Kentucky Distilleries

July 2024 Booker’s 2024-01 & -02 Tasting

/ bourbonjourney / Leave a comment

July 14, 2024
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer 

We picked up a bottle of the Booker’s 2024-01 Springfield Batch in April and enjoyed it so much that we needed to snag another one. Last month we were able to get a bottle of the Booker’s 2024-02 The Beam House Batch during a quick stop at the James B. Beam American Outpost. We have been wanting to try the latest one and decided that we might as well do a formal tasting of each.

The cards of the Batch Story and Master Distiller Notes are always fascinating for us; thus, sharing them below.

Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already.

Booker’s 2024-01, Springfield Batch

Mashbill – 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Age – 7 years, 7 Months, 8 days
Other – Barrel-strength bourbon, bottled uncut and unfiltered
Proof – 124.5
Price Paid – $111.29 (with tax)

Appearance – Deep amber and with a lot of legs.

Aroma – Bold and spicy, brown sugar and vanilla, oak with a light smokiness.

Tasted Neat – The bold baking spices are noted immediately. It has the sweetness of brown sugar with hints of vanilla and a bit of nuttiness. A very nice and long finish of cinnamon spice, oak, and a hint of leather.

Tasted with dried cranberry – Interestingly, Wayne felt that the cranberry intensified the spiciness while I thought it made it smoother. There is definitely a dominate taste of cinnamon with the cranberry and the sweeter notes of brown sugar and vanilla disappeared.

Tasted with a pecan – The brown sugar returned with the addition of dark chocolate. The finish is medium with dark chocolate, cinnamon, oak, and leather.

Tasted with dark chocolate – This seems to have muted many of the flavors. Instead, there is a symphony of spices alternating and coming to life such as white, black, and red pepper as well a cinnamon. Very long finish of all things pepper.

Booker’s 2024-02, The Beam House Batch

Mashbill – 77% Corn, 13% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Age – 7 years, 2 Months, 22 days
Other – Barrel-strength bourbon, bottled uncut and unfiltered
Proof – 126.4
Price Paid – $121.90 (with tax)

Appearance – Deep amber and with a lot of legs.

Aroma – Caramel, vanilla, peanuts, and apple.

Tasted Neat – The first thought is sweet. It tastes much like its nose with vanilla, caramel, peanuts, and apple. It is reminiscent of being at the fair and each a caramel apple rolled in crushed peanuts. The finish is long with cinnamon, apple, a hint of citrus, and lingering oak.

Tasted with dried cranberry – The caramel is gone but the apple is more present and the cinnamon is gentle on the finish.

Tasted with a pecan – This really enhance the oak flavors and brought some baking spices toward the front of the palate. The caramel apple is there but it seems to be sprinkled with cinnamon. The finish is very woody.

Tasted with dark chocolate – The sweetness is now muted and black pepper and a stronger cinnamon have taken the place of the caramel apple. The finish continues to be oaky but with enhanced spices.

Discussion and Final Notes

Springfield Batch and Beam House Batch couldn’t be more different on the nose and palate when you consider they are the same mashbill, by the same distiller, similar age, similar proof, etc. Again, this is one of the many things that we love about bourbon!

We love the brown sugar, cinnamon and leather notes in the Springfield Batch. However, we also find the caramel apple and crushed peanuts of the Beam House Batch to be quite tasty.

Springfield provides a rather “traditional” Booker’s experience of a bold flavor profile yet with the sweet notes that we have come to expect in a great bourbon. While Beam House Batch is certainly from the same family, it has a sweeter profile than typically expected and with the addition of apple.

For us, we are big fans of Booker’s and appreciate what Fred Noe does to curate the best barrels for each batch to tell a special story. These are no different. As is common for us, we try to buy and have a back-up bottle of each batch. That is our recommendation for Springfield and Beam House. Find them while they are available as they will be great additions for your collection.

Cheers,
Rebecca & Wayne

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Spirit Requirements

Bourbon Whiskey: Made in the U.S, distilled at <= 160 proof, barreled at <= 125 proof, aged in new, charred oak containers, bottled at >= 80 proof. Straight bourbon means it is aged at least 2 years (and must have an age statement if less than 4). In addition, to be Kentucky Straight Bourbon, it has the additional requirement that it must be produced and aged at least 1 year in the state of Kentucky.

For additional information on bourbon requirements, please read this post – Bourbon Whiskey.

NOTE: The bourbons in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producers for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.

June 2024 Casey Jones Barrel Cut Tasting

/ bourbonjourney / Leave a comment

June 25, 2024
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer 

Last weekend, Wayne and I were headed to our annual family reunion at Lynnhurst Family Resort in Murray, KY, and the route took us through Hopkinsville, KY. If you know the Bourbon Trail, that means that Casey Jones Distillery was on the way. We couldn’t resist stopping by for a quick visit.

We didn’t even get to the front door, and we were warmly welcomed and thanked for visiting. We chatted about what might be new, what they were working on, and sought suggestions. We decided that we would do their next scheduled tasting. While waiting for the tasting to begin, we each enjoyed a cocktail in their bar area.

At Casey Jones, the tasting includes 10 small samples for $10. The challenge is that there are usually about 15 items available. The tasting leader describes what is being poured, and you decide if that will be one of your 10 samples. We enjoyed our choices, and the next challenge was determining what to purchase. We settled on a few new options as well as some favorites to replenish.

Selected for this Tasting

We selected the Casey Jones Barrel Cuts. Casey Jones Single Barrel Cut (white label) at 102.6 Proof and Casey Jones Double Barrel Cut (blue label) at 103.9 proof. Each was made using the Casey Jones’ Prohibition-era moonshine recipe of 50% Yellow Corn and 50% Cane Sugar. In addition, they were produced on the Authentic Square Pot Still. They were then finished in new, toasted #4 char wood-fired barrels. The double barrel (blue label) was then finished in their used bourbon barrels.

Casey Jones’ Authentic Square Pot Still

Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already.

Casey Jones Single Barrel Cut

Mashbill – 50% Yellow Corn and 50% Cane Sugar
Age – NAS, Up to 4 years.
Proof – 103.9
Price Paid – $58.29

Appearance – Copper with great legs.

Aroma – Butter, almost butterscotch, brown sugar, a hint of spice, and a bit of that #4 char coming forward. Sweet and inviting.

Tasted Neat – Surprisingly, not as sweet on the palate as it was on the nose. It has a great mouthfeel, very soft and smooth. It starts out as butterscotch then there is a long and warm finish of cinnamon.

Tasted with dried cranberry – The cran emphasized the butter and lightened the finish. The cinnamon is now a much lighter baking spice, perhaps more of a nutmeg.

Tasted with a pecan – The pecan truly took over and added a very woody note. The finish really lingers with a soft and warm baking spice.

Tasted with dark chocolate – Fascinating! There is usually a creaminess with the dark chocolate but not with this. In fact, the sweetness is gone and it is much spicier with a strong cinnamon finish.

Casey Jones Double Barrel Cut

Mashbill – 50% Yellow Corn and 50% Cane Sugar
Age – NAS, Up to 4 years.
Proof – 103.9
Price Paid – $58.29

Appearance –
Copper with great legs

Aroma – Cocoa and honey with a light nuttiness. Very nice.

Tasted Neat –  Very chocolate forward with a hint of cherry. The finish is light and tingling such as a pepper. Quite surprising and wonderful.

Tasted with dried cranberry – This brought the cherry forward but in a spicy way. The nuttiness is gone and so is the chocolate on the front. Instead, it finishes like a chocolate cherry cordial. Very interesting that the cranberry moved the spice more to the front.

Tasted with a pecan – Very pecan forward and with added notes of the barrel. The chocolate and cherry seems to have vanished and it seems like a totally different sip.

Tasted with dark chocolate – This helped bring the chocolate and cherry forward and the finish is very gentle now, it’s warm and lingering not truly spicy.

Discussion and Final Notes

The first one (white label) is so amazing on the nose. That buttery sweetness is so warm and inviting. The second one (blue label) has the fantastic chocolate and cherry nose. They are each terrific but if we could only smell one, we might have to go with the white label.

Similarly, each has a wonderful taste! Again, the white label is like buttered toffee but the blue label has chocolate, cherry and cinnamon. If we had to chose, we would go with the blue label on taste due to its added complexity.

Overall, we would have to make it a truly split decision. Each is terrific and a great addition to a collection. We highly recommend Casey Jones Distillery, which is just outside of Hopkinsville, KY. The Master Distiller is normally there and happy to answer questions, sign bottles, and visit. They often have food trucks on the weekend and cocktails are available in their bar. We have always had great experiences with all of their staff.

Cheers,
Rebecca & Wayne

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

NOTE: The spirits in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producers for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.

June 2024 Angel’s Envy Bottled-in-Bond Tasting

/ bourbonjourney / Leave a comment

June 19, 2024
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

For this tasting, Wayne and I tasted the latest release from Angel’s Envy – their Cask Strength Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon. We purchased this bottle when at the distillery on National Bourbon Day. Our first thoughts were – what? wait? cask strength? bottled in bond? – how the heck??? After researching and locating the press release, their process for achieving this were revealed.

From Angel’s Envy Press Release: Master Distiller Owen Martin explained how they achieved a cask strength bottled at 100 proof. In the spring of 2018, before he was with the distillery, the team placed barrels filled with lower entry proof whiskey (103 proof) in a cooler warehouse. “Instead of withdrawing them at 100 proof, we let them mature further to prioritize flavor,” he said. “We drew the barrels at 98 to 99 proof and blended 27 low-proof barrels with two high-proof barrels from the same season to reach exactly 100 proof, creating Cask Strength Bottled-In-Bond.”

Not only is this their first Bottled-in-Bond, it is also their first unfinished spirit!

Label on the side of the bottle.

Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already. 

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon

Mashbill – 72% Corn, 18% Rye, and 10% Malted Barley
Barrel Entry Proof – 103
Age – NAS but reported at nearly 6 years (barreled in 2018)
Proof – 100
Price Paid – $54.99 (375 ml bottle)
Other – Cask Strength blending of 29 barrels

Appearance – Honey copper with great legs.

Aroma – Light and inviting. Warm brown sugar, vanilla cream pie, honey, candied pecans, and a hint of a fruit.

Tasted Neat – Toasted brown sugar with hints of fruit, honey, and marshmallow. A light finish with nutmeg and caramelized brown sugar that makes you want another sip.

Tasted with dried cranberry –  Very different taste profile. The brown sugar is absent and a tartness came forward with a fruitiness, such as a ripe green apple. This also added cinnamon to the finish.

Tasted with a pecan – The oak from the barrel came forward and the pecan also brings a dark cocoa taste with some caramel … like a dark chocolate turtle. There is a lot of cinnamon and oak on the finish.

Tasted with dark chocolate – Creamy chocolate caramel with a hint of cocoa and warm barrel notes. The finish is warm and pleasant with a nutmeg finish.

Discussion and Final Notes

This is a terrific bourbon and an outstanding bottled-in-bond. It is light, sweet, rich and complex. It takes you on a journey for your senses and memories as so many playful notes appear. Congrats to Angel’s Envy and Master Distiller, Owen Martin for this unique expression. To create your first non-finished bourbon as a bottled-in-bond AND cask strength is truly innovative. This has raised the bar for us when it comes to a bottled-in-bond experience.

Cheers,
Rebecca & Wayne

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Requirements

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey: Such whiskeys have all the requirements of bourbon: Made in the U.S, distilled at <= 160 proof, barreled at <= 125 proof, aged in new, charred oak containers, bottled at >= 80 proof. Straight bourbon means it is aged at least 2 years (and must have an age statement if less than 4). In addition, to be Kentucky Straight Bourbon, it has the additional requirement that it must be produced and aged at least 1 year in the state of Kentucky. For additional information on bourbon requirements, please read this post – Bourbon Whiskey.

Bottled-in-Bond: Must be produced in a single distillation season by a single distillery; must mature in a U.S. bonded warehouse for a minimum of four years; and the aged spirit must be bottled at 50% ABV (100 proof). For additional information on Bottled-in-Bond requirements, please read this post – Bottled in Bond.

NOTE: The bourbon in this review was purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.

Celebrating Bourbon in Louisville

/ bourbonjourney / Leave a comment

June 18, 2024
By Rebecca McBrayer

To wrap up National Bourbon Week, Wayne and I enjoyed a quick trip to Louisville, KY. We had two planned activities for the weekend: a dinner at Evan Williams on Friday and a tour at Starlight Distillery on Saturday. Beyond that, we decided to go with flow and enjoy whatever caught our eyes. If you haven’t been to Louisville and explored Whiskey Row, you should likely place that on your travel calendar!

Angel’s Envy Cask Strength Bottled-Bond Release

When we arrived in Louisville, we drove directly to Angel’s Envy. They were releasing their Cask Strength Bottled-in-Bond Bourbon, their first non-finished offering. We were excited to stop in and acquire a bottle. We learned that they were 375ml bottles and got two as well as a distillery only single barrel. This is an historic moment for Angel’s Envy and we were thrilled to stop in for their celebration!

Bardstown Bourbon Company’s Louisville Tasting Room

We have been huge fans of Bardstown Bourbon Company since our first weekend on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and love that they now have a tasting room in Louisville. Thus, that was our next stop.

A busy day in Louisville!
View from the bar.

We had hoped that we would be able to acquire a bottle of their Amrut Collaboration and were thrilled that it was available. When planning our tasting flights, we also wanted to try the two distillery only offerings. The first was a Small Batch Stave Finish and the other was a Single Barrel Four Grain. When we saw that their Bardstown Collection for 2024 was available, that was an easy choice!

As we sat down for our tasting, I was more than surprised to see my friend and AOII sorority sister, Cindy Visot, who I have not seen in 9 years! She and her husband were in town for a wedding and just happened to stop in to sample some bourbon. What a fun coincidence!

Flight: Small Batch Stave Finish, Single Barrel Four Grain, Bardstown Collection 2024, Amrut Collaboration
Finding a friend you haven’t seen in 9+ years!













We bought all that we sampled as each expression was amazing. To say we were surprised and THRILLED to have the opportunity to purchase the 2024 Bardstown Collection is an understatement!

Buzzard’s Roost Whiskey Row Experience

We then walked a couple blocks to the Buzzard’s Roost Whiskey Row Experience. We really enjoy their products and made a point to stop in as we knew they are having a special event to celebrate the grand opening of their hidden speakeasy. The event included a sample spirit upon arrival, light bites, and a special cocktail menu at their cash bar.

Buzzard’s Roost on Main St in Louisville
We got a peek at their still!

Everyone was dressed in Roaring 20’s attire and the place was buzzing! The small bites were welcomed as we had been quite busy already. We were happy to get a seat at the bar and order from the special menu for the event. We each enjoyed our drink selections … Manhattan for me and a Paper Plane for Wayne!

Special Cocktail Menu
A Manhattan for Rebecca & a Paper Plane for Wayne

Evan Williams – A Toast to Bourbon Dinner

Following our visit at Buzzard’s Roost, it was time to head to Evan Williams for our “A Toast to Bourbon Dinner” that was scheduled to begin at 7PM. Please read all about that event HERE.

Breakfast at Doc Crow’s

We were up early on Saturday morning and looked forward to breakfast at one of our favorite places – Doc Crow’s! The location and atmosphere is fantastic. We always have amazing service and the food is outstanding.

Wayne enjoyed the “build your own” omelet with hashbrowns, a side of biscuit & gravy and a spicy Bloody Mary made with bourbon. I loved the spinach and feta omelet with hashbrowns … and we shared a side of cheddar grits!

Whiskey Row Car Show

As we walked to Doc Crow’s, we noticed that cars were filing in for a show. By the time we finished breakfast, we were able to stroll along Whiskey Row and enjoy some amazing cars! You just never know what you will find in downtown Louisville.

Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery

After checking out of our hotel, we decided to see what Michter’s was offering for the day. We arrived just as the doors were opening and learned that they had a Barrel Strength Rye (109.6 proof) available. It came as a set with their Straight Rye Whiskey. There was also an opportunity to bottle-your-own Barrel Strength Bourbon but the next available time was later than we desired to stay.

James B. Beam Distilling Co.

After leaving Michter’s, we decided to head to Jim Beam, which is less than a 30-minute drive from Louisville. We always love being on their campus and we were hopeful that they would have some bottles on the shelf that we wanted to buy.

We were in luck as they had exactly what we were hoping for: Booker’s 2024-02, “The Beam House Batch” and Little Book Chapter 8, “Path not Taken.” Of course, it would have been incredible to acquire a bottle of their 2024 Bardstown Collection; alas, there were none available. But that is ok, we got what we thought we would have an opportuity to buy!

It was a great, albeit quick, trip to Louisville. We always look forward to visiting!

Farewell Louisville – time to head to Borden, IN and Starlight Distillery!

Happy Trails!
Rebecca & Wayne

June 2024 A Toast To Bourbon Dinner at Evan Williams

/ bourbonjourney / 2 Comments

June 17, 2024
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer


June 14th was National Bourbon Day! We were thrilled to acquire tickets for this event at Evan Williams Bourbon Experience that included a premium tasting led by Artisanal Distiller, Jodie Filiatreau followed by a plated dinner and exclusive shopping experience.

Tickets included a premium tasting flight, 3 cocktails, a multi-course dinner, and an opportunity to purchase a bottle of Evan Williams 23-Year-Old Bourbon.

We received a welcome cocktail of their take on a Horses Neck. Instead of Brandy, they used 1 part Evan Williams white label bottled-in-bond, Angostura bitters, and 3 parts Ginger Ale. We requested just a splash of Ginger Ale and enjoyed that very much.

After everyone was served, we moved to the lower level – the same room where we have previously enjoyed their Speakeasy Tasting Experience. A live band was playing as we arrived.

We found seating and admired the beautiful setup with the tasting pours prepared for us. We enjoyed terrific passed appetizers with our Horses Neck cocktail while everyone was getting seated. The appetizers included a puff pastry with ham, cream cheese and guava as well as a small bite sandwich of pimento cheese, chipotle, and a pickle on brioche.

Premium Tasting Led by Artisanal Distiller, Jodie Filiatreau

Evan Williams Single Barrel, Square 6 Wheated, Old Fitzgerald 13-year, and Evan Williams 23-year

Jodie introduced himself and shared a bit of his nearly 43-year tenure with Heaven Hill. He started at 20 years old working in the rickhouses and accepted opportunity after opportunity to learn and grow with the organization. He even had the honor of learning under Parker Beam. Jodie loves his role as Artisanal Distiller at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience on Louisville’s historic Whiskey Row.

Jodie was masterful at leading everyone through the four-part tasting. He gave us ample time with each expression and happily answered questions. He also visited with each table to meet, greet, and get to know the guests.

Wayne, Jodie, & Rebecca

Salad Course

This was a kale salad with smoked almonds, crispy bacon, goat cheese, and a bourbon champagne vinaigrette. It was quite tasty.

Dinner Course





While I wasn’t able to record all of the details of the entrée cocktail, it drank like a very well-balanced peach old fashioned. I did note that it was made with Evan Williams 12-year-old bourbon, peach bitters, and garnished with a brûléed peach.

Surprisingly, it was not overly sweet and paired extremely well with the pork entree.



The entrée included a seared pork chop, bourbon achiote sauce, roasted sweet potatoes, and braised greens. Every bite was fabulous!



Dessert Course

We were then treated to a Bourbon Espresso Martini made with Evan Williams black label. We have had something similar served at other dinner events; however, this was by far the best ever. All guests at our table felt it was the best cocktail of the evening.

The dessert was bread pudding with bourbon dulce de leche. It was amazing!

Note: The Mayan Cafe catered the event. Every bite was fantastic and the staff was outstanding.

Shopping and Bottle Signing

At the conclusion of the meal, we visited the gift shop. Each guested was permitted to buy one of the Evan Williams 23-year-old bottles as well as other items available in the gift and bottle shop. We greatly enjoy the Square 6 Wheated and used this opportunity to acquire a back-up bottle. Jodie was also kind enough to sign bottles.

This was the FIRST dinner that Evan Williams Bourbon Experience has held. Wow – what a tremendous first-time event. They knocked it out of the park! We hope that they will add more events as we would be honored to attend.

Cheers until next time!
Rebecca & Wayne

June 2024 Green River Full Proof Tasting

/ bourbonjourney / Leave a comment

June 9, 2024
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Green River – The Whiskey Without Regrets!

For this tasting, Wayne and I tasted the latest release from Green River Distilling – their Kentucky Straight Full Proof Bourbon. We purchased this bottle when we attended their Full Proof Release Event on June 7, 2024.

For the release event, we received a gift bag that included a bottle of Green River Full Proof in commemorative packaging and one of their newly redesigned Glencairn glasses, which is really beautiful.

Time to open the box for the surprise!

From Green River’s Press Release: Green River Full Proof is a blend of five-to-seven-year barrels selected from curated areas of Green River’s Owensboro tile warehouses and feature the same mash bill as Green River Kentucky Straight Bourbon. These original tile warehouses maintain both warm and cool temperatures, yielding unique proof variation and liquid maturation. The result is a pure expression offering a robust flavor profile which preserves the barrel character while bringing massive flavor to the palate.

Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already. 

Green River Kentucky Straight Full Proof Bourbon


Mashbill – 70% Corn, 21% Rye, and 9% Malted Barley
Age – A blend of 5-, 6-, and 7-year-old barrels
Proof – 117.3
Price Paid – $49.99
Other – One of the coolest bottles around with the horseshoe base as a throwback to their historical DSP-KY-10

Color – Dark Golden Amber

Aroma – Caramel, vanilla, citrus, honeysuckle, cherry, light mint, baking spices.

Tasted Neat – The warmth of backing spices and like the nose, there is vanilla, citrus, honeysuckle, caramel, and dried cherry. On a second sip, cocoa and mint appear. The finish is lingering with more spicy notes of black pepper and cinnamon, a hint of fruit, and the barrel char is noticeable.

Tasted with dried cranberry –  Light and bright. The citrus is more prominent and it is less spicy but still a finish of cinnamon.

Tasted with a pecan – A bit more woody and somewhat hot but not with a distinct spice. The citrus and other great notes seem to be gone.

Tasted with dark chocolate – That is really good. The light cocoa from the neat taste is coming through with more chocolate and the rye mint flavors. The finish remains very nice and oaky with the dark chocolate as well.

Discussion and Final Notes


This is a really good full proof. At 117.3 it is pretty easy to drink after the first acclimation sip. It has a wonderful range of flavors with a terrific body and mouthfeel. The blending of this was masterful as is evident from such a balanced taste profile.

Value – all day long! This is a 5-7-year blended full proof bourbon for under $50. It is very elegant and highly enjoyable. We might want to try this head-to-head with other full proofs / barrel strengths of a similar proof. This is not allocated and should be widely available.

We highly recommend trying this Green River Full Proof. For the price point, we plan to always have a “back up” on hand as well. This could easily become one of our regular pours.

Cheers,
Rebecca & Wayne

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Requirements

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Such whiskeys have all the requirements of bourbon: Made in the U.S, distilled at <= 160 proof, barreled at <= 125 proof, aged in new, charred oak containers, bottled at >= 80 proof.

Straight bourbon means it is aged at least 2 years (and must have an age statement if less than 4). In addition, to be Kentucky Straight Bourbon, it has the additional requirement that it must be produced and aged at least 1 year in the state of Kentucky.

For additional information on bourbon requirements, please read this post – Bourbon Whiskey.

NOTE: The bourbon in this review was purchased by us. We were not compensated by the spirit producer for this review. This is simply our opinion based on what we tasted on this day. Please drink responsibly.

Green River Full Proof Bourbon Release Event

/ bourbonjourney / Leave a comment

By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

June 7, 2024, Wayne and I ventured to Owensboro, KY to partake in Green River Distillery’s launch of their full proof bourbon.  We had secured a VIP Tour and arrived early to take in the festivities.

While awaiting the start of our tour, we had a pour of the full proof. The perfect way to set the stage for the remainder of the event.

VIP History and Distillery Tour


We a VIP tour with none other than the amazing National Brand Ambassador, Caryn Wells. We started in the room that holds so much of the history of Green River Distilling. Each time the story is told, we learn and/or remember a new detail. I decided to get pictures of the timeline barrels to help me remember. The artifacts that they have collected and displayed are top notch.

History notes from the barrel heads –

1885: Green River Distillery is founded by JW McCulloch. DSP-KY-10 is the 10th oldest Licensed distillery in the state and becomes home to McCulloch’s famous whiskey.

1886-1889: Green River Whiskey is known far and wide, thanks to its quality and JW McCulloch’s innovative marketing approach. Advertising for the brand includes the slogan “The Whiskey without a Headache,” later becoming “The Whiskey Without Regrets.” Known as the “most expensive spirit ever sold,” 20 barrels were once traded for interest in a Colorado gold mine. Green River becomes the official whiskey of the US Marine Hospital in 1910.

1900-1906: Green River wins many awards, including a gold medal and “best of show” at the Paris Exposition in 1900, and later a grand prize at the 1905 Leigh Exposition in Belgium. It also wins awards at expositions in St. Louis MO in 1904, Portland OR in 1905, and Milan Italy in 1906.

1906-1917: The city of Owensboro is an epicenter of bourbon production with more than 20 distilleries. Daviess County is home to several of the state’s largest and best distilleries.

1918: At the height of Green River’s popularity, a fire broke out on the distillery grounds. In just three hours, most of the buildings and whiskey barrels were reduced to rubble.

History notes from the barrel heads – (continued)

1920-1933: The distillery is rebuilt, but Prohibition is passed, and McCulloch wouldn’t live to restore Green River to its former glory. Almost all of Daviess County’s distilleries, including Green River, shut their doors, as Owensboro’s whiskey industry evaporates overnight.

1939-2007: A group of Medley family members band together to purchase and revive the distillery as the Medley Distilling Company. For the next 70 years, the Medley Family continues to carry on the tradition of distilling spirits at the location and maintains the registration of the distillery as DSP-KY-10.

Today – A Legacy Revived: In 2014, the Green River team finds the distillery with such a storied history in ruins. Brick by brick, building the building, they restore the 10th oldest distillery in the state. In 2016, they began distilling. History comes full circle in 2020 as Green River Distilling Co. is officially revived in its original home. With the support of John W. McCulloch’s great-grandson, the Green River flag is raised high on the distillery campus for the first time since Prohibition.

2022: Green River returns to its former glory. The revival marks the return of Owensboro’s rich bourbon legacy. The distillery remains registered as DSP-KY-10 and is a heritage member of the famed Kentucky Bourbon Trail, welcoming visitors from near and far.

We headed outdoors for a discussion about grain. Green River uses only non-GMO grain and receives more bushels a week than one can wrap their head around. Next we were off to the stillhouse. Caryn shared history as well as distilling facts with us along the way.  We got to drink the “high wine” off the still and it was fantastic.

Time for the Tasting in Rickhouse B

Rickhouse B

We then went to Rickhouse B where all the single barrels are selected. It was great that we were able to taste and compare their various offerings. We started with the Wheated, then their flagship Bourbon, followed by the Rye, and we finished with the Full Proof. We learned that the full proof is a blend of 5-, 6-, and 7-year-old barrels. In addition to the prepared pours of their line, we received samples of a bourbon single barrel thieved straight from the barrel. It was incredible!

We have been on many tours and experiences. Two of the most important factors of a GREAT one are the guide and your fellow enthusiasts. For this event, we hit the jackpot with Caryn as our guide and an amazing group of bourbon/Green River enthusiasts. It was like family and we had so much fun!

Commemorative Gift Bag for the Green River Full Proof Release

We each received a gift back with a bottle of Green River Full Proof and one of their newly redesigned Glencairn glasses, which is really beautiful.

See our Green River Full Proof tasting notes HERE!

Distillery Trail Statistics

Green River Distilling, in Owensboro, KY, is the closest distillery to us and one of our favorite places to visit. This was our 9th visit and our 127th distillery experience. Our first visit was November 13, 2021 where Caryn Wells led us through a guided tasting and discussion about this history of the distillery.

We had a truly wonderful evening and it was difficult to say goodbye. Wayne and I look forward to our next visit at Green River Distilling.

Rebecca, Caryn, & Wayne

First Visit to Four Roses Distillery

/ bourbonjourney / Leave a comment

April 25, 2024
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer


May 21, 2023, as part of our Kentucky Bourbon Trail completion weekend, Wayne and I visited Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY. It was our next-to-last stop on the trail.




Tour of the Four Roses Distillery


Their visitor center and campus is very lovely with the light yellow buildings and Spanish mission style design. Gracie was a very knowledgeable and fun guide. It was interesting since we just attended an education session with Brent Elliott, Master Distiller, the previous week. What we heard on the tour helped us to solidify their history and approach to bourbon.


At the conclusion of the tour, we enjoyed a guided tasting of four of their expressions: Four Roses Bourbon, Four Roses Small Batch, Four Roses Single Barrel, and Four Roses Small Batch Select.




We also learned from Bill McBrayer that the area was formerly McBrayer Kentucky and there is a McBrayer sign near the railroad track. We visited the “sign” after departing Four Roses.




Gift Shop

They have a truly beautiful gift shop with items for just about everyone’s taste. We got a variety of goodies to commemorate our visit. Loved the red T-shirt and the Four Roses history book is fantastic. Wayne got an awesome bow tie made of barrel wood … it creates a great conversation when worn. Of course, a pin for my hat, an ornament for our bourbon tree, and some glasses. Now and then we find some interesting cigars at distilleries and these looked like a great option.

We were fortunate that they had the Four Roses Single Barrel Select and Small Batch Select available that day.

Distillery Trail Statistics




Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, KY was our 49th distillery. A member of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, it was our 17th distillery on the Signature Trail and our 41st stamp of 42 total.




Pro Tip: Plan to visit other nearby distilleries. With advance planning, it is possible to create a terrific weekend trip with the distilleries in the Lawrenceburg area.

Four Roses
Wild Turkey
Woodford Reserve

As you can see on the map Frankfort, KY is also nearby and that opens another list of possibilities, depending on your time available.

Happy Trails!
Rebecca

All photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer unless otherwise noted.

First Visit to The Bard Distillery

/ bourbonjourney / Leave a comment

April 18, 2024
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Wayne, Rebecca, Tom, & Kim




February 18, 2023, Wayne and I decided to venture to Graham, KY in Muhlenberg County. The reason for this trip was to make a visit to The Bard Distillery, which is on the Kentucky Bourbon Craft Trail, Western Region. Little did we know that we would fall in love with the people and the distillery and make many more visits.




History and Beginnings

One of the most fascinating aspects of the Bourbon Trail is learning the history of the distillery and what brought the owners to be in the distilling industry. This is especially interesting with the Craft Distilleries who are typically following a life-long or possibly a learned passion for spirits. For Tom and Kim Bard, they took different paths but ended at the same destination… A love and commitment for the history and people of Muhlenberg County in Kentucky.

Tom, a mechanical engineer, grew up in Muhlenberg County and is the 4th great grandson of William Bard – the founder of Bardstown, KY. Tom spent many years in motorsports including being a crew chief. On the other hand, Kim is from Tallahassee, FL and spent her early career in education, but has been known for being a race car driver in the Nascar Busch series. The stars aligned, they were married and now live on the family farm in Kentucky. For more on their legacy, see the distillery’s About page.

Tour of the The Bard Distillery

When you first arrive at the distillery, you can’t help but notice the art-deco building sitting on the hill. It was a beautiful old school that had been abandoned in 2004. Thankfully, Tom and Kim had a vision for a distillery and entertainment venue and purchased the property in 2015. Based on what we heard on this tour as well as subsequent visits, we know that they are taking time to properly renovate while lovingly paying homage to the historical buildings that they treasure.

The Graham School Building
The Graham School Gymnasium

For now, the old gymnasium is their hub of operations and doubles for an event space. Luckily, it is in amazing condition and the floors are beautiful.

On the stage of the gym is where the distilling takes place! They shared with us on that first tour that they cannot wait to get their Vendome Copper & Brass Works still that will reside in the main school building. If you know anything about the industry, you know what a long wait time is usually expected to get a custom made Vendome!

At the conclusion of the distillery tour, we enjoyed a guided tasting of several of their award-winning spirits – each one was terrific.

Gift Shop

They have a terrific little gift shop and we were each able to get a shirt plus a very nice sign to display (and Kim and Tom signed the sign for us).

Happy to acquire another distillery ornament for the tree and distillery pin for my hat!

We loved all their spirits and bought our fair share – including their last bottle of Founder’s Select. Even things that we wouldn’t normally consider – such as flavored or creamed, were awesome! Since this first visit, their Cinder & Smoke Oloroso has become one of our favorite bourbons.

Distillery Trail Statistics

The Bard Distillery in Graham, KY was our 33rd distillery. A member of the Kentucky Bourbon Craft Trail, Western Region – it was our 13th distillery on the Craft Trail and our 3rd of 5 in the Western Region.

We returned 5/28/23 for the release of their Central City 150 and enjoyed a Smoked Old Fashioned while visiting. A pre-dawn return trip 09/23/23 to purchase the Cinder & Smoke Excelsior aged 17-years. Plus, most recently on our pre-eclipse outing! Always a joy!

Please visit The Bard! You will not be disappointed!!

Pro Tip: As mentioned in a previous article about this area, The Bard Distillery, MB Roland Distillery, and Casey Jones Distillery are quite close together and are on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour Western area.

A fun addition is Old Glory Distilling Co in Clarksville, TN. That plus MB Roland and Casey Jones will complete the Stateline Whiskey Tour. You will receive a souvenir shot glass at each stop and a finisher’s stave at the last one.

Happy Trails!
Rebecca

All photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer unless otherwise noted.

Pre-Solar Eclipse Trip to MB Roland, Casey Jones, and The Bard

/ bourbonjourney / Leave a comment

By Rebecca & Wayne McBrayer

Saturday, April 6, 2024 we decided to enjoy the beautiful day and revisit some awesome stops on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour Western area. Besides loving these distilleries, there were some events and special Total Eclipse bottle releases happening as well that we didn’t want to miss.

MB Roland Distillery in Pembroke, KY

MB Roland Distillery is located on a lovely farm just south of Hopkinsville, which also means that they are just north of the Tennessee state line. Via their Facebook postings, we knew that they were releasing the MB Roland Single Barrel Kentucky Straight Bourbon and “Smallest Small Batch” hand selected and blended by Jackie Zykan. Bonus, she was to be there for bottle signings 11-3. In addition, we wanted to acquire a bottle of their total eclipse commemorative Black Sun Bourbon etched bottle.

Jackie Zykan signing bottles
Wayne, Rebecca, and Jackie


We were fortunate to arrive early and have an opportunity to talk with Jackie. She is not only incredibly knowledgeable and possesses an amazing palate, but she is super nice as well.


After our chat, we decided to do a small tasting to help us determine what other bottles we wanted to take home with us. They have endless options and you are sure to find one or two that hits the mark for your taste. In addition to the ones that Jackie signed and the Black Sun Bourbon, we also got one finished in brandy and a single barrel named “Butter and Biscuits” as it was very clear how it got its name!


Casey Jones Distillery in Hopkinsville, KY

From MB Roland, it is a mere 22 mile drive north to the Casey Jones Distillery. We had a mission to collect as many eclipse specialty bottles as reasonable and we knew that Casey’s had a few options. We were able to sample several items and that helped us confirm that we would acquire the three eclipse options as well as an amazing single barrel four-grain.

Rebecca, AJ, and Wayne

We had the opportunity to meet with their Master Distiller, AJ, and get a picture with him. He was thrilled that we loved their spirits and encouraged us to stop in their bar for a specialty cocktail before leaving. That was certainly on our agenda just as soon as we grabbed some of the BBQ that we had been smelling on the smoker! Smokin O’s BBQ had burgoo, BBQ nachos, pulled pork, chicken, brisket, and ribs – amazing! We enjoyed our food selections with a cocktail (Bloody Mary for Wayne and the Total Black Out for Rebecca).

Casey Jones Single Barrel Eclipse Cask: Originally barreled for the 2017 Eclipse, it was now bottled for the 2024 Eclipse. The mashbill is 50% corn and 50% cane recipe. It was aged just shy of 7 years in a Kelvin Cooperage #4 char, medium toast cask, offered uncut at cask strength.

Total Eclipse Bourbon: This is a 4 grain mashbill with 75% corn, 10% wheat, 10% rye, and 5% malted barley.

Total Eclipse Moonshine: Distilled from a century-old family recipe of 50% corn and 50% cane sugar, this particular moonshine was first created during the 2017 eclipse.


The Bard Distillery in Graham, KY


It was somewhat a “given” that we would stop by The Bard Distillery as we would literally drive by the exit on our way home. From Casey’s, it is less than 40 miles to the north – and again – on our way home to Southern Indiana. We had our fingers crossed that we might catch a lull on a Saturday so we could chat for a bit. That’s exactly what happened – we arrived just after two large groups had departed!

We always enjoy visiting with the team, seeing what might be new in the gift shop, and getting a bottle or two to replenish our shelves. We were in need of their Cinder & Smoke Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey finished in Spanish Oloroso casks. Apparently, we weren’t the only ones with that great idea as they were temporarily sold out. Just another reason to make a visit in the near future!

That said, we were able to catch up with Kim Carter Bard and Amy Bryant while enjoying that day’s specialty cocktails. In addition, we were blessed to receive a special behind-the-scene’s peek at things to come for the distillery. All I will share is that you will want to see it unfold! Just brilliant. We are very excited for Kim, Tom, and the entire team!

Kim invited us to follow her to Greenville, KY to check out a great spot there. And we were off to do just that!

Sip&Spin Coffee & Records in Greenville, KY

Greenville, KY is a picturesque town in Muhlenberg County with a traditional town feel and many historic buildings. The Sip & Spin Coffee & Records is no different. Located in the historic Roark building, the location has served several purposes including an undertaking business, antiques, and the printer for a local paper, “The Record.” Many historical items are on display today and it is fascinating to walk through. If that isn’t enough, they have fabulous coffee and live music on Friday and Saturday evenings.

We truly enjoyed relaxing there and chatting with Kim as well as Ben Duvall, the owner of the establishment. We look forward to returning on a Saturday in the near future to enjoy the music and people of Greenville.

Rebecca, Kim, and Wayne at the Sip & Spin

Distillery Trail Statistics

MB Roland Distillery, Casey Jones Distillery, and The Bard Distillery are on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour Western area. This trip marked our second visits to MB Roland and Casey Jones and our 4th to The Bard. Overall, they were our 121st, 122nd, and 123rd distillery experiences.

The Bourbon Trail is so much more than collecting stamps and bottles of spirits. Whether you are just starting the Trail or are well into it, always remember to savor each moment and take it all in. It is a culture. It is making new friends. It is supporting up and coming businesses. It is a way of life and we love it!

Pro Tip: Add Old Glory Distilling Co in Clarksville, TN. That plus MB Roland and Casey Jones will complete the Stateline Whiskey Tour. You will receive a souvenir shot glass at each stop and a finisher’s stave at the last one.

Happy Trails,
Wayne & Rebecca

All photos by Rebecca