My name is Heather Wibbels, aka the Cocktail Contessa, and I’m an award-winning mixologist and whiskey enthusiast (Executive Bourbon Steward, no less). I love researching cocktails, making cocktails, and drinking cocktails. I like to say I’m creating whiskey drinkers one cocktail at a time.
My passion is creating new cocktails out of both familiar and new ingredients, working with brands to review, test and create with their ingredients, and sharing both common and unfamiliar flavor pairings in an approachable way. I love creating whiskey and cocktail content to share with others.
But in the end, I want to bring the bar home to you, and show you how to make drinks that look great, taste fantastic, but are easy to put together. And maybe throw in a little flair to impress your friends and family.
In addition to cocktails, I love a great bourbon, and given the amount in my house, it’s no wonder I work mostly with whiskey. Along the way, I’ve become Chair of the Board of Directors for Bourbon Women, a group passionately dedicated to bourbon culture and all the fun that happens when we gather. We have hundreds of members across 37 states and have had thousands join us in virtual and in-person events over the last year.
I create content for brands and media outlets, and my recipes have appeared in many online and in print publications – including Bourbon + (where I am a columnist), American Whiskey Magazine, the Bourbon Review, Drinkhacker, The Manual, and many more.
My passion is teaching others to create their own cocktails and play with flavors and aromas to create their perfect cocktail. I demystify cocktails and help cocktail enthusiasts approach their cocktail creations thoughtfully to learn to make their own variations!
Making cocktails should be approachable, creative, and fun. I’ve won some cocktail competitions (Bourbon Women’s Not Your Pink Drink Amateur Contest in 2015, 2016, and 2017) and the Kentucky Distiller Association Mint Julep contest in 2019, and I make cocktails for friends and family. In fact, it was Peggy Noe Stevens of the Bourbon Women who jokingly called me the Cocktail Contessa when I showed up at her house with cocktails and the name stuck!
Living in Kentucky, I get to take part in a good number of whiskey- and bourbon-related events, including visiting distilleries, and I love to learn more about whiskies. At last count, I’ve done upwards of 60 distillery tours and presentations, and that doesn’t include various whiskey events and bourbon festivals around town.
I’m always keen to create new cocktails and collaborate with new spirits and products, so use the contact form to ping me if you’d like to collaborate or want a custom cocktail designed for your special occasion.