Jefferson's Bourbon
As part of Pernod Ricard's House of Conviviality for Tales of the Cocktail 2026, Jefferson's Bourbon hosted a classic BBQ at the Contemporary Arts Center in New Orleans.
Guests enjoyed Jefferson's cocktails alongside brisket sliders, BBQ ribs, cowboy caviar, coleslaw, grilled mushrooms, and cornbread cooked up by Austin's famous La Barbecue. The event was designed with, like Jefferson, "low and slow intention" and featured a live guitarist. Attendees could also take part in a "build-your-own BBQ rub" bar to take a spice blend home. There was also an opportunity to taste, separately, the three bourbons that make up Jefferson's at a "blending bar" in order to fully appreciate the characteristics they bring to the combined, finished bourbon.
Guest bartenders provided a cocktail menu alongside classic BBQ staples such as Mexican Coke, sweet tea, and lemonade. Jennava Walker's "Midnight Rustler" combined the bourbon with Dr. Pepper, pickle juice, and yaupon tea—a combo which proved divisive at our picnic table, but some guests and I found to be weirdly satisfying in its refreshingly sweet and briny balance.
