Wife and I recently returned from the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Spent time in Lexington, then Louisville, with Bardstown in between.
These barrels at Buffalo Trace (buffalotracedistillery.com) show why aged bourbons cost more. From an almost full barrel (bottom left), evaporation takes half to 3/4 or more, as flavor intensifies. The part that evaporates is called the "angel's share." Bourbon gets all its color and most of its flavor from the barrel.
Tasting lineup at Buffalo Trace. This is an excellent tour and a great shop, a must on any visit. You do not have to take the tour in order to buy in the shop. Buffalo Trace is one of the properties on the National Register of Historic Places.
Woodford Reserve (woodfordreserve.com), also an essential stop. This is another of the distilleries that is on the National Historic Register.
Note the extensive copper, the only metal Woodford Reserve products ever touch.
Aging in progress. The two red ends designate special batches that will be released in Baccarat crystal for Kentucky Derby.
Kentucky Derby release. This ain't cheap!
Tasting lineup at Woodford Reserve.
Tasting lineup at Old Forester (oldforester.com).
Bar/tasting room at Old Forester.
Tasting lineup at
Rabbit Hole (rabbitholedistillery.com).
Other distilleries are all about history. Rabbit Hole is a recent enterprise. I liked their rye- the only one I bought on this trip.
At Rabbit Hole. Looks like something out of Star Wars doesn't it?
Best meal of the trip: Distilled (distilledonjefferson.com) in Lexington.
Other visits I recommend: Angel's Envy (angelsenvy.com) in Louisville. One of my personal favorite bourbons, maybe #1, but I have to taste more to be sure.
A number of distilleries are opening tasting rooms on Whiskey Row in Louisville. This is a good base of operations for any tour.
We did not spend enough time in Bardstown to provide a guide. We wanted to go the Bardstown Bourbon tasting room on Whiskey Row, but it wasn't open yet.
Heaven Hill (heavenhilldistillery.com) in Bardstown was a favorite tour. Fascinating history, really good museum.
Tasting notes:
I think bourbon needs a little water in order to open up flavor and cut alcohol taste. Try one small ice cube in 2-3 ounces of bourbon, let it melt, swirl, then sip. Adjust future servings to taste.
I get the best results when I move the bourbon around in my mouth after sipping. (Don't gulp!) Get it under the tongue, on either side of your gums, open your mouth slightly, breathe in a little air, swirl it around. That's when you really taste it. Get it off the tip of your tongue, where the alcohol taste is strongest.
I did not like the higher alcohol bourbons. None of the 100 proof products (or higher) appealed to me. I just could not get beyond the alcohol taste to find the bourbon. Other tasters, of course, would disagree!
