1. Strawberries should always be soaked in bourbon before eating.

2. Adding a few drops of water or ice to a good bourbon opens it up and allows you to taste and smell more flavors.

3. When on vacation with your sister, having your own umbrella is a big plus.

4. Not all diners serve good food.

5. Next time we need 2 days in Louisville, and way more water and gatorade for the next day.

6. The wonderful smell in the bourbon warehouse is called “the angels share” and I’m happy to share!

7. Charred oak barrles are the greatest thing ever invented, even though no one agrees as to why they started charring them.

The Bourbon aisle at Liquor Barn

Ok, where to start… It’s definitely got to be the Liquor Barn.  Now I know this trip has made us look like some real boozers, and this is certainly not going to help.  In Kentucky Liquor stores are not state run, so they can advertise, and sell other items.  Liquor Barns are a combination small grocery, party supplier, liquor store, and beer and wine.  Not only were we amazed at the volume of spirits, but the selection.  I commend any business that differentiates between “craft beer” and mass produced labels.  We were also keenly interested in the “kits” for various drinks, that had a bottle of liquor and the appropriate mixers in a large ziploc bag with instructions.  As if the dangerous encouragements weren’t enough, they also sold fireworks on the party supply aisle.  Loaded up with select brews, Pimm’s Cup #1 for our mom, and some other choice selections we hit the road in search of the birthplace of KFC.  I’m going to stop here for a bit and let Carrie tell you some more.

I want to share some thoughts and recommendations we have about our trip.

One of the benefits of this trip is that we will be returning to Kentucky in a few years as Makers Mark Ambassadors.  As mentioned in a previous blog, we have our names on a barrel and in a few years, when the barrel is ready, we can pick up bottles from our barrel.  Now that we have been, we know how to do it right next time.

First, where to stay.  We stayed in Frankfort.  While a lovely town and very near to Buffalo Trace, it is a small town.  Since we wanted to visit some bourbon bars and experience a little nightlife, we ended up spending our evenings in Lexington.  Since the distilleries are open during the day, and most of the fun in Frankfort is enjoying the history and sites during the day, it just was not a good match.  Lexington is just as close on average to the distilleries as Frankfort and has a better nightlife, especially downtown.

We think two nights in Lexington and two in Louisville is the way to go.  Louisville was a great, fun city.  We completed the Urban Bourbon Trail, though it will be updated and expanded in the next few weeks, so we will probably need two days to complete the trail! Plus, the city is artistic, entertaining, and has a ton of history.  Don’t forget, they found me on Twitter and retweeted our blog! All my tweeps give them a follow @justaddbourbon so fun! What a well-kept secret!  I really appreciated my time there and wished to stay longer.  Plus, several of the distilleries are close to Louisville, so it is possible to “travel” there on the Bourbon Trail, stopping at Heaven Hill, Tom Moore, and/or Jim Beam.

Speaking of distilleries, we recommend the following: Tour and Tasting at Buffalo Trace, Tour at Wild Turkey (currently no tasting but a new distillery and tasting room are being built), Tour and Tasting at Makers Mark, Tour and Tasting at Jim Beam (which will become a more lengthy tour by late 2010, 2011, tasters are very knowledgeable).  We enjoyed Woodford Reserve and wish we had the opportunity to take the tour there but just ran out of time.  We think it looked like fun, and the tour guides were friendly.

Basically, we did not really narrow it down, but can recommend the above.

Where to Eat: A La Lucie is one of our favorites.  Also, we recommend taking a picnic lunch to some of these places.  We felt rushed some days, and we often had to travel from the country to a small town just to find some average home cooking meal.  Instead, we wished a couple of days we could sit at a distillery, all of which had tables, and eat.  Also, Makers Mark has a cafe, so that is a good one to hit around the lunch hour.  There are a ton of great restaurants in Louisville.  We hopped and ate at some of the different bars which was great.  However, with more time, it is easy to find a great restaurant.

Hanging with the Colonel

Speaking of restaurants! We made a quick stop yesterday in Corbin, Kentucky.  A small town that is known for one thing… the birthplace of KFC.  Here is the original site of the Sanders Cafe.  A family style dining place, with a small motel attached gave birth to the Original Recipe we eat today.  Harland Sanders eventually sold the business for 2 million and stayed on as the Colonel we all know and love.  We perused the few exhibits and then hopped back in for the last stretch of our journey.

Carrie realized that by Sunday I will have traveled the length of I 40.  From the Tennessee Border to Wilmington.  Excited about this new challenge, the ride seemed a little shorter.

We’re heading out today to explore downtown Asheville and get some spa treatments.  Today we’re massage bound!

Barrel Family at Heaven Hill

Afterwards we hit the road making a brief stop at a White Castle to learn what the fuss was all about.  Since 1921 they’ve been making these odd tiny burgers with holes in them.  I did some quick reading online, and it turns out there is a purpose to the holes.  It steams the onions and buns before they serve you.  Well, I ate it more out of hunger, and the taste was good, but I have to agree with Carrie, it was definitely fast food not good hamburgers.  Next time I’ll stick with my Angus burger at a Hardees.

We arrived in Louisville, and found an amazing downtown area that was proud of its history and artists.  Our research led us to the visitors center where we picked up our passports for the Urban Bourbon Trail. This is a group of bars that the visitors center has chosen as not only having a large selection of Bourbon, but also having knowledge of the sweet nectar and where available food items infused with it.

Maps marked, we head out to our first bar, Proof on Main.  I have to franchise this place, or just completely copy it! Hanging from a lamppost outside is a giant chandelier.

Randy, a mama's boy, at Proof

We’re greeted by Randy, a mama’s boy, who is perched on the bar offering up a tasty apple.  Our bartender is fun and informative, we encourage her to come and visit NC.  A local perched near us on the bar, gives us great tips about Louisville, and tells of his recent visits to NC and Crooks Corner. The restaurant is expansive covering 4 storefronts and is a combination of tables, food, and art gallery. We leave reluctantly and walk down to the Louisville Slugger factory, museum, and store.

Looking through the windows we see the employees busy at work creating the famous bat.  As we near the front doors we get our first look at the World’s Largest Baseball Bat.  I had to go back almost a block to get a full picture of it.

Louisville Slugger for the Green Giant

We popped into the store and I picked out a small bat, with Babe Ruth’s signature on it (um, I don’t think it is his real signature), and some gifts for friends at home. Equipped with a weapon to use on Carrie, we headed to our next stop on the trail, Jockey Silks.

I’m going to let Carrie tell you all about Jean and our amazing bourbon tasting.

Jockey Silks is the bar at the Galt Hotel, the hotel to stay in for the Kentucky Derby and, before Colonel Sanders passed away, the location of his birthday party every year.  The bartender, Jean, has been there thirty-four years and is fiery and chatty.  She is the institution, and well known to everyone who drinks there.  We had a delightful chat about her work, local history, and everything under the sun.

Given a somewhat more reasonable price for Pappy Van Winkles 23 year, probably the most expensive bourbon available in the U.S., we splurged and tasted it, along with a Henry McKenna and Elijah Craig (much cheaper).  Jean recommended the Elijah Craig, and it was a great.  Sarah and I both enjoyed it more than the Pappy.  I am glad I had the opportunity to taste it, though, and I am officially over it.

Next, we hit Brownings Brewery and split a flight, a good decision given how much bourbon we were having this evening (also split).  They have quite a large selection of regularly brewed beers, about eight or so, and cycle through some regular seasonals, and some special seasonals.  For example, we tasted a seasonal IPA and Octoberfest.  Overall, at least one of us liked all the beers except the Imperial Pale Ale.  They also had a java stout made with actual coffee, which pretty much tasted like coffee instead of beer.  Not something I really appreciated as a beer fan, but Sarah liked it.

The brewery is located at the corner of the Louisville Slugger Field where a local minor league team plays.  It is a great space, and they have a good beer and food.  I highly recommend it for a more casual but quality atmosphere.

After the brewery, we hopped in a taxi to take us up to the Clifton neighborhood and Bourbon’s Bistro.  A neat little restaurant that has won several awards for best mixed Bourbon drink during the Bourbon Festival.  Another cab dropped us back off at the Brown Hotel, and we headed upstairs to their bar.  So gorgeous, I would have taken pictures, but it was so swank I felt like I shouldn’t.  Let’s just say we were taken back to the 30s in this bar.

Enjoying my just desserts!

A quick stop at the Makers Mark bar found us enjoying a bourbon cocktail, that was too good. And an amazing Strawberry Shortcake with the strawberries having been macerated (or soaked) in Makers Mark. This is truly my favorite and I typically enjoy it on or around my birthday, so it was a great treat.  We made our way back to the hotel for our last stop on the Urban Bourbon Trail.

Today we’ll be heading back to the visitor center to get a gift for completing the trail.  I think it should be bottled water and tylenol.  Carrie says it’s a t-shirt.  We’ll also begin our trek back home, with a brief stop in Asheville.  We are brewery bound today!

Hanging out at Jim Beam!

Jim Beam was great! They are in the process of restoring some buildings and creating a tour, but we watched a video, and then headed back into the gift shop for a tasting.  A little Basil Hayden’s and some Bookers were waiting to knock us on our seats.  The friendly barkeeper was helpful and informative and really loved his bourbon.  A few purchases and some fun shots with the statue of Booker Noe (father of the current distiller) and we headed off to lunch at Kurtz, a local favorite since 1934. (read our restaurant review page for more info)

Next we began the search for Makers Mark.  We headed south to the town of Loretto, and were a little concerned by signs for a nunnery, but quickly began to see the signature dark brown buildings of Makers.  Once there we checked in, forgetting our ambassador status after being awed by the fun gift shop.  The tour there is great! They have really made an effort to make the distillery functional and appealing.  Hardwood floors and painted tanks, add to the copper kettles.

Hanging out with the sour mash!

Most interesting here is that they ferment the mash in Cypress Tanks, not Stainless like so many others.  We were allowed to take cameras in, so we took plenty of pictures.  After the tour, we headed back into the gift shop for our tasting of White Dog and the sweet nectar of Makers Mark.

Then the real fun! We bought two small bottles of Makers and headed over to hand dip them in the signature red wax!  While we were there 2 ambassadors were taking the tour, and they had 2 large bottles with custom labels that they were dipping from their own barrel.

I’ve taken long enough here, I’m going to let Carrie add her thoughts for a bit, and tell you about the rest of our day at Woodford Reserve and our evening in Lexington.

One thing that Sarah forgot to mention is that while we were there, an elementary school tour was taking place.  Our tour guide said it was the first time she had ever seen an elementary school tour.  Of course, I wanted to ask how many middle and high school tours they did.  It was very interesting to see 60 small children at a bourbon distillery.  I do believe, however, that they did not stay for the tasting.

Woodford was our next and final stop for the day.  We missed the tour, but the tour guides were so friendly and helpful, and they offered to let us watch a video.

One of the buildings at Woodford Reserve

Instead, we tasted the bourbon and chatted with the tour guides.  They were very friendly and fun.  They also genuinely liked their product and were very excited in talking about a new Woodford Reserve being started in charred barrels and finished in aged barrels (close to 5 or 6 years old, as opposed to 3 to 5 months).  I definitely want to go back when we return.

As to our return, Sarah has referenced it in her discussion of our ambassador status with Markers Mark.  To describe that further, as an ambassador, we become a representative of Makers Mark and bourbon anywhere we go.  In exchange, we have our name placed on a barrel with other representatives.  After the bourbon has aged, approximately six years later, we receive golden tickets and can travel to Makers Mark and purchase two bottles from our barrel, which we then put customized labels on and seal ourselves.

After Woodford, we traveled to Lexington, a place we decided was probably better to stay than Frankfort because of the size.  we spent our evening downtown again, this time stopping at one of the best known bourbon bars, and then hopping from place to place to enjoy small plates at several restaurants.  Including finally trying Burgoo! Which is just their version of NC’s Brunswick Stew, except theirs has meat and pork. We had another delicious, if lengthy, meal, and returned home to dream of our final day of bourbon tasting, and our trip to Louisville to begin the beer portion of our trip with a local brewpub. And to travel along what is known as the Urban Bourbon Trail, a number of bars that are known for their Bourbon selection, knowledge, and heritage.

Stay tuned, because we are beer-barrel bound . . .

After a late start, all my fault, we hit the road in search of Buffalo Trace Distillery.  This is one we really wanted to hit, because their signature bourbon is really amazing.  They also make several other bourbons, including our late grandfather’s and not-late father’s favorite Ancient Age.  The tour was fun and educational. My favorite part was standing in the barrel warehouse and inhaling the sweet odor of aging bourbon.

Barrel House at Buffalo Trace!

Afterwards they take you in for a short tasting of the delicious nectar.  Most interesting though, is that they kick it off with a taste of what they call White Dog (moonshine) the clear liquor that they pour into the barrels to age into bourbon.  At 125 proof, it’s not something to take lightly.  I picked up a bottle to share with good friends back in Wilmywood!  We also found out that they make Rain Vodka.

After spending way too much at the gift shop, and being heckled by a few of our fellow tour takers for the amount of alcohol, we piled up and went in search of lunch.  Nothing big to report there, we chose the first place that looked decent.

Our next trip was to Woodford Reserve, which we learned upon arrival to the locked gate, is closed on Mondays.  So we quickly reset the Garmin to take us to Wild Turkey.  A lot of winding roads that eventually throw you around a curve and onto a very long scary bridge. No pictures of it because I was too busy grabbing the car for dear life.

Wild Turkey, while not much to look at, has a great tour.  They actually take you into the distillery and show you the different stages of the process.

Tour at Wild Turkey

And encourage you to taste the mash at different stages.  All of this is very good at distracting you from the fact that you’re standing on metal grates several feet up in the air.  They finish the tour with a quick taste of their white dog, straight from the still spigot, and then head you back to the gift shop for some homemade bourbon fudge.

A great day even if it was pouring down rain the whole time.  We ended the night in Lexington at the Horse and the Barrel, a bar that’s been rated one of the top 3 bourbon bars in the world, with the other 2 in Ireland and India.  It did not disappoint with selection, but we were amazed to be the only 2 people drinking a cocktail at 5pm. Dinner at A La Lucie was great, and you can read all about it on our Restaurant Review page.

I’m packing up now to head out, I’ve taken too long already and Carrie has to add her insights to this as well.

The Buffalo Trace tour was amazing!  The Trace, another name for trail, gets its name because it used to be a major annual route for Buffalo (or more specific, Bison) as they made their way to the Great Plains.  Unfortunately by 1800, within 25 years of settling the area, the Buffalo were gone.

We also learned some really interesting things about recipes.  First, between the two distilleries, there were different opinions about what proof moonshine, what temperatures, what percentage corn, etc. made the best bourbon.  We found out that all of Buffalo Trace’s bourbons are between 70 and 80% corn, or more specifically, 79% corn since 80% makes a corn whisky and not bourbon.  90% of all Buffalo Trace bourbons and over 95% of all bourbons are rye recipes, meaning that after corn, rye is the most plentiful grass.  Pappy Van Winkle and Weller at Buffalo Trace and Maker’s Mark are wheated, meaning their second primary ingredient is wheat.  We did not have a chance to try a rye and wheat next to each other, but I think that may be a goal when we return home.

As you recall from my extremely important and well-written legal analysis of bourbon, it must be stored in NEW charred barrels.  We learned that in addition to sending barrels to Canada and overseas for their whiskys which do not require new barrels, Tabasco also stores its delicious wares in bourbon barrels.  No wonder we like it so much!

As Sarah stated, the Wild Turkey tour was great because we were allowed into the distillery itself and could taste the different mashes, before and after the souring took place.  Before the yeast really gets to it, it is sweet, and has the consistency (and look) of yellow grits that haven’t yet soaked up all the liquid.  They call the sour mash after processing beer, which is a good name since it smells like beer (and tastes a bit like it, too).  We enjoyed our taste of white dog right out of the spigot, and went on to taste bourbon fudge since they do not yet have a tasting room at Wild Turkey.

Well, we need to be on our way – too much bourbon, not enough time!

According to the Code of Federal Regulations, specifically 27 CFR 5, Bourbon is defined as follows:

• Bourbon must be made of a grain mixture that is at least 51% corn.
• Bourbon must be distilled to no more than 160 (U.S.) proof (80% alcohol by volume).
• Bourbon must be aged in new, charred oak barrels.
• Bourbon may not be introduced to the barrel at higher than 125 proof (62.5% alcohol by volume).
• Bourbon which meets the above requirements and has been aged for a minimum of two years, may (but is not required to) be called Straight Bourbon.
• Bourbon aged for a period less than four years must be labeled with the duration of its aging.
• If an age is stated on the label, it must be the age of the youngest whiskey in the bottle.

The definitions for rye, wheat, malt, and malted rye have the same requirements but instead of corn, they require the same percentages of rye, wheat, malted barley, and malted rye, respectively.

Ok, here are my requirements for something to be called Bourbon,

1. It must be in a bottle, glass, or other drinking vessel.

2. It must have the heavenly scent of Bourbon (aka nectar of the gods)

3. While drinking it I must feel superior to those ordering fruity beverages.

We will talk to you soon – we are going out tasting! We are hoping to take lots of pictures for you today, and maybe do some fun touristy things like finding Daniel Boone’s grave!

Fog on Pilot Mountain

looked down on us, watching our trek.  Later in the day we began listening to a Car Talk podcast, and we’re inspired by their listener haikus.  We decided to write some of our own.

What is that foul smell
Look at the truck up ahead
It is full of pigs

Overdose of carbs
Makes my eyes really droopy
Wake up in new state

Traffic was heavy, full of fans on the way to games at NC State, some school in Chapel Hill that I won’t mention, and even a few Wake Forest fans, Go Deacs!  Beanie and I arrived in Raleigh and he happily rushed in to the house to say hi to his Grandma.

Needless to say, he was just fine when Carrie and I hit the road later, with some yummy cajun fries from Five Guys and some Harpoon IPA chilling in the cooler.  Deacon, the cat, was not fine.  I only hope the game could reduce the trauma from the dog. Thanks to some “defensive” driving by Carrie we arrived in Winston Salem in no time, and trekked over to the Blue Lot for our tailgate!  I was merely keeping up with traffic.

Our own little Wake Cheerleader!

No offense to my Latta girls but Carrie’s friends are some great tailgaters! Amazing food, great people, and one of the nicest corn hole sets I’ve seen in a while.  Can’t wait to see the Deacon Train Nate builds next.  The day only got better as Wake crushed Elon.  35-7.  We put the B Team in at the end.

Enjoying the game!

Looking good!

Tired, but in need of a nightcap we unloaded our bags into our room and then headed downtown in search of Foothills Brewery.  Safely ensconced in a booth looking out onto the street, we began to peruse the menu… well the beer list that is.  Carrie happily settled on the Oktoberfest, I decided to go for a full tasting!  Next time I’ll just order a single beer.  Every beer I tried was great (well maybe not the Hefeweisen) but I’m not a huge hop fan like Carrie, and they had 2 beers that only hopheads could love!  Oh my gosh, they had next to no hops in them!  Check out the beer review page shortly for my description of the Oktoberfest.

We drifted off to sleep with Diane Rehm giving us a rundown of the week’s international news.  And woke this morning feeling pretty well rested.  Soon we’ll pack up and begin our long drive to Kentucky.  Visions of Tommy Boy come to mind, but hopefully we won’t stop anywhere Carrie can hit me with a 2×4.

I think Sarah and I will survive the road trip as long as I can control the music.  I think Sarah did a great job describing our first day on the road.  Good friends, good food, great football.  Sarah made us feathered accessories in Wake colors for our hair – We were truly some great Wake fans yesterday!

While we have a long drive ahead of us, we are going through some pretty country – crossing the Appalachian mountains to get to the promised land – Bourbon Country.  We are barrel bound . . .

Expect regular updates, lots of tasting and food notes, and plenty of nonsense as two sisters once again leave North Carolina behind and bring a healthy dose of insanity to Kentucky!  GO DEACS!