Fred Minnick is a Wall Street Journal best-selling author, spirits journalist, professional taster, and speaker. In the tasting world, Fred is recognized for his discerning palate and expertise on a variety of spirits. While Fred is known to many for his bourbon books, he has also written books on rum, mead, scotch, Irish whiskey and cocktails; plus, numerous articles for major publications on a range of other types of spirits.

Fred is the host of his own Dash Radio show, the Fred Minnick YouTube channel, co-founder of Bourbon and Beyond Festival, host of Bourbon Up on Amazon Prime, co-host of Bourbon Pursuit Podcast, and an in-demand spirits personality who regularly appears in national print and television interviews. Fred’s writing can be found in many of the world’s top news, lifestyle and spirits publications such as Forbes, New York Times, Scientific American. Fred is the founding editor of Bourbon+ Magazine and is also the bourbon authority of the Kentucky Derby Museum.

The ASCOT Awards is Fred’s professional destiny. In fact, long before the ASCOT Awards were born, Fred began wearing ascots for tastings. The ascot helps him unlock the psychological and spiritual powers distilled into each spirit.

Fred’s extensive experience as a featured judge with other spirits competitions uniquely qualifies him to identify and recruit the world’s top tasters for the American Spirits Council of Tasters.