Kentucky Bourbon Trail....

[Klusterbuck]

Last week my wife and I went on the Bourbon Trail. Anyone else here done it?

We had a blast. Toured 8 different distilleries, tasted samples, and enjoyed the scenery.

Highly reccomend this for any of the brothers here, who like me, enjoy the occasional drink of Kentucky's finest.

 

[rdomfoto]

Oh man, someone posted the same thing a month or two ago and said they loved it. Gotta do it one of these years.

Did you discover any new favorites?

 

[Klusterbuck]

I did confirm my love of Maker's Mark.... That stuff is just too good... especially since I got to dip my own bottle in the red wax.
Town Branch Distillery in Lexington is solid as well.
Regular old Wild Turkey is still what I'd call harsh, but their Rare Breed is bold but smooth. Awesome tour.
Jim Beam is still Jim Beam... good tour, just not my favorite drink.
Felt a little out of place at Woodford Reserve. Kinda like a caddy at the country club. Super bourbon though.

Evan Williams even has some pretty good stuff. ( I went in there with a preconcieved notion that it would be "cheap" or somehow lacking... it was an easy drinking, smooth bourbon....
Four Roses Distillery was really nice.
Heaven Hill was ok too....

We hit 8 stops, got the t-shirts... had a blast and saw some awesome scenery.... and to quote Bubba, our tour guide from Wild Turkey.... "I ain't goin' to bad mouth any of the other bourbon makers on the trail..... I've tried them all and none of them make one I don't like."

 

[SFerrojr]

Didn't make the whole trail, but I did Makers and Heaven Hill while I was in KY on business and had a blast! Makers will let you dip pretty much anything from the gift shop in the wax. That personalized rocks glass is still one of my favorites for a cigar and three fingers. One of these days I'll have to make it to the rest.

 

[Klusterbuck]

Wife made it a point to get a shot glass from each place.... she debated dippin the one from Maker's... but opted not to.... and yes I just love Maker's and a good cigar....
This made me think of something that would be the perfect "bachelor party" type thing.... trip with the guys, cigars, and bourbon.... what's not perfect about that?

 

[ZaneG]

The wife and I stopped by makers mark. It was awesome!

 

[RacFocus]

Was the new visitors center at Woodford open? From the renderings I saw a while back kinda made it look more like a nightclub lounge or something.

 

[Klusterbuck]

Woodford reminded me of going to what I think a country club would look like...... Wild Turkey just opened a new visitor's center... very cool and "not country club like"....

 

[javelin377]

There are "perks" to living in KY. I live just about 45 minutes south of most of the distilleries. There are some truly good bourbons being made, and some not as good....
Buffalo Trace Distillery makes some great ones. Any of the Blanton's line is awesome, Eagle Rare 10 year is excellent I've not personally tried the 17 year, Buffalo Trace is good, Elmer T. Lee single barrel is uber good.

The best "kickin chicken" is Wild Turkey Rare Breed

I could go on and on about KY bourbon

 

[dscl]

Maybe next year I'll ride the trail

There are "perks" to living in KY. I live just about 45 minutes south of most of the distilleries. There are some truly good bourbons being made, and some not as good....
Buffalo Trace Distillery makes some great ones. Any of the Blanton's line is awesome, Eagle Rare 10 year is excellent I've not personally tried the 17 year, Buffalo Trace is good, Elmer T. Lee single barrel is uber good.

The best "kickin chicken" is Wild Turkey Rare Breed

I could go on and on about KY bourbon

So as a fellow bourbon enthusiast with the knowledge i don't posses what distilleries would you recommend I hit? Some of the bottles in my cupboard right now are: Bookers, Blantons, Buffallo Trace, Angel's Envy, Basil Hayden, Four Roses, Corsair, 1792 and more. I wouldn't mind seeing some of the bigboys obviously, but would also love visiting the smaller craft companies.

 

[Monsterdg]

I'm a big bourbon guy myself. This sounds like an awesome trip. We should organize a herf trip & ride the bourbon trail!

 

[marshall9779]

It's on my must do list. I have a natural taste for bourbon I think since my mom is from KY. My parents have been to Makers and Woodford. It's on my list to do one day.

 

[javelin377]

So as a fellow bourbon enthusiast with the knowledge i don't posses what distilleries would you recommend I hit? Some of the bottles in my cupboard right now are: Bookers, Blantons, Buffallo Trace, Angel's Envy, Basil Hayden, Four Roses, Corsair, 1792 and more. I wouldn't mind seeing some of the bigboys obviously, but would also love visiting the smaller craft companies.

Bookers and Basil Hayden are both Jim Beam products, as is Knob Creek which I like also, and they are on the regular tour.

Buffalo Trace and Blantons are both Buffalo Trace products and are in Frankfort and not on the tour. I don't think I might be wrong.

I'm not familiar with the Angels Envy

1792 is made by Bartons which makes some rot gut vodka we used to use for hooch back in the day. Not saying its not good.

Corsair is cool. I have a buddy that works there. Tried a lot of their stuff. Its a cool tour. Be sure you let me know if you decide to do that one. It is on the "craft tour" I think.

I did all that from memory. So google anything that you think might be suspect.

 

[RacFocus]

I'm a big bourbon guy myself. This sounds like an awesome trip. We should organize a herf trip & ride the bourbon trail!

This sounds like a great idea. I'm near Louisville so just off the trail. Spring or fall of course are the best time of year in this area.

 

[RacFocus]

So as a fellow bourbon enthusiast with the knowledge i don't posses what distilleries would you recommend I hit? Some of the bottles in my cupboard right now are: Bookers, Blantons, Buffallo Trace, Angel's Envy, Basil Hayden, Four Roses, Corsair, 1792 and more. I wouldn't mind seeing some of the bigboys obviously, but would also love visiting the smaller craft companies.

Bookers and Basil Hayden are both Jim Beam products, as is Knob Creek which I like also, and they are on the regular tour.

Buffalo Trace and Blantons are both Buffalo Trace products and are in Frankfort and not on the tour. I don't think I might be wrong.

I'm not familiar with the Angels Envy

1792 is made by Bartons which makes some rot gut vodka we used to use for hooch back in the day. Not saying its not good.

Corsair is cool. I have a buddy that works there. Tried a lot of their stuff. Its a cool tour. Be sure you let me know if you decide to do that one. It is on the "craft tour" I think.

I did all that from memory. So google anything that you think might be suspect.

Angels Envy is supposed to be building their own distillery in downtown Louisville. Right now it's made in someone else's distillery I'm pretty sure.

 

[javelin377]

I'm a big bourbon guy myself. This sounds like an awesome trip. We should organize a herf trip & ride the bourbon trail!

This sounds like a great idea. I'm near Louisville so just off the trail. Spring or fall of course are the best time of year in this area.

Nah, they will love the humidity!!!:frownno:

 

[RacFocus]

I'm a big bourbon guy myself. This sounds like an awesome trip. We should organize a herf trip & ride the bourbon trail!

This sounds like a great idea. I'm near Louisville so just off the trail. Spring or fall of course are the best time of year in this area.

Nah, they will love the humidity!!!:frownno:

This summer wasn't as bad as some recently, but mostly humid and nasty.