LEXINGTON, Ky. — BourbonCon 2025 is on at the Griffin Gate Marriott Hotel in Lexington. It’s the third year of the event that brings bourbon enthusiasts across the U.S. to Kentucky.
Despite a recent report showing volume of alcohol sales being down for the first time in nearly three decades, BourbonCon is still bringing hundreds of visitors to Lexington. Some of the participating distilleries said business hasn’t been hotter than it has in the past few years.
Myra Barginear, CEO of Paul Sutton Bourbon, the presenting sponsor of this year's convention, said it's a whiskey festival unlike any other.
“It brings out the best in our industry; you have distillers, you have maturation experts, you have barreling experts," Barginear said.
This past week, spirits giant Brown-Forman, producer of Woodford Reserve and Old Forester, announced the closure of its Louisville cooperage because of a decline in alcohol sales.
Barginear said despite sales of American whiskey declining in 2023 for the first time since the early 2000s, business is booming for her family’s Bardstown distillery.
“I think we have a very positive forecast; I think that overall, everybody has ups and downs, and there might be a small slump overall in the industry," she said. "But I have full confidence that it is going to continue increasing and be a succes."
Barrel House Distilling in Lexington said the slight decline in American whiskey sales is no concern to them for now.
“There might be some leveling out, but on our scale for our business, I’m not really concerned yet," said James Gerard, Barrel House Distilling chief brand officer.
Last year, bourbon was estimated to be a $9 billion industry for Kentucky. Gerard said visitors and tours continue to climb in popularity, on track with the state total of 2.5 million visitors in 2023.
“We typically have about 10,000 visitors that come through on a yearly basis to do tours, so it’s a huge piece of our business," Gerard said. "We’ve seen the bourbon industry here in Lexington grow tremendously with local distilleries."
Distillers at BourbonCon said despite being competitors, each brand looks out for one another. While layoffs are happening at other companies, business couldn’t be better for their brands.
“People are really leaning into bourbon as the true American spirit, and I think if we stay true to our values and true to our family’s story, we will continue to be a success," Barginear said.
The Kentucky Distillers Association and many distillers remain concerned with President-elect Donald Trump's incoming administration and the potential return of tariffs on American whiskey. During the first Trump term, the European Union slapped a 25% tariff on American whiskeys after Trump placed tariffs on some steel and aluminum imports.
It’s estimated Kentucky produces 95% of the world’s bourbon and is an industry that employs more than 23,000 people.
BourbonCon continues Saturday, Jan. 18 and features tastings, bottles for sale and other bourbon-related products.