The Kentucky Distillers’ Association, bourbon expert Fred Minnick, and The Bourbon Crusaders, who collectively launched the Kentucky Bourbon Benefit charitable auction in December of 2021, presented a check for $3.4 million to Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear to support tornado relief efforts in Western Kentucky this week.

The six-day Kentucky Bourbon Benefit auction took place online from Dec. 16 through Dec. 21, culminating with a livestream auction finale the evening of Dec. 21, which raised $1.77 million alone. Other bourbon community members stepped up to give back to Kentucky, totaling more than $5 million in donations from the distilling industry. 

“I appreciate our signature Bourbon industry quickly stepping up to raise much-needed money for Kentucky families that have lost so much in this tragedy,” said Beshear. “All of our distilleries and organizations around embrace not just bourbon, but embrace Kentucky, and that is something we will not forget.”

The KentuckyBourbonBenefit.com site remains open for cash donations.