest whiskey distilleries outside of Kentucky. They are one to keep an eye on in 2024!
7. Christopher Coates and I did a series of videos in September during the Kentucky Bourbon Festival week. They are available on Whisky Magazine’s YouTube page. One of my favorites is a video we shot with Evan Williams Artisanal Distiller Jodie Filiatreau at the Louisville Thoroughbred Society in which I taught he and Christopher my signature whiskey and cigar pairing technique, which I have been teaching for about eight years. Check out “Guide: How to Pair Whiskey and Cigars Like a Pro.”
8. I also started contributing to Bourbon+ and Covey Rise this year. The first of these stories to be published is an interview I did with Ferio Tego Founder Michael Herklots in the December/January issue. This is currently available in print only, so be sure to grab a copy. It’s a great story!
9. I was invited to contribute to Imbibe Magazine this year, which was a great honor. I interviewed my friend Lisa Wicker early this year, and I was invited to profile Marianne Eaves and Maureen Robinson for the illustrious Imbibe 75.
10. For my own blog, I wrote about Maker’s Mark’s Cellar Aged release, Woodford Reserve’s charity Mint Julep Cups, the 10 Millionth Barrel at Heaven Hill, Four Roses’ 135th Anniversary edition, and Milam & Greene’s Unabridged. I was most excited, though, to write about my friends Kenny and Ryan, who have just opened a new visitor experience in Louisville: Pursuit United.

There were a lot more amazing stories that I did that will only appear in print, so I definitely recommend getting a subscription to American Whiskey Magazine and the others. I also contributed to a Fodor’s travel guide that will be out in the spring, so be on the lookout for that one, as well.

On December 4, 2023, I celebrated ten years since the publication of my first Bourbon story. It was on Louisville.com and I think I made $4 to do that story, but it set me on the path I am on now.

Adding to the column of wins in 2023, I judged five spirits competitions this year: Barleycorn spring, Las Vegas Global Spirits Competition, Barleycorn fall, and two rounds of the World Whiskies Awards, for which I was the Chair of Judges. I also helped the Kentucky Derby Festival pick two single barrels at Four Roses that will be released at Louisville-area Kroger stores in the spring. I have long since lost count, but I think this was my 21st & 22nd barrel picks at Four Roses.

And on a fun note, yesterday I joined Ancestry.com after receiving a gift membership for Christmas. I was able to trace my family’s tie to noted distiller Evan Williams, one of Kentucky’s earliest licensed commercial distillers. He married my fifth great-grandaunt. Her father is my oldest ancestor to live in Louisville, and he is buried at the Louisville Zoo. This makes me the ninth generation of my family to live in Louisville, which I think is pretty neat.

Here’s where you can find me in 2024: The Bourbon Classic, World Whiskies Awards Louisville, and the New Orleans Bourbon Festival.

I ended the year by hosting a cocktail party for some of my best gal pals in which we all dressed to the nines and took photos in front of the Christmas tree, inspired by vintage photos of women standing next to often aluminum trees at holiday time. It was a blast and I think I will be doing this again!

Cheers and onward!

Photos and screenshots courtesy of Maggie Kimberl