WELCOME TO KENTUCKY
By Alek Olson, ATF Magazine
Fried chicken, Horse Country, Muhammed Ali, Bluegrass (the music and the landscape), giant baseball bats, college basketball, Churchill Downs, Baptists, Rand Paul, and rolling hills. These are all things that come to mind when I think of Kentucky. You may be thinking, “You are missing the obvious one on the list!” You would be right - bourbon, I was missing bourbon.
Since the early 1700s, Kentucky was settled by primarily Scottish and Irish farmers who knew their way around growing corn. They used their ability to grow corn efficiently to barter with the state of Virginia, allowing them to settle in what is now the state of Kentucky. Similarly to the analogy “If you give a monkey a hammer, some nails, and some wood, he would eventually make something that resembled a house.”, the settlers eventually found a way to make bourbon out of their excess corn. They had the raw materials, the agricultural knowledge, the environmental advantages, and the willpower to create the product we all know and love! Was bourbon at the time in the same form as what we know and love today? Maybe or maybe not. We will never know.
What we do know is that there are countless tales of how exactly bourbon came to be. One is that the Baptist minister, Elijah Craig, accidentally stored his whiskey in barrels that had previously been burned in a fire. Other legends consist of storing whiskey in barrels that were previously used to transport fish down the Ohio River and to rid the barrels of the stench of fish, they burned the insides of the barrels before using them to store their whiskey. The list of legends goes on and each distillery holds on to its own lore, but all that truly matters is that we are able to enjoy the amazing product that has been developed over the centuries, bourbon.
Although Kentucky is known for being “Bourbon Country '', bourbon does not need to be made in Kentucky. There are three rules for a distillate to qualify as bourbon. Rule number one – it needs to be made in the U.S. Rule number two – the mash bill needs to consist of no less than 51% corn. Rule number three – it needs to be stored for any length of time in a brand-new charred oak barrel. Even though the rules are so simple, Kentucky still produces approximately 95 percent of the world's bourbon. That is partially due to the culture and history that bour- bon has in the state of Kentucky, but also due to the prime environment that the Bluegrass State is to produce bourbon.
The state of Kentucky is positioned on top of large blue limestone deposits. Limestone acts as a natural filter that rids the water of heavy minerals, toxins, and sediment. Being that the main ingredient of bourbon is water, the natural purification of the area's water is ideal for creating the perfect environment for crops to grow and supplying water that is often added to bourbon in the production process. The other environmental advantage that Kentucky has is its location. Due to it being in the central United States, it gets all four seasons without the harsh weather swings of the far north or deep south. This climate causes the whiskey barrels in storage to absorb and exude the whiskey from within the barrel staves as the wood constricts and expands as the weather changes. The more bourbon interacts with the white oak, the more flavor that the sugars in the wood will im- part on the spirit - thus giving the bourbon a fuller and richer flavor.
I could write a book on the history of bourbon and every minute detail of the process, but this is not the time for that. I will say that the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky is a destination everyone should experience. It spans from cities such as Louisville, Bardstown, Loretto, Lexington, Shelbyville, and many more. Each area of the state is known for its own rich history in bourbon. Louisville hosts brands such as Angels Envy, Old Forester, Michters, and the Elijah Craig Experience on Whiskey Row in the heart of downtown Louisville. For a deeply educational yet enjoyable tour experience, check out Old Forester! They have a highly trained team of well-trained staff that know the history, and the process, and have the teaching experience to walk you through the tour and tasting experience to remember! Bardstown is the quintessential scene for the small-town whiskey industry, but it packs a punch. Brands like Willett, Heaven Hill, and Barton 1792, Four Roses, Jim Beam, and many more. We had the privilege of visiting Willett in September and they have their property, tours, and product dialed in. It is a great place to spend the day, go on a tour, walk the property, and enjoy a whiskey tasting and a meal at the Bar at Willett!
Moving northeast, you will find Lexington. The Lexington area is known as “Horse Country”. It is the home of The Keeneland Racetrack, James E. Pepper, Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, Castle & Key, Town Branch, and many more noteworthy distilleries and tourist attractions! On our bourbon trail tour, the distillery tour that sticks out is the James E. Pepper distillery. The Old Pepper Distillery was brought back to life by Amir Peay in 2008. The history of the distillery and the brand was too rich for Amir to ignore, so he resurrected the brand and the property to resemble its previous state in 1934. It is a small operation that packs one hell of a punch. Due to their close attention to the history that brought them to this point, they replicated the original mash bill and the original three- story-tall copper Vendome still. Large brands like Buffalo Trace absolutely have their place, but the history, product, and passion that Amir and his team at the Old Pepper Distillery (page 42) is second to none and is worth taking the time to experience what they have to offer!
Kentucky, the bourbon trail, and the many distilleries that there are to tour, and experience make Kentucky one of our favorite places to visit. There is truly something for everyone! Beautiful scenery, events for the whole family to enjoy, and all of the bourbon you could ever dream of! Do yourself a favor and be sure to take a trip to Kentucky and experience the bourbon trail!
