July 7, 2024
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

The last weekend of June, Wayne and I decided to explore and enjoy more of Southern Indiana. Our first stop was West Baden, IN. We have been there before and it has much to offer, including historical sites, hotels, a casino, and French Lick Winery that now includes Spirits of French Lick Distillery.

The last time we visited the winery/distillery, they were just beginning to offer vodka, gin, and rum spirits. Now they have a variety of bourbon, rye, brandy, botanical spirits, and American Whiskey. Per their website, Spirits of French Lick is the largest pot-still distillery in Indiana. This traditional method, combined with their double pot still distillation process, allows for greater control over the spirit’s flavor and character. They also utilize lower entry proofs into the barrel, further influencing the final taste.

Throughout the distillery and on their bottles, you see the statement: “Respect the Grain.” This is their guiding principle and reflects their commitment to sourcing the highest quality grains, many of which are locally grown and heirloom varieties, and treating them with the utmost care throughout the distilling process.

We were excited about our tour and the opportunity to learn more about their processes. Our guide, Cindy, was perhaps not as excited as we were because it was her very FIRST tour. We assured her that she would be great and since it was just us, we could keep it very conversational and easy going.

Tour of the Spirits of French Lick Distillery

We entered the back room where you immediately knew you were in a distillery based on the terrific aromas. Cindy guided us upstairs where we were able to get a look at their fermenting tanks and pot still.

Cindy explained each step along the way. We entered another room with additional distilling equipment, including a column still where they process vodka and gin.

A favorite part of any tour is the area in which the barrels are stored. It is wonderful to see so many barrels of future spirits while taking in the amazing aromas of the angels’ share.

Cindy did a great job and was also open to learning and added some new questions to her note cards. We are incredibly confident that she will continue to learn and appreciate all aspects of the distilling process. She invited us to come back in a few months just to see how much she has progressed. We plan to do that and cheer her on every step of the way!

Tasting Flight

At the conclusion of the tour, we enjoyed a guided tasting of four spirits. For the tasting, we each selected:
*Lee W. Sinclair – Bottled in Bond Four Grain Bourbon
*William Dalton – Bottled in Bond Wheated Wheated Bourbon
*The Morning Glory – Bottled in Bond Kasha Bourbon

In addition:
*Wayne selected The Mattie Gladden – Bottled in Bond High Rye Bourbon
*Rebecca selected Hindostan Falls – Bottled in Bond Heirloom Bourbon

We loved that each was a Bottled in Bond and that interesting grain combinations were used to create unique spirits. For this visit, we selected The Morning Glory to purchase as it was the most different from anything that we have on our bourbon shelves. You can read our tasting notes HERE.

In addition, Wayne had a glass of their Cabernet Franc and thoroughly loved it and had to have a bottle. That is high praise since that is his very favorite wine varietal.

Gift Shop

Our tour included a Kenzie glass for each of us. Interestingly, they do not sell those and the only way to acquire one is to take the tour.

In addition to the wine and bourbon, two yummy pieces of fudge were purchased – one was chocolate peanut butter and the other was cappuccino. That cappuccino fudge became an instant favorite!

Distillery Trail Statistics

Spirits of French Lick Distillery in West Baden, IN was our 61st distillery, the 6th Indiana distillery, and our 132nd distillery experience. We had a great time and highly recommend that you add them to your bourbon journey.

Pro Tip: Plan to visit other nearby distilleries. From Spirits of French Lick, you can can head a mere 17 miles South to Patoka Lake Winery (which will include the soon-to-open Old Homestead Distilling Co.) with very nice lodging options. Another option is to drive less than 50 miles Southeast to Starlight Distillery, which is then only 30 minutes to Louisville. Of course, you could start in Louisville, head to Starlight, Spirits of French Lick, and Patoka Lake Winery/Old Homestead Distilling.

Happy Trails!
Rebecca & Wayne