Off the Tipsy Path, but on the Bourbon Trail

 

It is no secret that we like bourbon. So, what could be better than a weekend on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail?  Perhaps throw in a stay at a castle and let someone else do some of the driving … We did just that with a group of friends and here’s how it went!

First, if you have ever considered hitting the Kentucky Bourbon Trail … do it!  There are so many distilleries with such a variety of experiences, it’s hard to go wrong! If you love good food along with bourbon and a tour, Bardstown Bourbon Company is one we definitely recommend. Their bourbon is still aging so they do blends right now. But their visitor’s facility is world class.

 

Now, back to the weekend. Our first stop was for a tasty lunch and brews (yes, beer was on the agenda) at the Versailles Brewing Company – pronounced Ver-sales. It was a great way to start the weekend! More importantly, it was very close to our first stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and one that has been on Christy’s list for a while – Woodford Reserve. We drove ourselves and arrived on Friday afternoon. The visitor’s center is recently remodeled and very welcoming. Our version of the tour took us down the hill and into the distillery, where we learned about the distilling process, including the importance of the cypress wood fermentation vats (no steel containers here - just good old copper). They also took us inside one of the barrel houses! As every good tour should, it ended with a tasting of “the product.”  Woodford’s recent remodel also includes the addition of a tasting bar across the road, where we had a very good Woodford old fashioned before we hit the road again.

On to the castle! The Kentucky Castle was built by a husband for his wife in 1969. But like some fairy tales, this one ended in divorce. A couple of owners, a fire, and a major renovation later… the castle is now a fancy way to spend some time on the bourbon trail.  Our room included a sitting area in the turret, if that tells you anything. They have a restaurant and more importantly, a bar with a solid bourbon selection. Knowing his audience, the bartender made us some excellent Manhattans!

One benefit of the castle location in Versailles is that it’s about 15 minutes from downtown Lexington, which is where we chose to spend our Friday evening. We had some great food at Oscar Diggs and some fantastic cocktails at Bourbon on Rye, a classic downtown bar.

For the main activity on Saturday, the girls chose to spend some time at the castle spa while the boys hit the trail.

After a tasty breakfast at the castle, our day on the trail started with our driver from Pegasus who met us out front. Nothing better than NOT having to drive yourself around the Kentucky countryside to drink bourbon! We did our own trail weekends before, but this one included two stops that were #offthetipsypath to say the least.

First, Bulleit. This brand has seen a dramatic increase in popularity in recent months because of a certain TV show based in Montana on which the characters are said to enjoy Bulleit bourbon. We agree that Bulleit is particularly good in a Manhattan. The Bulleit facility is relatively new, especially compared to the historic distilleries. The tour included a short walk and a ride on the tour bus to the distillery itself, but not a visit to the barrel houses. The tasting afterward was unique in that it included tins of various items like nuts, cinnamon etc. designed to enhance your palate as we tasted the varieties of Bulleit. They also had a bar just off from the gift shop where we purchased a very tasty Manhattan. 

On our way to the next stop, our driver suggested we stop for lunch at Heavens to Betsy, a cafe in historic Lawrenceburg. We certainly never would have stumbled onto this on our own, but we’re glad we did!

The town is also home to Four Roses Distillery, which was our destination. Four Roses definitely has that historic look and feel, but with a new visitors’ center and tasting area. One bonus – they provided headsets for each of us so we could hear the tour guide, even around the loud machinery.

So for the day, Bulleit wins for the actual bourbon, but Four Roses had the better overall experience.

Saturday night we went back into Lexington to Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse, where we had the best meal of the trip for sure! The food, drinks and service were all excellent.

One more note about the castle itself – it’s definitely a unique way to spend a weekend! There were a few hiccups, like the heating and cooling, but customer service made up for it.

On Sunday, we had time for one more distillery, and we lucked into a tour at our favorite, Buffalo Trace. These tours book up months ahead, but we got on the wait list and the bourbon gods were smiling. Buffalo Trace is a must-do in our opinion – not only because most of our favorite bourbons are made there, but they have the visitor experience down to an art. The tour was an excellent walk around the grounds and through the buildings, including a visit to one of the barrel houses, and of course the tasting at the end. On the day we visited, the shop had a stock of Weller Special Reserve on the shelf (one of Scott’s favorites). Knowing they would sell out during the tour, they had put aside enough bottles for every one of us on the tour to purchase.  Now THAT’s customer service!

As we mentioned before, we’ve been to other distilleries including Maker’s Mark, which we also highly recommend for the grounds, tour and overall experience – especially if you get the chance to dip your own bottles in the signature red wax! We enjoy the small towns like Frankfort and Bardstown and will definitely be back on the trail again!

As always, let us know what you think and if you have any questions or suggestions!