.... Louisville
Parshooter has made a request for a list of places to drink with the best bourbon selections. I thought I would get the ball rolling with a partial list for Louisville. This city has many great bars and restaurants and most have an above average bourbon selection. Even so some stand out above others. My favorite is:
1) Bourbon' Bistro, 2255 Frankfort Ave.
Great bar with over 130 bourbons, ryes, corn and Tennessee whiskeys (and even Bernheim wheat whiskey). Food is also excellent.
2) Jockey Silks, Galt House Hotel, Fourth and Main.
Great selection of bourbon with a menu of over 100 brands. They could use a little better training for their help. The last time I was there, the bartender told me she liked Booker's the best because its high proof burned alot when she did her beer shooters. Needless to say I was not impressed with her knowledge of bourbon.
3) Maker's Mark Bar, Fourth Street Live.
Good bourbon select that focuses only on the high end bourbons. Their staff is very knowledgable and friendly, but the place is designed to appeal to the twenty-something crowd. This means the bar is too loud for my taste. If you want to converse about bourbon without yelling, go somewhere else. If you are looking for the dance scene, meat market crowd, come here.
4) Proofs, Seventh and Main.
This place is not actually open yet but they are going to be the bourbon bar for the "21 C" building, which is the historic old St. Charles Hotel, renovated by Brown-Forman. It shopuld be worth checking out when it gets open later this spring.
Mike Veach