Kentucky’s Hidden Speakeasy: Pensive Distilling Co. Tour & Review
Welcome back to Your Bourbon Journey! For Episode 52, we’re heading to Newport, Kentucky, to visit our 54th distillery: Pensive Distilling Co. Located in a historic building with deep ties to Newport’s “Sin City” past, this spot is a masterclass in blending horse racing tradition with gritty mob history.
In this episode, we explore their incredible distillery tour—led by the fantastic Jeff Cole—which takes you inside a genuine Prohibition-era speakeasy still featuring bullet holes in the walls! We also dive into their horse-racing roots (named after the 1944 Kentucky Derby winner) and discuss their award-winning food, from pimento cheese to their famous burgers.
Stick around for the tasting as we crack open a “forgotten bottle” of Pensive Single Barrel Bourbon (Batch 10). This 100-proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon surprised us with its unique flavor profile of nutty almond, bright orange citrus, and a popping rye spice.
📍 Visit Highlights
- The Speakeasy: A historic room where the Mob used to run the show. Look out for the bullet holes and the lookout windows used to spot the police!
- The Food: We’ve been back just for the kitchen. Don’t miss the horse-themed menu items like the “American Pharoah” burger or the “Strike the Gold.”
- The Vibe: Horse racing memorabilia meets industrial distilling. A must-stop on the Northern Kentucky B-Line.
Did you know? Pensive Distilling is named after the Calumet Farm horse that won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes in 1944.
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🥃 Bottle Specs: Pensive Single Barrel Bourbon
- Classification: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
- Distillery: Undisclosed (Sourced & Bottled by Pensive Distilling Co.)
- Mash Bill: 70% Corn, 21% Rye, 9% Malted Barley
- Age: NAS (Minimum 4 years)
- Proof: 100 Proof
- Batch/Bottle: Batch 10, Bottle 4
- MSRP: $69 (Purchased at the distillery 11/18/23)
❌YOUR BOURBON JOURNEY DOES NOT SELL ALCOHOL❌
🚨REMEMBER TO ALWAYS DRINK RESPONSIBLY🚨
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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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