Adventures on the 127 yard sale: The Best of The Bourbon Trail
Editor’s Note: This post is a part of our series on Delilah’s annual trip to the 127 yard sale. We’ll be back next week with DIY projects, recipes, inspiration and business tips. -Nicole S.
Another one of our favorite parts of the 127 yard sale have to do with things before the sale even begins—touring the official Bourbon Trail, and the many places that are “unofficial” Bourbon Trail. This year we visited both old favorites and others for the first time.
Just a few years old, this distillery is in Louisville and was a new visit for us. Their store and visitors area is a collection of shipping containers with a modern touch and drought-tolerant landscaping—both which where a little different from what we have usually seen but really striking and beautiful. Copper & Kings was also a treat by producing brandy and absinthe…very tasty!
We had to go back to this favorite from last year. Their Pot Still Reserve in a large bottle lasts us the entire year so we had to stock up! They also sell shirts that are a little different in what you would normally find and a nice selection of local bitters.
INDEPENDENT STAVE COMPANY/KENTUCKY COOPERAGE
We tried to revisit this cooperage last year (we had visited the year before and wanted to go back), but they were close for tours (insert sad face). Well this year they were open and rushed to Lebanon about 1.5 hrs outside of Louisville. If you have the change GO and take the tour—it’s free and simply amazing to see bourbon barrels made. They won’t allow photography, I would have posted a number of images, you just have to take my word that it is amazing. Make sure to bring cash if you want to buy a small barrel.
We don’t have access to the products from this distillery in California so if you like to have hard-to-find spirits, it pays to visit Bartons. You can sample 2 kinds of spirits at the counter but our favorite is a chocolate-cream liquor that is right up there with another one of our favorites—Buffalo Trace’s Bourbon Cream.
HEAVEN’S HILL + BOURBON HERITAGE CENTER
If this is your only time doing the Bourbon Tour you need to check out Heaven’s Hill and the Bourbon Heritage Center. There’s a number of products to try and lots of historical displays and other info that you can read about in addition to tours. It’s right down the street from Willet so you can kill two delicious birds.
This was a new stop for us and just inside the Louisville city limits, easy to get to if you don’t have a car. We happened to meet a few of the ladies who work there at Kentucky Cooperage and they were incredibly sweet and helpful! The store is thoughtfully designed with great gift items and of course spirits. The grounds are gorgeous and there is a great little museum next to the shop that is worth checking out. Just go on the tour and get the whole experience!
Another new stop that is new in general, this distillery just opened in June and is in Louisville. At the moment, they have moonshine and flavored moonshine, they’ll have whiskey/bourbon in the coming years (they are waiting for it to age). It’s a great stop and something a little different.
Ever since we discovered Bourbon Cream a few years ago, Buffalo Trace has been a regular stop before 127. This time we decided to take the “hard hat” tour as recommended by a few other people and if you do a single tour, this IS it. The oldest continuing distillery (they produced even during Prohibition—medicine y’all!), Buffalo Trace has a long history and the tour goes into it and then some. You see every step of the process from where they drop the grains, to the largest vats for fermentation to distillation…it gets hot and is a bit of a walk but after you have sweated your way though the barrel you get to taste the rewards with a few samples. NOTE: Buffalo Trace is in Frankfort, about 1 hour from Louisville.
In the next year, there will be several other distilleries opening in Louisville so we are looking forward to seeing and tasting more! Now that we have our yearly stock of Christmas gifts and bar supplies…we are ready to hunt for treasures on 127!
See you soon!
XXOO- D
