Last week we met my husband’s brother and sister-in-law for a vacation together. They’ve only been married for a year and 10 months, and we really wanted to spend some time with them. Kentucky was a good halfway point, as they live in Ohio, so we planned to do a few distillery tours and a couple of other things. You all know that I am a bourbon gal. It is my drink of choice when I am going to have one, and I also like to cook with it. Sometimes I put it in the food, too, see my Bourbon Chicken. So doing a part of the Bourbon Trail has been on my list for a while. When we planned this, we had no idea that Monday of our trip would be a total eclipse! So, we were a lot closer to the totality zone than we would have been at home. Although the clouds obscured the moment of peak totality, we were able to see most of the partial, and experience the twilight of totality. On the way up, it was raining much of the way, but the route was gorgeous with redbuds blooming along Highway 75, with spring green coming out all over too.
It was like this on much of the drive, the redbuds were just stunning, in full bloom and masses of them along the roadside.
And more..
When we got near our destination, Versailles, the horse farms were beautiful. Rolling hills with mostly black stained wood fencing defined pastures of verdant green grass. The white fencing apparently is being phased out as the darker is easier to maintain.
It is foaling season, and we saw lots of adorable baby horses.
These were just across the street from our bed and breakfast.
We took a tour of a candy company, but they didn’t allow photos. The candy was heavenly, wrapped in a little piece of red paper. The ones with pecans have a white bourbon nougat center, and the truffles were chocolate bourbon centers. Yum!
This was Castle and Key Distillery, that has a long and interesting history. I loved the old buildings. In all we did three bourbon distillery tours over the week, this one, Buffalo Trace and Woodford Reserve.
I think the best tour we did was to see how they make the white oak barrels that the bourbon is aged in. The barrel making process is called cooperage, and this one is the biggest one in the world according to our guide. The exhibit set up in the waiting area told the story, then they took us to the manufacturing area where workers were busy making barrels. They showed us the whole process, watching a barrel assembly from pounding the slats together through the charring process, adding the end pieces called heads, and inspections.
They didn’t allow photos on the tour, but I found this one online that is pretty close to what we saw. This firing process to char the inside is less than a minute long, but it is impressive! Fun facts, bourbon barrels are always made new, and can only be used one time for bourbon. After that, they are sold to beer and wine makers for their use.
I found a video online as well, and linked it for you to see much of what we saw, click on – Kentucky Cooperage. On to the next spot, we saw several of these very large horse barns. Again, it was raining, so the photos are not as bright as usual.
The best of the distillery tours was at Woodford Reserve. They had a number of beautiful old buildings, and the newer ones were built to blend in with the surrounding areas. This was the main distillery.
Vats of fermenting mash looked like they were boiling, but in fact were not that warm. The bubbles are carbon dioxide escaping from the fermentation process.
Distilling is in copper vats. The tour guide said nothing is wasted, as the mash left over is given to farmers to feed their very happy cows.
We then saw the barrel filling operation, and how they move these huge and very heavy barrels to the warehouse by the same gravity feed rails that they have been using for over 100 years. Barrels have a 53 gallon capacity at their filling, and weigh over 500 pounds. When the barrels are filled, the liquid is clear. It is the char and the wood that give bourbon its color and taste.
The barrels are stored for not less than 2 years and up to 12 years (and sometimes more) in a rick house. During storage, the barrels will lose almost half their volume due to evaporation, called the angels share. The atmospheric changes of heat in the summer and cold in winter expand and contract the wood, pulling the bourbon into the wood then squeezing it out again.
At the end of the tour, we got to sample their bourbons. Just a sip was enough, I liked the main Woodford Reserve best. I thought I would like the wheat version, but turns out the rye grain gives the bourbon its spicy taste that I like. My brother in law really like the Rye Whiskey best. The grain ratio has to be at least 51% corn to be called bourbon. The first four of these was a different ratio of grains – corn, wheat, rye, or barley. The last one was the same ratio as the first, but aged a lot longer. We learned a lot about aroma, color, flavor notes – it was much like a wine tasting.
You cannot visit Kentucky without having a Hot Brown. It is ham, turkey, bacon and a tomato slice on white bread, covered in a white mornay sauce and topped with cheese, then broiled until lightly brown. This is comfort food on a plate, and no it did not come with any sides. No way could you eat any more than this! In fact, our last dinner there, we went back to the same spot and split one so we could have a side salad with it.
Of course, quilters see patterns everywhere. This one was in a restroom.
On the way home, the wisterias were in bloom in North Carolina along the road. They were gorgeous as well, but once again it was a heavy overcast day and photos were difficult.
Rain all week didn’t put a damper on our fun. One day was pouring, so we decided to take over the game table at the bed and breakfast and play cards all afternoon, munching on cheddar crackers, fresh carrots and cherry tomatoes, ranch dip, summer sausage and a variety of cheeses with crackers. The most important thing was spending time together, rather than slog through some outdoor attraction in the rain. We had such a great time, we are already planning to meet in Kentucky next year and do more things that we didn’t get to this year.
This coming week, I’ll get busy in the garden and cleaning up the veranda. It is time to move plants outside, get the hanging baskets done, and clean off the table for al fresco dining.
What did you do this past week? Any fun plans for next week?
From My Carolina Home 
Carole, what a fun week for you all! I love Kentucky’s horse country. I enjoyed your photos and commentary!
It was a week a visiting for us too. My husband’s sister & her husband came from CA to NY for the eclipse. It was cloudy so we couldn’t see the sun, but incredibly dark at totality. The bourbon trail sounds fantastic. We live near wine trails & have enjoyed a tasting (or two). We’re also near a living history museum with a cooperage. I had fun chatting with the artisan last summer. My grandfather was a cooper, a sought after skill at the many breweries in town. Thanks for taking us on another delightful tour.
What fun, looks like you had a nice week in spite of the rain.
Hi y’all from Louisville Kentucky! I’m so glad you enjoyed our state, springtime in Kentucky is beautiful when the dogwoods and redbuds are blooming. My husband’s favorite bourbons are Buffalo Trace and Evan Williams, so you picked some good ones. Rebecca Ruth candy is a tradition around here as well, I love their bourbon balls. Right now Derby is coming up and we’ll be eating Derby Pie, a chocolatey pecan pie. If you have time next trip, try spending some time in Bardstown to see My Old Kentucky Home and the distilleries around there. The Kentucky Horse Park and Shakertown at Pleasant Hill are also great destinations. Enjoyed your description of your vacation and I hope it’s sunny and warm next time!
That is actually the plan! We are going to rent a house for more privacy in or near Bardstown, and see more of the destinations. I want to do the Maker’s Mark tour next time too. We planned to do the Kentucky Horse Park but the day we could go it was pouring rain. So, we’ll catch that one next time.
Makers Mark is a good tour, when we went they let you see them dipping the top of the bottles in wax. You may be able to do one yourself (I’m sure for a small fee, of course!)
What a fun trip! Thanks for sharing and explaining the bourbon making process, so fascinating! My son recently gave me a bottle of Pecan Praline bourbon, which is the best thing I’ve ever tasted! I pour just a little on the rocks, sip and enjoy, so good! I know the countryside was beautiful, and I love the way you didn’t let the weather interrupt your fun~
Jenna
Gosh I enjoyed this post! A few years ago we did a few of the Bourbon Trail tours & a horse farm that had bred several famous KY Derby winners. I don’t like hooch much, but did enjoy the tastings with explanations of ingredients. You never know what you might enjoy on-site, so I go along & also enjoy watching my husband enjoy it ALL! Thanks for the memories!
It sounds like it nice to meet in the “middle” and enjoy time together! Indoor tours do make the best of bad weather, and good planning helps. Your afternoon of cards sounds very relaxing! Glad you enjoyed your week on vacation.
I’m so glad you got to have such a fun visit..Here? I’VE been pulling weeds..all week..If only I could grow flowers as well as weeds my yard would be show worthy..
Gorgeous photos! What an amazing trip.
we did kind of the same things in Kentucky one year I am thinking we did a whisky tour instead.
Oh Carole …
what a fun outing !
we did the same thing last year !
we’re always headed to Florida…but wander off to side trips as we pass
we went to Jack Daniel’s & Jim Beam
bought tiny little whiskey barrel Xmas ornaments ….we always get a tiny ornament of places we’ve been…so our granddaughter we’re raising remembers all our trips & adventures
Don’t miss mammoth cave next time …
and there’s a beautiful catholic shrine/church back off the road that is run by a convent of sisters …. It’s breathtaking
we also found the Rebecca Ruth candy factory & got some goodies for the road !
there’s also the Kentucky crafters building in BEREA Ky … all handmade crafts on display & for sale
we just got back from spring break through that route …the redbuds were gorgeous …. Growing out of gray rock walls ..looked like a great puzzle scene
sounds like a great time!!
We plan to go back again next year, so I need to make a good list!
What a great experience for you as a bourbon lover! I have a niece and nephew who live in OH who’ve completed the entire bourbon trail..apparently there are passbooks of sorts where you get stamps along the way.
We had torrential rains last week (Thurs), so much so our interstate even had flash flooding right in the center of town, with hilltop runoff from a retaining wall. It was a scary followup to unheard of tornadoes (in WV) and derecho storms the week before!
Enjoyed this blog very much. I
Thank you so much!!
What a fun trip, Carole! Beautiful scenery and interesting places to visit. We will actually be in Kentucky at the end of this coming week for a couple days. I didn’t think of bourbon tasting, but we did find a couple of wineries. Maybe I will order a hot brown for dinner one of the nights!
What a wonderful time you all had together. We have done most of the whiskey trail in KY and TN and I loved all your pictures and comments. It brought back a fun memory. I will have to check out that candy store the next time we go to Bardstown, one of our favorite places in KY.
Thank you so much for taking me along on this adventure. I had such a great time 🙂
Thank you for your wonderful travel and visit report. I really appreciate you sharing your beautiful photos.
Oh Carole, what a fun week! You really maxed out the time, and even though the weather didn’t cooperate, who cares that much when lots of your tours were inside and you had a great B&B. The tours look fascinating and I learned a lot from this post. You sorely needed a break and this sounds like a perfect one. Three cheers!
It’s so good to have a little getaway, chill out, and leave the everyday worries behind. This one sounds fantastic. Thanks for sharing. My daughter celebrated her 50th birthday yesterday so this week has been full of party preparation. We enjoyed a lovely time with many friends. Still trying to figure out how I can have a 50 year old daughter. Wow!
It sound like you had a great trip despite the dismal weather. It’s been cool and rainy here for mosrt of the last week and it will continue into next week. The overcast skies meant we missed seeing totality, but the positive side of our cool weather means the daffodils have lasted more than 3 weeks. They are just fading now. Looks like I’ll be spending time indoors again this week. The weeds will be taking over.
Greatly enjoyed your post and information. Sorry about the rain that accompanied you as we’ve been experiencing wind, rain storms and even earthquake and aftershocks this week. Better days ahead!! (Fingers crossed)….
Love the tour of the tour, sounds like my kind of thing. You are right, quilters find designs everywhere, I found one in my boyfriend’s home in the bathroom that is tiled with marble squares and a four patch with four of the squares attached. The tile are big but the pattern is really interesting and no doubt, would make an interesting quilt.
We are way ahead of you in my part of GA, (SW of ATL about 18 miles), just came out of the garden, onions doing great, okra, radishes, green beans squash, watermelon all up and doing well. Tomato and pepper plants growing.
I enjoyed your visit to Kentucky! Even though the weather was a bit sad it was good to see that you had a lovely time and enjoyed your time with family. Fantastic idea to meet in the middle. Visiting new places with convivial company and enjoying the proceeds is always a plus. Thank you for taking us along too. And isn’t Kentucky a beautiful part of the world!?
cheers
Mary :))
Looks like you had a great time.
That sounds like an ideal vacation!
I’m glad you mentioned wisteria! My husband and I moved to NC over a decade ago and have just been calling them “grape flowers” each spring! We had no idea what they were called!
Hi Carole, Th
What a fantastic tour of the distillery. I felt as though I was there with you. Thank you so much for sharing. “Barrels have a 53 gallon capacity at their filling, and weigh over 500 pounds. When the barrels are filled, the liquid is clear. It is the char and the wood that give bourbon its color and taste.” All of the information was fascinating. I’ve never tried bourbon but it looks as though I would be limited to the corn version due to my celiac disease. Still, I’d like to try it once.
You had such a great week, Carole! It’s very busy here this week. I am taking apart my wedding dress to make lingerie for Girl #2, and my studio piano recital is this weekend, along with two books recitals I am accompanying. Today we used my free morning to finish setting up much of the garden panels and got the potatoes and onions in. The garlic, lettuce and beets are up in the raised beds, and after today’s storm, the grass has turned green!
This is an educational and interesting read. I didn’t know about the firing of the barrels. I too love old buildings and their history.
Thanks for sharing your vacation. Good pics and I’m drooling over that sandwich.