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WORLD’S TOP WHISKEY TASTER

OFFICIAL RULES

NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND NECESSARY TO ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN. A PURCHASE OR PAYMENT OF ANY KIND WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. THE CONTEST IS INTENDED FOR VIEWING IN THE UNITED STATES ONLY AND WILL BE GOVERNED BY UNITED STATES LAW. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED.

1. ELIGIBILITY

The “World’s Top Whiskey Taster” (“Contest”) is open to legal residents of the fifty (50) United States (except Indiana) and District of Columbia who are twenty-one (21) years of age or older at the time of entry. Employees, contractors, directors, officers, and agents of BARDSTOWN BOURBON COMPANY (“Sponsor”), its affiliates and subsidiaries; advertising and Contest agencies, wholesale distributors, retail licensees, and all other service agencies involved with the Contest, and members of their immediate family (spouse, parent, child, sibling), are not eligible to enter or win. The Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations and is void where prohibited. Participation constitutes entrant’s full and unconditional agreement to these Official Rules and Sponsor’s decisions which are final and binding in all matters related to this Contest. Winning the prize is contingent upon fulfilling all requirements as set forth herein.

2. CONTEST PERIOD

Contest begins at 12:00:00 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time (“EDT”) on July 15, 2021 and ends at 11:59:59 p.m. EDT on December 11, 2021 (“Contest Period”). The Contest Period is divided into three (3) phases as defined below. Sponsor’s computer is the official time keeping device for this Contest.

3. TIMELINE:

  • July 15, 2021– August 15, 2021 11:59:59 p.m. PST: Contest opens for online entries
  • August 16, 2021 – August 20, 2021: Regional judging period
  • September 24, 2021– November 19, 2021: Local qualifying rounds are held in five (5) participating cities.
  • December 10, 2021 – December 12, 2021: Five (5) Finalists are selected from the qualifying rounds and each receives a Distillery Trip
  • Dec 11, 2021: Finale event in Bardstown, KY to select Grand Prize Winner

PHASE ONE: CONTEST SUBMISSION PERIOD

The Contest Submission Period begins at 12:00:00 a.m. EDT on July 15, 2021 and ends at 11:59:59 p.m. EDT August 15, 2021 (“Contest Submission Period”). To enter, visit www.worldstopwhiskeytaster.com and follow the online instructions to enter the competition.

If entering with a mobile phone or other web-enabled device and using your wireless carrier’s network, standard data charges from your wireless carrier may apply. Check with your wireless service provider for details on these and any other applicable charges. Entrants are solely responsible for any such wireless charges.

All Entries must be received and recorded during the Contest Submission Period. Limit one (1) Entry per person. Entries will be judged. See Rule #5 for Contest Judging Criteria. No other forms of Entry are valid. See Rule #4 for additional Entry Guidelines & Prohibited Content. Entry must comply with these Official Rules. Sponsor reserves the right, but not the obligation, to review any Entry for violation of these Official Rules and may, at its sole discretion, reject, delete, or otherwise exclude an Entry for any reason, including without limitation, if the Entry contains any Prohibited Content (as defined in Rule #4) or any other commentary or material which Sponsor, in its sole discretion deems inappropriate.

4. ENTRY GUIDELINES & PROHIBITED CONTENT

Entries must meet the following requirements:

Entry cannot defame, misrepresent, or contain disparaging remarks about Sponsor or its products, or other people, products or companies or communicate messages or images inconsistent with the positive images and/or goodwill to which Sponsor wishes to associate.

Sponsor shall have full right and power to copy, publish, broadcast, display, distribute, use, edit, translate, alter, combine with other material, reuse and adapt any or all portions of the Entry in any way and for any purpose whatsoever, at any time, now or in the future, in any media now known or hereafter devised throughout the World in any manner whatsoever and for any purpose.

Entry cannot (a) be sexually explicit or suggestive, violent or derogatory of any ethnic, racial, gender, religious, professional or age group, profane or pornographic, reference nudity or any materially dangerous activity; (b) promote the excessive or irresponsible consumption of alcohol, or promote illegal use of alcohol, drugs, tobacco, firearms/weapons (or the use of any of the foregoing), any activities that may appear unsafe or dangerous or any particular political agenda or message; (c) be obscene or offensive, endorse any form of hate or hate group; (d) contain an image of anyone under 21 years of age; (e) otherwise fails to comply with the Distilled Spirits Council Code of Responsible Practices for beverage alcohol advertising and marketing as made publicly available at the following online location: https://www.distilledspirits.org/wp- content/uploads/2018/03/May_26_2011_DISCUS_Code_Word_Version1.pdf; (f) contain or reference trademarks, logos or trade dress owned by others, or advertise or promote any brand or product of any kind (other than Sponsor), without permission, or contain any personal identification, such as license plate numbers, personal names, email addresses or street addresses; (g) contain copyrighted materials owned by others without permission; (h) contain materials embodying the names, likenesses, photographs, or other indicia identifying any person, living or dead, without permission; (i) refer to or depict any names, logos or readily recognizable features of a retailer of alcohol beverages (such as a grocery store, convenience store, restaurant, bar, or any other retail location that sells alcohol beverages); or (j) depict, and cannot itself be in, violation of any law.

  1. Each entrant warrants and represents that the Entry: (a) is your original work, (b) has not been previously published; (c) has not received previous awards; and (d) does not infringe upon the copyrights, trademarks, rights of privacy, publicity or other intellectual property or other rights of any person or entity.
  2. Any entrant whose Entry includes likenesses of third parties or contains elements not owned by the entrant (such as, but not limited to, depictions of persons, buildings, trademarks or logos) must be able to provide legal releases for such use including Sponsor’s use of such Entry, in a form satisfactory to Sponsor, upon request, prior to award of prize and/or naming of entrant as a winner.
  3. Any Entry that, in the sole opinion of Sponsor, is not in accordance with the guidelines as stated herein or on the Website or is deemed to be inappropriate for publication is ineligible.
  4. Incomplete, illegible, deceptive, or garbled Entries are not eligible.
  5. Any such entrant will indemnify and hold harmless, Sponsor from any claims to the contrary.

By submitting an Entry, you agree that your Entry is gratuitous and made without restriction, that it will not place Sponsor under any obligation other than as stated in these Official Rules, that Sponsor is free to publish or otherwise disclose the ideas contained in the Entry on a non-confidential basis to anyone or otherwise use the ideas without any additional compensation to you. You acknowledge that, by acceptance of your Entry, Sponsor does not waive any rights to use similar or related ideas previously known to Sponsor, or developed by its employees, or obtained from sources other than you.

By participating, you acknowledge that your Entry may be used in Sponsor’s sole discretion. Entries are the views/opinions of the individual entrant and do not reflect the views of the Sponsor in any manner. By entering, you acknowledge that Sponsor has no obligation to use or post any Entry you submit.

5. PHASE TWO: CONTEST JUDGING TO DETERMINE REGIONAL FINALISTS

Beginning on August 16, 2021 and ending on August 20, 2021, all eligible Entries will be judged based on the following contest judging criteria (“Contest Judging Criteria”) by a panel of contest judges (“Contest Judges”) selected by Sponsor from the bourbon industry. The Contest Judging Criteria includes: (1) Creativity; (2) Uniqueness; and, (3) Entry is the best representation of the Sponsor’s brand. Eligible Entries receiving the highest cumulative scores awarded by the Contest Judges will be deemed a Regional Finalist (each a “Regional Finalist”) and invited to participate in Phase Three: Palate Challenge: Blind Tasting Events. See Rule #6 for Phase Three: Palate Challenge: Blind Tasting Events details.

The potential Regional Finalists will be notified by email, text or phone on or around August 23, 2021 and will be required to respond to the notification within twenty-four (24) hours indicating whether he/she can accept the opportunity to advance to Phase Three: Palate Challenge: Blind Tasting Events. If no response is received within the time allotted, an alternate potential Regional Finalist will be selected (time permitting). Any alternate potential Regional Finalist selected will also be required to respond to the notification within twenty-four (24) hours. Sponsor is not responsible for suspended or discontinued Internet, wireless, or land-line phone service which may result in a potential Regional Finalist receiving initial notification. In the event of noncompliance within any of these time periods, the opportunity to advance to Phase Three: Palate Challenge: Blind Tasting Events will be forfeited, and an alternate potential Regional Finalist selected (time permitting). Any alternate potential Regional Finalist will be selected will also be required to adhere to the time periods described herein. Any prize notification or prize returned to the Sponsor or its agencies as undeliverable will result in disqualification and the awarding of that prize to an alternate potential Regional Finalist (time permitting).

6. PHASE THREE: PALATE CHALLENGE: BLING TASTING EVENTS

Between September 24, 2021 and November 19, 2021, each Regional Finalist will be invited to participate (at their own expense) in a Palate Challenge: Blind Tasting Events (“Palate Challenge”) to be held in select cities.

  • Chicago, IL – Sept 24th @ 7pm CST
  • Dallas, TX–Oct 8 @ 7pm CST
  • New York,NY–Oct 22 @ 7pm EST
  • Los Angeles, CA – Nov 5@7pmPST
  • Atlanta, GA – Nov 19 @ 7pm EST

Exact date, time, and location of Palate Challenge to be determined by Sponsor, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, and subject to availability and change. If a Regional Finalist fails to participate in the Palate Challenge, then he/she may be disqualified subject to Sponsor’s sole discretion. Each Palate Challenge will be judged based on a point system determined by Sponsor. The one (1) Regional Finalist receiving the highest cumulative scores will be deemed a Finalist (“Finalist) and proceed to Phase Four, The Finale Event. See Rule #7 for Phase Four: The Finale Event details.

7. PHASE FOUR: THE FINALE EVENT

In December of 2021, Finalists will be invited to participate in a The Finale Event (“Finale Event”) to be held at Bardstown Bourbon Company. Exact date, time of Finale Event to be determined by Sponsor, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, and subject to availability and change. If a Finalist is unable to participate in the Finale Event, then he/she may be disqualified subject to Sponsor’s sole discretion. The Finale Event will be judged based on a point system determined by Sponsor along with a panel of contest judges (“Contest Judges”) selected by Sponsor from the bourbon industry. The Contest Judging Criteria includes: (1) Creativity; (2) Uniqueness; and, (3) Entry is the best representation of the Sponsor’s brand. The one (1) Finalist receiving the highest cumulative scores will be deemed the Grand Prize winner (“Winner” or “winner”) and receive the Grand Prize (subject to verification). See Rule #8 for Prize details. In the event of a tie, Finalists will participate in an additional challenge to determine the Grand Prize Winner.

If Sponsor so elects, each Finalist may be required to submit to a confidential background check. Such background check may include (but is not limited to) investigation of criminal, sexual offenses, or other arrest or conviction record, and any other factor deemed relevant by the Sponsor to help ensure that the Finalist will not bring Sponsor into public disrepute, contempt, scandal, or ridicule or reflect unfavorably on the Sponsor. If requested, each Finalist agrees to sign waiver forms authorizing the release of personal and background information. In the event of noncompliance, to be determined at the sole discretion of Sponsor, Finalist will be disqualified and will not be eligible for the Grand Prize.

8. WINNER NOTIFICATION

The prize(s) will be awarded at the conclusion of the finale event. Potential winner will be required to complete, sign, and return an affidavit of eligibility and liability and publicity release via email, fax or overnight mail within twenty-four (24) hours of prize acceptance. In the event of noncompliance within any of these time periods, prize will be forfeited, and an alternate potential winner selected (time permitting). Any alternate potential winner selected will also be required to adhere to the time periods described herein. Any prize notification or prize returned to the Sponsor or its agencies as undeliverable will result in disqualification and the awarding of that prize to an alternate potential winner (time permitting).

9. PRIZE DETAILS

Sponsor will select one (1) chosen Finalist from each of the five (5) qualifying rounds to be sent to the Bardstown Bourbon Company Distillery to compete in the finale event, for a chance to be crowned “World’s Top Whiskey Taster.” One (1) Finalist will be chosen as the Grand Prize Winner of “World’s Top Whiskey Taster” and will receive the Grand Prize.

The Finalists: five (5) Finalists will receive:
o Round trip coach airfare for one (1) to Louisville, KY., dates TBD
o Lodging accommodations for one (1) (standard room, double occupancy) for two (2) nights
o Hosted tour for one (1) of the Bardstown Bourbon Company Distillery o Ground transportation for one (1) to and from Bardstown Bourbon Company

The Grand Prize Winner: one (1) Grand Prize winner will receive:
o Round trip coach airfare for two (2) (winner + guest) to Louisville, KY, dates TBD
o Lodging accommodations for two (2) (standard room, double occupancy) for two (2) nights, dates TBD

o Ground transportation to and from Bardstown Bourbon Company and Moonshine University, dates TBD
o Participation in a blending session at Bardstown Bourbon Company
o Enrollment and participation for one (1) in the Stave & Thief Society: Executive Bourbon Steward Training And Certification Program at Moonshine University, dates TBD
o A private event for up to fifty (50) people featuring the Bardstown Bourbon Company Mobile Tasting Bar
o $20,000 cash prize

Exact date, time of private event to be determined by Sponsor, in Sponsor’s sole discretion, and subject to availability and change. Winners are responsible for all travel expenses, lodging, meals, gratuities, and personal expenses during the regional events. If winner cannot accept prize as specified, prize will be forfeited and will be awarded to an alternate winner (time permitting). Any difference between actual value and stated value will not be awarded.

Prize is non-transferable and no cash equivalent or substitution of prize is offered, except at the sole discretion of Sponsor. If prize, or any portion thereof, cannot be awarded for any reason, Sponsor reserves the right to substitute prize with another prize of equal or greater value. Prize winner will be solely responsible for all federal, state and/or local taxes, and for any other fees or costs associated with the prizes they receive, regardless of whether it, in whole or in part, is used.

Entrant acknowledges and agrees that Sponsor shall be the sole and exclusive owner of any and all whiskey or whiskey blend products resulting from the blending session at Bardstown Bourbon Company and Entrant shall have no right to any portion of the sale of any such whiskey or whiskey blend product however bottled, labeled or packaged by Sponsor.

9. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY AND RELEASE

Sponsor, Bardstown Bourbon Company, its affiliates, subsidiaries, and agencies are not responsible for lost, late, misdirected, unintelligible, returned or undelivered Entries, email, or for lost, interrupted or unavailable satellite, network, server, Internet Service Provider (ISP), Website, or other connections availability, accessibility or traffic congestion, miscommunications, failed computer, network, telephone, satellite or cable hardware or software or lines, or technical failure, or jumbled, scrambled, delayed or misdirected transmissions, computer hardware or software malfunctions, failures or difficulties, or other errors of any kind whether human, mechanical, electronic or network. Persons who tamper with or abuse any aspect of this Contest or Website, or act in violation of the Official Rules, or act in any manner to threaten or abuse or harass any person, or violate Sponsor’s terms of service, as solely determined by the Sponsor, will be disqualified. Sponsor nor its agencies are responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information whether caused by users, tampering, hacking, or by any of the programming or equipment associated with or used in this Contest, and assumes no responsibility for any errors, omission, deletion, interruption or delay in operation or transmission or communication line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized Website access. Any use of robotic, macro, automatic, programmed or like entry methods will void all such Entries, and may subject that entrant to disqualification. Sponsor nor its agencies are responsible for injury or damage to entrants or any other person’s computer, or property related to or resulting from participating in this Contest. Should any portion of Contest be, in the Sponsor’s sole opinion, compromised by virus, worms, bugs, unauthorized human intervention or other causes which, in the sole opinion of the Sponsor, corrupt or impair administration, security, fairness or proper play of this Contest, or submission of Entries, Sponsor reserves the right at its sole discretion to suspend, modify or terminate the Contest, and determine the Winner from valid, non-suspect Entries received prior to action taken, or otherwise as may be deemed fair and equitable by the Sponsor. In the event of a dispute regarding Entries received from multiple users having the same email account, the authorized subscriber of the email account used to enter will be deemed to be the entrant and must comply with these Official Rules. The authorized account subscriber is the natural person who is assigned the email account by the organization responsible for assigning the email account. All materials submitted become the property of Sponsor, Bardstown Bourbon Company, and will not be returned.

Entrants agree (a) that Sponsor and its parent, subsidiary and affiliated companies, and advertising and Contest agencies, and their respective officers, directors, employees, wholesale distributors, representatives and agents, will have no liability whatsoever for, and are released and shall be held harmless by Entrants against, any liability, for any injuries, losses or damages of any kind, to persons, including death, or property, or rights of publicity or privacy, defamation, copyright infringement or portrayal in a false light resulting in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, from acceptance, possession, misuse or use of the prize or participation in this Contest or in any Contest-related activity, and (b) winner, by acceptance of prize, except where legally prohibited, grants permission for Sponsor (and agrees to confirm such agreement in writing) and those acting pursuant to its authority to use his/her name, submitted biography, voice and/or likeness and prize information, and/or Entry (and assign the Entry, which may be altered, changed, modified, edited, used alone or with other works, as solely determined by Sponsor) for advertising, trade and Contest purposes, including the sale of any whiskey or whiskey blend products resulting from the blending session at Bardstown Bourbon Company, without further compensation, at any times or time, in all media now known or hereafter discovered worldwide and on the Internet without notice or review or approval. 

10. PUBLICITY AND COPYRIGHT LICENSE

You grant Sponsor an exclusive, worldwide, perpetual, irrevocable, unrestricted, royalty- free, sub-licensable and transferrable right and license to exploit your Entry (including, without limitation, your name and likeness and the names and likenesses of any and all persons in the Entry, and any intellectual property rights (e.g. copyright, trademark, etc.) contained in the Entry) in any media now or hereafter known, without any payment or other consideration of any kind, or permission or notification, to you or any third party, for any purpose, including, without limitation, your Entry and any person’s property (physical, personal, intellectual property rights, and indicia) contained therein. The foregoing grant includes, without limitation, the right to reproduce, display, distribute, publicly perform, create derivative works of, alter, amend, broadcast, edit, publish, use, merchandise, license, sublicense, and adapt the Entry in any and all media now or hereafter known, throughout the world, for any purpose, whether commercial in nature or otherwise, including in contexts and circumstances that result in your Entry being associated with a particular Sponsor or Sponsors. Accordingly, you hereby waive any objection to, such use including without limitation, distribution, reproduction, creation of derivative works of, public performance, or display of your Entry, and any claim for compensation whatsoever in connection therewith. Such waiver shall include any claim for infringement of any so- called “Moral Right,” “Droit Moral” or similar right or interest.

11. PRIVACY POLICY

Please see the privacy policy located at https://www.bardstownbourbon.com/privacy- policy/ for details of Sponsor’s policy regarding the use of personal information collected in connection with this Contest.

12. SPONSOR

Bardstown Bourbon Company, 1500 Parkway Drive Bardstown, KY 40004.

13. WINNER’S LIST:

For the name of the winner, send a direct message to the contact@bardstownbourboncompany.com and include “World’s Top Whiskey Taster Winner’s List Request” for receipt by July 1, 2022.

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