In this video, I take some time to dive into the $25.99 bottle of Old Forester 100 proof. In the tasting, I explain why I like this bourbon and why it has a spot on my shelf (hint – it’s the price point and for my old fashioned).
If you don’t have time to watch the whole video, here are my tasting notes:
I smell a lot of caramel corn and butterscotch on the nose of this. I also got hints of cinnamon, toffee, and oak.
This isn’t the best bourbon in the world, but it is decent. I taste a lot of booze upfront, then I get some cherry, cinnamon, and weak oak. This would make a great old fashioned.
The finish isn’t something memorable.
For $25.99, this is a solid buy, but it’s not going to knock your socks off like something in the $40-$50 range. And it just doesn’t carry the deep flavor like some barrel strength bourbons. I will keep one on hand for mixed drinks and the occasional (I don’t know what to drink) pour.
After having a tasting of Garrison Brothers Straight Bourbon Whiskey, our friend Tom pulled out a bottle of Three Boys Distilling (aka Whiskey Thief) and decided we should all take a taste. I’ve been down to Three Boys before, but I haven’t tasted it in years.
The favorite of the night for me, this one was packed full of flavor. It was interesting to see the responses from the rest of the Bourbon Council as we all had a little different opinion on this one.
In terms of tasting notes, it had the following:
Heavy cinnamon and oak on the nose.
A boozy start to the taste followed by some serious cinnamon throughout. Lots of hints of oak and caramel.
A finish of almost straight cherry. Really really tasting.
I really enjoyed this tasting and I thought this was a killer bottle.
I’ve had a bottle from the Garrison Brothers a few years ago and loved it. So I was excited to get a chance to try this when I heard there was one nearby.
This bottle was sent as a gift from my father-in-law’s college roommate (Kurt – Thanks for the bottle!) and he was gracious enough to share it. So we decided to do a tasting of the bourbon after our weekly dinner.
I sat down and did this tasting with my Bourbon Council. If you haven’t met the Bourbon Council, you are in for a treat. Dave, Mike, Chris, and Tom are a few of the members and they have sat down this evening to taste a bottle of Garrison Brothers Small Batch Texas Whiskey.
Each of the Bourbon Council members brings a different perspective on their tasting and bourbon overall. None of us are right on everything and we always talk about the bourbon and other random topics. If you would like to be a member of the council and want to join, you can find out more information here: https://www.patreon.com/indianabarrelpickclub
As for the Garrison Brothers Small Batch Texas Whiskey, the video can give you the opinions of all of the people who tasted it. My personal opinion, the bottle was a little young and had a real strong corn taste. This used to be one of my favorite tastes as it had a lot of sweetness, but I’m starting to shy away from the strong corn flavor. I got a little bit of oak, but I was looking for more. I think I could sit there and drink this with the best of them, but I’m not sure I would spend the money (around $90) to get a bottle. I would default to other bottles in a heartbeat. I appreciate the taste, but I’ll be a little trigger shy with Garrison Brothers in the future. I’ll side with their older products.
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I spent this post talking about why I started the Indiana Barrel Pick Club. I’ve always thought that writing was one form of expression, but a video is worth like 1,000 words. I sat down today and gave a run down on why I started the Indiana Barrel Pick Club and why you should consider joining.
In this review, I look at my time spent at the Moon Drops Distillery in Fortville, Indiana. Last week, my father-in-law and I took a trip to the distillery and I give my full review of the experience. Overall it was really good and I look forward to going back sometime in the future. In terms of a Moon Drops Bourbon Review, I thought the bourbon was ok and it could be improved, but it’s good enough to drink right now. I think their bourbon will be out of this world once they start bottling and serving their own.
I suggest you take a trip to the Moon Drops Distillery whenever you get a chance and you are int he Fortville area.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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)
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.
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.
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.
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).
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!
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.
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.
