Need a little help planning a tour

[Phischy]

Ok, here's my story:

My family is from Ohio, Canton. I'll be there for Cinco de Mayo for a cousin's wedding. The following weekend on the 12th I need to be in North Carolina, Raliegh, for a college friends wedding. My parents will also be going to both weddings and we're driving between the two.

Our plan is to stay in ohio a few days and visit their friends before we leave, they met at Marietta College, so we'll be going there. I've never been and it's south of Canton on 77.

After that, it should be mid-week and I want to visit a bourbon distillery and maybe hit a civil war site as we make our way to NC.

It'll be a detour but what distillery is closest to 77 on 64? Anyone in the area have any suggestions?

I brew my own beer and I was sidetracked by that (legal) project for several months. I've got 35 gallons of 7 different brews in my kitchen now, and while I love beer, I also love bourbon. As I'm on my way to a wedding, I'd like to pick the groom and groomsmen up some choice bottles to enjoy while we're there.

Thanks for your help!

Eric

[barturtle]

I believe that the two closest distilleries to your route will be Woodford Reserve and Buffalo Trace...IIRC the exits for both are within a few miles of each other, but BT may be closer to the expressway.

Is 77 what comes across from Cincy? If so, there are several good liquor stores on the KY side of the river, where you could purchase the fine bottles you seek...Distillery gift shops don't normally carry the full range of what the place makes, so it would be best to pick up what you want someplace else...and unlike Scotland, few, if any, distilleries offer a distillery only bottling that you would be unable to get elsewhere.

[Stu]

I used to live in Dayton. If you cross at Cincy, there is a liquor store in Covington, KY called the Party Source or Party Store or Party something that has one of the finest selections that I've seen. Prices were very reasonable and there is no sales tax on liquor in KY. When you get off the freeway in KY you can ask just about anyone where it is. It's worth the few blocks of driving to get there. Drive safe and enjoy the trip.

Stu

[ThomasH]

Hello Eric,

I too am from your area. I grew up in Jackson township and now live in Alliance. I was just down to Lousville and Bardstown last week. PM me and I can give you directions to all the distilleries with tours. The big store in Kentucky across the state line from Ohio is called Party Source. Route 71 and 75 become one just before entering Kentucky. You take 471 south towards Newport before you leave Ohio. You go across the bridge and get off at the first exit, which is state route 8. Make a right turn, go under the highway overpass, proceed through 2 traffic lights and you'll see the Party Source sign on your right. This store is about the size of a Fisher foods store like you would see in Canton!

Thomas

[Phischy]

Ok guys, thanks! I plan on visiting 1 distillery, maybe 2 if we have time and stopping at this party source store to pick up gifts for the groom and I plan on flying back w/ 2 bottles as well. The trick is finding bottles I can't get in california, so I may need to make a list of what's available and go from there.

Very helpful, thanks!

[Phischy]

Ok, well, problems.

In looking at a map and planning routes, 77 is in SE Ohio, right across the river from West Virginia. So we'll be taking 77 south into WV then going west on 64. Looks like Buffalo Trace is the closest being just NW of Lexington. I won't be going back upto Cinci to Convington b/c it's just too far out of the way when the end goal is Raleigh NC.

Anyone from Lexington? Tips?

Thanks again for the info, Pappy Van Winkle is distilled by BT so looks like I should get to see a lot at the BT distillery.

[barturtle]

A quick MapQuest search shows that the quickest way from Canton to Frankfort is through Cincy.

Not to be discouraging but is this to be a one day trek? The drive from Canton to Frankfort is listed at 5.5 hours, while that means you would have to leave around 9am to make the last (3pm) tour at BT, it also means you still have over 8 hours drive after your tour. Figure about an hour for the tour and even without extra stops you're looking at around 15 hours of travel time. Thats a long day behind the wheel.

If you were to split it up to a two day drive that would give you extra shopping/touring time.

Enjoy your trip

[cowdery]

If you're going from Canton to Raleigh, Bourbon Country isn't on the way if you take the most direct route. If you want to take in Bourbon Country anyway, then your best bet is I-71 through Cincinnati, then I-75 to Lexington, where you are close to Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Wild Turkey and Woodford Reserve. Then take I-64 to Charleston, VW, to pick up I-77 south. Mapquest agrees with me.

[BSS]

Buffalo Trace and Woodford Reserve take about the same time to get to from Exit 58 on I-64. Buffalo Trace is about 4.5 miles from the exit but you have to go through 11 stop lights and there isn't anything scenic about the drive. Unless you like looking at car dealerships, chain fast food, and gas stations.

Woodford Reserve is about 7.5 miles (in the opposite direction) from the exit(if you take the longest and most scenic route), but you only have to go through 2 stop lights(both of those are within a quarter mile of the exit). If you take the shortest and less scenic route to Woodford Reserve its about 5.5 miles with the same two stop lights.

[Phischy]

After Canton we're driving SE to Marietta so my Dad can visit one of his old professors and so I can see their college town. That'll be Monday, from there we're driving down to Charleston WV to crash that night. Then we're going west to Lexington to visit BT. That's 191miles, and yes, the wrong direction, but we have 2 days to kill on the road before meeting my cousin in Raliegh for Wednesday night. My dad doesn't drink hard liquer so my Mom and I will do the tasting (I'm 30 by the way, just sounds funny to say I'm going drinking with my mom).

Plan is to be on the road by 8am Tuesday, get to BT around 11am, then from there go south down to Knoxville and then over to Raliegh. Along the way we plan to stop and see whatever, I'd like to visit some civil war sites along the way.

Between BT and Woodford Reserve, anyone have a recomendation?

[mozilla]

If you call ahead you might score a hard hat tour. Lots to see. Between there and Woodford drive by Taylor and Crow. Just follow the creek to woodford. I would highly recomend Four Roses. It's a wonderful sight.

[cowdery]

Woodfoord is great, a beautiful site, scenic drive, beautiful buildings inside and out, beautiful copper stills, an attractive and informative visitors center, tons of historical significance. The only problem is, it's unlike any other bourbon distillery. If you want to see a "real" bourbon distillery; BT, Four Roses and Wild Turkey are all better choices. You won't go wrong with any of them, but as between Woodford and BT, I think Woodford is more memorable, but BT is more useful as a "real" bourbon distillery.

[Phischy]

Well I did the trip and we only had time for 1 stop so it was Buffalo Trace. Good informative tour, I wish it could have been hard hat, but we weren't that lucky. I'd post pics but I'm sure it's nothing you haven't seen before. Good times!