If you could only visit one

[mythrenegade]

which would it be?

I am going to be passing through Kentucky on a trip to see a friend that is dying. We don't know how long he has, but he is not doing very well. I will be flying into Indy, where another friend is picking me up. We will work our way to our final destination in North Carolina. Since we are passing through Kentucky, I want to stop somewhere, but since my friend doesn't like bourbon (or any other alcohol for that matter) it's not going to be a trip where I hit every distillery.

So if you could pick one, which would it be? Where will we have the best tour and tasting?

Joel

[barturtle]

Sorry to hear about your friend.

As far as which to see, it depends on what you want: do you want to see what is the typical setup of a industrial style distillery, then it would be BT, as that's the only place where you would get to see a real working industrial style factory. HH, WT, Barton, B-F and Beam are all in this style, but each of those has an issue with their tours (HH's distillery is off site, Beam doesn't give actual tours, WT bottles off site, Barton & B-F no tour at present). This makes BT the only option to see real industrial style distilling beginning to end.

The next group is the "pretty" group, the older historical styled buildings: Maker's Woodford and Four Roses. Maker's is the most storybook of the bunch, but like storybooks, they like to "forget" to mention things (and it's no where near anywhere), Woodford is nice and fairly convenient, but I'd go to Four Roses in this group. My tours at FR have taken me up and through the process and it's still to this day the only place I've seen their yeast tubs.

I think you may be disappointed in what a distillery tasting involves, this ain't Sonoma, and you won't get to taste several whiskies.

As a first distillery visit, I think FR is the best option.

[cowdery]

Maker's Mark is the best total experience. Woodford is comparable, maybe better in some ways, but too unlike every other American whiskey distillery. Four Roses is great, but there's no bottling and no warehouses. Wild Turkey, as mentioned, no bottling. Heaven Hill, bottling and warehouses but no distillery (although the best visitor's center/museum by far). Maker's you get a nice country drive, a very attractive setting, you get to see all stages of the milling, fermenting and distilling process. You get to see warehouses and you get to see bottling. Plus the new tasting room is awesome.

Buffalo Trace is great but you have to arrange for the real tour, aka the Hard Hat Tour, in advance. The walk-in tour is not so great.

All that said, you asked for the best Kentucky distillery. If you asked for the best American whiskey distillery to see if you could only see one, I'd say Jack Daniel's.

[craigthom]

I within the last few months I toured both Maker's Mark and Jack Daniel's again, both of which have added new visitor centers.

I don't recall seeing any bottling at Jack Daniel's, so for that reason I'd put Maker's above that.

Maker's is pretty, and you'll see the whole thing from mash to bottle. At the end you'll taste the bourbon and the white dog cut to 90 proof (they call it "bourbon eligible spirit" or something else odd).

I would have recommended Wild Turkey if they still did the bottling there. My tour way back when is still my favorite.

[barturtle]

I would have recommended Wild Turkey if they still did the bottling there. My tour way back when is still my favorite.

Did you go back when there were still some cypress fermenters around? My first tour still had some, they were wonderfully worn out.

[craigthom]

Did you go back when there were still some cypress fermenters around? My first tour still had some, they were wonderfully worn out.

I think so. It's been probably fifteen years. What I remember most is how unpolish the tour was. Were were constantly stepping over things. When we were in the lab, the people there were having to push through our group to get work done.

Our "souvenirs" were labels and tags taken straight off the line (which BT still does; I have a Blanton's stopper from the line) and a used bung which was picked up off the floor in the room where the barrels were dumped.

[cowdery]

I was just through Turkey last November. The cypress fermenters are long gone. Maker's still has theirs, though.

Daniel's does bottle in or, rather, just outside of Lynchburg at an unscenic location that isn't on the public tours. Likewise 90% of their warehouses.

[mozilla]

which would it be?

.... I want to stop somewhere, but since my friend doesn't like bourbon (or any other alcohol for that matter) it's not going to be a trip where I hit every distillery.

So if you could pick one, which would it be? Where will we have the best tour and tasting?

Joel

Joel,

if I were dragging someone with me and wanted to make it a memoriable occasion for both of you.....the only answere is Four Roses. The setting is beautiful and serene....you could probably eat a picnic lunch out on their gazebo and everyone there is super friendly. You get to see almost every aspect of the distilling process and their sensory room is totally mindblowing. It is not a full service factory(no bottling or warehousing), but it is a great start and would be interesting to an outsider.

Drive safe and enjoy your tour.

[1990Z51]

All good advice.

Having just been through them all (well almost all)... I would recommend Four Roses or Buffalo Trace.

If you can arrange a "Hard Hat" tour of Buffalo Trace, then go there (you'll need to call ahead). If not, go to Four roses where you will see the entire distillation process. Four Roses is very friendly and a very up close and personal tour, unfortunately, they do not bottle or have a warehouse at the distillery. That is done near Clermont.

To pick between the normal Buffalo Trace Tour (not the "Hard Hat") and Four Roses Distillery Tour, it is tough, because the warehouse is an awesome experience to your senses. The smell of thousands of barrels of whiskey aging is something I will never forget. If Four Roses had a warehouse at the distillery, it would be a no brainer.

I hope this helps, and sorry if it didn't.

One last thing to throw into the mix... I know you can get through Four Roses and Wild Turkey in one afternoon as they are very close to one another. I went to the noon tour (on saturday) at Four Roses and then the Wild turkey tour at 2:30 with lunch in between. You can also go to the 1 PM tour at FR and the 2:30 at Wild Turkey. Then you would get to see almost every aspect of the whole Bourbon Process (minus the bottling) and you get to smell/experience the warehouse.

Here is how I would rank your options:

1. If you can swing it, I suggest you do Four Roses and Wild Turkey... they are close to each other and can be done back to back.

2. Buffalo Trace "Hard Hat Tour".

3. Four Roses only.

[jburlowski]

If you can do the "hard hat" tour (needs to be scheduled, call the gift shop) at Buffalo Trace. IMHO, the best bourbon distillery tour hands down.

[mythrenegade]

Well...

We made our trip through Kentucky, but we were heading southeast, and everything is in the northwest... We were going to visit Four Roses on the way home, but everything changed on Friday night.

Outside the Durham Bulls stadium my friend died in front of my eyes. An hour later I sat with his wife as she told her three young daughters that their father had died. It was a horrible experience, but I am very grateful that I am here to be with his family and assist them in any way that I can. I have changed my plans and am staying through saturday and won't be driving back through kentucky, but will fly direct from Raleigh. I will be performing the funeral on Friday (I am a minister). I've never performed a funeral for a close friend before. This will be extraordinarily difficult.

Joel

[BourbonJoe]

If I could only hit one it would be 4 Roses in Lawrenceburg to see the making of the bourbon and then have them take you down to Cox,s Creek to see warehousing, dumping and bottling. It's a great tour by great people at a great distillery. Probably my favorite.

Joe :usflag:

[cowdery]

Sorry to hear about your friend's passing, Joel. I'm sure his family is grateful to have you there. The distilleries aren't going anywhere. There will be other, happier times.

[mozilla]

Joel,

I am very sad to hear that your friend has passed away....

I hope that your memories of friendship can carry you through this difficult time. My thoughts will be with you and his family.

[Bottled-in-Bond]

I was just through Turkey last November. The cypress fermenters are long gone. Maker's still has theirs, though.

Daniel's does bottle in or, rather, just outside of Lynchburg at an unscenic location that isn't on the public tours. Likewise 90% of their warehouses.

I think this changed recently, I was there a few months ago and at the end of the tour you get to see them bottling JD Single Barrel... which is still an enormous industrial process somewhat out of place with the rest of the tour. You are right though, you don't get to see the main bottling line. Its fun to drive around Lynchburg trying to spot warehouses and the lunch at Miss Mary Bobo's is amazing - be sure to call for reservations long in advance and eat as many whisky apples as you can.

I did the Dickle tour shortly before, I much prefer that one, including the one-lane road on the way in with 18 wheelers barreling down. I got the impression they get a few less visitors, haha. The fishing is much better outside lynchburg at Tim's ford than outside Dickle.