Bourbon trail

frfly172

frfly172

Touchdown! Greaser!
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ron keating
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Did a young Eagles day ,then the hundred dollar Hamburg,now sitting back enjoying a nice bourbon,a wood ford reserve on the rocks. Looking for pi reps on flying the bourbon trail. Stops along the way ,and any helpful hints Thanks Ron
 
I completed it driving. They're all pretty close together, about three hours one end to the other, clustered around Lexington, Louisville, and Bardstown. Takes a bit of time though since it's hard to fit in more than 2 a day without rushing. For extras, visit a cooperage (where they make the barrels) and maybe stop by Bowling Green for the Corvette factory. There's tons of small airports in KY, mostly similar, very friendly country airports.
 
Love me some Woodford, though I don't imbibe until I'm all done flying (or driving for that matter). Had a liter bottle slip out of my fingers and smash on the floor one time. Bad day.
 
We're fairly close to Jack Daniels at BGF. Feel free to drop in and get a car ;)
 
I lived in Lexington, KY for three years, so didn't have to fly to the Bourbon trail. I liked Woodford the best, but they all are interesting. Be sure to mention how UK Men's Basketball choked this year. That will endear you to the natives. :D
 
I've spent about 11 of the 15 weeks this year in 'Bourboun country' for work, but haven't been able to do the Bourbon trail. :(

I have come to enjoy a nice Blanton's on the rocks, though. Four Roses Small Batch is a close second. Probably the easiest drinking bourbon I've had up there is Kentucky Tavern 80.
 
We have local distillery, Watershed, that makes the smoothest Bourbon ever to cross the savage palate of Steingar. Ask any of the four people to make it to 6Y9 last year, the stuff is good. They make what Wine Spectator calls "the best gin they've ever rated". Have to bring some to one of the dos. Pricey, but well worth it.
 
steingar said:
We have local distillery, Watershed, that makes the smoothest Bourbon ever to cross the savage palate of Steingar. Ask any of the four people to make it to 6Y9 last year, the stuff is good. They make what Wine Spectator calls "the best gin they've ever rated". Have to bring some to one of the dos. Pricey, but well worth it.
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Are you in Columbus? Watershed makes a flowery-flavored gin that is just gross, IMO. My professor felt the same way, so maybe it's a generational thing. I gave the (full) bottle to some younger guys who didn't know any better or care.

But I've not tasted their bourbon, nor would I know good from bad...
 
I'd love to do the Bourbon Trail someday for vacation.

Woodford is good stuff indeed, but you need to try some Knob Creek Single Barrel 9 yr old 120 proof... that's the divine nectar there.
 
steingar said:
We have local distillery, Watershed, that makes the smoothest Bourbon ever to cross the savage palate of Steingar. Ask any of the four people to make it to 6Y9 last year, the stuff is good. They make what Wine Spectator calls "the best gin they've ever rated". Have to bring some to one of the dos. Pricey, but well worth it.
Click to expand...

You can't call it "Bourbon" if it isn't made in Kentucky.
 
BTW, if you're ever in the Lexington area and in the mood for steak, Malone's is pretty darned good.
 
Anthony said:
You can't call it "Bourbon" if it isn't made in Kentucky.
Click to expand...

WRONG!

The requirements are:

1. Made in the USA
2. At least 51% corn mash
3. Aged in charred oak
4. No less than 80 proof at release (there are other proof levels at distillation time and at the time it goes into barrels).

There's argument as to whether Bourbon refers to the Kentucky county as well.

Bourbon is recognized as a protected geographic name for the entire US, not Kentucky.

That being said, 95% of all Bourbon is indeed produced in Kentucky, but it's not a legal requirement.

And yes, I've been to both Heaven Hill (Evan Williams among others) and Makers Mark (I've got a bottle I dipped in the wax myself).
 
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iflyvfr said:
Are you in Columbus? Watershed makes a flowery-flavored gin that is just gross, IMO. My professor felt the same way, so maybe it's a generational thing. I gave the (full) bottle to some younger guys who didn't know any better or care.

But I've not tasted their bourbon, nor would I know good from bad...
Click to expand...

The Bourbon is to die for. The gin I tried was aged in the barrels the Bourbon came out of. It has a bit of color (wrong for gin, I know) and is silky smooth. Me like.
 
flyingron said:
WRONG!

The requirements are:

1. Made in the USA
2. At least 51% corn mash
3. Aged in charred oak
4. No less than 80 proof at release (there are other proof levels at distillation time and at the time it goes into barrels).

There's argument as to whether Bourbon refers to the Kentucky county as well.

Bourbon is recognized as a protected geographic name for the entire US, not Kentucky.

That being said, 95% of all Bourbon is indeed produced in Kentucky, but it's not a legal requirement.

And yes, I've been to both Heaven Hill (Evan Williams among others) and Makers Mark (I've got a bottle I dipped in the wax myself).
Click to expand...

You are correct of course. When I lived in Kentucky they made me remember it wrong. :D
 
flyingron said:
WRONG!

The requirements are:

1. Made in the USA
2. At least 51% corn mash
3. Aged in charred oak
4. No less than 80 proof at release (there are other proof levels at distillation time and at the time it goes into barrels).

There's argument as to whether Bourbon refers to the Kentucky county as well.

Bourbon is recognized as a protected geographic name for the entire US, not Kentucky.

That being said, 95% of all Bourbon is indeed produced in Kentucky, but it's not a legal requirement.

And yes, I've been to both Heaven Hill (Evan Williams among others) and Makers Mark (I've got a bottle I dipped in the wax myself).
Click to expand...

Correct, with one caveat for # 3. The barrels have to be new. No used barrels.
 
I've got some "Try Box" stuff (pre-bourbon) from Heaven Hills. I use it primarily to dope wine samples to do subjective alcohol analysis. Heaven Hills also produces a mason jar Georgia Moon (yes in Kentucky) non-bourbon.

It's an interesting education. Everything you know about wine is wrong for Bourbon. The best stuff is stuck way up in the top of the tin shed rickhouses where it goes from beastly hot in the summer to bitterly cold in the winter being driven in and out of the barrel staves.

Interesting going through the tastings (with and without water). Makers also shows what "overaged" in their opinion bourbon would taste like in addition to the regular and 46 that they sell.

Amusingly, all the master distillers (who evaluate the aging whiskey primarily by smell) are all part of the Jim Beam family tree. Heaven Hills has a family tree that shows where they all are working.

We also took a train ride that stopped in one of Jim Beam's facilities. It looked oddly familiar until a guide pointed out that the "Czech Military Base" scenes from "Stripes" was filmed there.
 
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