Kentucky Whiskey

Springtime in a Glass: The Dandelion Crown Bourbon Cocktail

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Celebrate Mother’s Day with the Dandelion Crown! 🥂🌼

Welcome back to Your Bourbon Journey for Episode 69 of Thirsty Thursday Cocktails. Today, we are taking the legendary Kentucky classic—the Seelbach—and transforming it into a floral, effervescent masterpiece called The Dandelion Crown.

For this high-proof riff, we’ve swapped traditional orange liqueur for the graceful sweetness of Elderflower Liqueur and introduced a unique, savory element: Jeptha Creed Dandelion Bitters. This “star of the show” adds an earthy, herbaceous depth that perfectly balances a heavy-hitting Four Roses OBSV (126 Proof). Hand-selected by Master Distiller Brent Elliott, this bourbon brings vibrant notes of apricot, pear, and brown sugar that shine through the bubbles of a chilled Brut Champagne.

Whether you’re a “bubbles girl” or a bourbon enthusiast, this cocktail is springtime in a glass. It’s sophisticated, festive, and the perfect toast for Mother’s Day!

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📋 The Recipe: The Dandelion Crown

  • 1.5 oz Four Roses OBSV Single Barrel (126 Proof)
  • 0.75 oz Elderflower Liqueur
  • 4-5 dashes Jeptha Creed Dandelion Bitters
  • 2 dashes Peychaud’s Bitters (for that Mother’s Day pink hue)
  • 2-3 oz Chilled Dry Sparkling Wine (Brut Champagne)

🍸 Instructions

  1. Combine: Add your bourbon, elderflower liqueur, and both types of bitters to a mixing glass with a large ice block.
  2. Stir: Stir gently for 15–20 seconds to chill the ingredients and provide the necessary dilution for the 126-proof spirit.
  3. Strain: Pour into a chilled coupe or champagne flute.
  4. Top: Slowly top with your chilled Brut Champagne to maintain the festive bubbles.
  5. Serve: Serve without garnish to showcase the beautiful pink hue and clarity!

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NOTE: The spirits and items in this review were purchased by us. We were not compensated by the producers for this review. Please drink responsibly.

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Augusta’s Historic Distillery: A Visit to Becker & Bird

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Becker & Bird: The Historic Kentucky Bourbon Time Capsule

Think you’ve seen everything on the Bourbon Trail? Think again. Join us for Bourbon Trail Tales and Taste, Episode 60, as we travel to Augusta, Kentucky, to visit the historic Becker & Bird Distillery.

This isn’t your average commercial distillery tour. Set on a property that’s on the National Register of Historic Places, Becker & Bird honors the legacy of Johannes Becker, a Revolutionary War veteran who began distilling on this land in 1798. You’ll learn the fascinating (and sometimes frustrating) story of why they had to shift their name from “Baker” to “Becker” to avoid a corporate legal battle, and why this site is a true bourbon time capsule.

The real showstopper? The cellar. We’re taking you inside one of the largest wine and spirit cellars in the U.S.—a hand-built stone masterpiece that survived the Battle of Augusta in 1862. Its consistent, cool, humid environment acts as a natural rickhouse, unlike anything you see in modern metal-clad warehouses.

In this episode: 

🥃 The Bourbon: We’re tasting the Historic Becker & Bird Straight Bourbon (100 proof, 2-year age statement, MGP-sourced). We break down the profile, the “grain-forward” notes, and why we think it’s important to support these up-and-coming craft distillers. 

🍷 The Winery: We discover their amazing bourbon-barrel-aged wine, a must-try if you visit the tasting room!

If you love exploring the history behind the bottle and want to support the preservation of our Kentucky spirits heritage, this is a stop you need to add to your list.

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❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌

✴️ Historic Becker & Bird Straight Bourbon

  • Classification: Straight Bourbon Whiskey
  • Company: Baker-Bird Winery & Distillery (Owned by Dinah Bird)
  • Distillery: MGP (Lawrenceburg, IN)
  • Mash Bill: Most likely MGP’s 75% Corn, 21% Rye, 4% Malted Barley
  • Age: 2 Years
  • Proof: 100
  • MSRP: $78.99 (Price may vary; some winery-direct bottles are priced at a premium due to the historic site maintenance)
  • Released: 2018 (Brand launch)
  • Purchased: $90 03/15/25 at Becker & Bird Distillery
  • Other: Bottled by Kentucky Artisan Distillery (Crestwood, KY). The label pays homage to Johannes Becker (John Baker), a Revolutionary War veteran who moved to Augusta in 1797.

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NOTE: The spirit 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.

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We Tasted 14 Whiskeys! Wayne’s 58th Birthday Bourbon Tour

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A Birthday Detour to Remember: Old Louisville Whiskey Co.

February of 2024 – What started as a trip home from Mattingly’s turned into one of our favorite Bourbon Trail memories! In this episode of Bourbon Trail Tales and Tastes, we celebrate Wayne’s 58th birthday with a visit to Distillery No. 59: Old Louisville Whiskey Company.

Join us as we recount our incredible experience with Amine, a master of blending and aging who went above and beyond for our first visit. From barrel thieving in the back of their industrial Louisville home to tasting 14+ incredible pours, this visit proved why Amine is one of the best in the business. 

We also dive into a tasting of two unique bottles we brought home that day: a 10-year old “barely legal” bourbon with a massive 49% barley mashbill and a 7-year-old mysterious, sweet 119-proof bourbon.

Whether you’re a fan of MGP sources, unique finishes like Hungarian or Colombian oak, or just love a great distillery story, you won’t want to miss this one.

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NOTE: The spirits in this review were 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.

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Touring Castle & Key: Bourbon History Reborn at Old Taylor

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Bourbon Trail Tales & Tastes Episode 39 – Castle & Key Distillery

Get ready for an adventure down the Kentucky Bourbon Trail as we revisit a nice stop in Frankfort, Kentucky in April 2023.  In this episode, we’re taking you back to our very first visit to Castle & Key Distillery which was our 43rd distillery and our 35th stamp in our Kentucky Bourbon Trail Book! Plus – we finished the Craft Bluegrass Trail.

Join us as we relive every moment from our initial tour of the Castle & Key Distillery . But the excitement doesn’t stop there! We’ll then uncork a bottle of their Restoration Rye 2022 Single Barrel for an in-depth tasting. What hidden notes and unique flavors await us in this one-of-a-kind pour? 

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What’s a bourbon trail journey without a good story? 🥃 Welcome to Bourbon Trail Tales & Tastes, where we dive into the unforgettable moments and hidden gems we discovered while exploring Kentucky’s iconic trail. Join us as we uncork the profound memories that have stayed with us long after the last pour. We’ll revisit the unexpected finds and the bottles that truly surprised us with their exceptional, intricate flavors. So, what stood out as the most memorable sip, and how have those experiences shaped our palates today? Get ready for a passionate retelling of the adventures, the connections, and the spirits that make the Bourbon Trail so much more than just a destination.

#KentuckyBourbonTrail #CastleAndKey #RestorationRye #bourbontrail #RyeWhiskey #SingleBarrel #WhiskeyReview #KentuckyWhiskey #CastleAndKeyDistillery #FrankfortKY #DistilleryTour #whiskeytasting 

❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌

ABOUT THE BOTTLE REVIEWED

✴️ Restoration Rye 2022 Single Barrel

  • Classification: Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey
  • Distillery: Castle & Key Distillery
  • Mash Bill: 63% Rye, 20% Malted Barley, 17% Yellow Corn
  • Age: 3
  • Proof: 115.8
  • Released: 2022
  • Other: Barrel 3027; Bottle 218
  • Purchased: 04/16/23 for $70 at Castle & Key Distillery

❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌

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NOTE: The spirit 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.