Bardstown, Kentucky – A Must Stop For Any Bourbon Lover – The Ultimate Guide

Posted on December 28, 2022 by Chris

If you are into bourbon, there is a chance you have heard of Bardstown, Kentucky. If you haven’t heard of this small bourbon town, you are in for a treat. It’s actually known as the Bourbon Capitol of the World. I took my wife down for a visit in 2018 and I want to spend some time reviewing my trip and provide some travel tips for anyone who is heading to that area. I know things might have changed over the years, so please take some time do some additional research before you pack your bags and head down into the heart of bourbon country.

What Is There To Do In Bardstown, Kentucky?

Well – first and foremost, there are quite a few distilleries in the Bardstown area. And since you are reading this on Bourbon Master, I assume you are mostly interested that. I go into detail on the distilleries in the Bardstown, Kentucky area below, but know you can spend your entire trip visiting, touring, and enjoying bourbon (which is my recommendation).

If you are a history buff, there is the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History. Again – It’s bourbon/whiskey themed, but it’s more history focused. I haven’t been, but it looks like it has some cool artifacts if you are into that kind of thing.

If you want to see inside the barrel, there is a neat little tour nearby in Lebanon, Kentucky where you can see a Cooperage in action. What’s a cooperage you might ask? It’s the place that makes the oak barrels that your favorite bourbons age in. You can see the process of the barrels being made and charred. The cooperage is about 40 minutes outside of Bardstown, but you can make a loop and hit Maker’s Mark if you plan it right (hint, hint). You can find out more information here.

If shopping is your thing, there are a quite a few little shops in the area. Here’s a list in case you are interested. I’m not usually the shopping type of guy, I did really like the Blind Pig Bourbon Market. Quick tip – Make sure the stores are open if you plan on spending time shopping. When I was there, a lot of the stores had different hours and we didn’t find a ton open. A little research and planning can fix this.

Outside of that, there are a lot of other little things you can find to do (inside and outside). I would highlight that there are a few wineries in the area (for those non-bourbon loving folks) and there is a dinner train that looks interesting. You can find this and more at the Bardstown visitors bureau website.

What Distilleries Are In Bardstown, Kentucky?

When you look at Bardstown, you will see that you have several distilleries in the city and a few on the outskirts (30 minutes or so away). To say you’ll have your choice of distilleries is an understatement. Here is the list of the distilleries you can visit while in Bardstown:

Bardstown Bourbon Company – I haven’t been here yet, but I like their stuff. This is on my list for next time.
Barton 1792 Distillery – Been here and remember having a bourbon chocolate during the tasting. And remember a pretty cool little tour.

Heaven Hill Distillery – My wife and I have been here, but weren’t able to do the tasting or the tour (both sold out). I think it would be worth another stop.
Jim Beam Distillery Company – I’ve been here quite a few times. This is a very commercial tour, but still good. If you haven’t been, you need to stop at least once in your life.
Lux Row Distillers – Haven’t been and don’t know much about them.

Log Still Distillery – Haven’t been and don’t know much about them.
Four Roses Distillery – Possibly got drunk with two older ladies at 9AM on my way to a golf trip. Might be one of my favorite tastings of all time. The ladies took me and the 3 other guys to the bar for a private tasting and history lesson.
Maker’s Mark – Haven’t been, but really want to go. Maker’s Mark was my first bourbon love and I have still not made it down to visit.

Preservation Distillery and Farm – Haven’t been and don’t know much about them.
Old Steelhouse Distillery – Haven’t been and don’t know much about them.
Willett – One of my all time favorite stops. I haven’t been since the restaurant/bar has been opened, but I’ve heard good things from my friends who have stopped.

And this isn’t including any of the distilleries you might pass on your way down (or up) to Bardstown. There are some great stops in Louisville and Lexington as well if you are coming down from the north or east. I have linked to each of the distilleries so you can take a look at their products, tours, tastings, and hours.

Where I Can I Stay In Bardstown, Kentucky?

Bourbon Manor

This is where my wife and I stayed back in 2018 and we really enjoyed it! It would be on the top of my recommendation list for everyone heading down to the Bardstown area. It’s located just off the main road and is actually pretty centrally located to all of the main attractions in Bardstown. The bed and breakfast has really large rooms and a great breakfast. It had that old Kentucky feeling, but had all of the amenities you would need for a stay. My only disappointment was that the Bunghole Bar wasn’t open during our stay (it was their private bourbon bar located on site – Not sure if it’s still there or not). And my wife packs too much luggage and we happen to pick a room on the top floor, so it was quite the haul.

I know I received an email some time ago that the property had been sold and new owners had taken over. I would assume the building and the lodging is just as good, if not better.

Talbott Tavern and Inn

One of other places I looked into for our trip was the Talbott Tavern and Inn. We actually drank and ate at the tavern and I’ll have more on that below. The reason I didn’t end up booking here was threefold:

The rooms didn’t look as nice as the Bourbon Manner. The looked like it was out of the 1900’s and the Bourbon Manner looked more up to date.
The rooms are above an active tavern. I didn’t want some drunk to wake me up at 1AM.

The website says it’s haunted. I’m not into having the ghost of bourbon past watch me as I sleep.

If you are into those kind of things, it might be the place for you. One perk is you could literally stumble up the stairs after a long night of drinking. Or you might fall on the stairs and end up being one of the ghosts. I’m not sure that’s a bad thing either (haunting the old bourbon bar in the USA for eternity)

Blind Pig Bed & Breakfast

I’m not sure this place was an option when I went down to Bardstown. I remember stopping at the Blind Pig Bourbon Market, but I don’t remember seeing the bed and breakfast during my searches. From the initial look, I think this might be a really nice place. It has a man cave, breakfast, and up-to-date amenities. This is on my list for my next trip.

Hampton Inn

If I’m going to immerse myself in bourbon culture, I don’t really want to stay in a chain hotel. That being said, if I was trying to go on a budget, this might be an option. I usually have a good amount of Hilton points laying around, so I looked at this as an option. Since I was with my wife, I chose the bed and breakfast. If I was going with a group of guys, we most likely would have stayed in a place like this. Nothing wrong with it, but it wasn’t what I was going for while I was there.

My Suggested Trip To Bardstown

If I was planning another trip to Bardstown, here is what I would do. First off, I would make it a two day trip (at least). Most of the distillery tours take an hour and you need to be there early to get your ticket and register. If you add that into the drive between locations and stop for food (or cocktails), you won’t get to as many distilleries as you would like.

I would also recommend staying at the Bourbon Manner or the Blind Pig Bed & Breakfast if you are taking your significant other. If not, pick your own poison on the lodging locations nearby (looks like there is the Hampton Inn, Fairfield Inn and Suites, and a Holiday Inn nearby.)

Day 1

As you take off for Bardstown, go ahead and set a course to the Jim Beam Distillery. You should start with this tour/tasting because it has the most “production” to it. It’s honestly well done and as a marketing guy, I like what they do with it. I also think that once you see this, you will value the smaller distillery tours a lot more (just my opinion). Plus it’s a little out of the way compared to the rest of the distilleries. Once you are done there, I would head into Bardstown and hit either Bardstown Bourbon Company or Lux Row Distillers (in either order). Bardstown Bourbon Company has some food, so it’s going to be my pick for lunch over in that area, so you might want to do that one first. Once you are done with those two tours/tastings, I would head to Barton 1792 for your last tour/tasting of the day. I would then take your stuff and go visit a local liquor store (for a night cap bottle) and then drop your stuff off at your lodging location. After that, I would head to the Talbott Tavern to check out the world’s oldest bourbon bar for a drink or two. You might want to get dinner there or I would recommend Scout and Scholar (always trust breweries for good food) or Mammy’s Kitchen and Bar. Then enjoy a great night of sleep and get ready for another busy day.

Day 2

As much as I would like for you to stay in Bardstown, I think there are a few things you need to see that are a 30-40 minute drive away. So I would start my morning by heading off to the Cooperage down in Lebanon and then follow it up with a tour at Maker’s Mark (or vice versa). Once you get that done, I would get back to town and schedule a few other tours (plus lunch). I would start by going to Willett and doing lunch first with the Bar at Willett (reservations required). Then I would go on a tour or tasting at Willett. Once that is done, I would head over to the Heaven Hill Distillery (not that far away) and do a tasting/tour there as well. They have quite the facility. Once you are done with that, I would finish with the Preservation Distillery tour/tasting (if time allows – 4 tours might be a lot in a day). Then I would head back to the downtown Bardstown area to finish you day with dinner at a location of your choice (or if you are like me, get a pizza delivered or something else delivered).

Day 3

I know you are heading home, but I would try to squeeze in one more tour (or at least a stop along the way home). Look at the distilleries in the area or possibly on your way home. There are some great stops if you are heading through the Lexington or Louisville area. You also might want to stop by some liquor stores along the way and check out their barrel picks and selection. You never know what you might find!

Conclusion

There you have it! My ultimate guide to staying and visiting Bardstown, Kentucky. Having been there myself, I know that you will enjoy your trip no matter what your stops end up being. For being a small town in the middle of Kentucky, Bardstown sure has a lot of character and a lot of activities for the a bourbon lover.

No wonder they call it the Bourbon Capital of the World.

Eagle Rare 10 Year Bourbon Review

Posted on December 28, 2022 by Chris

I was walking around my local liquor store and I noticed something strange. A worker was carrying around 3 bottles of George Dickel that I had tasted at a recent tasting. I remember the Dickel being a rather rare bottle and it caught my eye when it walked by. As I was looking at the craft beer, I watched as the lady opened the door and there it was.

It was like the holy grail of bourbon.

I saw bottles that were hard to find and I just had to ask how in the world I could get my hands on them. She explained the process and I was there first thing the next morning. Since I was the first to see the bottles, I got first dibs on picking my bottle to purchase (which was awesome by the way).

I’m a man who always looks for a value, so I chose to get the large bottle of Eagle Rare (1.75L). It was like I was getting 2+ bottles instead of just 1. Biggest bang for my buck.

So now I have this large bottle of Eagle Rare 10 Year and I decided to do a tasting this evening for my YouTube channel.

I’ll let the video do the majority of the tasting, but I’ll leave you with this:

This is a great bourbon if you can get it at MSRP. It’s flavorful and right up my alley. I get a lot of caramel, vanilla, oak, and a sweetness. I also get some citrus on the nose and the finish. I wouldn’t pay a premium for this bourbon, but I would enjoy drinking it. It’s not the most complex bourbon I have ever had, but it’s very drinkable. I think a novice bourbon drinker would love something like this.

Here’s the video for your viewing pleasure.

The Bourbon Experience In Westfield, Indiana – West Fork Whiskey

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Chris

Note: If you are reading this from West Fork, I would love to come visit. This post is from my research online and I would love to write a post about my actual experience.

I’ve been a fan of West Fork Whiskey for quite some time. Their downtown location was a frequent stop when the wife and I were looking for a good cocktail. I think their bourbon and other spirits have really grown over the years, especially the Old Hamer line, but I think I’m not the only one who feels that way.

My wife and a close friend sharing a cocktail before a wedding in 2018

This past year, West Fork Whiskey (or how they spell it West Fork Whsky) opened a new location in Westfield. Although I haven’t had a chance to actually make it up to the new location yet, it’s on my list and I wanted to give a rundown on what to expect.

Located in booming Westfield, Indiana, our 35,000 sq. ft. facility is home to The Mash House Restaurant, Stave Cocktail Lounge, and 5,000 sq. ft. Event Center. Our whiskey distilling operations are expected to be fully operational at the beginning of 2023, at which point distillery tours will begin. In the meantime, we offer whiskey education and tastings 5 days a week with private dining and seasonal events.
West Fork Whsky Website

The Location

The new location is up in the Westfield area about 30 minutes north of Indianapolis. It’s a easy drive from Noblesville, Carmel, Fishers, and Zionsville. I haven’t been up to the location, but I was able to pull a blueprint from the website. Looks like it’s a blended version of a distillery, barrel storage, a restaurant, and a cocktail lounge. It also includes event space and outdoor space (plus plenty of parking – way better than their downtown location).

The Tours

This might be the part I’m most excited for. The Barrel Thieving Experience!

What could be better than trying bourbon straight from the barrel!?!

I’ve only ever done this at Three Boys (aka Whiskey Thief Distilling) in Kentucky and it was one of the best tours ever.

It looks like West Fork has these tours Thursday – Sunday and the cost is reasonable as well (only $25).

You can schedule a barrel thieving tour here.

The Mash House Restaurant

The distillery has a restaurant called the Mash House. If they put as much work into their food as they do their bourbon and spirits, I imagine this restaurant will be amazing as well. I’ll report back once I have a chance to give it a try.

From the West Fork website:

An Indiana-focused, family-friendly restaurant led by Chef Carlos Salazar, bringing new interpretations of the food you know and love. Visit us in Westfield for a meal, a cocktail, or bourbon tasting! Our restaurant has indoor and outdoor seating and something on the menu for everyone!

The Menu

Here is a link to the menu.

A few things that jumped out to me:

I’m a sucker for tenderloins, so I’m going to be getting one of these two sandwiches (I tend to love spicy food, so I’m most likely going to get the Westfield Hot).

If I don’t end up picking the Westfield Hot Tenderloin, I’ll go with the nachos or the Smoke & Fire burger.

There is also a brunch menu that looks killer. I might have to rearrange the plan to make it up on there on a Sunday instead of a week night.

Weekly Specials

I’m always looking for a deal, so here are their weekly specials for your reference.

Tuesdays – $6 West Fork American Lagers

Wednesdays – $8 Old Fashioneds and $5 Off To-Go Bottles

Thursdays – $8 Beer & Shot (The Dave) and 1/2 off bottles of wine

The Stave Cocktail Bar

I always felt like the downtown West Fork Whsky location felt like a small cocktail lounge and I loved it. I could sit there and enjoy a cocktail and a conversation. When I saw the new Westfield location, I was worried it was going to be bigger and it would lose the feel for the small intimate feel. I haven’t been to the location yet, but I’m hoping this isn’t the case.

From the Wesk Fork Website:

Stave offers warm hospitality, attentive, full-table service, knowledgeable staff, and uncompromising quality in all offerings. This intimate cocktail lounge showcases the elegance and versatility of whiskey in its simplest and most complex expressions. Stave’s cocktail menu is exclusively available within its space.

This speakeasy-inspired lounge is cozy, intimate, and can be on a wait during peak hours.

A few things jump out to me right away. I know my wife will want to try the Espresso Martini and I know I’ll have to grab a smoked old fashioned (I don’t know why, but I love these things). I also learned that I would be labeled as rugged (imagining me as a rugged mountain man is hysterical).

Conclusion

I look forward to making a trip up to Westfield and trying out the new West Fork Distillery. I plan on taking my wife for a nice dinner followed by a drink or two in the cocktail lounge. I then plan on taking a group of my bourbon drinking friends to the do the Barrel Thieving Tour. I’m hoping I might be a short drive away from an amazing distillery and restaurant. Once I do, I’ll give an actual review of my trip.

Stay tuned!

Watching Out For Fraud and Counterfeit Bourbon

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Chris

As I woke up this morning, I received an email from Buffalo Trace that included some updates on their expansion, some new expressions, a fundraiser, a 5k, and something I didn’t expect:

A section on Counterfeiting and Fraud.

I’ve always known that there is shady business going on out there, but I guess I didn’t understand the extent to which it was occurring. I remember reading and article about this topic a last year from the Wall Street Journal, but this email made me think about it all over again.

Here is what they sent:

During this holiday shopping season, we are once again warning whiskey fans to be on the lookout for fraudulent activities, as “bad actors” are getting more sophisticated. We have seen an uptick in some of our more popular brands being counterfeited in the past few years, sometimes it is difficult to tell the difference between legitimate whiskey and “fake.” We encourage shoppers to only buy from licensed retailers, not online groups such as those found on Facebook or Craigslist.

In the last year, we have seen consumers duped by online sellers of Blanton’s and Double Eagle Very Rare, with buyers receiving no bottles after payment, or sometimes empty bottles, or in the case of Blanton’s, fake empty bottles with plastic horses on top instead of the signature metal horse stopper collectors know and love.

This past summer, an astute label printer in Ohio contacted us after being contacted by a new client to produce Weller Bourbon labels. Sensing something was amiss, the printer contacted us to verify, which led to us taking legal action against the third party wanting the labels printed.

We have also been made aware of unscrupulous characters setting up fake domains and purchasing credit card machines to make it seem as if Buffalo Trace Distillery is conducting bottle sale transactions online. For the record – Buffalo Trace Distillery does not sell its alcohol products online

Our whiskies have not been the only targets of scam artists. When we opened our October tour bookings, all tours for the month were booked within seconds, with one group claiming nearly 500 tour spots under various email addresses. Through our online tour reservation system, the bad actor was found out quickly and the tours were freed up for other fans. Our understanding was that the tours were going to be sold by the third party, even though all tours and tastings at Buffalo Trace remain complimentary.

We work with the FBI, Secret Service, Customs, and Border Patrol on tracking down counterfeit whiskey importers, buyers, and sellers so that they can be caught and punished. We have also invested nearly $3 million in legal fees in the past five years to have fraudulent online whiskey sellers shut down, and bad actors charged.

The biggest concern for the whiskey purchased outside the retail system is the health and safety of the unsuspecting consumer. Having seen cases in other countries where the recipient falls ill after consuming the product, and in some instances dies, we warn fans not to consume anything that looks suspicious, and not to purchase any spirits from anyone other than licensed retailers. If you feel you have been duped, you can report the site to the Better Business Bureau, your State Attorneys General office and contact your credit card company about its fraud protection policies.
Buffalo Trace Distillery – Email (12/27/22)

The professor in me wants to take a few moments and let you process that blurb from the email. There are people setting up fake liquor sites, printing Weller labels, and sending empty bottles on the secondary market.

This is just nuts.

So how do you protect yourself from these kinds of issues? I’m going to provide a few tips that could save you from doing something that is going to cost you money in the long term.

Tips to Prevent Fraud and Counterfeit Bottles of Bourbon

Don’t buy bourbon from an unlicensed vendor – This might seem like common sense, but people will do some crazy things to make a quick buck. If you are buying bourbon off a secondary market, you are exposing yourself to some risk that the bottle might be a fake. People who actually receive bottles straight from the distillery (aka restaurants and liquor stores) have a more secure supply chain than someone from craigslist.
Inspect each bottle before you buy – As much as I want to say that everyone is honest, sometime that isn’t the case. If you are buying a bottle from ANYWHERE, always stop and inspect each bottle before you purchase it. Bottles from distilleries are going to have specific labels and seals, along with some sort of seal on the lid. If you are spending a lot of money on a bottle, also make sure you have done your research on the color, the labels, etc so you can detect if there is a glaring issue before you buy.
Don’t buy allocated bourbon online – Anyone with a computer and about $20 can setup a domain and put together a credit card processor. Just as Buffalo Trace says in the email: They don’t sell their bourbon online. If you magically can find a hard to get bottle, send up a red flag. It shouldn’t be that easy. If you have to second guess before you put in your credit card number, that’s a sign you shouldn’t do it in the first place.

Don’t worry about “rare” bottles – I have had the privilege of trying some of the “rare” bottles out there and they are tasty. But I’m never going to pay out the wazoo to get my hands on a rare bottle just to have a rare bottle. There are plenty of amazing bourbons on the market (and on the shelves) that can be purchased without risking that chance of buying a fake. I recommend looking at store barrel picks and other unique offerings at your local liquor stores.
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is – This should be the tag line of the entire internet. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Use your brain and your gut before dropping hundreds or thousands of dollars on a bottle of bourbon. You would do it if you were buying a car or a house, so make sure to do your due diligence if you are buying bourbon or scotch.

Conclusion

Don’t be one of those people who gets scammed trying to buy a rare bottle of bourbon. Use the tips above, plus your common sense before you buy any bottle of bourbon that has a high price tag. Know who you are buying from, know the bottle and inspect it, don’t use a scammy website to purchase it, consider buying other bottles, and use your brain and gut.

Indiana Barrel Pick Club

Posted on December 27, 2022 by Chris

I want to introduce the Indiana Barrel Pick Club – An extension of the Bourbon Master community.

The Indiana Barrel Pick Club is group of bourbon lovers who want to get access to special content, reviews, tastings, and barrels of bourbon (and bottles of bourbon).

I started the Bourbon Master blog in 2022 and started getting some interested from readers about providing some special content and possibly picking a barrel or two of bourbon and getting it locally.

After some research and conversations, I decided to create this Patreon to build that community.

Indiana Barrel Pick Club

This club is designed to focus on those bourbon lovers in Indiana and provide them with a special community that isn’t just pictures and comments of allocated bottles of Buffalo Trace. The content created for this group is around the Indiana Bourbon community, their bottles, and other store picks that you can actually find on the shelf.

Once this community reaches enough members, we will be partnering with a liquor store in Indiana to do a barrel pick just for the Indiana Barrel Pick Club. If it goes well, we’ll start doing multiple of these a year and the members of the club will help choose the distillery, name of pick, and possibly even the barrel!

In addition, I have added several perks for subscribers that include (depending on your level):

Exclusive content (video and blog posts)
Access to our private community

Invitation to live streams and tastings
A custom Indiana Barrel Pick Sticker
An engraved Indiana Barrel Pick Glencarin

An Indiana Barrel Pick T-Shirt
A Yeti Lowball Tumbler
An invite to join a tasting video (virtually)

A hand picked bourbon flask

Full details and perks for each level can be found here.

I invite you to be a part of my journey from barrel to glass and be a part of one of the best bourbon communities in Indiana!

Have questions? Let me know below or shoot me an email at chris@thebourbonmaster.com – I’m investing in this community and I want to make sure it has what everyone wants.

Sarasota, Florida’s Best Bourbon Spot – Dive Wine and Spirits

Posted on December 25, 2022 by Chris

I’ve been vacationing in Siesta Key, Florida for the past 10 years or so and I’ve been on a hunt for a good bourbon spot. If I have a day of rain or if I want to end the night on the balcony overlooking the ocean with a pour of bourbon, I want to make sure it’s a good one (or at least something interesting). And since I don’t want to put a bottle in my suitcase for the plane, I had to find something in the area that would be my go to store.

When I first started going, I would always stop at the massive Total Wine and More that is south on 41. It had a huge selection of craft beer, wine, and spirits. I still enjoy stopping by here if I’m in the area, but on my last two trips, I found a place I like even more.

Dive Wine and Spirits

Located just off the island (off the Stickney Point Bridge), is a hidden gem of a liquor store for bourbon lovers. After you get your shopping done at the great big Farmer’s Market grocery store (or before you even start), I recommend making a stop in this store. And this is for a few different reasons:

Reason 1 – There Is A Great Selection

This store looks like a really small outside, but it actually holds quite the selection inside (specifically of bourbon). You are going to find a lot of your standard selections, but there are also a lot of odds and ends in the store. I find the selection of bourbon is a bit more curated that most liquor stores I go into and browse. When I would go into a Total Wine and More, I would see a bunch of stuff that I could see on a shelf in Indiana. When I walk into Dive Wine and Spirits, I see a lot more of the unique stuff. And this is the main reason I love going to this store.

Reason 2 – There Are A Lot Of Store Picks

As I have mentioned before on this blog, I am huge fan of barrel picks. And that’s one thing I noticed a lot of in Dive Wine & Spirits. They have a lot of different barrel picks (actually a whole table at the front). I did a blind buy of a heavy rye (with dice on the label) and it was just ok, but I think I literally just picked wrong. A smart person would have walked back to the bar in the back (you read that right) and try a few before buying a bottle.

Side note: I’m not quite sure who the Eskimo Brothers are, but they seem to have a lot of influence of the barrel picks and they really love the ryes and the finishing of bourbon in other barrels (wine, sherry, etc). And they have a thing for crazy labels.

Reason 3 – The Freaking Bourbon Bar In The Back

This might be my favorite reason to stop at this liquor store. There is a freaking bourbon bar in the back. If you didn’t know any better, you would have no idea this even existed. Consider this your enlightenment and your invitation.

And the selection of bourbon (and rums for that fact) is incredible. I pulled one of their bourbon lists down and you can see the line up here (this is subject to change, but it’s a great reference point as you consider making a stop. This has now become a regular stop on each trip down to Siesta Key (and I’ll be stopping again when I head back down).

Bourbon Menu Download

Reason 4 – They Host Events (Ones That I Want To Attend)

The last time I was in this store, I was sitting at the bar with my wife and we noticed that they were preparing for some sort of event. They had these nice bags together and they were also printing off menus. After a little prying, we found out that had a huge Willett Dinner scheduled for that evening. I got to see the menu (food and bourbon/rye tasting) and I wanted to go, but they sold out.

Then I started following them on Facebook and started to see some of their other events. And dang – They seem to be doing something almost every day of the week.

Here is just a sample of some of the events they have hosted this year.

Conclusion

If you are headed to the Sarasota area, you need to at least stop by and check out Dive Wine and Spirits. I would suggest setting aside around an hour to browse and to enjoy a cocktail or pour from the bourbon bar in the back. If you are lucky enough to be there when they have an awesome event, please let me know how it goes!

I’ve also heard they have a sister store (no idea if this is true or not) called the Liquor Locker. I hope to take a stop and check that out as well.

Is Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year Worth The Hype?

Posted on December 24, 2022 by Chris

A year ago today, a close family friend gave me the opportunity to taste Pappy Van Winkle for the first time. It was a Christmas surprise that I throughly enjoyed. Since the Facebook memory popped up today, I want to take a few moments and reflect on my tasting and answer the question:

Is Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year worth the hype?

Well yes and no. Let me explain my review a little more.

Was it an amazing bourbon?

Yes. It might have been one of the smoothest bourbons I have ever consumed in my life. It was rich, flavorful, and down right incredible.

What makes it special?

The taste is the first thing that makes it special. Like I mentioned, it was truly an amazing bourbon. But there is more to it than that. The lore and the rarity of the bottle and the bourbon line in general is what makes it special. How many times in my life am I going to get to try something like Pappy? My guess is I can count it on 1 hand and I might already be at my limit. It’s a very special occasion to be able to taste this and it meant a lot that my friend was willing to share a taste last Christmas Eve.

Would I pay MSRP for a bottle?

I would pay the MSRP of $199.99 any day of the week for this bottle. In a restaurant, I would pay up to $30 a pour for it (no questions asked).

Would I pay a premium for a bottle or a pour?

This is where the “no” starts coming in as I look at the question of is it worth the hype. I don’t think it’s worth the secondary market price. I get this is a rare bottle of bourbon, but you are not going to see me shelling out over $300 for a bottle of this, let alone thousands of dollars. I don’t believe a bottle of bourbon can be worth that much for the taste alone. I think it’s really more about the luxury idea of having a bottle and that just isn’t something I am into.

When I drink bourbon, I want to share and enjoy with my family and friends. I don’t want to put it on a shelf and never take a drink. If I paid $1,000+ for a bottle of bourbon like Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year, I would be scared to death to ever open it. And that’s just not how bourbon should be.

So is Pappy worth the hype? Yes, but only to a point (a certain price point that is). After that (and it will vary by person), I think you are better off spending your money on other bottles of bourbon.

Have you tried anything else in the Van Winkle lineup?

Yes I have. About two weeks before trying Pappy Van Winkle 20 Year, I found a reasonably priced pour of Old Rip Van Winkle at a bourbon bar in Indy. I was out celebrating the end of a semester of teaching and I was with my wife and a good friend. My wife convinced me to splurge and try it, so I didn’t argue with here smarts.

And I would say the same holds true to my comments above. This was a great pour of bourbon and one I won’t soon forget, but I wouldn’t pay a premium for it. I think there are other bourbons at lower price points that give me a bigger bang for my buck. Don’t get me wrong, I would never turn down a pour of a unicorn bourbon, but I’m not sure I’m willing to shell out the cash to have one drink. I would rather spend that same amount of money on a few great bottles of other whiskey (barrel selects or other allocated bottles).

That’s just one man’s opinion and as my wife tells me from time to time, that one man can be wrong. What are your thoughts on the Pappy family of bourbon? Are they worth the hype? How much would you be willing to spend to get a taste (or a bottle)?

Why I Like Barrel Picks Better Than Allocated Bourbon Bottles

Posted on December 24, 2022 by Chris

I’m not sure that this opinion will be the most popular in the bourbon community, but I am a firm believer that barrel picks are typically a better purchase than an allocated or rare bottle of bourbon. I think there is more character, more uniqueness, and more adventure when you purchase a store barrel pick than when you buy a bottle of Eagle Rare. I’m not discounting the awesome of some special bourbons on the market, but I want to provide an argument on why you should stop bourbon hunting and start hunting for amazing liquor stores with great barrel picks.

What Is A Barrel Pick?

I think we all might have a general idea of how the aging and blending process works in the bourbon world. If not, here’s a crash course. For bourbons you can find on the shelf at any time, master distillers take multiple barrels (100+) and blend them together to get a constant flavor that is repeatable and predictable. It’s the McDonald’s version of bourbon. If you stop at a McDonalds in Kentucky or in California, you can expect a double cheeseburger and fries to taste exactly the same in both places. The same is true when you crack open a bottle of Jim Beam or Maker’s Mark. These are going to taste like the same bourbon you had the last time and the next bottle you open will taste the same as well. This constant flavor and taste is what gives comfort to most bourbon or whiskey drinkers. They know what they are going to get when they order a specific bourbon.

It’s like a choir. Some members (or barrels) might suck, but the good ones make everything sound great.

That’s where single barrel or barrel select bourbons come into the picture. It’s like picking the best singer in the choir to sing a solo. You are in essence highlighting a specific barrel of bourbon that stands out among the rest of the barrels. You don’t need to blend it because it has enough unique character on its own.

This whole concept was brought to light for me when I did a tasting at Three Boys (now Whiskey Thief Distilling) years ago. I stoped for a tasting and for an extra $10 I could taste bourbon straight from 4 different barrels. The first 3 barrels I tried were not great at all. One had too much spice, one was a little harsh, and the other was pretty mellow. Blended together, these barrels would have most likely made a good tasting bourbon. When I tasted the 4th barrel, I was blown away. It was freaking amazing. The crazy part was all of the barrels had the same exact liquor (mash bill included) in the barrel. There was literally nothing different than the wood and the location of the barrel. But yet somehow, the bourbon tasted completely different.

All things being the same, each barrel is not even close to the same.

Sometimes the bourbon gods intervene and make a specific barrel better than the rest. There is no rhyme or reason (there can be things that encourage certain traits) and it takes a special talent to be able to identify these special barrels. And the people (or liquor stores) who pick these barrels, they are the reason barrel picks are fun.

In short – Barrel picks are the selection of a specific barrel from a distillery for special distribution to your customers. You pick the barrel and you get to sell it. No one else will ever get to taste that magical barrel unless they buy your pick. Typically – A barrel has 180-220 bottles of bourbon inside (depending on age) and a distillery sells the entire barrel to a customer.

That’s what a barrel pick is. Now let me tell you why this is one of the best things in the bourbon world.

Why I Like Barrel Picks Better Than Allocated Bourbon

When we look at allocated bourbons, we tend to fall in two different categories.

Bourbon that is highly sought after because it’s great taste.
Bourbon that is limited in nature.

It really comes down to the that dreaded supply and demand curve that you might have learned about in economics. When supply is limited and demand exceeds the supply, there is a need for a rationing device (aka allocation). Rationing can take many forms, but it tends to land with a rationing technique like a lottery, a wait, insider knowledge, or even a higher price (aka a shift in the demand curve).

That’s why it is so hard to find allocated products. There is just literally not enough bourbon to go around. You either have to get lucky or you have to pay a price. It’s just straight economics.

That’s why I love barrel picks way more than these allocated products.

Don’t get me wrong. I am never going to pass up an 18 year Knob Creek or a bottle of Weller Full Proof or even Pappy. It is known that this is amazing bourbon and if I could get my hands on it, I’ll always make the purchase (within reason).

But those opportunities just don’t happen on a regular basis.

And as a bourbon drinker, I think you need to come to a realization that you can search for gold, but sometimes you enjoy the silver that is plentiful all around you.

Barrel picks are my silver and my go to when I go to purchase bourbon. They are the unique picks that area always going to surprise me and possibly the best bourbon I’ll ever have and only have a chance to have it once.

I love barrel picks (or store picks) for a few specific reasons:

The person (or people) who pick determine the quality of the selection. If you happen to find a liquor store that has a taster who is completely in line with your tastes, you have hit the jackpot. You have a person who is going to pick exactly what you like and surprise you time and time again. I know in my area that I align with the Indiana Liquor Group crew and the Batesville Liquor Store. I know these people enjoy bourbon similar to what I like and I trust them when I pick up a bottle at my local liquor store.

They are easier to find. I’m not going to walk into my local liquor store and find a bottle of Pappy on the shelf. I am going to walk in and find a few different options when it comes to barrel selects. I don’t have to go searching for bourbon, I can simply walk in and grab an amazing bottle.
The price point isn’t going to break the bank. A Knob Creek 18 year is going to run my $180 if I get a chance to buy it as MSRP. That’s not likely and I’m going to have to sell my kidney to get a taste of something like that. That’s not the case with the barrel selects. This happens because the audience is smaller. Everyone knows of EH Taylor, but not everyone knows of the Batesville Liquor Store in a small town in Indiana (nor do they know the person who picked the bourbon). The target market is so reduce and the quality might actually be the same or better. I’ll play those odds with the lower cost option. I don’t have to pay for rarity and a great marketing scheme.
I’ll never have the same bottle again. I’m not a collector of bourbon, I’m a consumer of bourbon. When I buy a bottle, I plan on drinking that bottle with friends and family as soon as I can. Tomorrow is never promised and I want to enjoy the best things I can. And once the bottle is gone, I want to look forward to the next bottle and the next experience. That’s why barrel selects are so amazing. I can grab one and it can be amazing. I can grab another and have one of the best nights ever with my friends and family members. I can love the bourbon or I can hate it, but I’ll never have another bottle like it again. When I open that bottle, I’m going to experience something I’ve never experienced before and something I’ll never experience again. And that’s something that is incredible and amazing about barrel select bourbons.

Conclusion

I’m not going to sit here an argue that allocated bourbon isn’t extremely tasty. It is. I just think there is a hidden gem when you start taking a look at barrel select bourbons from stores and places you love. It’s there way to bring an amazing expression of bourbon to you without you having to empty your bank account to try it.

I hope to one day start a group where we work together to select a barrel and then share that barrel with the group. If this is of interest to you, please join our email list (right hand side bar) or our Facebook group. I don’t think this is happening soon, but I can’t wait to make it a reality. If you are a distillery or a distributor that could make this happen, shoot me an email at chris@thebourbonmaster.com.

Booker’s 2022-03 Kentucky Tea Batch Review

Posted on December 23, 2022 by Chris

If you read my blog post about Kentucky Tea, you know that I recently had a chance to try the Booker’s 2022-03 Kentucky Tea Batch bourbon. And from some of the feedback I have received, some of you want a review of the bourbon. As you can tell on the blog, this will be my first time reviewing a bourbon.

So here we go:

Notes From the Distiller:

The batch is made up of six production dates that were aged in six different warehouses. The breakdown of barrel storage for Booker’s “Kentucky Tea Batch” is as follows:

2% came from the 3rd floor of 7-story warehouse 5

1% came from the 4th floor of 7-story warehouse X

1% came from the 4th floor of 9-story warehouse D

12% came from the 4th floor of 7-story warehouse 1

24% came from the 5th floor of 7-story warehouse Q

14% came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse Q

46% came from the 6th floor of 7-story warehouse Z

This batch was pulled on a hot and humid day in July. The color of this liquid is golden amber, and you embrace the dark, sweet vanilla aroma right away. With just one taste, your mouth is filled with rich and sweet flavors of vanilla. The lingering finish isn’t overpowering, so soon after you’ll want another sip. I made myself a Kentucky Tea with Kentucky Tea Batch, and it brought back memories of my dad sitting at his own kitchen table enjoying his Kentucky Tea with supper.

My Tasting Notes:

My tasting was a decent size pour of bourbon from a good friend. It was consumed on the rocks in a glass. I had consumed a few beverages prior to the tasting, so my mouth was primed and ready.

When you first smell it, you get a huge hit of vanilla and oak. I think the tasting notes nailed that one spot on. It’s really vanilla forward. At first taste, you get a big punch in the face of alcohol and then it starts to tone down a bit (or I just got used to it). Once my mouth got used to the heat from the alcohol, I could really start to taste the flavor of the bourbon. And it was tasty.

I got a lot of vanilla (I think a lot of it came from the nose) and then I got into the yummy nuttiness, butterscotch, and caramel notes. I could tell this bourbon had a lot of character and body to it. When I think of really good bourbons, this is in the ballpark of what I would think of. Really heavy in the oak, caramel, and even a little brown sugar. Please note: I’m not expert, but I do enjoy a good pour of bourbon. So my descriptors might be a little off.

When thinking about how to drink this, I would recommend neat, with a splash of water, or on the rocks. I think each of these variations would bring out different flavors in this bourbon. I would also consider the “Kentucky Tea” variation mentioned on the bottle. I think something like that brings you a little closer to the way the professionals enjoy a good bourbon when they spend all day tasting bourbons.

Overall Ranking:

Was this the best bourbon I have ever had in my life?

No.

Was this in the top 20?

Quite possibly.

It was really tasty and I would love to have another drink of it. I think there was a lot of skill that was put into picking and blending that bourbon and it shows when you drink it.

Score (for those of you who like numbers) = 9 out of 10.

Have you had Booker’s 2022-03 Kentucky Tea Batch? What are your thoughts? Did you like it as much as I did? Do you other opinions? Leave your comments below!

Journeyman Distilling Review – A Unique Venue In A Small Town

Posted on December 22, 2022 by Chris

On my latest trip to Green Bay (GO PACK GO), I made an executive decision to stay one additional night on the way back in Michigan. Part of me did this because my 2-year-old needed a break from the car, but the other part of me did this so I could stop by Journeyman Distilling.

If you haven’t heard of Journeyman Distilling, they are worth a search. I had a few of their whiskies a few years back and really fell in love with the Corsets, Whips, and Whiskey – A really interesting wheat whiskey and one of the first I tried. The distillery itself is in this really small town in Michigan called Three Oaks. I’m pretty sure it had one stoplight and the cell service was horrible (not that it matters, but don’t go planning on getting a lot of stuff done on a computer).

The Experience

We arrived on a Monday afternoon after driving for 5+ hours. I really needed to get out of the car to stretch my legs and this seems like a perfect spot to do it. I was worried the place wasn’t open as we pulled up because there were very few cars in the parking lot. After checking Google Maps, I decided it was open and we gave it a try.

Walking in, the place is beautiful.

And it makes me laugh a bit that they describe their success like this:

We feel that E.K. Warren, the original builder of the factory—while being a staunch prohibitionist—would be proud to see his building shining bright.
Journeyman Distilling

You see the stills right as you walk in and you have a birds eye view of the distilling process. There is a sign that will tell you what is being distilled today. I didn’t take the tour, but I would imagine it would focus on the handcrafted nature of everything they do. I caught that feel throughout the place and the website. They are artisan distillers and take pride in what they use to make their spirits.

Then you walk through a small merchandise and spirit shop that is loaded with some goodies. After that, you see the massive bar and the seating for the restaurant. Again – Everything is beautiful and it feels like it has been pulled out of a Mumford and Sons album.

The Drinks

This place is a distillery, but it also doubles as a cocktail bar. And they have a pretty extensive menu of drinks. Since I was going to the distillery, I wanted to make sure to try as many spirits as possible. I’m also a cask strength kind of guy, so I landed with the Cask Strength Whiskey Flight. My wife ended up with some vodka drink and one of the other people at the table had the Old Fashioned.

Overall – I wasn’t disappointed with my flight. I had some really good spirits on it. The Featherbone Bourbon was my favorite, but I also really liked the other ones on the flight as well.

My wife didn’t love her drink, but she is picky when cocktails. I think she would have been better served ordering a pre-arranged cocktail instead of making her own.

And the old fashioned was good. I only had a sip, but I think I would lean towards trying one the next time.

And if a bunch of you want to go in for the $2,000 cocktail, I’m in for a share. I think we need 100 people at $20 a pop.

The Food

This was our lunch spot and we decided to get a few appetizers to spilt (4 adults, 1 child). In taking a look at the menu, we thought most things were a bit pricey, so the appetizers were a nice way to test the food before we spent $20 a meal on something. Also two of the adults (plus the child) are a little picky when it comes to food that isn’t “normal,” so we didn’t want to push it to start.

So we ordered the house-made pub pretzel, the pork rinds, and the brussel sprouts (you can see the full menu here – it seems to be a little different than when we were there).

I wasn’t blown away.

Don’t get me wrong, the food had some good flavor, but it wasn’t knock my socks off amazing. We ended up finishing the appetizers and headed to our hotel to order in dinner. I think there might be some good food on the menu, but I wasn’t impressed enough to risk $20 a meal to find out. If it would have just been me and my wife, I imagine we would have dropped two apps and split a meal.

If I have to give a suggestion, I would say go with the pretzel and cheese. That cheese was tasty.

The Putting Green

Yeah – I wasn’t expecting to write about a putting green when I started a bourbon blog, but here I am. Rocking it. And my wife rocked it out on the green while we were at Journeyman.

When you walk into the building, you will notice they have some putters lined up by the check-in stand. So I asked if we could take my little guy out to play around on the putt putt course. Little to my knowledge, this thing was an attraction on its on merits. The putting green is called Welter’s Folly and it’s a whopping 30,000 square feet of putting green. It is MASSIVE. According to their website, it is believed to be one of the 10 largest putting greens not associated with a golf course. I don’t know about all of that, but I do know that you need to stop and see it if you go to the distillery (plus you can take your cocktails out back.

Lodging

We did not personally stay in the lodging, so I can’t comment on it, but I wanted to make sure you were aware that there was lodging available.

It seems like a nice getaway if you want to stay up in Michigan for a night.

You can find out more information here: https://www.journeyman.com/lodging/

Conclusion

Overall, I was happy that we stopped. The food wasn’t amazing, but the venue was really nice.

Would I drive 3 hours to go on a typical day? Probably not.

Would I stop if we were in the area? Heck yes. And I would try something new on the menu and a cocktail. I would also try to get a tour scheduled.

I think the perfect trip would be a warmer day in the fall where you could sit out by the putting green, enjoy a few cocktails, have dinner, and then stay the night. I think that would be the full experience and it’s something that I might do with the wife down the road.

Have you been to Journeyman Distillery? What are your thoughts?