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Distiller’s Dinner Featuring Heaven Hill

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May 2, 2024
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer

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.

The event featured Heaven Hill Distillery Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll who guided us through a tasting experience of Elijah Craig Rye, Elijah Craig Toasted, Elijah Craig 18 Year & Elijah Craig Barrel Proof. The four-course dinner was crafted by Chef John Varanese, chef and owner of the Levee Bourbon Lounge.

Passed Appetizers with Welcome Cocktail

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)

Cured Salmon
Smoked Chicken Sausage
Baked 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.

Salad with Elijah Craig Flight

The dinner portion of the event was kicked off by Heaven Hill Distillery Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll who guided us through a tasting experience of Elijah Craig Rye, Elijah Craig Toasted, Elijah Craig 18 Year & Elijah Craig Barrel Proof.


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 Cocktail
Smoked 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 Cotta
Espresso 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 Wayne
Bryan, Wayne, and Rebecca

Closing Thoughts

KBF Pin
Elijah 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!

Cheers until we meet again!
Rebecca & Wayne

April 2024 Neeley Family Distillery Tasting

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04/30/24
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer 

If you have spoken with us about our bourbon journey and favorite distilleries, you have certainly heard us talk about the Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta, KY. Our first visit was very planned as part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail; however, we almost always “stop by” when traveling to or from the Cincinnati, OH area! We are HUGE fans of their spirits and ensure that we have a good amount to tide us over to our next visit. Thus, it was well past time for Wayne and I to do a formal tasting of the goodness that Royce Neeley puts into a barrel! Last weekend, we did a two-day tasting, and we hope to inspire you to give them a try if you haven’t already!

Selected for this Tasting

Day 1: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – wheated (barrel 635), Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – wheated, specially aged barrel (barrel 85), Sweet Thumped Rye Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (barrel 754).

Day 2: PawPaw’s Birthday Barrel Bottled-in-Bond, Hidden Barn Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Madeira casks, The Old Jett Brothers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey French Cognac Finish

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

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Wheated (barrel 635)

Mashbill – 76% Corn, 19% Wheat, 5% Malted Barley
Age – 46 months
Proof – 112.7
Other – Single barrel, triple pot distilled, non chill filtered, sweet mash, barrel char 2, barrel size 25 gal, yeast strand A-1.
Price Paid – $41.39 (375ml)

Color – Medium amber

Aroma – Sweet corn, wheat, vanilla, brown sugar, and a bit of smokiness.

Taste –  Barley, brown sugar, butterscotch, vanilla cream, almost a crème brûlée.

Tasted with dried cranberry – It brightened the taste to almost an effervescence, less sweetness, but lot of cinnamon.

Tasted with a pecan – A hint of chocolate, oak, brown sugar, with black pepper on the finish.

Tasted with dark chocolate – Creamy caramel, chocolate covered nut, with a sweet finish of toasted brown sugar.

Neeley’s wheated bourbon is always a favorite of ours. Perhaps it is the triple pot still approach or the way they treat the grains, but always fantastic.

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey – Wheated (barrel 85)


Mashbill – 76% Corn, 19% Wheat, 5% Malted Barley
Age – 52 months
Proof – 111
Other – Single barrel, triple pot distilled, non chill filtered, sweet mash, barrel char 3, barrel size 30 gal, eight-year air seasoned barrel, yeast strand A-1.
Price Paid – $51.74 (375ml)

Color – Medium amber 

Aroma – The nose is complex with caramel, fruit, baking spices, some vanilla malt, brown sugar or even a bit of molasses, a very mature nose. 

Taste –  Wheat, barley, caramel, dark fruit notes, and a really nice finish of black pepper that goes well with the sweet notes.

Tasted with dried cranberry – A hint of chocolate but there is cinnamon on the front and more of a sweet finish. Great mouth feel – feels creamy … almost buttery.

Tasted with a pecan – This muted some of the flavor and brought some spices forward; somewhat of a spicy chocolate caramel.

Tasted with dark chocolate – This brought the chocolate, like a chocolate covered caramel with sea salt on it. Maybe a little bit of cherry in the middle.



We are very pleased that we purchased several of these bottles because it was a very limited barrel treatment. As noted on the tag, the barrel was aged outdoors for EIGHT years. While the treatment of the oak barrel is quite present in the taste profile, it doesn’t dominate in a negative way. Instead, it brings out a cornucopia of flavors.

Sweet Thumped Rye – Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey (barrel 754)

Mashbill – 65% Rye
Age – 28 months
Proof – 108.9
Other – Single barrel, triple pot distilled, non chill filtered, sweet mash, barrel char 3, barrel size 25 gal.
Price Paid – $42.39 (375ml)

Color – Medium to dark amber.

Aroma – Rye sweetness dominates, mint, herbal tea, a light baking spice, floral notes, very fresh, very natural, and inviting.

Taste –  Mint, rye grass, floral, tea, light spice, pleasant rye bread and white pepper finish.

Tasted with dried cranberry – Very floral with a white pepper finish, very nice.

Tasted with a pecan – Mellow and it brings it all together sweetness and it is just really good.

Tasted with dark chocolate – Chocolate, caramel, mint chocolate chip ice cream.

Neeley’s rye is outstanding. One of the most pleasant and enjoyable ryes to drink. As we were tasting, we kept wondering why we didn’t pull it off the shelf more often. Answer – we do not have a back-up bottle. On our next trip, we will remedy that!

PawPaw’s Birthday Barrel Bottled-in-Bond


Mashbill – Uncertain
Age – at least 4 years
Proof – 100
Other – Bottled-in-Bond
Price Paid – $106

Color – light to med amber

Aroma – Stone fruit, nuttiness, orange zest, floral notes, and light baking spices.

Taste –  Caramel, toasted brown sugar, orange zest and cinnamon on the finish.

Tasted with dried cranberry – The cranberry is bringing a fruitiness forward, more citrus, and less cinnamon.

Tasted with a pecan – Chocolate malt – very nice with the pecan.

Tasted with dark chocolate – A great creaminess, a bit less chocolate than the pecan brought but the finish is more like a warm cinnamon roll.

Wayne, Rebecca, & PawPaw 2023
PawPaw signing our bottle

Overall, it’s a fantastic bottled-in-bond as it is rich in flavor and a lot of complexity. It is damn good. This bottle will forever be incredibly special to us. We purchased it at the 2023 Kentucky Bourbon Festival and we got Bottle #1. Most importantly, PawPaw was there – he signed the bottle and we got a picture with him.

We really hope (pretty please) that an annual release of a Birthday Barrel in honor of PawPaw’s birthday will continue.

Hidden Barn Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Madeira Casks

Mashbill – 70% Corn, 20% Rye, 10% Malted Barley
Age – at least 4 years
Proof – 100
Other – Finished in Madeira Casks
Price Paid – $103.49

Color – dark amber

Aroma – The wine really comes forward on the nose as well as a creamy vanilla and some baking spices.

Taste – Honey, brown sugar, cherry, chocolate, light undertones of the madeira cask and a light yet warm finish. Very nice taste and overall experience.

Tasted with dried cranberry –  This did nothing to enhance it and it made it oddly bitter with a stronger cinnamon on the finish.

Tasted with a pecan – This moved the focus to the spicy side and any hint of the Madeira is gone.

Tasted with dark chocolate – Much better with the dark chocolate as it added a creamy sweetness and the taste of chocolate dipped grapes with a nice warm finish.

This was our first time to taste a Hidden Barn bourbon. It was very good, and we liked it neat the best as that focused on the spirit and the finishing with the Madeira.

The Old Jett Brothers Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey French Cognac Finish


Mashbill – High Rye Bourbon
Age – At least 4 years
Proof – 109.9
Other – Finished in French Oak Cognac Barrels for 7 Months
Price Paid – $123.41

Color – golden

Aroma – The cognac is there and the French Oak is bringing a strong vanilla note forward. Also, sweet corn, raisins, and toasted marshmallows.

Taste –  Vanilla, vanilla cream pie with a nice pastry note, buttered raisin toast, the cognac is complementing it very well and there is also a lovely finish of baking spices, pepper, and oak.

Tasted with dried cranberry – With the cranberry, it lost the delicate notes and shifted to stronger fruits and french vanilla.

Tasted with a pecan – The pecan brought some French Oak notes forward as well as chocolate and caramel.

Tasted with dark chocolate – This is different and in a good way. Almost like chocolate covered grapes. This makes me want to have a pour of this with a dessert or instead of dessert.

The cognac and French Oak play very well together. In addition to being a good option after dinner, it might also pair well with a cigar.

Discussion and Final Notes

We have wanted to do this tasting for some time; however, we have a substantial “shelf” of Neeley’s spirits and selecting a few for a tasting can be a challenge. Thus, we decided on six and completed the tasting over two days.

Bottom line – they are all fantastic. You really cannot go wrong with a nice pour of a Neeley Family Distillery bourbon or rye. Perhaps it is the family tradition, using sweet mash, being triple pot distilled, or non-chill filtered, or a fine combination of everything they do. We only know that we personally enjoy each one.

Royce Neeley is truly a Master Distiller and continually produces some terrific spirits at Neeley Family Distillery. Give them a try!

Cheers – and always drink responsibly!
Rebecca & Wayne

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Sweet Mash, Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Rye Whiskey, Bottled-in-Bond

Sweet Mash: Sweet mash is a process in distillation that does not use the sour mash as a starter for fermentation. Instead, only fresh yeast is used. Using sweet mash has the benefit of more control over specific ingredients and the ability to use lower temperatures for fermentation. However, it does require more maintenance and extreme cleanliness to avoid contamination. For more information, please read this post – Four Stages of Making Spirits.

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.

Rye Whiskey Basic Requirements: Rye whiskey must be made from at least 51% rye. It must be distilled at 160 proof or less.  It then must be placed into a new, charred oak container at a proof of 125 or below. Straight rye whiskey is a subcategory of rye whiskey that has been aged for at least two years in new, charred oak barrels and doesn’t contain any additives. If aged less than four years, the label must include an age statement. For additional information on bourbon requirements, please read this post – Rye 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 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.

Enjoying Bourbon Might Take Patience

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April 27, 2024
By Wayne McBrayer

Last Saturday, my wife Rebecca and I spent part of the afternoon doing a tasting of the 10 different recipes of Four Roses Bourbon based on the 10 different yeast strains that they use. It was a fun tasting and I was able to pick up a lot of different tastes and scents while we were doing it. It caused me to reflect back to the very beginning of my bourbon tasting and how things have changed for the better.

It was 2021 and I was sitting on our back porch looking over our lake and Rebecca and I were tasting the very first release of W.H. McBrayer. My cousins had resurrected the family bourbon and had released 900 bottles of which we acquired 2 of them. As I nosed the bourbon, all I could pick up was alcohol and when we tasted it, my throat and mouth were on fire! I was beyond frustrated and told Rebecca I’ll never be able to appreciate this or drink it and it has my last name on it!

She encouraged me to not give up and that it was a process. In this case, I stuck it out and she was right. For months, I would only drink my bourbon on ice and slowly I began to like it. The problem for me was that it became way too light and watery. One day I was tasting Maker’s Mark and decided I was going to drink it neat and wow, it wasn’t bad! It didn’t burn and I picked up wheat as a flavor! My nose and palate finally combined to find this once fire juice to be outstanding and worth my time and effort.

Patience is hard, and I find it difficult at times to be patient. This time it paid off and now that once fire juice of W.H. McBrayer Batch No. 1 is pleasant with caramel on the nose and a vanilla and cinnamon on the finish. This 103.6 proof that almost knocked me out of my chair is now almost too low for me. For what it’s worth, W.H. McBrayer No. 4 is coming out soon and my cousin has told me, “the best is yet to come” and I believe him. It’s great bourbon. Be sure to check out their Legacy Club if you are interested.



You may be like I was and not enjoy it. It may to be too hot, taste awful, smell bad and look weird. I encourage you to stick with it. You’ll find that it’s not that bad and you might even find out that you’ll end up loving it.

Enjoy your bourbon journey –
Wayne

Photo credits: Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Note: Wayne McBrayer is not affiliated with McBrayer Legacy Spirits. They are cousins, friends, and great people. We support their bourbon journey and respect what they are doing to resurrect a 150-year-old brand that is part of their family lineage.

April 2024 Lynyrd Skynyrd Hell House Whiskey Tasting

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04/26/24
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer 

Just before the concert began.

April 12, 2024 Wayne and I attended the Black Stone Cherry, ZZ Top, Lynyrd Skynyrd concert at the Ford Center in Evansville, IN. Each group contributed outstandingly, and we had fabulous front row center seats for an amazing night of music and memories.

Johnny singing Whiskey Rock-a-Roller 04/12/24.








I wore my “Talk Bourbon To Me” T-Shirt and didn’t realize that might catch the eye of Johnny Van Zant. That is because I missed their announcement of partnering with Bespoken Spirits and the release of American Hell House Whiskey in July, 2023. Honestly, the first I knew about it was during their 5th song, Whiskey Rock-a-Roller when it was on the screen. Then I was intrigued.

At the conclusion of Sweet Home Alabama (right before the encore), Johnny Van Zant pointed to me and tossed me a “Hell House” hat. Unfortunately, the woman sitting next to me grabbed it. This did not sit well with Johnny, and he AGAIN pointed at me and ensured that I got their “Lynyrd Skynyrd Forever” hat. Super cool!!

Rebecca, Wayne, and Trevor Herman by the tour bus after the concert.

About Hell House Whiskey

American Hell House Whiskey was released in July 2023. In an announcement by PR Newswire (07/27/23), it was shared that the name is a tribute to the band’s legendary cabin. Lynyrd Skynyrd’s Hell House, a humble cabin nestled in the woods of Florida, played a pivotal role in the band’s early success. It served as their rehearsal and writing space, where iconic songs like “Free Bird” and “Sweet Home Alabama” were born. The cabin’s legacy lives on in the band’s new whiskey, Hell House Whiskey, which pays homage to the raw and creative spirit of their formative years.

The whiskey is produced by Bespoken Spirits that launched in January 2018 in California. Most recently, March 2024, Bespoken moved their headquarters and operation to Lexington, Kentucky. They pride themselves on creating a process for sustainability. Their approach to whiskey is accomplished with less wood, water, and energy. Early supporters of Bespoken include T.J. Rodgers of Cypress Semiconductor and Derek Jeter, Baseball Hall of Famer and owner of the Miami Marlins. As of their move to Kentucky, they were available in Texas, Florida, Tennessee, Georgia, Kentucky, Michigan, New York, and North Carolina. However, they announced plans to expand into Colorado and Illinois in 2024.

Following the concert, we really wanted an opportunity to taste Hell House Whiskey. Using the locator on Bespoken’s website, we found a place just over the bridge in Henderson, KY. Saturday, 04/13/24, we were able to purchase a bottle at the location indicated.

American Hell House Whiskey Tasting Notes

If you haven’t already, please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey.

Mashbill – 89% corn, 10% rye, 1% malted barley
Age – Rapid Aging (see below)
Proof – 90
Price Paid – $49.99

Color – Honey amber.

Aroma – Honey, caramel, tobacco, and allspice.

Taste – Some sweetness and a light floral note; however, the dominate taste coming forward is tobacco. On the finish the tobacco lingers and is joined by leather, oak, and black pepper.

Tasted with dried cranberry – With the cranberry it has a lighter overall feel to it. A bit less tobacco, but the leather remains it still finishes with oak and black pepper.

Tasted with a pecan – More sweetness with caramel on the front, the tobacco and leather has faded but the finish is now cinnamon and oak.

Tasted with dark chocolate – This did not complement the spirit. The previous taste characteristics are no longer present and it now has a rather bitter finish similar to tasting ground cinnamon. We certainly would not recommend this paired with chocolate.

Bespoken Spirits Tailored Wood Finishing

According to an article published by Whisky Advocate (03/21/24), Bespoken Spirits uses a proprietary rapid-aging process called Tailored Wood Finishing. Unlike traditional whiskey-aging methods that rely on extended barrel storage, Bespoken uses “micro staves” to infuse flavors of wood, toast, and char into its spirits in just a few days. This innovative approach allows them to create diverse flavor profiles from a single base liquid while reducing material consumption, water usage, energy expenditure, and eliminating evaporation losses.

In a related article published last year by Robb Report (04/11/23), Bespoken’s unique Tailored Wood Finishing process uses “activators” to rapidly age whiskey by applying heat and pressure, simulating years of aging in just days. This method allows the company to finish or rectify whiskey for other brands, potentially resolving flavor issues. While the process can produce whiskey that tastes different from traditionally aged products, lacking depth and maturity, blind tastings have shown that Bespoken’s whiskeys are often distinguishable from others.

Summary Notes

I have loved Lynyrd Skynyrd since I was in High School, and it is hard to believe that they are celebrating FIFTY YEARS! I really wish they would have partnered with a spirit company that has the depth and maturity to match who they are. That said, as a fan, it is very cool to listen to a band’s music and have a whiskey to drink that has their name on it.

We are looking forward to the next warm day when we can sit on the patio and enjoy a cigar. With the tobacco and leather notes of this whiskey, we believe it will go quite nicely with a cigar and the cigar won’t negatively impact the flavor of the whiskey.

If you are a fan and locate a bottle of Hell House – buy it! You will enjoy it for the same reasons that we do … its story and connection to Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Cheers,
Rebecca

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

American Whiskey (as per the label)

Whiskey (generic) must be made from cereal grains, distilled below 190 proof, placed into an oak container, and bottled at a minimum of 80 proof.

When aged less than four years and without an age statement, it might need to be labeled as corn whiskey. To be considered American Corn Whiskey, it must be made from at least 80% corn, but isn’t required to be aged. Aged American corn whiskey must rest in either used or uncharred oak barrels. Note: Based on the mash bill of Hell House, it could qualify as a corn whiskey.

Regarding the labeling of American Hell House Whiskey as American Whiskey, according to Whiskey Advocate’s 03/21/24 article, it was sourced from MGP (Midwest Grain Products); thus, likely achieved the placement into oak barrel requirement during its time at MGP. In addition, that would add to the accumulated age.

NOTE: The whiskey 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.

First Visit to Four Roses Distillery

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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.

April 2024 Four Roses Recipe Tasting

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04/23/24
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer 

Last July, following a fantastic two-day 2023 Bardstown Bourbon Collection Mint Julep Tour, Wayne and I stopped by the gift shop of the Four Roses bottling facility in Coxs Creek, KY because we heard they had released the Four Roses Ten Recipe Tasting Experience boxed set and wanted to get one to try at some point.

Wayne and I enjoy Four Roses and often have people ask, “What is your favorite recipe?” We really didn’t know because we haven’t purchased a single barrel bottle that we didn’t enjoy. This past weekend, we had the time to devote to this experience and it was very fascinating and sometimes surprising.

Selected for this Tasting

This tasting was boxed and ready for us – the Four Roses Ten Recipe Tasting Experience that is produced by Four Roses Distillery. The set includes ten 50 ml bottles, one of each recipe. The retail price at the gift shop for the set was $129.00

As discussed in Bourbon Yeast Flavors, Four Roses Bourbon produces a wide range of flavors by blending various yeast strains and mash bills. The use two mash bills – Mash Bill B emphasizes rye, while Mash Bill E prioritizes corn. Five yeast strains impart unique characteristics. These elements are combined to create ten distinct recipes as indicated on the table below.

Mash Bill B – 60% Corn, 35% Rye, 5% BarleyMash Bill E – 75% Corn, 20% Rye, 5% Barley
Yeast V – delicate fruit1 – OBSV – delicate fruit and rye6 – OESV – delicate fruit and caramel
Yeast K – slight spice2 – OBSK – rye and baking spice7 – OESK – baking spice
Yeast O – rich fruit3 – OBSO – rich fruit8 – OESO – rich fruit and vanilla
Yeast Q – floral essence4 – OBSQ – rye and light floral character9 – OESQ – delicate grains and floral character
Yeast F – herbal notes9 – OBSF – delicate grains and floral character10 – OESF – light grain and mint
The four-character recipe: O for distilled at Four Roses, B or E for the Mash Bill, S for Straight Whiskey, and the final letter (V, K, O, Q, or F) for the yeast strain.

Four Roses Mash Bill B

Mash Bill B – 60% Corn, 35% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
Age – at least 4 years (straight whiskey)
Proof – 104

We did the aroma individually, wrote down our notes, and then shared with one another. We did the same with the tasting portion. We also had the Four Roses recipe table. Our conversation and knowledge of the table certainly could have influenced our results.

Recipe 01 – OBSV:
***Aroma: Wayne – pear and chocolate; Rebecca – berries
***Taste: Wayne – honey and cinnamon; Rebecca – pear, herbal, and cinnamon
***Finish: Wayne – cinnamon; Rebecca – long baking spices
Recipe 02 – OBSK:
***Aroma: Wayne – honey and rye ; Rebecca – rye bread and baking spices
***Taste: Wayne – honey and rye; Rebecca – rye bread with honey butter on it
***Finish: Wayne – warm baking spices; Rebecca – light, warm cinnamon
Recipe 03 – OBSO:
***Aroma: Wayne – apple; Rebecca – plum and ripe apples
***Taste: Wayne – cinnamon; Rebecca – plum and fig
***Finish: Wayne – nutmeg; Rebecca – nutmeg with white pepper
Recipe 04 – OBSQ:
***Aroma: Wayne – honeysuckle and cinnamon; Rebecca – light cherry and rose
***Taste: Wayne – disappointed, didn’t like; Rebecca – honeysuckle and rye
***Finish: Wayne – NA; Rebecca – light white pepper
Recipe 05 – OBSF:
***Aroma: Wayne – honey, light fruit, and mint; Rebecca – rye, mint, and tea
***Taste: Wayne – tea, mint, and honey; Rebecca – mint tea and rye bread
***Finish: Wayne – light; Rebecca – cinnamon

Favorite Aromas: Wayne – OBSV and OBSK; Rebecca – OBSO and OBSV
Favorite Tastes: Wayne – OBSK and OBSO; Rebecca – OBSV and OBSK
Favorite Overall: Wayne – OBSK and OBSV; Rebecca – OBSV and OBSO

Four Roses Mash Bill E


Mash Bill E – 75% Corn, 20% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
Age – at least 4 years (straight whiskey)
Proof – 104

The same as the other, we did the aroma individually, wrote down our notes, and then shared with one another. We did the same with the tasting portion. We also had the Four Roses recipe table. Our conversation and knowledge of the table certainly could have influenced our results.

Recipe 06 – OESV:
***Aroma: Wayne – vanilla, honey, baking spices; Rebecca – caramel, pear, baking spice
***Taste: Wayne – fruit and honey; Rebecca – caramel and pear
***Finish: Wayne – cinnamon; Rebecca – warm nutmeg and light pepper
Recipe 07 – OESK:
***Aroma: Wayne – honey, vanilla, baking spice; Rebecca – vanilla and allspice
***Taste: Wayne – honeysuckle and cinnamon; Rebecca – baking spices
***Finish: Wayne – cinnamon and pepper; Rebecca – light cinnamon
Recipe 08 – OESO:
***Aroma: Wayne – honeysuckle, vanilla, baking spice; Rebecca – vanilla cream and raspberry
***Taste: Wayne – spicy and honeysuckle; Rebecca – vanilla cream pie with berries on top
***Finish: Wayne – nutmeg and ginger; Rebecca – white pepper
Recipe 09 – OESQ:
***Aroma: Wayne – caramel, honey, vanilla; Rebecca – corn, lavender, and light spice
***Taste: Wayne – wild honey, nutmeg, cinnamon; Rebecca – buttered corn and lavender
***Finish: Wayne – nutmeg and cinnamon; Rebecca – nutmeg
Recipe 10 – OESF:
***Aroma: Wayne – rich vanilla, caramel, slight mint; Rebecca – herbal mint tea and baking spices
***Taste: Wayne – cinnamon and mint; Rebecca – sweet mint tea
***Finish: Wayne – cinnamon; Rebecca – nutmeg

Favorite Aromas: Wayne – OESK and OESF; Rebecca – OESV and OESO
Favorite Tastes: Wayne – OESK and OESV; Rebecca – OESO and OESV
Favorite Overall: Wayne – OESK and OESV; Rebecca – OESO and OESV

Blind Tasting Comparison

Note: The blind tasting was completed on Sunday, the day after the initial tasting.

This turned out to be much more challenging than we anticipated. It was our first blind tasting, and even so, we did break it into 5-pour sets based on Mash Bill B and Mash Bill E.

We started with the “B” group for aroma. This was a silent approach and we did not speak until we each had our top two. We then identified what was on the bottom of the glass but still did not know which one it was. Next we replicated the same approach for the “E” group. Finally, we took the top four that we had each selected and personally ranked them 1-4. Still, no idea which was which.

We repeated this exact process for the tasting component. This took much longer because we drank quite a bit of water between recipes to clear our palates.

Once we completed the process, we looked up the codes for each pour. We found it interesting that we each leaned more toward the Mash Bill B (higher rye) and that our taste tended to align more with one another than our nose. Below are our results.

AromaTaste
#1 of Mash Bill BW: OBSK; R: OBSK *SAME*W: OBSV; R: OBSV *SAME*
#2 of Mash Bill BW: OBSF; R: OBSVW: OBSQ; R: OBSK
#1 of Mash Bill EW: OESV; R: OESQW: OESQ; R: OESK
#2 of Mash Bill EW: OESF; R: OESKW: OESV; R: OESQ
#1 PreferenceW: OESV; R: OBSKW: OBSV; R: OBSV *SAME*
#2 PreferenceW: OBSK; R: OESQW: OBSQ; R: OBSK
#3 PreferenceW: OBSF; R: OBSVW: OESQ; R: OESQ *SAME*
#4 PreferenceW: OESF; R: OESKW: OESV; R: OESK
W = Wayne; R = Rebecca

We learned that information absolutely influences your palate. That could be what we have watched or read regarding other similar tastings, what the distiller states we might find, and even our ongoing conversation throughout a tasting as that makes it a shared versus individual experience.

Just for Fun – A Bit of Blending

Just for fun, we decided to try some blending. Except for single barrel offerings, most of the Four Roses expressions are expertly blended under the watchful palate of Brent Elliott, Master Distiller. We were curious to see what we might find by blending our top taste choices.

Wayne:
OBSV with OBSQ – Aroma of mint, cherry, baking spice; Taste of honey and cinnamon
OESQ with OESV – Aroma of honey and vanilla; Taste of honey, mint, and vanilla
All Four – Aroma of honey and vanilla; Taste of mint, rye, and cinnamon

Rebecca:
OBSV with OBSK – Aroma of berries, plum, rye, and mint; Taste of fruit, honey, plum, and finished with cinnamon and nutmeg
OESK with OESQ – Aroma of caramel, vanilla, berries, and tea; Taste of caramel, corn, vanilla cream, mint and finished with nutmeg and pepper
All Four – Aroma of rye bread, caramel, and fruitiness; Taste of caramel, vanilla, honey, fruit and finished with nutmeg

This was super fun to do some “blending” at home. It was interesting to see which characteristics had the strength to rise to the top over such a wide range of aromas and tastes happening. On a side note, we each took our remaining six recipes and poured them into a Glencairn to sip on throughout the day.

Discussion and Final Notes

As fans of Four Roses, we really enjoyed this challenge/experience. We now better understand their approach to bourbon and blending and this brought us a greater appreciation for the Small Batch and Small Batch Select (although they are typically 6-7 years old) expressions and helped us to better understand why we might prefer one single barrel over another.

Speaking of single barrels, these samples and tastes will likely never perfectly match a single barrel; although, there should be a family resemblance. A single barrel is selected for its specific characteristics. These samples are straight whiskey and likely in the four-year range. Single barrels are typically aged 7-9 years. An older single barrel should have additional barrel notes. Plus, if you purchase a store picked single barrel, that will have the characteristics of what that selection team desired.

Since we have one more set, we plan to do this again in 6-12 months; however, we will approach it differently to make it a new experience. Perhaps comparing yeast strain as the primary or head-to-head challenges in a bracket system. A bracket approach might be nice as we could do it over several days and avoid palate fatigue. We will let you know when that happens!

Meanwhile, enjoy Four Roses because surely there is a small batch or single barrel that aligns with your palate.

Cheers,
Rebecca

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

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.

First Visit to The Bard Distillery

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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.

April 2024 Casey Jones Tasting

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04/16/24
By Rebecca Herman McBrayer 

Wayne and I enjoyed our recent visit at Casey Jones Distillery and especially LOVED sharing their special eclipse bottles with friends April 8th, during the Total Eclipse! Typically when we open new bottles, we like to do a formal “first taste” tasting and write up. Due to the eclipse festivities, we simply enjoyed them with friends, which is really how you should drink the spirits that you love. This past weekend, we decided to take some time with what we purchased recently.

Selected for this Tasting

Casey Jones Total Eclipse Kentucky Straight Bourbon (375 ml), Casey Jones Single Barrel Eclipse Cask (700 ml), and Casey Jones Single Barrel Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Mash Bill 3 – all produced by Casey Jones Distillery. Please be sure to read our approach to Tasting Whiskey if you haven’t already.

Casey Jones Total Eclipse Kentucky Straight Bourbon

Mashbill – 75% Corn, 10% Wheat, 10% Rye, 5% Malted Barley
Age – at least 2 years
Proof – 100
Other – We purchased the eclipse 2-pack with 375ml bottles
Price Paid – $27.49

Color – Honey gold.

Aroma – Corn, a hint of honey, apple, and spices and wood.

Taste –  Corn and vanilla lead the way to a crips green apple and a nice cinnamon and black pepper finish.

Tasted with dried cranberry – Sweet but with vanilla versus corn, the apple remains and, pepper is stronger on the finish.

Tasted with a pecan – The vanilla is very sweet and the oak comes through on the finish.

Tasted with dark chocolate – Very different. Toasted vanilla cream with a stronger black pepper finish.

Casey Jones Single Barrel Eclipse Cask


Mashbill – 50% Corn, 50% Sugar Cane
Age – Moonshine aged just under 7 years (barreled after 2017 Eclipse)
Proof – 109
Other – It was aged in a Kelvin Cooperage #4 char, medium toast cask, offered uncut at cask strength, 700ml.
Price Paid – $99.99

Color – Medium to dark amber.

Aroma – Vanilla, molasses, brown sugar, cherries, and a light spice such as white pepper and baking spices.

Taste –  Sweet, great mouth feel, brown sugar, molasses, cherries, baking spices and oak .

Tasted with dried cranberry – This turned the sweet cherry to sour cherries – very interesting. Also, now there is cinnamon on the finish.

Tasted with a pecan – The cherry flavor now tastes and feels like brandy soaked cherries – very sweet. The spiciness and wood flavors are rather limited with the pecan.

Tasted with dark chocolate – Interesting, the sweetness has been eliminated but there is and it finishes with a pink peppercorn.

Casey Jones Single Barrel Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Mash Bill 3

Mashbill – 26.5% Bloody Butcher Corn, 26.5% Yellow Corn, 35% Wheat, 12% Malted Barley
Age – 4.5 years
Proof – 113.5
Other – Authentic Square Pot Distilling, Barrel #931, Char 4, Toast M
Price Paid – $99.99

Color – Medium amber.

Aroma – Inviting sweetness of vanilla cream, caramel, crème brûlée, and fruit notes of apple and/or pear. There seem to be hints of cloves and oak as well.

Taste – This has a terrific mouth feel and it is incredibly smooth. There’s caramel, honey, vanilla pie, and the crème brûlée that was on the nose. Very balanced with some sweet tea notes. A nice finish with cinnamon and a malted caramel.

Tasted with dried cranberry –  This really brightened it up like fresh berries but it has a strong finish of black pepper.

Tasted with a pecan – The woodiness of the barrel is very prevalent. The pecan itself is present but more like the pecan used in a smoker. Overall, there is also some toasted marshmallow – terrific.

Tasted with dark chocolate – Very creamy and sweet, the cinnamon is more like a cinnamon roll.

Casey Jones Authentic Square Pot Still. Photo taken 12/18/22 during first visit.

Discussion and Final Notes

Casey Jones Total Eclipse Kentucky Straight Bourbon is very good but in this line-up, we might have to rank it third against its older brothers!

Casey Jones Single Barrel Eclipse Cask is phenomenal. It is still hard to believe that it is an aged moonshine. It has a wonderful sweetness yet very complex. It’s a beast – and we mean that in the best possible way. The primary “negative” is that it is likely sold out since it was quite limited when we visited April 6th. It is one of those times we really wish that we had purchased a back-up bottle!

Casey Jones Single Barrel Wheated Kentucky Straight Bourbon Mash Bill 3 is fantastic! We are huge fans of good four-grain bourbons and this one ranks way up there on our list. In addition to the single barrel that we purchased, they also offer it in a small batch at 95 proof for $59.99. Since it has regular availability, we encourage you to make a visit and give it a try.

Honestly – we thoroughly enjoyed each one. AJ is making some terrific spirits at Casey Jones. Give them a try!

Cheers,
Rebecca

Photos by Rebecca Herman McBrayer

Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey

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 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.

Bourbon Eclipse Of the Sun

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April 12, 2024
By Wayne McBrayer

Rebecca and I woke up early Monday morning with work to do.  I had 2 houses to clean and Rebecca had work for Purdue Global.  We both saw that David Meier, the owner of Glenns Creek Distillery, was looking to go to Bloomington with Vicki to watch the eclipse and wanted to see if anyone was willing to have them join their viewing party.  We tagged David in a post and messaged him explaining that coming to where we live in Newburgh, Indiana would be an easier drive for the both of them and we would experience totality.  He accepted our invite and we were excited to host them.

David and Vicki arrived from Frankfort, KY about 12:30 and we invited them onto the deck of our dock at the lake to taste bourbon and watch the eclipse slowly happen.  We started off with the Casey Jones Eclipse Cask and it was outstanding!  David commented that “this is really good,” and we agreed that it was outstanding.  

David had brought us a thank you gift for inviting them to join us – a bottle of their OCD #5 Premium hand filtered bottle. Obviously, we decided to taste and enjoy that during the eclipse as well.  It was a butterscotch bomb and quite honestly one of the best bourbons/whiskeys I have ever had the pleasure of tasting.  It was an incredible experience to drink it with the person who made it and David explained the process of how it came about.  The story is on the side of the bottle, but to hear David talk about it was so awesome.

Vicki & David
Wayne & Rebecca

Not long after this, the total eclipse took place.  For 3 minutes and 10 seconds, everything went dark and got cool.  It was a breathtaking experience that I’m blessed to have been there to see with my wife and our friends Dave and Vicki.

4/8/24 at 2:04 PM during the total eclipse

Once the eclipse concluded, we gathered on the patio and Rebecca grilled burgers for us to eat. It was a great time to reflect, laugh, and just have fun.

When I started on this Bourbon Journey with Rebecca, I never thought about the relationship aspects that would come about.  We’ve made friends with several distillers on the trail and have developed memories with them. Bourbon is yummy to me, but it’s the time that you share and the bourbon that you share that is special.  Before David left, he signed the OCD #5 Premium bottle, wrote “Eclipse Day” and dated it 4/8/2024.  It was a special moment, with special people.  It’s all about the journey.

This was a great memory for Our Bourbon Journey!

Wayne

Photo credits: Rebecca Herman McBrayer

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

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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