GreenvilleKY

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.

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**

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**

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!

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

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.

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.

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

Your Bourbon Journey

Embracing the Craft

Celebrating Bourbon in Louisville

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