Kentucky Bourbon

From Burden's Landing

I had dinner at the Old Talbott Tavern in Bardstown with Eekim:Sujean Kim and Eekim:Isaac Watras on July 20, 2004. Isaac and I wanted to have some bourbon, and the waitress recommended Four Roses, a local mom-and-pop distillery. It was very good; I picked up a few bottles to take back with me. We also chatted with the bartender, who talked to us about the local bourbon, and let me try Booker. Booker is one of the many varieties produced by Jim Beam but only found in Kentucky. Named after Frederick Noe ("Booker"), the inheritor of the Beam distilleries, Booker is strong -- 127 proof. Kentucky natives like their bourbon strong. Most of the local varietals are around 120 proof, whereas typical bourbon (including Four Roses) is 80 proof.

You can buy Four Roses at The Party Source in Bellevue, KY (859-291-4007). Costs $16 for a 750mL bottle (May 2005).

Bardstown hosts a bourbon festival in September. I will have to make that one of these days.

There's a fantastic article on bourbon in the April 2005 issue of United Hemispheres (Marsano, Bill. "Bourbon: America's National Spirit." pp58-62). Interesting facts:

  • Bourbon started after the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794, when farmers fled west. One of those farmers was Elijah Craig, who created bourbon two years earlier.
  • The next bourbon breakthrough was in the 1830s, thanks to Dr. James Crow, who immigrated from Scotland, and who introduced sour-mash distilling and aging in charred white-oak barrels. His whiskey is still available: Old Crow.
  • Jack Daniels, brewed in Tennessee (not Kentucky!), is bourbon, except it's filtered before aging through 10-foot vats packed with sugar maple charcoal, which is called the Lincoln County Process.

Kentucky Bourbon Trail

  • Jim Beam. 149 Happy Hollow Road, Clermont, KY. 502-543-9877. M-Sat, 9am-4:30pm. Sun, 1pm-4pm.
  • Heaven Hill. 1064 Loretto Road, Bardstown, KY. 502-348-3921. M-F, 10:30am-2:30pm.
  • Makers Mark. 3350 Burks Spring Road, Loretto, KY. 502-865-2099. M-Sat, 10:30am-3:30pm. Sun, 1:30pm, 2:30pm, 3:30pm.
  • Four Roses. 1224 Bonds Mill Road, Lawrenceburg, KY. 502-839-3436. Tours by appointment only.
  • Austin Nichols. U.S. Highway 62 East, Lawrenceburg, KY. 502-839-4544. M-F, 9am, 10:30am, 12:30pm, 2:30pm.
  • Labrot & Graham. 7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles, KY. 606-879-1939. Tue-Sat, 10am, 11am, 1pm, 2pm, 3:30pm.
  • Buffalo Trace. 1001 Wilkinson Boulevard, Franklin County, KY. 502-696-5926. M-F, 9am-2pm.