bobbyc Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 I got out of work a little early today and spent some time in Bardstown. First I went to the Library which is across the street from the Talbot Tavern. I was looking for Bourbon books. They have the ones most of us have , and a few others . Mostly the ones I hadn't heard of , deal with the Scots and Irish. They do have Chuck's video there, Made and Bottled in Ky, ready to be checked out. I found an old comfortable chair ( it had to be from the 50s) and looked a few things over. No serious scholarly pursuit here, just reading for entertainment. I headed out and over to Toddy's , Not much new over there but it still is the best stocked liquid entertainment store in Bardstown. He is selling Elijah Craig 1.75ml for 29.99 and 3 of them for 80 dollars. Wow! ( not today but it is in the back of my mind) Guthrie was working on the shelves , moving all his Wild Turkey products to the top shelf and putting all of them together. The Evan Williams Distillers Masterpiece are slowly disappearing here and I do know where there are plenty , but at over 30 bucks each, ouch! I found a couple here for 19.99 each. We talked about a few things , the Henry McKenna in the stone jar are all mostly gone, the 200 year Jim Beam anniversary that sat on shelves every where for too long , only to go in a flash at the end. A few more stops and I was heading home . It wasn't Bardstown in the middle of September, but an enjoyable afternoon nonetheless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 Leslie and I love Bardstown. We have spent several days there taking distillery tours and antique shopping. We almost came down this past weekend, save for family coming into town. I think we will go down weekend after next for lunch a the tavern and some shopping. I have heard a lot about this Toddy's but have never been there. How is the selection compared to say the Liquor Barn? How are the prices? Bardstown is the picture-perfect small american town. What a perfect setting for the home of bourbon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted January 22, 2003 Author Share Posted January 22, 2003 Me and BettyeJo, BrendaJ , and my wife had lunch at Dagwoods there a few months ago, Good eats , lots of fun. Toddy's is the place as far as liquor is concerned in Bardstown, Old Ky Home Liquors is okay but doesn't have the selection. He has most everything LB has , a few things they don't, ( Old Bourbon Hollow , which is a dog and cat label for Jim Beam, I'd be surprized if it's any better than Beam White 4Yo, I have a bottle , it does have a neat label.) He has both of Distillers Masterpiece, which doesn't make any real difference to me , I can't do that. The VanWinkles are well represented , not sure if he has them all but he does have the new 20 year Pappy. All of the Antique Collection , minus of course GTS. I saw something odd there today, it was Old Charter Pro. Reserve only in the same bottle as Weller Centennial/Wathens/ET Lee. It has hertitage collection on the neck band. A cost control measure? Toddy's is in walking distance of Talbot Tavern. Walter ( Toddy) Beam died only a few years ago, they have 2 bigger than life, real nice pictures of him at the Getz. One is PreProhibition and the other is after, If you see them pay attention to the prices of the products. My brother lives in Bardstown and said when they had his funeral, that there were 2 lines of honorary pallbearers from the street to the front of St. Joseph Church. ( That's a long way for those of you who haven't seen it.)As far as prices he is competitive with LB and beats them on a few things. On the stuff he is higher on , you'd have to buy a couple hundred dollars worth to save enough to pay for a trip to Louisville. I like searching the liquor stores for dusty forgotten bottles but I think everyone is on to that by now. I'd like to catch up with you when you are in Bardstown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrel_Proof Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 Many thanks for that story, Bobby. Your words were thoughtful, informative, and made me pine for a visit to Bardstown.Let me just say, as well, that the tone of Bobby's post and Jeff's reply are a welcome counterpoint to the intolerance and invective that, unfortunately, rears its ugly little head on the board upon occasion. I've visited and learned here for a couple of years now, but disappeared following a particularly nasty series of postings after the 2001 Festival. I thought, then: wow, if that's they way bourbonians who meet each other at the Festival write to and about one another afterwards, I'll sit on the sidelines. But, alas, a love for this great Kentucky elixir has brought me back to the board.Postings like Bobby's help build a community among us. Please accept my thanks AND a toast to civility and good cheer. I'm sippin' a wee drop of Stagg in your honor now! --Cliff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted January 22, 2003 Author Share Posted January 22, 2003 Thank You Cliff, you are too kind. Stagg back at you , Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CL Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 I need to show my wife your post. When I drove through Bardstown last July, I thought it would be a great place for the wife and I to escape. Alas, when I mentioned it to my wife, she thought that I wanted to visit just to get closer to more bourbon. (Only partially true! And not the main reason to go. Just icing on the cake.) But, now that you mention antiques, I think I can hook her. It has so much irony for me that when I was a kid (before the Gene Snyder southern leg was in place!), I HATED for my parents to drag us to My Ol' Kentucky Home. In fact, my Dad's parents (not the bourbon grandfather I had), lived in Fern Creek, outside Louisville, off of Bardstown Road. I will always remember coming out Brentlinger Road, onto Bardstown Road, there was a sign for OKH pointing to the left. I don't remember how long it took to get there, but, when you were one of six kids in the back of a station wagon, it seemed to take forever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 Toddy's has a good selection and you may find some odd balls there you won't find at Liquor Barn, but overall the selection is probably a little better at Liquor Barn, as are the prices. Toddy's is competitive, however, convenient if you're in Bardstown, and is, after all, the main local liquor store for the capital of bourbon country, which is worth something in itself. It's a cute little store, the people are nice, and Toddy was a real guy, a Beam relative (long since retired and maybe dead, maybe one of our local operatives knows). I like to go there when I'm in town because it's Toddy's. I mean, the drinks don't taste any different at the Talbot, but it's the Talbot! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest **DONOTDELETE** Posted January 22, 2003 Share Posted January 22, 2003 Yo Chucky Baby you are just so right! Look Out! It's Linn! ACK! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bourbonmed Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 Jeff, Toddy's owner (Guthrie) is a class act. Go spend a few bucks. For the past two festivals, Evan Williams Master Distiller (Parker) has been in the store, chatting with Guthrie's clients & signing autographs with a sharpie. I've seen Booker, Julian and Jimmy Russell stop by. Put in a special order and chances are Guthrie can get the Master Distiller to sign it before you pick it up. The Giammarcos, Mark and yours truly have purchased our fair share @ Toddy's. Last year, he had great deals on Makers collectibles. If you go soon, look for the Jim Beam Distiller's Masterpiece bottle on top shelf and check out the dedication and autograph. (Hey, I ran out of money). Talk soon. Got a dinner date w/ Elijah Craig SB 18 tonight. Cheers, Omar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marvin Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 Bardstown is my favorite spot in the whole world, except maybe Virginia, which is where my favorite general is from. Come on man, splurge, postpone buying that new car-grab a couple of bottles of Distiller's Masterpiece and bring them to the bourbon festival and we will help you empty them!Cheers,Marvin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted January 23, 2003 Author Share Posted January 23, 2003 Marvin, I have a theory, that goes like, You're pretty much welcome anywhere if you bring Stagg. If I understand you , You're saying it works with Distillers Masterpiece as well? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MurphyDawg Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 </font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /> ). I like to go there when I'm in town because it's Toddy's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MurphyDawg Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 Shit, you come bearing a bottle of Evan Williams 7 Year Black label to my house and your welcome! If you bring something like Stagg or Distillers Masterpiece and we roll out the red carpet, get out the fine china and string quartet!BLLEEEEEEE!!!TomC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paradox Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 Why Thank you Tom. Everyone isn't kidding that Toddys is the place to go either! Me and Chris drove to maybe 5-6 other stores in the area just looking around and Toddys beats them all hands down. Yeah Liquor Barn has a great selelction and all but for a small beautiful place like Bardstown, Toddys just fits right in! Here's to toddys Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepcycle Posted January 23, 2003 Share Posted January 23, 2003 Why does a "Dirty Water" Hot Dog taste best in Manhattan? Why do shrimp taste better in Key West? Its the atmosphere!! So Toddy's it is Bourbon bought in Bardstown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted January 23, 2003 Author Share Posted January 23, 2003 Toddy's is all over it. His isn't a real big store , maybe 2-3000 SF , where Liquor Barn is probably 20 or 30 thousand SF. Another thing is , looks can be deceiving. Toddys has almost everything LB has as far as Bourbon is concerned, it looks like he has less because he keeps all his 1.75ml in cases in the middle of the place , while LB lines them out with the 1 liters and the 750ml. He is cheaper on some things as well. Factor in that he has some things they don't have and you stop shopping price right there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MurphyDawg Posted January 24, 2003 Share Posted January 24, 2003 </font><blockquote><font class="small">In reply to:</font><hr /> it was Old Charter Pro. Reserve only in the same bottle as Weller Centennial/Wathens/ET Lee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted January 25, 2003 Author Share Posted January 25, 2003 $ 20-something, Didn't really pay attention to price . It's less than 30 for sure , I think 24 or 26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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