BourbonEnthusiast.com

I'm happy to say that I've signed up for the next class on June 25th. Anyone else going?

I'm planning to come down a couple days early to visit the other distilleries in the area and other sites of interest. I was hoping that those of you familiar with the area could offer advice on making the most of my trip.

My list so far includes: Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey, Makers Mark, and the Oscar Getz Museum.

What other jewels exist in the Louisville/Lexington area that I should try to see?

Also, being from the bourbon-deprived north-east, what are the best liquour stores in the area to look for some new treats?

Thanks for your help,
Mike Kellstrand

You should try to work in dinner at Bourbon's Bistro. I had dinner there tonight and it was excellent. The Chocolate Bourbon Bread Pudding is excellent and goes well with an older bourbon such as an Old Rip 10yo or Pappy 15 yo. I can also highly recomend the grilled salmon.

Mike Veach

MikeK wrote:I'm happy to say that I've signed up for the next class on June 25th. Anyone else going?

I'm planning to come down a couple days early to visit the other distilleries in the area and other sites of interest. I was hoping that those of you familiar with the area could offer advice on making the most of my trip.

My list so far includes: Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Wild Turkey, Makers Mark, and the Oscar Getz Museum.

What other jewels exist in the Louisville/Lexington area that I should try to see?

Also, being from the bourbon-deprived north-east, what are the best liquour stores in the area to look for some new treats?

Thanks for your help,
Mike Kellstrand

I'd also try and make Four Roses as well, they have a great distillery to see. If you're going to be right near Heaven Hill in Bardstown may as well also stop by the Jim Beam's Outpost. Not great or anything ut a store that sells all beam stuff... The 'tour' they give there is you sit down and watch a marketing video.

As for some treats hard to find around here that are good, give Barton's Ridgemont Reserve a try (unless it is available in Boston, I kno it has made its way to certain area's now...)

Great suggestions gents. The Kentucky Distillers Association "Bourbon Trail" site says that Four Roses doesn't do regular tours, but I went to their website and sure enough, they do. Thanks for the tip!

Good stuff, keep it coming!

Thanks, Mike

Mike,
While you're in Lexington, drop by the Liquor Barn on Richmond Road and ask for Morgan. He loves and knows Bourbon, and he'll treat you right (tell him I sent you... ) (859) 269-4170.

While you're in Bardstown, stop by Toddy's Liquors (one block southeast of the old Courthouse/new Welcome Center). Guthrie McKay owns the place and is a Bourbon lover (502) 348-1444. Dagwood's has a great Bourbon steak (served on a barrel stave), and the Lovin' Oven (under the Getz) is a great place for lunch. No Bourbon, just good food.

While in Louisville, for sure the Bourbon Bistro. There's also the Maker's Lounge tucked in Fourth Street Live, and the Galt House's new Bourbon bar (that replaces D'Marie's)...think they're calling it the Jockey Silks Lounge.

Hope you enjoy your trip, the Academy rocks,
Bj

Bj,

Thanks for the great tips, I will check out as many of those as possible. I'll be in the area Thurs->Sunday and aim to make the most of every moment

Thanks for the help.

Mike

Hi Mike!
I will be at the academy Saturday as well. I am getting in friday evening sometime though and will leave Saturday afternoon. Was hoping to leave early to see Wild Turkey, but last tour is at 2:30 and it's a 4 hour drive for me... and I can't get off work early enough.... I'll hit there another time. Buffalo Trace isn't far and is my favorite tour.... where are you staying? I'm over in Georgetown.. about 25 mintues from L&G (Woodford Reserve)

The Academy was a success with about 12 to 15 people attending. This is a good number because it is small enough to get into places like the distillery lab on the tour. A special thanks does need to go to Rick Duff for providing his laptop for my powerpoint slideshow when the one provided by Brown-Forman had a security password nobody knew! He saved the day.

Mike Veach

One of these days, I'm gonna attend the Academy with you guys!

Was there a main theme this time Mike? Anything new going on there?

The theme is the same everytime, but I always pick up something new from Chris. We have had people return every year and one person has been every year and keeps coming back!

Mike Veach

Mike, I was at the academy yesterday. I again would like to thank Chris and you for an excellent time. I can not speak highly enough of it.

I just got back home tonight. What a great trip. The academy was fantastic and I was able to see most of the other distilleries in the area as well. It was also very nice to meet the other forum members that attended. Thanks to all of you that suggested local sights, you really helped make my trip a success. I'm off on another vacation tomorrow (the family is coming along this time When I get back in 2 weeks I will make a point of writing up my adventures in KY and share some pictures.

Mike Kellstrand

OK, here are a couple pictures from the academy before I take off. I'll post more when I get back from my trip. First picture is Chris pouring us a glass at the barrel dumping station. Second picture is classroom instruction.

Classroom instruction

Here are two pictures of my new "Bourbon Academy Shrine". At the end of the class you get a lovely parting gift. This time it was a bung hammer, which we each got Master Distiller Chris Morris to sign. In the past it has been a barrel head. I was on a mission to bring home a few barrel heads from the distilleries I visited, so I picked up an unfinished barrel head at the gift shop for reasonable money.

I finished the barrel head and hung it on the wall over my bar with the bung hammer. A Woodford Reserve bung covers the nail the hammer hangs from. The wall still looked a little bare, so I finished it off with 4 pictures from the Academy.

The pictures are, clockwise from the bottom: Chris Morris pouring us a drink (see 2 posts back), the academy classroom (see 1 post back), looking up in a rickhouse, the 3 copper pot stills.

This first picture is in natural room light, the second one is with a flash.

Mike