Bourbon Fanatic Posted October 29, 2017 Share Posted October 29, 2017 Hey all! My fiancée and I are trying to decide where we should go for vacation in January. I want to go to Kentucky and do some bourbon tasting and buying some bourbons I can't find here in AZ. My question to you all is what can I pitch to the better half to convince her to go to Kentucky? I've googled things to do there, but wanted to hear from some of the locals (or those of you that visit often). Conversely, if you guys think we should go elsewhere for tasting/purchasing, let me know. Thanks in advance! Cheers! Jordan PS. If this is in the wrong section, please move it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BottledInBond Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 Wait until May and take her to the Derby? If you're there in January you can go to a Cardinals or Wildcat basketball game which is always fun. Or you could try to go when there is a good concert or something, as they do tend to have some decent concerts in Louisville. There re is a lot of history and some cool places to visit it just depends on your interests. You can go to the Derby museum at the downs, the Louisville Slugger factory/museum if you like baseball, the Ali museum if you're a boxing fan (although the museum is more about his activism than boxing), the Brown and the Seelbach are beautiful historic hotels. There is a good restaurant scene in Louisville these days too. I always tell people that the cool part about going to KY is visiting distilleries and smelling the angel's share in the rickhouses and walking around. Good whiskey is often overpriced at bars and restaurants, and shopping in stores is almost always a letdown. You might find a few BIBs that aren't widely distributed but I was there last week and the store selections was terrible. And the distillery gift shops were sparse. For example, the Four Roses bottling facility gift shop did not even have any Barrel Proof single barrels of any recipe, the Willett gift shop only had 3 year Rye in terms of WFE bottles, and at Heaven Hill the only notable bottle available was William Heavenhill for $250. I like Kentucky but I don't have to look for reasons to convince my wife to go there, since her parents live there. Good luck to you 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyfish Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 I'll second that part about not going in January. In January, I want to be in AZ--and am planning on it. It is easy to forget, when temps are in your 100 degree range, that other parts of the country may not be quite as mild as AZ in Jan. To you it is just normal. To the rest of us, it is not. When you do come, in addition to the Derby if you like horses, check out the Kentucky Horse Park at Lexington. BT, 4R, and WT are within a relatively easy drive of Lexington as well. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CardsandBourbon Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 If you have to come in January be ready for some cold weather, or maybe a heat wave. It's Kentucky so the weather can be anything. I would stay in Louisville. There are things to do there (Ali Center, Louisville Slugger Bat Factory/Museum), as well as bourbon related things (Angels Envy, Evan Williams Experience, Jim Beam Urban Still). Louisville is a food destination and there are plenty of very good options. It's less than an hour drive to Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, Bulliet, Wild Turkey, Four Roses, Woodford Reserve and a little bit further to Maker's Mark. If you're into other things there is the Fraiser History Museum, the Speed Art Museum on the University of Louisville campus, etc. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulO Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 One thing about this part of the country - we get extremes of weather. That's great for aging bourbon. I don't know if sun belt people can imagine the summer humidity, or winter storms. Spring or fall would be better for the fiancee. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flahute Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 I will echo the others in saying that January is not ideal. It could be nice, but it could also be snowing or even worse, an ice storm. Even if it is nice, the trees will have no leaves and the grass will be less than vibrant. Not super pretty to look at as you're out in the country visiting those distilleries. If it's 40 degrees and raining, you won't be very happy. Far better to go in the spring before it gets super hot and humid and when everything is blooming. Horse country is amazing that time of year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyfish Posted October 30, 2017 Share Posted October 30, 2017 2 hours ago, flahute said: I will echo the others in saying that January is not ideal. It could be nice, but it could also be snowing or even worse, an ice storm. Mrs. F and I went to BT one year in early March just after an ice storm. The good news is, we were the only people there and Freddie gave us a private tour including a chance to fill bottles of Blanton's with Japanese labels and to bang a few bungs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob_Loblaw Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 So I am going to take the opposite approach and say go somewhere else entirely with the fiance. My wife is as cool as they come with respect to my bourbon . . . we will say hobby, she might use a different word, but I do not think my ideal Kentucky trip lines up with her version of a great vacation. So I will save her from multiple distillery trips and liquor stores runs (turns out stopping at 12 different liquor stores in one day is not as fun for her as it is for me) and try to redirect a future guys vacation from our standby Vegas to Kentucky. If you do end up going, I would fly Southwest. On the way there a suitcase inside a larger suitcase, on the way back two suitcases loaded with as much HH6BiB as I can fit! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 If you come in January make it worth her trouble. Secure a suite in a nice B & B (in horse country). Make sure a fireplace and flowers are involved. Tour a distillery, but then tour a horse farm. Give her flowers ... eat well ... drink spectacularly ... light a fire and spend some quality time with her. Make her want to come back, with you! 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
smokinjoe Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 9 hours ago, Paddy said: If you come in January make it worth her trouble. Secure a suite in a nice B & B (in horse country). Make sure a fireplace and flowers are involved. Tour a distillery, but then tour a horse farm. Give her flowers ... eat well ... drink spectacularly ... light a fire and spend some quality time with her. Make her want to come back, with you! Dang Paddy, I'm not sure if I need a cold shower or a cigarette, now... Only thing missing was some Barry White...Lots of Barry White... 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratcheer Posted November 1, 2017 Share Posted November 1, 2017 The caves are awesome. I'm not sure about seeing them in January, though. They are impressive enough that there is a national park at Mammoth Cave. Tim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCFan Posted November 2, 2017 Share Posted November 2, 2017 12 hours ago, smokinjoe said: Dang Paddy, I'm not sure if I need a cold shower or a cigarette, now... Only thing missing was some Barry White...Lots of Barry White... He could get a job writing for Hallmark Cards or maybe Penthouse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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