Woodford Reserve Named Official Bourbon of Kentucky Derby in 1999

In 1999, the Kentucky Derby named Woodford Reserve its first official bourbon, a partnership that has since become a tradition. At the time, Woodford was a new brand founded in 1996, but its premium positioning and artful bottle design appealed to the National Thoroughbred Racing Association (NTRA), which sought to attract a younger audience to horse racing. Woodford's parent company, Brown-Forman, had already worked with Churchill Downs for 20 years through a cocktail program. The distillery's location in Versailles, Kentucky, near horse farms, is highlighted by master distiller Elizabeth McCall as a poetic link, with the region's limestone-filtered water benefiting both bourbon and thoroughbreds. Since 2003, Woodford has released annual limited-edition Derby bottles with artist-designed labels, featuring works by Kentucky-linked artists. The partnership runs through 2027, and the brand's $1,000 Mint Julep charity was even spoofed on Saturday Night Live.