Kentucky Bourbon

I had dinner at the OldTalbottTavern in Bardstown with SujeanKim and IsaacWatras 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 JimBeam but only found in Kentucky. Named after FrederickNoe ("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. {nid 1WF}

You can buy Four Roses at The Party Source in Bellevue, KY (859-291-4007). Costs $16 for a 750mL bottle (May 2005). {nid JQ1}

Bardstown hosts a bourbon festival in September. I will have to make that one of these days. {nid 1WG}

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: {nid IND}

• Bourbon started after the Whiskey Rebellion in 1794, when farmers fled west. One of those farmers was ElijahCraig, who created bourbon two years earlier. {nid INE}
• The next bourbon breakthrough was in the 1830s, thanks to Dr. JamesCrow, who immigrated from Scotland, and who introduced sour-mash distilling and aging in charred white-oak barrels. His whiskey is still available: Old Crow. {nid INF}
• JackDaniels, 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. {nid ING}

Kentucky Bourbon Trail {nid 1WH}

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