Propelling an ancient craft tradition into a new era
From Kentucky to Tennessee, alcohol flows freely. Until the beginning of the 20th century, corn grown in abundance and crystal clear waters made the wealth of family distilleries, but temperance movements and Prohibition pushed them into bankruptcy. In recent decades, American distillery dynasties have experienced a new boom, driven by a prolific craft movement. Discover the past and present spirits offered by these six cities. On your way, take a break in restaurants and shops that offer these alcohols on the menu or artisanal food products.
Departure Point: Bourbon in Louisville, Kentucky
Take a flight to Louisville International Airport and come discover the friendly and welcoming lands that were the birthplace of the Kentucky Derby and Muhammad Ali. Settle into Louisville’s bustling Whiskey Row neighborhood to experience bourbon, America’s star spirit. Before Prohibition, this district was home to 50 distilleries. These days, the city is renowned for its farm-to-table food scene and numerous bourbon bars. Start at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, Kentucky’s first commercial distillery, located at the end of the street near West Main and South Sixth. The copper and polished woods of the modern facility are brand new, but the method of making bourbon remains much the same. Take the Urban Bourbon Trail and stop at the many bars that line it and offer bourbon, from the lounges of prestigious hotels to historic sites linked to the gangster Al Capone and the writer F. Scott Fitzgerald. If you’re in town on the first Friday of the month, take advantage of the monthly ‘Trolley Hop’ where galleries, shops and restaurants stay open late and offer specials, discounts and drinks. Buy a few handcrafted bourbon truffles to savor on the way to your next destination.
Taste the spirits and taste the flavors of Lexington, Kentucky
Enjoy Kentucky’s rolling landscapes, white picket fences and horse farms as you drive east to Lexington. There are seven working distilleries within a 40 mile radius of Lexington, and the Bluegrass Parkway (on Route 60) winds a scenic path to many of them. Start downtown at the Alltech Lexington Brewing and Distilling Co., where you can tour the brewery-distillery and sample beers or bourbons. Re-energize with traditional favorites like savory ham cookies and Kentucky Hot Brown. Leave Lexington and take a detour to Versailles, Lawrenceburg, Danville or Loretto. In Versailles, admire the architecture of the magnificent Woodford Reserve Distillery and have lunch on the veranda. In Lawrenceburg, chat with third-generation distiller Jimmy Russell as you tour Wild Turkey. In the cultural district of Danville, visit the Wilderness Trace craft distillery. In Loretto, go to the Maker’s Mark Distillery; stop at the gift shop, buy a bottle, and dip it in the distillery’s signature red wax.
Historic Bardstown, Kentucky, the Bourbon Capital of the World
From Lexington, continue your introduction to bourbon by taking a scenic route west that will take you after an hour to the quaint little town of Bardstown. Bourbon runs through the veins of the historic Central District of Kentucky’s second oldest city. The city’s storefronts look like they’ve come straight out of a movie set, but the flowing bourbon is definitely real. Come and experience live music performances and sample spirits at the Old Talbott Tavern’s Bourbon Bar, which dates back to 1779. Spalding Hall, which dates back to 1826, is home to the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History. At the Kentucky Bourbon Marketplace, you can buy anything you fancy, from bourbon to baseball caps, and request a tasting platter from the bar. The city’s annual festival, the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, which takes place in September, is a great time to enjoy it; events range from barrel-making demonstrations by coopers to historical tours and taste challenges. Heaven Hill Distilleries’ Bourbon Heritage Center offers a variety of tours, which include a vintage trolley tour or an exclusive behind-the-scenes tour. In Clermont northwest of Bardstown, the Jim Beam American Stillhouse distillery, where the world’s best-selling bourbon is produced, offers you the opportunity to share with Fred Noe, master distiller and seventh generation member of the Beam family, a bourbon-themed meal.
Owensboro, Kentucky: A destination to experience whiskey, sports cars, bourbon and the blues
About a 90-minute drive between Bardstown and Owensboro is Bowling Green, a not-to-be-missed stop on the liquor route. Head to Corsair Distillery, an artisanal distiller that has racked up awards with its atypical preparations, including the complex Triple Smoke Whiskey. Do you like fast cars? Bowling Green is home to the Corvette Assembly Plant, the only place in the world where the “American sports car” is made. Hit the road again and drive another hour north to Owensboro on the Ohio River, where you can enjoy some serious bourbon. Choose from over 200 bourbons on display in the basement bar of Miller House, a 1905 restaurant. barbecue and live music concerts. In all seasons, Owensboro’s preserved homes are a reminder of the city’s history. Then head to a hip town at the crossroads of the Ohio and Tennessee rivers to sample Kentucky moonshine and more.
A hip scene, a bit of history and Scotch tasting in Paducah, Kentucky
Between Owensboro and Nashville, visit historic Paducah . Named a UNESCO / United States World Heritage Site Creative City, Paducah also makes traditional Kentucky moonshine. The Moonshine Company, located in a century-old building in downtown Paducah, uses a well-honed family recipe passed down from generation to generation. Learn about Kentucky’s moonshine history through the antiques on display as you sample various varieties of moonshine: Loaded Lemonade, Cousin Billy or Uncle Mosey. Treat yourself by bringing a bottle of this alcohol home. A few minutes further on, enter the Silent Brigade Distillery, where the bartenders make cocktails with their typical scotches. Sample the peach, apple, or blackberry moonshine, then enjoy a stroll along the river in Paducah. The murals that adorn the flood wall depict images of Kentucky’s past historical landmarks that tell of Paducah’s role in the Civil War. Stop for a picnic by the water’s edge and watch the river boats pass by. Shop for some handicrafts and local produce at the Paducah Farmers’ Market (April – October), browse galleries by local artists in the Lower Town Arts District, and be sure to visit the National Quilt Museum.
A nod to the past, and an ode to the present in Nashville, Tennessee
Take in the lush green landscapes on the two-hour drive south to Nashville , America’s “Music City.” here, the party never stops, with live music concerts in dozens of honky-tonks or large public stages. Are all these activities making you hungry? Taste Nashville Spicy Hot Chicken full of flavor. Accompany it with a good Tennessee whiskey or a Scotch-based cocktail at Whiskey Kitchen or Corsair’s in Marathon Village, also a must-stop for craft beer lovers. Andy and Charlie Nelson are reviving the traditions of their great-great-grandfather’s distillery, Nelson’s Green Brier, by offering tours and tastings near the Corsair distillery. Their Belle Meade bourbon nods to the equestrian heritage of the Belle Meade Plantation in Nashville. About 15 miles north of Nashville, at the Fontanel Mansion, is a branch of the Kelso-based Prichard Distillery. The five-generation-old family business not only makes Tennessee whiskey, but also bourbons, signature bent-neck rums, cream liqueur and White Lightning moonshine. Some of Tennessee’s most famous distilleries are also located outside of Nashville: George Dickel Tennessee Whiskey in Tullahoma, and Jack Daniel’s Distillery in Lynchburg. Enjoy some down time in the historic city with a refreshing Lynchburg Lemonade before catching your flight home from Nashville International Airport.