Empty Bottle Support Group 2025

[flahute]

48 minutes ago, 0895 said:

Sad to see this 2021 go.

Very nice hints of butterscotch, intermixed with some BT spice.

Delicious!

 

I always got butterscotch from those as well.

[0895]

A long long time ago, Barton 1792 used to do tours.  

These were arguably the last authentic tour you could get on the bourbon trail, meaning that Barton was probably the last remaining large distillery that didn't posh up the experience to guests.

No fire pits/ fire places.

No manicured lawns and landscaped paths.

No beautiful welcome center.

No family estate anything.

No fancy tasting room or big conference table.

 

You turned south on 31E out of Bardstown, accelerated to buy some space, and quickly put your right turn signal on, braking at the last second, purposefully making the right turn into the gated property as quickly as your vehicle and occupants could tolerate it, fearful the entire time that the semi tailgating you and accelerating down the hill out of town would ruin your day.

Pulling up to the guard shack, the same guard was always there (I think he lived in that booth), would approach your vehicle with a tepid smile and begin questioning your purpose as if you were the first visitor that ever graced the property.

"Follow the winding road down the hill to the left, take the turn at the end, proceed straight and to the gift shop parking lot...... speed limit 15.......watch out for people and trucks."

 

Getting run over by a grain truck or piece of farm equipment was a very real possibility if you weren't paying attention.

The gift shop / tour check in was basically a modular building fused onto a warehouse serving as office space.

The place was loud, dirty, and unrefined.  But it was a REAL bourbon distillery tour.

 

Anyway,

back in 2018 you could book a certain private tour on weekdays where they would basically haul 5 people around on a golf cart for 2 hours and show you the entire property.

The missus and I invited another couple along who stayed over on our vacation until Monday morning and upon departing with our tour guide, we were each given a Barton branded water bottle and instructed to fill it up at the cooler because there would be no pit stops.

Off we went.  Tasting grain mash, watching the cooking and distilling process, climbing up rusty stairs that were more like ladders, tasting white dog, hammering bungs, rolling barrels, walking through the warehouse, until finally arriving at the barrel dumping building.

"Dump that damn water out and give me those bottles" bellowed our tour guide.

Our group, looking confused,  followed the instructions handed them over and into the building we walked.

Several men were furiously drilling bungs and dumping barrels as if they were being timed.

Our tour guide went over and quietly handed them the water bottles.

A few minutes later he brought them back full, saying "lucky day, they had some ice tea for y'all.... but be careful.... they brew it strong here"

 

So we went home with two different cask strength single barrels of "tea" and 6 1/2 years later they are finally disappearing from our bar.

While the bourbon might be gone, the memories from that tour will forever be around.

Cheers!

 

 

Edited 21 hours ago by 0895

[MSB]

53 minutes ago, 0895 said:

A long long time ago, Barton 1792 used to do tours.  

These were arguably the last authentic tour you could get on the bourbon trail, meaning that Barton was probably the last remaining large distillery that didn't posh up the experience to guests.

No fire pits/ fire places.

No manicured lawns and landscaped paths.

No beautiful welcome center.

No family estate anything.

No fancy tasting room or big conference table.

 

You turned south on 31E out of Bardstown, accelerated to buy some space, and quickly put your right turn signal on, braking at the last second, purposefully making the right turn into the gated property as quickly as your vehicle and occupants could tolerate it, fearful the entire time that the semi tailgating you and accelerating down the hill out of town would ruin your day.

Pulling up to the guard shack, the same guard was always there (I think he lived in that booth), would approach your vehicle with a tepid smile and begin questioning your purpose as if you were the first visitor that ever graced the property.

"Follow the winding road down the hill to the left, take the turn at the end, proceed straight and to the gift shop parking lot...... speed limit 15.......watch out for people and trucks."

 

Getting run over by a grain truck or piece of farm equipment was a very real possibility if you weren't paying attention.

The gift shop / tour check in was basically a modular building fused onto a warehouse serving as office space.

The place was loud, dirty, and unrefined.  But it was a REAL bourbon distillery tour.

 

Anyway,

back in 2018 you could book a certain private tour on weekdays where they would basically haul 5 people around on a golf cart for 2 hours and show you the entire property.

The missus and I invited another couple along who stayed over on our vacation until Monday morning and upon departing with our tour guide, we were each given a Barton branded water bottle and instructed to fill it up at the cooler because there would be no pit stops.

Off we went.  Tasting grain mash, watching the cooking and distilling process, climbing up rusty stairs that were more like ladders, tasting white dog, hammering bungs, rolling barrels, walking through the warehouse, until finally arriving at the barrel dumping building.

"Dump that damn water out and give me those bottles" bellowed our tour guide.

Our group, looking confused,  followed the instructions handed them over and into the building we walked.

Several men were furiously drilling bungs and dumping barrels as if they were being timed.

Our tour guide went over and quietly handed them the water bottles.

A few minutes later he brought them back full, saying "lucky day, they had some ice tea for y'all.... but be careful.... they brew it strong here"

 

So we went home with two different cask strength single barrels of "tea" and 6 1/2 years later they are finally disappearing from our bar.

While the bourbon might be gone, the memories from that tour will forever be around.

Cheers!

 

 

Great story. Thank you for sharing.

[Richnimrod]

7 hours ago, 0895 said:

A long long time ago, Barton 1792 used to do tours.  

These were arguably the last authentic tour you could get on the bourbon trail, meaning that Barton was probably the last remaining large distillery that didn't posh up the experience to guests.

No fire pits/ fire places.

No manicured lawns and landscaped paths.

No beautiful welcome center.

No family estate anything.

No fancy tasting room or big conference table.

 

You turned south on 31E out of Bardstown, accelerated to buy some space, and quickly put your right turn signal on, braking at the last second, purposefully making the right turn into the gated property as quickly as your vehicle and occupants could tolerate it, fearful the entire time that the semi tailgating you and accelerating down the hill out of town would ruin your day.

Pulling up to the guard shack, the same guard was always there (I think he lived in that booth), would approach your vehicle with a tepid smile and begin questioning your purpose as if you were the first visitor that ever graced the property.

"Follow the winding road down the hill to the left, take the turn at the end, proceed straight and to the gift shop parking lot...... speed limit 15.......watch out for people and trucks."

 

Getting run over by a grain truck or piece of farm equipment was a very real possibility if you weren't paying attention.

The gift shop / tour check in was basically a modular building fused onto a warehouse serving as office space.

The place was loud, dirty, and unrefined.  But it was a REAL bourbon distillery tour.

 

Anyway,

back in 2018 you could book a certain private tour on weekdays where they would basically haul 5 people around on a golf cart for 2 hours and show you the entire property.

The missus and I invited another couple along who stayed over on our vacation until Monday morning and upon departing with our tour guide, we were each given a Barton branded water bottle and instructed to fill it up at the cooler because there would be no pit stops.

Off we went.  Tasting grain mash, watching the cooking and distilling process, climbing up rusty stairs that were more like ladders, tasting white dog, hammering bungs, rolling barrels, walking through the warehouse, until finally arriving at the barrel dumping building.

"Dump that damn water out and give me those bottles" bellowed our tour guide.

Our group, looking confused,  followed the instructions handed them over and into the building we walked.

Several men were furiously drilling bungs and dumping barrels as if they were being timed.

Our tour guide went over and quietly handed them the water bottles.

A few minutes later he brought them back full, saying "lucky day, they had some ice tea for y'all.... but be careful.... they brew it strong here"

 

So we went home with two different cask strength single barrels of "tea" and 6 1/2 years later they are finally disappearing from our bar.

While the bourbon might be gone, the memories from that tour will forever be around.

Cheers!

 

GREAT 'Story', 0895!   I recall the MANY tours I and/or my son did at Barton/1792 fondly.   We never had a "booked/private" tour, so never got that bottle of barrel proof Bourbon (too bad!); but I/we did innumerable spur-of-moment tours, or just visits to the gift shop upon arriving in Bardstown.   They almost always would provide 'tastes' upon request, even without taking a tour, or 'additional tastes' after a tour if asked.    I always liked that their facility was a truly "industrial" distillery we could visit.   The last one AFAIK.   I miss the ease and spontaneity of visiting Barton/1792.   Your post absolutely put me in mind of those bygone days, my friend.   THANX!!!