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Post by Gandalf on Jun 1, 2022 0:17:31 GMT -5
Back in April, my wife and I went to Kentucky and visited several distilleries on the "Bourbon Trail". One of the places we visited was Woodford Reverse. Thought I'd share some photos. The distillery is a National Historic Landmark.   They have numerous "rickhouses" aging hundreds of thousand of barrels of whiskey - but there are 3 of these old rickhouses (below) still in use today. They were built ~100 years ago using the blueprints brought over from Scotland, I believe. They are constructed of local limestone and the walls are 2 or 3 feet thick to keep temperatures somewhat stable.  Here you can see 2 of the fermenters from the ground floor level. They use "old world/old school" banded Cypress fermenters. There are 8 of them. Each holds ~7500 gallons, I think.  Here on the second floor of the distillery, you can see the top of a fermenter covered with a tarp. They are pumping steam into it to cause the Cypress to swell up and seal, before they fill it with mash. You can see some of the steam escaping.  Here, on the right are the 3 pot stills that they have been using for many years. On the left are 3 brand new ones. Installation of the new ones was almost complete when I was there - and 8 new Cypress fermenters were being installed too. So, if you like Woodford Reserve, you'll be happy to know that they just doubled the production! While I was there, production was completely shut down for all this expansion. They were supposed to be ready to start up within a week or so.  Here, we are in one of those old limestone block rickhouses. There is a wonderful aroma inside those buildings - the "angel's share". Apparently, depending on the elevation of the barrel in the rickhouse, slightly different flavors emerge - and the lower in the building the barrel is, the longer it takes to mature.  On this barrel you can see leakage where someone has drilled a tiny hole to sample the barrel. After sampling, they drive a tiny matchstick size wooden plug into the hole. This one was low in the building and had been sampled numerous times - but it's not ready yet. (It was filled 6/16/2016 as you can see stamped on the barrelhead.) They have a person who samples barrels full time - but they aren't supposed to swallow. Everyone wants that job.  One of the finished products.  |
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Post by Silver on Jun 1, 2022 0:28:14 GMT -5
Looks like you had an excellent time! And that was just one stop. How many distilleries did you visit?
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Post by Silver on Jun 1, 2022 0:31:09 GMT -5
My brother-in-law proposed that we do the Bourbon Trail for a family vacation. No opposition from me.
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Post by turbocat on Jun 1, 2022 0:33:12 GMT -5
Great post! That was fun to see.
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Post by Silver on Jun 1, 2022 0:37:15 GMT -5
This thread put me in the mood for a nip of something appropriate.
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Post by urbino on Jun 1, 2022 0:56:57 GMT -5
Great pics, Monty. Love those old rickhouses, especially.
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Post by Legend Lover on Jun 1, 2022 4:05:09 GMT -5
I love the pics. Looks like a cool place. I still haven't made it to the Bushmills distillery.
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Post by oldcajun123 on Jun 1, 2022 7:26:10 GMT -5
 Love it. My Lawyer friend who handled our Exxon case many years ago, started his own firm and in 2013 had Woodford make them a special run for his firm. He sent me 2 bottles, my oldest son came to visit and asked if he could have one, why of course I said, the other bottle is unopened, might try it someday! By the way he retired from Exxon yesterday, maybe he cracked that bottle!
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Post by Ronv69 on Jun 1, 2022 8:58:50 GMT -5
Love it. My Lawyer friend who handled our Exxon case many years ago, started his own firm and in 2013 had Woodford make them a special run for his firm. He sent me 2 bottles, my oldest son came to visit and asked if he could have one, why of course I said, the other bottle is unopened, might try it someday! By the way he retired from Exxon yesterday, maybe he cracked that bottle! Congratulations to your son on his retirement! |
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 1, 2022 10:38:45 GMT -5
Looks like you had an excellent time! And that was just one stop. How many distilleries did you visit? We visited 10 distilleries - and 4 tobacco shops. I was only able to tour 2 distilleries. Angel's Envy and Woodford Reserve. It's not unheard of to have to make reservations for tours a month or two in advance. I was able to get on 2 tours because they had only 1 spot open. (My wife didn't care if she got to go on a tour or not.) At the other distilleries, we just visited their visitor's center/store on-sight. One place they had a tastings, a couple had bars where you could order drinks. |
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Mrs. Zarnicky
Junior Member
Posts: 396
First Name: Anichka
Favorite Tobacco: (Country Squire) Hunting Creek, Black Arrow. (Sutliff) Vanilla Custard
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Post by Mrs. Zarnicky on Jun 1, 2022 11:05:00 GMT -5
Zarnicky love your post. Tulips also looking beautiful in front of building. Zarnicky grow tulips in my garden. I use jam made of hamsters for fertilizer. Yes, they grow tulips in hamsterjam. Zarnicky also like whiskey. It makes me frisky. Zarnicky like gin. It makes me sin. Zarnicky like wine. It makes me feel fine. My daughter Tina liking whisky too. Here is her photo.  Tina is a musician/songwriter. She is a fairly tormented artist and by far the most talented musician of the Zarnicky family. “They told me that I could never play the ukulele but I sure fooled them. Nothing is impossible! You should see me dribble a football. There doesn’t seem like there should be an artful way to butcher a cow, but there is, and you’ll find it in my music.” Tina like Gandalf posts very much. Zarnicky like them too. |
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Post by sperrytops on Jun 1, 2022 11:42:15 GMT -5
Amazing shots of the distillery.
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Post by Darin on Jun 1, 2022 11:57:40 GMT -5
Sounds like a great day! 😎
How long are we putting up with Ms. Z's crap ...It's getting annoying.
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rastewart
Junior Member
Posts: 360
First Name: Rich
Favorite Pipe: Freehands, bent bulldogs, and the incomparable Peterson 303
Favorite Tobacco: Mac Baren's Scottish Blend (Mixture), C&D Mountain Camp, C&D Bayou Morning
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Post by rastewart on Jun 1, 2022 12:52:28 GMT -5
I think of my traveling days as being over, but who knows; and I think I'd quite like the Bourbon Trail. Not to mention the four tobacco shops.
One question I've always had about it, though, is how do you travel from distillery to distillery? I've become a very moderate drinker, and my tolerance for alcohol isn't what it was. I wouldn't really trust myself to drive after a couple of stops.
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Post by Scott W on Jun 1, 2022 13:02:33 GMT -5
Very cool, thank you for sharing!
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Post by instymp on Jun 1, 2022 16:59:31 GMT -5
Makers Mark is beautiful also.
Great photos.
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Post by toshtego on Jun 1, 2022 18:47:34 GMT -5
Never did the Kentucky and Tennessee trails.
Did the Malt trail in Scotland. That was fun and looks much the same as the above. Most of the tasting rooms were generous when they learned I was a Yank. "you come a long way, an extra measure for this man!". I never told anyone I lived in north London. Macallan was the most generous. Talisker on Skye was the most interesting. Everything on the Isle of Skye is very cool. I would live there if I could.
I would love to the Bourbon Trail and the Tennessee trail. Hell, I would enjoy visiting Midwest Grain Products in Indiana!
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 1, 2022 21:18:11 GMT -5
I think of my traveling days as being over, but who knows; and I think I'd quite like the Bourbon Trail. Not to mention the four tobacco shops.
One question I've always had about it, though, is how do you travel from distillery to distillery? I've become a very moderate drinker, and my tolerance for alcohol isn't what it was. I wouldn't really trust myself to drive after a couple of stops. There isn't much drinking going on, believe it or not. Most places only gave you a tasting if you were on a tour, and tours were hard to book on short notice. I had a tasting on the Woodford Reserve and Angel's Envy tours, but the samples were small. Barton 1792 had free tasting at the Visitor's Center, again small samples. Four Roses had a bar where you could order drinks. I had a ~2 oz pour of Single Barrel for ~$20. Old Forester was remodeling. Their new bar wouldn't be open for another month. No tastings. Buffalo Trace, Willet, Bulleit, and Heaven Hill had no sampling available unless you were on a tour. We did stop by one of many area "craft distilleries" called Castle & Key. There, you could purchase drinks and wander around the grounds with them. I got a flight of 4 of their whiskey's. They were ~1 oz each. It wasn't at all like "wine trails" I've been on. |
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 1, 2022 22:39:54 GMT -5
Here are a few photos of the Angel's Envy distillery. It's located in Louisville, Kentucky. They bought this old abandon brick building and restored it. Repaired the walls, poured a new concrete ground floor and totally replaced the roof, windows, interior. This room (below) is referred to as the "cathedral". It houses the stainless steel mash cookers and fermenters. It does look like a church with all the arched windows. And it's perfectly clean/spotless!  Another shot of the "cathedral". In the center of this picture you can see the vertical "column still" running from the ground floor, up through the second floor and beyond. It is the copper vertical pipe with the round "portholes" running up it's side on the second floor section.  This (below) shows a portion of their still, a "column still".  Here a guy is rinsing the bottles with whiskey before they are filled. The filling machine is to his left. You can see 4 bottles ready to be filled - or are being filled.  Here bottles are being boxed "by hand". A guy in the background can be seen filling 4 bottles "by hand". Very little automation. It's a relatively "small" / "hands on" operation.  And finally, at the end of the tour, the tasting. As I said in a previous post, the samples were small everywhere I visited. Angel's Envy Bourbon on the left. Angel's Envy Finished Rye on the right. And chocolate. Everyone serves chocolate with their tastings. The combination of the white chocolate and Bourbon created a Crème Brulee flavor.  |
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Post by username on Jun 1, 2022 23:08:45 GMT -5
Next time I’m in Louisville visiting friends I should make time to get to bulleit . I’ve been in Kentucky 3 times but each time I never make the time do to get down to where the distillery’s are.
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Post by trailboss on Jun 1, 2022 23:11:24 GMT -5
It looks like a great trip, Monty, thanks for taking the time to post your adventure!
I used to truck through the Napa Valley and saw the tour buses that take people from winery to winery, and they offer glasses at each stop. Going out into the 100 degree heat on trips like that would give me massive headaches. But then again, wine does not agree with me, even in conservative amounts, I get a headache.
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Post by oldcajun123 on Jun 2, 2022 7:33:45 GMT -5
Monty thank you so much for those beautiful pictures, helps me because I can’t travel much, you are my sunshine!
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Post by sperrytops on Jun 2, 2022 13:15:05 GMT -5
It looks like a great trip, Monty, thanks for taking the time to post your adventure! I used to truck through the Napa Valley and saw the tour buses that take people from winery to winery, and they offer glasses at each stop. Going out into the 100 degree heat on trips like that would give me massive headaches. But then again, wine does not agree with me, even in conservative amounts, I get a headache. Back in the late 70's wife and I , newly married, lived in San Francisco. Really a neat city in those days. We'd go up to the wine country on the weekends for a Saturday picnic. Bread, cheese, salami, and a lot of wine tasting. In those days wine tasting was free and wasn't limited in most wineries. Those days are gone, of course. We used to watch the bicyclers doing the rounds, followed by a lot of crashed bicycles on the side of the road. |
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 2, 2022 20:02:42 GMT -5
oldcdgr Monty thank you so much for those beautiful pictures, helps me because I can’t travel much, you are my sunshine! I'll post a few more then. What I've posted so far are the two tours I was able to take. The others are just visits to their Visitor's Centers. I'll get them posted soon. |
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 2, 2022 20:09:12 GMT -5
It looks like a great trip, Monty, thanks for taking the time to post your adventure! I used to truck through the Napa Valley and saw the tour buses that take people from winery to winery, and they offer glasses at each stop. Going out into the 100 degree heat on trips like that would give me massive headaches. But then again, wine does not agree with me, even in conservative amounts, I get a headache. I know people who get a headache from wine. It's more common than you would think. It's caused by a specific natural chemical in the wine. Can't remember (or spell) what it is. Too bad there isn't a pill you could take for it, like people who are lactose intolerant can take a pill before eating ice cream. |
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 2, 2022 20:24:40 GMT -5
It looks like a great trip, Monty, thanks for taking the time to post your adventure! I used to truck through the Napa Valley and saw the tour buses that take people from winery to winery, and they offer glasses at each stop. Going out into the 100 degree heat on trips like that would give me massive headaches. But then again, wine does not agree with me, even in conservative amounts, I get a headache. Back in the late 70's wife and I , newly married, lived in San Francisco. Really a neat city in those days. We'd go up to the wine country on the weekends for a Saturday picnic. Bread, cheese, salami, and a lot of wine tasting. In those days wine tasting was free and wasn't limited in most wineries. Those days are gone, of course. We used to watch the bicyclers doing the rounds, followed by a lot of crashed bicycles on the side of the road. For our 20th anniversary (~2010), I planned a trip to San Francisco and Sonoma Valley/County. We had a blast. Spent a few days in San Francisco. Visited the a Japanese Garden, the Presidio, Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz - took a ride on the cable cars. Drove down the "crookedest street" in the world. Ate clam chowder in a sour dough bread bowl. Then, we crossed the Golden Gate bridge into wine country. We stayed at a Bed & Breakfast called "Auberge on the Vineyard" for several days and visited dozens of vineyards. auberge-on-the-vineyard.allhotelscalifornia.com/en/It was one of the best trips of my life. Some of the best wine - and food - ever! |
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Post by trailboss on Jun 2, 2022 20:43:56 GMT -5
I hear you Monty!
I lived there for 25 years and worked in the foodservice industry, I developed a lot of friendships with chefs and owners. That paid huge dividends as I fared sumptuously on some incredible feasts. And my bosses families were grafted in that business since the 1940’s so I had a jet pack on my back to heavenly dining.
I never knew how good I had it, but treasure the times. The best part about it, my new bride at the time took that trip also…. Double your pleasure, double your fun!
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Post by sperrytops on Jun 3, 2022 13:48:35 GMT -5
And then there was Ginsberg's Irish Pub on the Wharf!
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 4, 2022 21:23:35 GMT -5
The last of my photos of my trip. This one is at Heaven Hill. There are warehouses/rickhouses as far as the eye can see, and more under construction. They make such brands as Heaven Hill, Henry McKenna, Rittenhouse, Berheim Wheat Whiskey, Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Mellow Corn, Larceny, Old Fitzgerald, Parker’s Heritage, and Pikesville.  Barton 1792 They told us here that no one knew why the owner used the name "Barton". He took that to his grave. But 1792 is the year that Kentucky became a state.   Old Forester - on "Whiskey Row" in Louisville, KY.  Buffalo Trace - the distillery is another National Landmark.  Four Roses  |
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Post by Gandalf on Jun 4, 2022 21:33:23 GMT -5
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Love it. My Lawyer friend who handled our Exxon case many years ago, started his own firm and in 2013 had Woodford make them a special run for his firm. He sent me 2 bottles, my oldest son came to visit and asked if he could have one, why of course I said, the other bottle is unopened, might try it someday! By the way he retired from Exxon yesterday, maybe he cracked that bottle!
