UMTravels

Got to sleep in this morning — we didn’t have to be on the road until 8:30!

First stop was Woodford Reserve since it gets busy in the afternoon.

These barrels were just filled this morning. If you blow up the photo you can see the date stamp for today. Just FYI — Woodford Reserve is the only distillery that charges a tour fee ($5).

Next stop is Maker’s Mark Distillery. They have completely redone their gift shop, dipping center in this modern look and feel that doesn’t jive with the rest of the surroundings. Here is one of our group (Tom from Texas) dipping his commemorative bottle:

Next we are off to the Buffalo Trace Distillery for tasting only as we don’t have time for the tour if we want to hit Wild Turkey and Four Roses to complete the entire Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Turns out that if you collect stickers or stamps from all seven distilleries, that they’ll send you a gift if you mail in your brochure. And you know how I am about my free junk.

Next stop is Wild Turkey for what we hope is just a tasting an no tour. Alas — the tour isn’t for an hour, and there is only tasting of the “white dog”, which is just moonshine until they put it into the charred oak barrels for 4-7 years. I did pick up a bottle of their new Russell’s Reserve Rye whiskey to make Manhattans with at tonight’s dinner at Frog Hollow Farm.

The one picture I have from Wild Turkey is of the Barrel Houses — and is really boring. However, I do have a cool picture of the horse farms that we were passing on our way to all these tastings…

Lunch time had come and gone by the time that we decided that “in-car dining” at Sonic was the best use of our time. When you’ve had nothing but chocolate bourbon balls and straight bourbon for hours, it really is time for a meal.

Four Roses Distillery is our last stop on the Bourbon Trail:

Who would have thought a Spanish Mission Style distillery would show up in the Kentucky Hills. When we did the tour three years ago my comment was, “OSHA would have a field day with this tour.” It hasn’t changed. I’m surprised that OSHA doesn’t hit them with fines for low hanging pipes not painted and stripped for their workers, let alone on the tour route. The tour guide wasn’t as much of a people person as Lucille, our tour director the last time — a short, older, firecracker that has since retired (again). But still, it was a good time.

Dinner was a Frog Hollow Farm after a quick stop back at the hotel. Frog Hollow Farm is owned by my most unusual travelling companions, Kate and Eric — the retired USAF Colonels (both). This would be Kate and her shish-ka-bobs.

It was a good time. Barbara was there as well — and accompanied us on our entire day. Swanda and I met her on the E&A Napa Valley Wine Cruise years ago.

Here is a link to ALL the pictures of the trip: