It's Kentucky Derby Season!
Celebrate the best of the Kentucky Derby with Pappy Van Winkle inspired Southern Hospitality
Here in Kentucky, the arrival of spring means more than just making sure you have allergy medicine. It means that the countdown to Derby has officially begun. This exciting season concludes with “the most exciting two minutes in sports!” When the first buds of dogwood trees begin to peek through, we know that means it's time to start planning. Although, officially, this year’s Derby season began as soon as last year’s ended.
There are a myriad of reasons to love Derby season - even if you haven’t, or haven’t yet, attended the big day. Of the many reasons we personally love the Kentucky Derby and its entire season, most can be attributed to tradition. What is the Derby, after all, if not one giant celebration of a 151-year-old tradition!
While many facets of the very first Kentucky Derby are still present in each subsequent year, it also continues to add new and exciting ways for our city to get in on the fun. Basically, the Kentucky Derby is a giant party—one celebrated simultaneously worldwide—and since everyone knows we love a party, this is undoubtedly one aspect of the Derby that we can get behind.
Just as bourbon is inextricably linked to the history and identity of Kentucky, so too is the Derby tantamount to the identity of Kentucky and Louisville. It would be difficult to untangle the fine connective threads that weave together these iconic elements of Kentucky’s history and tradition, and quite frankly, why would you want to? From the grand traditions surrounding the day to a signature cocktail simultaneously representative of southern hospitality and an entire event, Derby and bourbon are forever woven together in a beautiful tapestry of tradition and legend.
From a connection so thorough it can even be traced back to the day Stitzel-Weller first opened their doors, on, you guessed it - Derby Day in 1935; to a signature drink so tied to the event yet so beloved it has its own complete identity, naturally made with Kentucky bourbon. The Mint Julep.
On the first Saturday in May, you can be sure that millions of people are either part of the throng of elaborately dressed track attendees, parading and jostling in their hats and seersucker, or attending a Kentucky Derby party somewhere in honor of this incredibly unique event.
Having hosted our very own Kentucky Derby party in 2019, that while it didn’t quite live up to the fabulously iconic Derby partiesthat Nana and Pappy Van Winkle were known for, it was a lively and joyous event all the same, and having been fortunate enough to attend many times - we know a thing or two about honoring this big party.
So whether you are hosting a watch party, attending a Kentucky Derby brunch, heading to the track, or plan to simply sip on a frosty Mint Julep while you sing My Old Kentucky Home, we’ve got the definitive guides to enjoying all of the Kentucky Derby festivities and traditions.
But first things first - we have curated our Kentucky Derby Collections with the elevated entertaining essentials you need to attend or host your own Kentucky Derby party.
The Pappy Mint Julep: an iconic recipe inspired by a legendary cocktail, event and history, our traditional Kentucky Derby Mint Julep pays homage to Pappy Van Winkle's original.
Derby Party Collection: Bar tools and accessories, glassware, decor, and more inspired by Pappy Van Winkle’s legendary hospitality. If you are hosting a party highlighting an event with a cocktail equally as iconic as the race itself, you will need the essentials, if not to craft the cocktail itself, at least to set up a bar inspired by it.
Derby Day Collection: Everything you need to take in the sights, sounds, and flavors of Derby Day from the legendary Churchill Downs. Be ready for the Call to the Post, with Pappy Van Winkle cigars, accessories, and more to hit the Derby Day style, flavor, and luxury trifecta.
