Bars and restaurants along Bardstown Road and Baxter Avenue are mixing up holiday-inspired cocktails for the chance of being named champion in fourth-annual Four Roses Holiday Bourbon Battle.
According to a news release, the competition kicks off Four Roses’ title sponsorship of the 28th annual Bardstown Road Aglow in the Highlands on Saturday, December 7. Guests of competing restaurants and bars will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite holiday-inspired bourbon cocktail by text message or by “Liking” their favorite cocktail on Four Roses Facebook page.
By the way, if you’ve never been to Bardstown Road Aglow, you should go. Louisvillians get out when the weather’s cold only when they’re dashing from one building to another or their cars. This is a neat event where thousands of people are bundled up (some years have been unseasonably warm, but that’s atypical) out on the sidewalks of Bardstown Road socializing, chatting and braving the cold like our northern brethren.
It is a family event complete with plenty of kid-centered stuff that, as you’d expect, ends a bit early in the evening. After about 9 p.m., it turns into a great night to enjoy the neighborhood bar scene.
But back to the purpose of this release: the cocktail contest. Voting began last Friday and runs through the day of the event, which means all these establishments’ cocktails are ready for tasting.
Competitors include Asiatique, Bards Town, Bearno’s Pizza, Boombozz, The Bristol, DiOrio’s Pizza & Pub, El Camino, Flanagan’s Ale House, The Original Impellizzeri’s, Mixer Bar, Molly Malone’s, O’Shea’s Irish Pub, The Outlook Inn, Ramsi’s Café On the World, Seviche and Uptown Café.
Once you’ve tested those options—and please, people, drink responsibly and conduct your research over a period of days!—guests can vote by texting the name of the restaurant and/or bar to “22333,” or by visiting Facebook.com/FourRosesBourbon and clicking “Like” on the picture of their favorite Bourbon Battle cocktail. In case you forget to do that, voting instructions are also available inside each participating establishment.
Winners will be announced the week of December 9, with the champion bartender receiving $500 cash, an engraved Four Roses decanter and a plaque for the establishment where they’re employed.
For more information, visit www.fourrosesbourbon.com or www.thehighlandsoflouisville.com.
