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In October 2024, the bourbon and whiskey industry experienced remarkable advancements, highlighted by an impressive boom in whiskey tourism and the expansion of festivals, alongside significant distillery growth. American whiskey production is on the rise, defying stagnant sales. Exciting new bourbons were launched from various brands, and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail proudly celebrated its 25th anniversary.
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Tour Date: September 11, 2024 8:00am – 5:30pm By Rebecca Herman McBrayer
We were very excited to be joining the Scotchy Bourbon Boys on their 4th Annual Bus Tour! We met up at the Mammy’s parking lot bright and early. After a moment of silence in remembrance of 9/11, we kicked off the day with a pour of Johnnie Walker Blue and a toast for a great day!
Then it was time to load the bus and head to Bardstown Bourbon Co. for our first experience. On the way, Super Nash pulled out a dusty bottle of Hill & Hill for us to try on the ride over. It was amazing!
Bardstown Bourbon Company Barrel Thieving Tour
At BardstownBourbon Company we got checked in and some got cocktails while others checked out the gift shop. When it was time for our Rickhouse Barrel Thieving Tour, we met our guide – Samantha. She let us know that her nickname was “Heavy Hand Sam” and to be aware of that during the thieving pours!
We sampled from three barrels in the beautiful Rickhouse K. One was a bourbon that will ultimately become their Bottle-in-Bond bourbon. The second was a rye expression that is not currently being offered. The final one we had to guess and the “Rye Team” won that round! In fact, it was a 95% rye that would later be finished in their special zebra casks and bottled as their green label rye.
Photo by Chris Thompson
Fun on the Bus and Lunch
Back on the bus and more pours were happening! Super Nash had a mason jar of what had previously been in a dusty McCormick decanter – it was fantastic! Tiny showed the “unicorn” that we would have later, and then it was a pour from the 1980 Early Times!
There was a brief stop for shopping at The Blind Pig Bourbon Market where several great finds were acquired by many on the bus. Then we headed to the Old Kentucky Home Country Club for lunch. We had ordered our selections in advance and everyone enjoyed their choices!
Next it was time to travel to Limestone Branch and that meant more time for tastings! Up first was a dusty of Yellowstone, followed by the Yellowstone finished in a Tokaji barrel, and topped off by the fresh opening of beautiful dusty Jim Beam decanter. All terrific pours!
Limestone Branch Distillery Single Barrel Select Tour
Before we knew it, we had arrived at LimestoneBranch Distillery. We were incredibly blessed to have their National Brand Ambassador, Stephen Fante, as our guide for our experience. He provided a fun and informative tour that included history as well as all aspects of their distilling process.
We then went into their newest building addition – the single barrel select room. Once there, we enjoyed five incredible pours and hear more awesome stories. We laughed, shared, and had a great time!
Following our tasting, we still had time for a cocktail, cigar, and shopping in the giftshop before we needed to get on the road back to Bardstown.
Heaven Hill Distillery for an Executive Tasting of High End Pours
While on the road, we had a pour of Jeffrey’s World Whiskey Society 10 Year Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Port Cask Unicorn edition. It was very good! While we passed, there was also a pour of Penelope Rio available!
Before we knew it, we had arrived at HeavenHill Distillery for our Whiskey Connoisseur tasting. This included 5 great pours: Elijah Craig Toasted, Select Stock Armagnac Finish, Pikesville Rye, Heaven Hill Heritage 18 Year, and Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.
There was time for a bit of shopping before gathering back on the bus.
Surprise Birthday Party for Tiny!!
We arrived back at the parking lot near Mammy’s and everyone was pretending to say their goodbyes for the evening. Little did Jeffrey know that his wife, Rachel, had arranged a surprise party at Mr. Tubs for his birthday. Thus, the fun continued for several more hours. I do believe that he was genuinely surprised!
Photo by Wayne McBrayer
This was an absolutely an amazing day! We knew it would be fun but had no idea how mush we would truly enjoy being with everyone on the bus. The generosity of the bottles and pours shared was second-to-none. People we have known through social media and brief meetings at events have truly become amazing friends that we will always cherish. We hope that we will be able to join them on another trip in the future!
THREEGift Shops
We picked up a few bottles today!
Distillery Trail Statistics
We originally visited Bardstown Bourbon Co April 23,2022. It was our 6th distillery and our 2nd stamp on the KBT Signature Trail. Our second visit was March 2023 and we did the Barrel Thieving Tour and it was our 56th distillery experience. Next we visited Bardstown Bourbon Co in June 2023 as part of the 2023 Mint Julip VIP Bardstown Collection Tour and it was our 78th distillery experience. We also did a Distilled Dinner there in 2023. Therefore, this was our 5th visit there and our 139th distillery experience.
Our first visit to Limestone Branch was May 20, 2023. It was an amazing day as we completed the Central Craft Trail there and it was our 40th stamp on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail as well as our 48th distillery and 73rd distillery experience. Thus, this was our 2nd visit to Limestone Branch and our 140th distillery experience.
For Heaven Hill, our first visit was April 24, 2022 and we did the Bottle Your Own experience. It was our 9th distillery and our 5th stamp on the KBT Signature Trail. We returned to Heaven Hill in June 2023 as part of the 2023 Mint Julip VIP Bardstown Collection Tour and it was our 77th distillery experience. That makes this our 3rd visit to Heaven Hill and our 141st distillery experience.
It’s a good thing I have a spreadsheet!
Happy Trails! Rebecca & Wayne
All photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer unless otherwise noted.
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.
Last night was the 4th Annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival (KBF) Bourbon Pairing Dinner at the Levee Bourbon Bar in Louisville, KY. It was the perfect setting for such an event during Derby Week. The riverside location allowed us to watch the Kentucky Derby Festival’s Great Steamboat Race. Many of the event attendees wore traditional Derby attire including flamboyant hats for the women and jackets for the men. It made for a very colorful evening.
When the doors opened, we were offered the official 2024 Kentucky Bourbon Festival cocktail. It had a very balanced flavor – Old Fashioned with Elijah Craig Small Batch. It had a very nice hint of cinnamon.
The Levee Bourbon Bar is terrific and with an amazing selection. We will need to make plans to visit again. The patio has a fantastic view of the Ohio River and we decided to sit outside and enjoy the festivities.
The wait staff was awesome. Food trays were passed frequently, and someone was also ensuring that everyone had bottled water on this rather warm evening. The passed appetizers were top notch!
* Elijah Craig cured salmon on house-made blini, fried capers, and crème fraiche. * House-made smoked chicken sausage, with Kalamata olives, fennel sprigs, and fresh citrus. (Wayne’s favorite) * Kenny’s Cranberry Fromage Blanc baked on brioche topped with Elijah Craig sorghum glaze. (Rebecca’s favorite)
CuredSalmonSmoked ChickenSausageBaked Brioche
The Great Steamboat Race
Just as Conor O’Driscoll was about to speak, he noticed that the steamboats were approaching and invited everyone to enjoy the event from the balcony. The riverfronts on each side of the Ohio were lined with onlookers and the boats were filled with people having a great time. We were surprised that their speed was greater than we anticipated. It was fun to witness.
According to the festival site, this race on the Ohio River has taken place since 1963. Tickets are available to ride on the boats with various amenities. This year’s race featured the Belle of Louisville and the Belle of Cincinnati. The race was anticipated to last approximately two hours. According to news reports, the Belle of Cincinnati was victorious.
We then enjoyed a terrific salad: Crisp Roma Crunch Lettuce topped with apple chips, Elijah Craig-soaked dried cherries, shaved Kenny’s Bleu Gouda cheese and finished with a toasted vanilla bean vinaigrette.
This lovely salad also gave us an opportunity to meet those we were sitting with – a very fun and friendly table!
Dinner with Entrée Cocktail
The entrée cocktail was like the welcome cocktail, but it was more citrus forward. The plated dinner was fantastic. Chef John Varanese and his team prepared smoked beef tenderloin topped with a duck confit ragout over a savory cornbread panzanella, roasted asparagus, heirloom carrot and red peppers finished with Elijah Craig caramel demi-glace. It was a good as it sounds and appeared, and I did not notice any leftovers around the room!
Entrée CocktailSmoked Beef Tenderloin
Dessert with Dessert Cocktail
The dessert was light and very tasty. The panna cotta was just perfect, and the dried apricot really added a bright fruit essence to the dessert. The cocktail was an espresso martini. It has a great coffee flavor, but the overall profile was a tad sweet for most at our table.
Description: Milk chocolate genoise, with a dried apricot marmalade, fermented honey and a vanilla panna cotta.
Chocolate Genoise and Vanilla Panna CottaEspresso Martini
Master Distiller – Conor O’Driscoll
We were excited to meet Conor O’Driscoll. We caught a live interview he did with Jason at The Mash & Drum and we thoroughly enjoyed it! Conor’s drink of choice was the Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond … and he was truly loving it. We appreciated his candor to the questions that were asked, and he came across as very approachable and “real.” Listening to him during the interview encouraged us to meet him. This was about four weeks ago and shortly afterwards, I received the email about this dinner. It just seemed like it was meant to be!
During the interview, one of Jason’s subscribers asked a question about whether he thought there was something to the “neck pour” of a new bottle not being as good as the rest. Conor literally laughed out loud. Then, what we will never forget … he took his bottle, flipped it over, and said, “wait, here’s your neck pour, oh, now it’s gone” as he flipped the Heaven Hill BIB bottle. We laughed so hard and kept replaying it.
We took an unopened bottle of the Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond to the dinner and asked Conor to sign it with that comment. He did one better and flipped the bottle and signed part of it upside down. Oh my – this will always be cherished! Thank you, Conor!!
Bourbon with Friends
With every bourbon event, there is an opportunity to connect with friends and make new ones. This one was no different. We got to see Mark Rucker and his wife Annita. Our table mate and new friend Bryan Miller … as well as his guests Pat and Pat! Thank you for the cigars, wish we didn’t have to drive back home so we could have had them with you and visited some more! Next time!
Rebecca, Mark, and WayneBryan, Wayne, and Rebecca
Closing Thoughts
KBF PinElijah Craig PGA Coin
The event exceeded our expectations. The KBF team organized and executed a fantastic evening from start to finish. When we arrived at our reserved seating, the KBF pin and Elijah Craig PGA coin were waiting for us.
At the end of the evening, we were each offered an Elijah Craig rocks glass and a set of golf tees. All will be great mementos. We look forward to adding this annual event to our Annual Bourbon Events Calendar. After attending this one, we really want to return!
Your Bourbon Journey 