Put your senses to the test in our blind taste challenge! Experts from the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, Mandy Ryan and Adam Johnson, partner with Centre College's Dr. Lenny Demoranville, Professor of Chemistry, to lead participants through a blind taste test competition. A slight change in the distilling process, or even the serving process, can change the chemistry and flavor of a bourbon. Bring your friends, partners, or colleagues to challenge each other on who can taste the chemistry and correctly guess the Bourbon!
Ticket Pricing is $25 per participant for the 90-minute event. This event is for participants age 21+ and will not offer tiered enrollment pricing.
Maximum number of course participants: 60
Minimum number of course participants: 13
| FACILITATOR | DATE AND TIME | TOPIC |
Mandy Ryan Lenny Demoranville Adam Johnson | April 11, 2025, 5:30-7:00pm | The chemistry of bourbon and a blind taste test. |
SPEAKERS BIOGRAPHIES
Mandy Ryan is the Director of Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Experiences and is an armchair expert in mixology. With a deep appreciation for Kentucky’s rich heritage, she has dedicated her career to inspiring people around the world to explore the flavors and culture of Bourbon. She will guide guests through this immersive tasting, helping them refine their palates through blind flavor tests and discover the nuances that make Bourbon truly special.
Dr. Lenny Demoranville is a Centre College Chemistry professor that has been teaching students how to use science and chemistry to understand beverage alcohol. His research program seeks to answer the question “what is the best way to drink Bourbon”. Lenny will discuss how chemistry can shift the flavor profile of Bourbon.
Adam Johnson is the Kentucky Distillers’ Association’s Vice President of State Relations and has seen the passion for Bourbon grow from a local phenomenon to a global sensation. In addition to Adam’s knowledge on Bourbon-related state and federal policies, his expertise also includes the understanding of the Bourbon business and the reasoning behind brands having diversity in their available products.