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Finally after all these years


Tennessee Dave
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I will be spending a few days in Bardstown the last week of September.  Rented one of those little cottages.  Will be visiting a few of the distilleries and shopping around for some bottles I can only get in Kentucky or at the gift shops.  I will be unaccompanied on the trip so I can do this leisurely.  Based on recommendations here I certainly plan on bringing back HH BIB, maybe pick up the new PHC.  Anything else I should hone it on?  Thanks guys.  At 66 years old I am looking forward to this little get away.  It's only 5 hours away from me here in East Tennessee and I am actually surprised it has taken me this long to get there.  Life just sometimes gets busy.

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7 hours ago, Tennessee Dave said:

.... Life just sometimes gets busy.

 

One of my favorite little sayings is "Sometimes life gets in the way of living."

 

Congrats on finding the time to live a little. Enjoy your trip!

Edited by MOwhisky4me
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Have FUN!!!!    The distillery tours and the gift shop visits will be waaaaaaaaaay more entertaining than scoring a few bottles, and maybe more than rewarding on a retail level as well.

Even of you go home 'empty-handed' (or close to it), the experiences are always the times you'll enjoy remembering the most.    Any bottles are really mostly extra gravy.   Not saying coming home with a few that aren't available at home isn't a worthwhile thing to pursue; just don't let it get in the way of the FUN!!!

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21 hours ago, Tennessee Dave said:

I will be spending a few days in Bardstown the last week of September.  Rented one of those little cottages.  Will be visiting a few of the distilleries and shopping around for some bottles I can only get in Kentucky or at the gift shops.  I will be unaccompanied on the trip so I can do this leisurely.  Based on recommendations here I certainly plan on bringing back HH BIB, maybe pick up the new PHC.  Anything else I should hone it on?  Thanks guys.  At 66 years old I am looking forward to this little get away.  It's only 5 hours away from me here in East Tennessee and I am actually surprised it has taken me this long to get there.  Life just sometimes gets busy.

 

From Bardstown, Four Roses Warehouse and Bottling facility is just a few miles away at Cox's Creek.  I enjoyed seeing the unique way their one story warehouses are laid out.  Plus perhaps they have some of their selected single barrel bottles in the gift shop.

Edited by Madhatter
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In addition to HH6yr BIB, look for Old Fitzgerald BIB (may only find it in handles), and whatever store barrel picks you might come across. Some of the 4R PS barrels may be available at the gift shop and those are good also.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Tennessee Dave,

Sounds like a really nice trip. Have you decided which distilleries you'll be visiting?

I'd be on the lookout for Four Roses and Heaven Hill "gift shop only" bottles.  For me, the one I haven't had the opportunity to check out is Willet.  My next search will be one of the Willet Family limited edition bourbons just because I never see it. Years ago I had a 17 year bourbon at one of their tasting events and it was excellent. Always regret not purchasing a bottle because now it's never available. (except maybe at their gift shop, hehe)

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I am planning on doing Heaven Hills, 4 Roses, Beam and Willet this trip.  I really like like to pick up something special from each of this visits plus some HH BIB and maybe even try to score the new PHC.  Most of my shopping will be at the gift shops.

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A few more thoughts for you:

 

- Don't forget Barton 1792 right in Bardstown.  Tours are free, and while the bourbon selection at the gift shop is very limited, I scored a 1792 Single Barrel there after a tour (while waiting for a Willett tour later in the day).  

- Don't waste time shopping Bardstown locally beyond the gift shops, unless you want some good laughs - most are highly adept at rolling the bourbon tourists for anything that might remotely be considered premium or slightly harder to find.  The "best price in town" was charging 8 bucks more for EC12 in the "rare" red 12 label bottle over the new 12-on-back bottle right beside it back when the label change first reared its ugly head.  Kroger's is an exception (they're not allowed by corporate to gouge, or so they say).

- The various Liquor Barns around Louisville and one in Elizabethtown have varying quantities and varieties of selections as they aren't all run the same, so it's worth hitting up a few for the variety, while pricing is generally consistent between them.

- Old Fitz BIB (fast becoming a personal regular fav) isn't as plentiful as HH BIB but can be found in at least a few LBs - Louisville Hurstbourne and Elizabethtown are the most recent I've scored at (in handles).

Edited by PowderKeg
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  • 4 weeks later...

Ok leaving Tuesday morning.  My daughter and her husband are meeting me there so the trip has expanded somewhat.  I have on my list HH BIB, VOB BIB, some special 4 Roses bottling, Old Fitz BIB if I can find it, a Willet of some kind.  I will take a couple of tours and a few tastings but I intend to bring the car back full of things I can not find around here, lol.  Any other last minute suggestions?  I called the Heritage Center and the only PHC they have is the Malt Whiskey.  Any thoughts on this one?  Full report when I get back.  Looking forward to this.

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7 hours ago, Tennessee Dave said:

Ok leaving Tuesday morning.  My daughter and her husband are meeting me there so the trip has expanded somewhat.  I have on my list HH BIB, VOB BIB, some special 4 Roses bottling, Old Fitz BIB if I can find it, a Willet of some kind.  I will take a couple of tours and a few tastings but I intend to bring the car back full of things I can not find around here, lol.  Any other last minute suggestions?  I called the Heritage Center and the only PHC they have is the Malt Whiskey.  Any thoughts on this one?  Full report when I get back.  Looking forward to this.

As far as the Malt PH... Not many here are in love with it.    Maybe not many even like it.    I happen to like it fairly well.    But, I think that I'm the exception, and I totally understand why many don't jump for it.      It is completely unique, and nothing like a single malt Scotch, at least not like any I've had (admittedly a fairly small number), and it's also not much like any Bourbon I've ever tried (quite a large number in this category).      If you get an opportunity to try a pour somewhere ...the HH gift shop might accommodate such a request, if you ask politely... or a bar somewhere (Louisville has several good Bourbon bars); this would be a great way to determine if it's something you'd pay premium money for or not.

Good Luck, and Have FUN!!!!!

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Great trip is in the books.  I accomplish my goal of picking up the bottled-in-bonds that I wanted, picked up a bottled-in-bond at Willet that was released a couple of weeks ago and a couple of bottles of OESV PS at 4 Roses.  The trip was quite a history lesson as I had a chance to visit Heaven Hills, Willet, Barton, Marker's Mark, Jim Beam, Evan Williams Experience, Stizel-Weller, 4 Roses and Wild Turkey.  Bardstown is just teeming with bourbon history.  I enjoyed wonderful food at Mammy's, the Rickhouse and Haldorn's bakery, sampled many bourbons and enjoyed my stay at the Millstone cottage. 

 

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On 8/21/2016 at 9:00 AM, Tennessee Dave said:

I am planning on doing Heaven Hills, 4 Roses, Beam and Willet this trip.  I really like like to pick up something special from each of this visits plus some HH BIB and maybe even try to score the new PHC.  Most of my shopping will be at the gift shops.

 

If there is any advice I can give you its to call Willett a few weeks before you go. I went around August 14th and wasnt able to find anything nice. I was VERY excited for Willett. Living in Rhode Island, we didnt get any bottles from them. When I went to the distillery they told me all they had was a 3 year rye. I obviously bought it, but I was totally bummed. I knew that no other gift shops were going to have anything special so my reason for going was to specifically go to Willett. Although, Four Roses does have Private Stock bottles picked by Brent for the gift shop. They alternate between the 10 recipes. 3 different recipes are available at one time. I dont know how often they change them. Limit 6 per customer, per each day. I bought 10 bottles over the course of 2 days. The recipes they had out on August 14th-15th were OBSF 9 years 4 months, OESK aged 8 years 8 months, OESF aged 10 years 4 months. 

 

Also, check out Airbnb.com before you book any hotels. I stayed in a really nice apartment downtown for $88 (including fees and taxes) per night. 

 

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19 hours ago, HomersNotHereMan said:

 

If there is any advice I can give you its to call Willett a few weeks before you go. I went around August 14th and wasnt able to find anything nice. I was VERY excited for Willett. Living in Rhode Island, we didnt get any bottles from them. When I went to the distillery they told me all they had was a 3 year rye. I obviously bought it, but I was totally bummed. I knew that no other gift shops were going to have anything special so my reason for going was to specifically go to Willett. Although, Four Roses does have Private Stock bottles picked by Brent for the gift shop. They alternate between the 10 recipes. 3 different recipes are available at one time. I dont know how often they change them. Limit 6 per customer, per each day. I bought 10 bottles over the course of 2 days. The recipes they had out on August 14th-15th were OBSF 9 years 4 months, OESK aged 8 years 8 months, OESF aged 10 years 4 months. 

 

Also, check out Airbnb.com before you book any hotels. I stayed in a really nice apartment downtown for $88 (including fees and taxes) per night. 

 

Wow, that is a lot of FRSB.  Do the stores in RI or surrounding areas not carry any private selections?

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On 10/5/2016 at 1:02 PM, meadeweber said:

Wow, that is a lot of FRSB.  Do the stores in RI or surrounding areas not carry any private selections?

There is one store that I have been to that had a private stock. It was the best liquor store Ive ever been to in RI. Its called town wine and spirits in East Providence. The owner knows his shit and hosts bourbon and scotch dinners. Hell also let you try whatever you want before you buy it. Hands down the best store. He had bought a barrel of Jeffersons Aged at Ocean, voyage 4 or 6, cant remember. Even across the border in Mass, around Seekonk Ive never seen PS. RI really sucked for bourbon. All the good stuff goes to the people that spend 10k a year at the store. Its really unfortunate. 

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On 9/30/2016 at 6:05 PM, Tennessee Dave said:

Great trip is in the books.  I accomplish my goal of picking up the bottled-in-bonds that I wanted, picked up a bottled-in-bond at Willet that was released a couple of weeks ago and a couple of bottles of OESV PS at 4 Roses.  The trip was quite a history lesson as I had a chance to visit Heaven Hills, Willet, Barton, Marker's Mark, Jim Beam, Evan Williams Experience, Stizel-Weller, 4 Roses and Wild Turkey.  Bardstown is just teeming with bourbon history.  I enjoyed wonderful food at Mammy's, the Rickhouse and Haldorn's bakery, sampled many bourbons and enjoyed my stay at the Millstone cottage. 

 

IMG_4150.jpgIMG_4151.jpg

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Great haul.  Sounds like you had a really nice experience.  Well done sir!

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The 1 liter bottle that I opened of Old Fitz BIB is a bit harsh but I bought these BIB's to use in my Old Fashioneds and it does a mighty fine job in those. 

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