Bourbon Trail 2.0

[Postal Grunt]

Forbes Magazine has recognized something new is happening in Louisville.

 

https://www.forbes.com/sites/bradjaphe/2018/05/30/kentucky-bourbon-trail-2-0-louisville-positions-itself-at-the-center-of-american-spirits/#289fcc7b7e4e

[TheOakMonster]

While visiting Maker's Mark a few months ago, our guides were lamenting the declining visitor numbers at the distillery (2017 saw less visitors than 2016), despite the fact they've spent a ton of money over the past few years to upgrade the distillery and visitor experience. They referenced the disadvantage of the rural location and increasingly attractive, whiz-bang bourbon  tourism options in Louisville. For people with limited time, the concentration of distilleries and activities in Louisville is an attractive option.

 

Having also had a chance to visit the new Old Forester Distillery experience, prior to opening, the place is slick and very flashy--it's like a Disney exhibit. For the casual visitor, the Old Forester tour is engaging and fun. And much more profitable than the traditional distillery tours (which are often inexpensive or even free).  It'll be interesting to see what the long-term trend is for bourbon tourism.

[flahute]

On 5/31/2018 at 8:07 PM, TheOakMonster said:

While visiting Maker's Mark a few months ago, our guides were lamenting the declining visitor numbers at the distillery (2017 saw less visitors than 2016), despite the fact they've spent a ton of money over the past few years to upgrade the distillery and visitor experience. They referenced the disadvantage of the rural location and increasingly attractive, whiz-bang bourbon  tourism options in Louisville. For people with limited time, the concentration of distilleries and activities in Louisville is an attractive option.

 

Having also had a chance to visit the new Old Forester Distillery experience, prior to opening, the place is slick and very flashy--it's like a Disney exhibit. For the casual visitor, the Old Forester tour is engaging and fun. And much more profitable than the traditional distillery tours (which are often inexpensive or even free).  It'll be interesting to see what the long-term trend is for bourbon tourism.

I much prefer the less flashy and more industrial distilleries such as Buffalo Trace. More authentic.

[Flyfish]

14 hours ago, flahute said:

I much prefer the less flashy and more industrial distilleries such as Buffalo Trace. More authentic.

Staff have a lot to do with the quality of the experience. Freddie at BT really knows how to entertain while informing and seems less inclined than some to drift off into sheer claptrap. One of our favorite tours was at WT back when the visitor center was just an old house with a rather small room set aside for the video and tasting. 

[flahute]

1 hour ago, Flyfish said:

Staff have a lot to do with the quality of the experience. Freddie at BT really knows how to entertain while informing and seems less inclined than some to drift off into sheer claptrap. One of our favorite tours was at WT back when the visitor center was just an old house with a rather small room set aside for the video and tasting. 

For sure. I've never had Freddie at BT but the guides I've had have been good. Even if the guide isn't great and/or doesn't know their stuff, I can still have a great time because I'm a big enough nerd to know what I'm looking at without explanation. I just need someone with clearance to get me behind the curtain!

[tanstaafl2]

On 5/31/2018 at 11:07 PM, TheOakMonster said:

While visiting Maker's Mark a few months ago, our guides were lamenting the declining visitor numbers at the distillery (2017 saw less visitors than 2016), despite the fact they've spent a ton of money over the past few years to upgrade the distillery and visitor experience. They referenced the disadvantage of the rural location and increasingly attractive, whiz-bang bourbon  tourism options in Louisville. For people with limited time, the concentration of distilleries and activities in Louisville is an attractive option.

 

Having also had a chance to visit the new Old Forester Distillery experience, prior to opening, the place is slick and very flashy--it's like a Disney exhibit. For the casual visitor, the Old Forester tour is engaging and fun. And much more profitable than the traditional distillery tours (which are often inexpensive or even free).  It'll be interesting to see what the long-term trend is for bourbon tourism.

 

On 6/1/2018 at 11:37 PM, flahute said:

I much prefer the less flashy and more industrial distilleries such as Buffalo Trace. More authentic.

 

I confess I much prefer distillery tours where death or dismemberment on twisty little back roads isn't a major concern!

 

Kidding aside, MM does have a major drawback given its relatively remote location for the average distillery visitor to try to track down. Since none of the larger distilleries in Louisville (there is the S-W "Bullett experience" but that isn't an active distillery and still requires some effort on the part of the tourist to visit) unless they take the time to travel outside of downtown Louisville probably many visitors will assume all the bourbon is made at those newer Disney-esque tourist distilleries.

[kevinbrink]

27 minutes ago, tanstaafl2 said:

 

 

I confess I much prefer distillery tours where death or dismemberment on twisty little back roads isn't a major concern!

 

Kidding aside, MM does have a major drawback given its relatively remote location for the average distillery visitor to try to track down. Since none of the larger distilleries in Louisville (there is the S-W "Bullett experience" but that isn't an active distillery and still requires some effort on the part of the tourist to visit) unless they take the time to travel outside of downtown Louisville probably many visitors will assume all the bourbon is made at those newer Disney-esque tourist distilleries.

Evan Williams is made in Louisville it flows from a big ol' bottle, I seened it

[PowderKeg]

On 5/31/2018 at 10:07 PM, TheOakMonster said:

While visiting Maker's Mark a few months ago, our guides were lamenting the declining visitor numbers at the distillery (2017 saw less visitors than 2016), despite the fact they've spent a ton of money over the past few years to upgrade the distillery and visitor experience. They referenced the disadvantage of the rural location and increasingly attractive, whiz-bang bourbon  tourism options in Louisville. For people with limited time, the concentration of distilleries and activities in Louisville is an attractive option.

 

Having also had a chance to visit the new Old Forester Distillery experience, prior to opening, the place is slick and very flashy--it's like a Disney exhibit. For the casual visitor, the Old Forester tour is engaging and fun. And much more profitable than the traditional distillery tours (which are often inexpensive or even free).  It'll be interesting to see what the long-term trend is for bourbon tourism.

Without getting deep in the comparative tour weeds, I believe the avg tour cost of most distilleries now-adays is @$15 +/- a few $ (OF is $16 in a few days and includes cooperage/charring which NOBODY else does (except ISC, and that's a cooperage only tour for $10, and a great tour too). 

 

4R is far-and-away the best bang for the paid  buck - $5 gets you tours of both facilities within 60 days, and tastings and a glass at each!   

 

Barton and BT are the only free ones that come to mind, and while 3 of BT's are particularly great, if you don't reserve a month+ in advance (generally) you're likely gonna be SOL.   Barton is my personal fav (esp now that C&K ceased the Resto tours).  Can't wait to see what C&K present this fall, but afraid it won't be near as good as the Resto.

 

As far as MM goes, frankly I was disappointed in my Dec tour - felt it was way too down-homey- hokey and condescending - we age the right way by rotating barrels, no one else does....  we small batch to a specific taste profile, others just dump at a particular age...  not even a whisper about VanW/S-W and Samuel's friendship/association/assistance (as reported several elsewheres), and despite the 1st barrel they proudly display in the stillhouse being an 8 hoop S-W....  I'm also blessed and jaded by having toured years ago when MM46 was pretty new,  pre-Chihuly, pre-expansions, when they were REALLY a quaint little distillery in the middle of beautiful nowhere - that's when MM was a really great distillery tour.  IMHO they've "sold out" every bit as much as the latest and greatest from the ground up Disney-esque tours - not that any of the current bourbon tours are bad, just farrrrr more commercial and scripted than days gone past...

 

IMHO if you want to do MM then make a weekday of it there and in Lebanon at ISC (closed weekends) and Limestone Br, and if time allows (which it probably won't) a trip to Danville/Wilderness Tr.  Don't waste a few hours driving down and back from the now numerous Bardstown tour attractions (and possibly more time waiting on tour spaces since MM doesn't reserve specific tour times, only days).

 

In the very near future, anyone wanting the full/complete KY bourbon tour experience is gonna have to spend 2 full days in Louisville, 2 full in Bardstown, 2 in/between Frankfort/Lawrenceburg, 1 in Loretto/Lebanon, and that's not hitting Owensboro, Lexington, Danville, Bowling Green, and a point or two westward.  I'm exhausted just thinking about it!!

Edited June 12, 2018 by PowderKeg

[Paddy]

^^^^Don't forget N. Ky!