Just a week before her 50th birthday, Kayhonne Wooten got what she said was the best present: meeting the cast of “The Best Man” — and specifically actor Morris Chestnut.

“Morris is the reason for the season,” Wooten said.

Wearing a light pink maxi dress with matching Converse and silver jewelry, Wooten was the first person to get a photo with Chestnut, Taye Diggs and Harold Perrineau, along with screenwriter and director Malcolm D. Lee, who were at Total Wine & More in Laurel on Friday promoting their latest collaboration, Sable Bourbon. In addition to an autographed bottle, Wooten received a “birthday hug” from each of the stars.

Since the bourbon launched in late 2024, the cast members have gone on a meet-and-greet tour across the country. The stop in Howard County was their first in Maryland. Hundreds of people lined the side of Total Wine’s building in the Corridor Marketplace, snaking all the way down to Big Lots.

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The event promised photographs and an autographed bottle attendees could purchase at the front of the store. The meet-and-greet aspect has been an important part of the promotion for the new spirit, Perrineau said.

“We literally want to share the thing that we have with each other with everyone else, and the only way to do that is in person,” he said.

From left, Tamika Harris of Anne Arundel County met sisters Kayhonne Wooten and Titianna Thomas of Washington, D.C., since they all arrived early at the event.
From left, Tamika Harris of Anne Arundel County met sisters Kayhonne Wooten and Titianna Thomas of Washington because they all arrived early at the event. (Darreonna Davis/The Baltimore Banner)

The reach of “The Best Man” goes back decades and spans platforms. The original film premiered in 1999. The cult classic spawned a sequel, “The Best Man Holiday,” in 2013; a series, “The Best Man: The Final Chapters,” in 2022; and a novel, “The Best Man: Unfinished Business,” which is set to be released in July.

The latest venture with most of the male cast members (Terrence Howard is notably absent) is just a reflection of the brotherhood and family the men have built over the years, Chestnut said.

“Working with creative and artistic people, it’s a lot of emotions and a lot of opinions, so it’s great to work with people you have a good connection with,” he said.

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He hopes people get a similar feeling of comfort, warmth and family when drinking Sable however they choose — though he and his partners enjoy it with a steak.

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Friday marked director Lee’s first time joining the actors on the tour. The metropolitan Washington area is one of his favorite places and holds significance for Lee because his time as a student at Georgetown University inspired the film.

Lee believes the group’s collective desire to tell great stories and mission to elevate and normalize Black life on the big screen have kept them together for over 25 years. Seeing the hundreds of people lined up for them proved the value of their work, Lee said.

“It’s a testament to these guys embodying the roles as well as they have,” he said as he signed bottles of the bourbon ahead of the event.

The group signed about 300 bottles and distributed about 150 unsigned bottles, said Lee Johnson, the head of the spirits department at Total Wine & More in Laurel. The first 150 people received free lunch tickets to Notos Kabab Halal, also in the Corridor Marketplace.

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Cynthia Wiggins and her friends made their way to Notos after their photo op with the stars. They drove from Baltimore together and planned their Friday around the event, Wiggins said. Afterward, they planned on going shopping, attending a happy hour and doing karaoke.

Wiggins and her crew were in line around 10:40 a.m. for the event, which was set to last from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. A DJ blasted tunes from across generations to reflect the variety of attendees present. Just before noon, Cameo’s “Candy,” which famously played in the wedding scene of the first film, blasted.

Autographed bottles of Sable Bourbon at Total Wine & More in Laurel.
Autographed bottles of Sable Bourbon at Total Wine & More in Laurel. (Darreonna Davis/The Baltimore Banner)
Because they were among the first 150 attendees, Cynthia Wiggins, left, and Jeannia Forrest got autographed bottles of Sable Bourbon, photos with the stars and a free meal from a nearby restaurant.
Because they were among the first 150 attendees, Cynthia Wiggins, left, and Jeannia Forrest got autographed bottles of Sable Bourbon, photos with the stars and a free meal from a nearby restaurant. (Darreonna Davis/The Baltimore Banner)

Wiggins and friends got their photo after about two hours of waiting on a hot, sunny day, but for them it was totally worth it.

“Every woman in that room right now is going to be on a high for the rest of the day,” said Wiggins, who was moved to attend the event at the idea of meeting Chestnut. “You’re in line and you get closer and closer and you see them, and it’s just so exciting. They were such gentlemen.”

Not everyone got to meet the stars before the event ended, but there’s still a chance for Marylanders to try again: Catch the men and snag a bottle of Sable Bourbon at Crescent Wine & Spirits in Bowie on Saturday.