Labrot and Graham to become Woodford Reserve Distillery

[pepcycle]

L&G to WR Distillery

Well, the days of the free tour are over.

L&G will be renamed Woodford Reserve Distllery and they will charge for the tour.

[Marvin]

I agree!!! I guess they don't care who is buying their bourbon and I think they forgot something-namely their customers. So I guess I will just have to forget about them. This is greed "in the first degree". . By the way, where did this information come from!!

Cheers,

Marvin

[CL]

I don't like it any more than you, Marvin, but we do live in America. It's BF's right to charge what the market will bear. The horse pastures on the drive out to L&G are absolutely beautiful. L&G is a postcard picture perfect place itself. If my single visit to L&G in 2002 is any indication, they will have no problem getting tourists to pony up the $5. When I was there, the overwhelming majority of people taking the tour were well-to-do 50-something couples, who were there for the sights, not the bourbon. So, if you ask me, they understand their market perfectly and they are doing what any reasonable business would do. Sad for us, but good for them.

[Paradox]

I'm glad I did L&G this year because I will never spend $5 to see their distillery again. One because no place else charges for tours, I dont care how beautiful L&G may be... MM is nice as well and even with their high prices for just about everything they do not charge for tours. Secondly because their (L&G) bourbon doesn't do much for me anyway so seeing the place isn't that important, horses or no horses on the ride in. Actually maybe #2 would be because they showed their true colors trying to run Barton's out of the marketplace over something that is trivial.

[boone]

High Five to ya

I couldn't have said it better...Maker's does not charge a fee for thieir tour and in my opinion...Maker's Mark has L&G beat by a country mile...Wild Turkey does not charge...and Heaven Hill does not charge for a tour...

Brown and Foreman is going after Barton's...and now they are comming for us

Bettye Jo

[CL]

I'd still recommend that someone who hasn't gone to L&G that it is worth the $5. I think it's worth it for the ability to stand next to the fermenting vats and to walk right up to the pot stills. Sure, it sucks to pay for something that was once free, but if someone is from out of state and has spent alot of time and money to get to KY, what's $5 more?

[Paradox]

Hell, we come from out of state and I'd put that $5 towards buying bourbon, dessert with dinner or an array of other things. There are simply WAY too many other distilleries to go to that have beautiful tours and gounds such as BT, MM, FR to name a few, for free. Seeing all of them will fill up plenty of time in a day or probably two. Once you've seen things like the frementing vats at one distillery they are damn near the same at the next. And if they are hoping to get the $5 because people will want to stand next to the infamous pot stills, here. Nothing so special about it, a picture will do fine... For me it's the principle behind it and I am sure others feel the same way, but I do see your point as well Chuck.

[CL]

So, if we are ever in Lexington at the same time, let's skip L&G (oops, WRD) and buy each other a drink with our $5 we saved!

[Paradox]

Now that's making good use of the $5 we can save!

[doubleblank]

I hate to keep comparing the bourbon business to the wine business (I own 10 acres of vinyards in Anderson Valley, CA), but here goes. Give me something really cool for my $5 in addition to the tour....like an etched bourbon glass as a souvenier. It could have their logo, one of their products,etc on it and I'd probably drink out of it back home. 20 years ago, wine tastings were free in Napa....but not any more. But they do give you the glass.

DoubleBlank

[pepcycle]

I found this posted on the B-F site.

More detail on name change and tours.

Woodford Reserve Distillery

[kitzg]

nice web page you have there, Mark.

I think B-F is losing touch with reality: charging for a tour in a distillery that can't make the bourbon it is named after.

[MurphyDawg]

From the article Ed posted I saw the following:

At the conclusion of the tour, visitors age 21 and older will be allowed to taste the Woodford Reserve produced at the distillery.

Hmmmm. . . that wording seems a tad dicey to me. . .

TomC

[jeff]

Hmmmm. . . that wording seems a tad dicey to me. . .

So that's how they will get rid of the pot stilled whiskey; Give it to the tourists

[tdelling]

From the posted URL at Brown-Forman:

" The second tour is the "Woodford Reserve 'Corn to Cork' Tour," and it will

lead guests through an in-depth examination of the mechanical, chemical,

technical, and sensory aspects of producing bourbon. "

To me, that's awesome. I'll gladly pay $5 to get the nitty gritty tour.

I'm very glad they're offering separate tours: fluff for those who want

it, and the real deal for the real Bourbonian.

Again quoting from the website:

"...and a new archive building that will provide bourbon aficionados the

opportunity to peruse historic articles and photographs (by appointment...)"

And that's great, too. "By appointment" keeps out the casual tourist,

but they're allowing the amateur "afficionado" in.

If we're lucky, they'll use this a real archive, and it'll be a nice

resource.

Tim Dellinger

[cowdery]

The Brown-Forman Press Release

LABROT & GRAHAM DISTILLERY NAME CHANGED TO WOODFORD RESERVE DISTILLERY

New Veranda Opened; Food Service Expanded; New Tours Offered

Louisville, KY, October 28, 2003 - Brown-Forman announced today that it is changing the name of its Woodford County distillery and visitor's center to The Woodford Reserve Distillery, Labrot & Graham Proprietors. The change is being made to recognize Woodford Reserve Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey's status as the top-selling small batch bourbon in Kentucky and one of the fastest-growing bourbons in the country.

Brown-Forman is also expanding the features and amenities available at The Woodford Reserve Distillery. A spacious new picnic veranda has been added to the visitor's center, allowing up to 70 guests to take in the beautiful natural scenery of the grounds while savoring the culinary delights of chef-in-residence David Larson. And for the first time since the facility's opening in October 1996, distillery guests will now have the opportunity to sample Woodford Reserve, the bourbon that has earned gold medals as "best bourbon" at several international spirits competitions. In addition, a total of three different tours will now be offered so that consumers who want to learn more about bourbon and its impact on Kentucky can have a choice of activities:

The "Woodford Reserve Bourbon Discovery Tour" includes a guided educational session with one of the distillery's knowledgeable guides. Visitors will learn everything from the history of bourbon to the making, maturation and bottling of Kentucky's finest whiskey. At the conclusion of the tour, visitors age 21 and older will be allowed to taste the Woodford Reserve produced at the distillery. This tour will be offered whenever the distillery is open and reservations are not required.

The second tour is the "Woodford Reserve 'Corn to Cork' Tour," and it will lead guests through an in-depth examination of the mechanical, chemical, technical, and sensory aspects of producing bourbon. This option will be of particular interest to bourbon connoisseurs, as well as those simply wishing to learn more about the complexities of creating a small batch bourbon like Woodford Reserve. This tour will be offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. Reservations are required for this tour and can be made by calling 859-879-1934.

The third tour is called "The Woodford Reserve Distillery: A National Landmark Tour," and it will feature information on the cultural and architectural evolution of the historic facility and its impact on Kentucky's heritage. The Landmark tour will be offered on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 11:30 a.m. and reservations are required (859-879-1934).

There is a $5.00 charge per person for each of the tours. Anyone under the age of 18 will be admitted free of charge.

Other new features at The Woodford Reserve Distillery include rotating exhibits in the visitor's center of such nearby attractions as Shaker Village and a new archive building that will provide bourbon aficionados the opportunity to peruse historic articles and photographs (by appointment; call 859-879-1934). Guests will also be able to register for special events that are part of the "Woodford Reserve Bourbon and Bluegrass Series," including the annual Woodford Reserve & Chocolate affair, the Christmas at Woodford Reserve celebration, and the Woodford Reserve Picnic on the Porch.

The new tours will be offered and the other changes fully implemented on November 5, 2003.

The Woodford Reserve Distillery is open year-round Tuesday through Saturday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and open on Sunday from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. from April through October. The facility is closed on all major holidays.

Brown-Forman is a diversified producer and marketer of fine quality consumer products, including Jack Daniel's, Southern Comfort, Finlandia Vodka, Canadian Mist, Early Times, Woodford Reserve, Fetzer and Bolla Wines, Korbel California Champagnes, Lenox, Dansk, and Gorham tableware and giftware and Hartmann Luggage.

[TNbourbon]

One note, one suspicion:

The tours are free for those 18 and under -- or too young to sample the product. In other words, if you're an adult, you're paying for your sample at tour's end in advance.

And, can't help wondering if these changes are the source of B-F's suit against Barton Brands -- don't want to dilute the name as it takes its rightful place, don't you know?

[Paradox]

Yep that was the first thing I said as well. That may be a nice distillery but I can do w/o having to drink the woodford at the end. My hope is that other distilleries do not see that many people don't mind getting bent for the 5 bucks and then they try and charge as well. Sometimes a little resistance to change is a good thing even if one feels otherwise...