This is a great time of year to visit Kentucky, especially if you're coming from the north. Generally, the onset of cold weather there is about two weeks behind what it is here in Chicago.
Plus, now there is something new to see and do.
Yesterday, Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear announced the launch of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour, a new tourism adventure that links the state’s micro-distilleries. The Governor made the announcement with Lexington Mayor Jim Gray at Barrel House
Distillery, part of the city’s new Distillery District.
The new tour, featuring seven artisan distilleries stretching from Marshall to Mason
counties, is designed to complement the Kentucky Bourbon Trail experience that has
become one of the Commonwealth’s most popular attractions.
Eric Gregory, President of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA), which will coordinate the tour, said Kentucky is the first and only state with an expedition specifically designed to showcase its flourishing craft distilling industry. Gregory said the camaraderie between historic and boutique distilleries played a key role in forging this new attraction. “For 200 years, one of the distinctive hallmarks of our
industry has been the fellowship between distilleries, no matter how big or small. We’re proud that tradition continues today and will ensure that Kentucky remains the
one, true authentic home for Bourbon."
The seven founding craft distilleries are:
Barrel House Distillery in Lexington, Corsair Artisan Distillery in Bowling Green,
Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, MB Roland Distillery in Pembroke, Old Pogue Distillery in Maysville, Silver Trail Distillery in Hardin, and the Willett Distillery in Bardstown.
The tour will officially launch on Thursday, Oct. 18, with the “Bung Heard ‘Round the
World” event. Each distillery will have a press conference with local dignitaries and
pound a bung into a barrel at 10 a.m. EST to signify that the tour is open for business.
Chuck-Anne and I were in Bowling Green Kentucky yesterday to run the Medical Center 10k. The race passed the Corsair Artisan Distillery. So after the race, we stopped by. It is a small operation (about 6 employees), but they were really friendly and welcoming to us. They showed us the still they use and the barrals used to age and the bottling machine.They are doing some creative things to whiskey and gin and making crafted products. I am not sure of this niche in the industry, but it is interesting.
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