BARDSTOWN, Ky. — Thousands flooded the gates for the 34th annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival for three days of bourbon tasting, barrel-making and stories of Kentucky’s native spirit.

Participating up-and-coming distilleries said the festival helps them get their start and stay afloat, despite recent tariffs and the state’s competitive market.

According to the Kentucky Distillers' Association , the state's bourbon industry generates a total economic impact of approximately $9 billion annually.

“This is a group of folks who are bourbon enthusiasts [and] bourbon connoisseurs,” said Lorenzo Alvarado, master distiller of Old SteelHouse Distillery. “It’s a specialized, captivated audience that really appreciates the things that we are putting out there.”

The Bardstown-based distillery is

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