Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/65124
Freddy May is sitting in Colonel Sanders's former home in Shelbyville, Kentucky. Chicken grease smeared across his cheeks, May tears into the flesh as if he's never eaten before. "Oh, this is so good," he says in his English- born, Scottish-educated accent, destroying a chicken breast at Claudia Sanders Dinner House, the historic restaurant on the premises. Then May looks at another dish he ordered: mock oysters—boiled egg- plant mixed with bread pudding. When the waiter asks if they're okay, May tries to be polite, but he just can't hold the truth. "They're awful," he says. "Yeah, they're not our most popular dish," the waiter admits, pulling laughter from May's fellow William Grant & Sons Ambassadors, including Dean Callan, Global Brand Ambassador for Monkey Shoulder Whisky, and Jun Hirst, Brand Manager for Hendrick's Gin. In a nutshell, that's May—a funny guy who's always finds a way to bring out humor in any situation, whether it's dishing boiled eggplant or joking about finding a toothless Kentucky honey. On April Fool's Day this year, as May and Callan were en route to Kentucky for the American Distillers Institute conference, they called May's boss, Cindy Wang (Senior Brand Manager, Innovation for William Grant & Sons), to say their flight was cancelled. The prank didn't work: May had checked-in on the flight on FourSquare. The last time he was in Kentucky, a plastic penguin ended up in his bed one morning. What would happen this time? Car Ride to Nowhere After an amazing, fat-filled country meal at Claudia Sanders, May, Callan, Wang and I jump into an SUV with bad suspension and drive through the hills of Kentucky to check out distilleries on the Bourbon Trail. Since I live here, I take for granted how beautiful Kentucky is and the fact that I can visit 74 / the tasting panel / may 2012 Deep in Kentucky bourbon country, Freddy May enjoys New York–made Hudson Baby Bourbon at Bourbons Bistro in Louisville. whiskey-makers any day of the week. But seeing the joy in May's face was incredibly inspiring. Here's the Brand Ambassador for Hudson Baby Bourbon (made in New York State at Tuthilltown Distillery) and Monkey Shoulder Whisky (a blend from Scotland's Speyside region), in the bourbon belt looking to learn. "I am just so passionate about whisk(e)y," he says, reaching for the "hang on" handle as Wang weaves between a couple of semis. In fact, May has the tough responsibility of getting Hudson into Kentucky bars. It's a hard sell. Consumers here tend to find Baby Bourbon pricy, hovering $50 at retail, not to mention it's from, well, New York. May knows he can't change the diehard haters, but he feels he'll win Kentucky consumers with Baby Bourbon's flavor profile and story. PHOTO: FRED MINNICK