(Photo: Woodford Reserve)

On Friday, Woodford Reserve announced the opening of a limited-time “sensorial experience” at John F. Kennedy’s Internal Airport in New York — and the lounge offers a remarkable amount of things to do while you’re on your layover.

The pop-up lounge opened in Terminal 4 on Monday and will remain in operation through May 7, the day after the 150th Kentucky Derby, of which Woodford Reserve is the presenting sponsor.  The lounge will be open 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 11 p.m daily. Visitors to the lounge will be able to enter to win a trip to the Kentucky Derby.

“This sensory lounge will be a spectacle of the senses that take visitors through a Woodford Reserve journey,” Elizabeth McCall, Woodford Reserve master distiller, said in a news release. “By engaging the five senses, we will introduce consumers to Woodford Reserve and bring the travel shopping experience to new heights.”

The lounge will offer whiskey tastings, which will rotate daily and sometimes include limited releases such as the Master’s Collection.

Woodford Reserve has also partnered with several prominent New York City bars – Eleven Madison Park, Employees Only and Pebble Bar – to curate the lounge’s cocktail menu. Additionally, renowned chocolatier and pastry chef Jacques Torres crafted a bonbon to pair with Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Bourbon.

“We are excited about the opening of the Woodford Reserve Sensory Lounge at John F. Kennedy International Airport,” said Stéphane Morizet, marketing director, Brown-Forman Global Travel Retail. “Each lounge is an individual concept, meeting the high standard and desire for exclusivity of global travelers.”

A range of Woodford Reserve products will be available to purchase at the lounge, including Bourbon, Malt, Double Oaked, 149th Derby bottle featuring Secretariat, Batch Proof series, Double XO  — a Traveler’s Exclusive — and Baccarat Edition.

Each customer who purchases two bottles will receive a branded tote bag and Old-Fashioned syrup.

“Air travel is experiencing an all-time high and savvy brands like Woodford Reserve are capitalizing on the immersive opportunity to engage with business and leisure travelers in key-moments of dwell time where consumers are open to experiential opportunities, such as tastings,” said Jon Sayer, senior vice president, sales, Airports Division, Clear Channel Outdoor. “We know that brands are exploring ways to break through with their consumers in memorable ways and we are thrilled to partner with this brand to create this unique Out-of-Home (OOH) experience in one of the premier gateway airports  in and out of New York City.”

On Thursday, Woodford Reserve announced the 2023 edition of its $1,000 Mint Julep charity program and annual Mint Julep cocktail recipe.

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