Welcome back to the chronicle of our spirited journey through Kentucky. When we last left off, my friends and I had just completed a whirlwind tour through several distilleries and were settling into Bardstown for the night. The adventure continued at a full sprint as we dove deep into the heart of bourbon country for our final two days, exploring the legendary distilleries of Bardstown before setting up a home base in Louisville for a weekend of both planned experiences and spontaneous discoveries.
Settling In: Our Louisville Home Base
After hitting three cities in three nights, it was a relief to finally park ourselves in one place. The Towneplace Suites in Louisville became our home for the last two nights of the trip. The suite was both comfortable and spacious, providing the perfect headquarters for our final two blind tastings. Its location was ideal, putting us within easy reach of everything we wanted to do in Louisville and minimizing our time in the car. And yes, the breakfast was excellent—probably the best spread we had all week.
The Tours Continue: Bardstown and Beyond
Friday in Bardstown
Our Friday was dedicated to the bourbon capital of the world. We began with a barrel thieving experience at the Bardstown Bourbon Company. Our guide, Elizabeth, led us into a rickhouse where three special barrels awaited. We drew samples directly from the cask: a wheated bourbon, a high-rye bourbon, and a rye whiskey, each a delicious, high-proof treat. I left with a bottle of their Origin Series rye, personally signed by the director of distilling.
Next, we motored over to Heaven Hill for their “You Do Bourbon” experience. Our hostess, Mary, guided us through four distillery-exclusive whiskeys: a Bernheim wheated whiskey, a Larceny wheated bourbon, an Elijah Craig barrel-proof rye (which had just arrived that morning), and an Elijah Craig barrel-proof bourbon. Every one of them was a winner, but we could only choose one to purchase. Scott and Tim both opted for the fantastic new rye, while I chose the Larceny. The best part was getting to fill our own bottles, handwrite the labels, and seal them ourselves.
From there, we visited Lux Row Distillery. Our guide, Roma, gave us a first-rate tour of the campus and a tasting of five great whiskeys, including a Rebel 10-year single barrel and a Lux Row double-barrel 12-year bourbon. Though I didn’t purchase a bottle, the tour was both informative and delicious.
We finished the day at Limestone Branch Distillery, home of Yellowstone bourbon. Our host, Angel, lived up to her name. After a history lesson and tour, she gave us our first opportunity of the trip to taste the mash directly from the fermentation tanks. It’s incredible to think that in just a few days, simple grains transform into a “distiller’s beer” that will eventually become bourbon. This behind-the-scenes moment might have been the most informative experience of the entire trip. The tasting that followed was equally impressive, and all three of us left with a bottle of their limited-edition Yellowstone Toasted Barrel.
Saturday in Louisville
After saying goodbye to Tim, who headed home to Tennessee, Scott and I embarked on a largely unscheduled day of exploration. We started at Rabbit Hole Distillery, whose upstairs bar offered interesting craft flights and a spectacular view of the Louisville skyline. After a quick stop at Angel’s Envy, we headed to Buzzard’s Roost Distillery. Our bartender, Ryan, set us up with a fantastic flight, and their Double Oaked bourbon became the final bottle I purchased for the trip—delicious and affordable. Ryan also gave us a great tip for dinner later.
Just around the corner was Green River, where our bartender, Lindsay, welcomed us into their backroom speakeasy. She took great care of us with a winning flight, and Scott was able to fill a custom moonshine-style jug with one of their single-barrel expressions. Lindsay also recommended we visit Michter’s later, where her boyfriend, Dallas, is the head bartender. We immediately booked a spot.
Next was Stitzel-Weller, a site steeped in bourbon history. While waiting for our tasting, we enjoyed a cheese board at the Garden and Gun Club bar. Our private tasting was led by Hannah, who brilliantly turned each dram into a chapter of Stitzel-Weller’s storied past.
The final flight of our trip was at Michter’s, where we met Dallas. He set us up with an incredible flight from the Michter’s family of spirits, including the ever-elusive Michter’s 10-Year Bourbon. It was the perfect final dram. We learned that part of Michter’s unique profile comes from how they age the wood for their barrels, a process that removes many of the tannins that can negatively affect the taste. It was a fascinating lesson and the perfect end to our distillery experiences.
More Culinary Hits
The food continued to impress. On Friday, on a hotel recommendation, we walked to the Mussel & Burger Bar. Tim and I both had a phenomenal burger topped with pork belly and a fried egg. On Saturday, we took Ryan’s advice and went to Hereafter Lou, a quirky spot she co-owns with her husband. The vibe was cool, and the food was excellent. Scott had a smash burger and chili, while I had the Bigfoot BBQ Smash and chicken meatballs. It was a satisfying meal and a cool connection to our bartender from earlier in the day.
The Final Blinds
My Blind (Friday): I hosted Friday’s blind, featuring six 100-proof Old Forester whiskeys. It was fun watching Scott and Tim try to identify my favorite distillery’s expressions. While they weren’t fans of the 1924, we all agreed on the winner: a concoction I call the “Old Forester Baby Birthday Bourbon.” I had combined several Old Forester bourbons to try and replicate the profile of their rare Birthday Bourbon, and the rich, creamy result was a major highlight of the trip.
Scott’s Blind (Saturday): Scott closed out the tastings with a bottled-in-bond blind featuring three whiskeys from Kentucky and three from Tennessee. We were both shocked when our composite rankings placed all three Kentucky bottles in the bottom three. Scott’s winner was a spicy, peppery Chattanooga Bottled-in-Bond, while my top choice was the Jack Daniel’s Bonded, with its rich banana notes that make it a perfect daily sipper for me.
Heading Home
On Sunday, we’ll drive toward Tennessee, where I’ll catch my flight back to Jacksonville. Along the way, we plan to visit as many stops on the Tennessee Whiskey Trail as we can to move our passport closer to completion. It has been such a fun week—almost perfect. This trip was not only worth doing, but it’s worth doing again, and again, and again. I can’t wait to come back!
Copyright © 2025 Doug DeBolt.
