Drink And Drive In Kentucky

The undulating pasturelands, gushing rivulets, and dense woodlands endow Kentucky with the idyllic conditions to manufacture the drink for which it’s known since centuries – bourbon whiskey.

Overview

A trip through central Kentucky on Bourbon Trail starts from Louisville, then Bardstown, and to Frankfort, forming a bulky triangle. This route embraces several distilleries, historic stories, natural panoramas, and never ending thirst for bourbon. The nature here reveals corn fields, garrulous rivulets, and a sugary aroma.

From Louisville

The journey encompassing Bourbon Trail starts from the city of Louisville. To get there, amble along the banks of Ohio River and you will arrive at ‘Belle of Louisville.’ This was once a chief shipping center and is still the biggest city of Kentucky.

The Heart of Bourbon Country

Move to south of Louisville for around 40 miles to get near The Heart of Bourbon Country, where the entwining Knob Creek moves through stumpy, cavernous knolls to combine with Rolling Fork River. First distillery of Kentucky was setup in this region in 1780 by Waddie Boone. After 3 decades, a planter, Thomas Lincoln settled in the ranch on Knob Creek near the distillery and brought his daughter, spouse, and young child with him. His child, Abraham Lincoln, become the 16th president of U.S. after working some years in the jade ranches spread here. Now, the bourbons manufactured in this region are famous around the world and this place is renowned because of its syrupy flavor since many years.

History of Bardstown

This terrain embraces 48 ancient edifices, the route map of which can be found at the welcome center of Bardstown. Munch a luscious breakfast along with bourbon at Old Talbott Tavern. Here, this saccharine drink has been a specialty since last 2 centuries. Visit the neighboring Nelson County Jail, which was built in 1819 and was once the longest operative prison. However, it’s now a place to have some scrumptious meal and rest known as Jailer’s Inn. To know more about brief history of whiskey and lengthy history of bourbon, halt at Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History.

Train Dinner

Park your vehicle to board another vehicle simply to taste food. My Old Kentucky Dinner Train serves lunch or dinner after it starts the journey of 40 miles. It doesn’t permit passengers to board once it commences the journey, so hurry up. This train consists of 3 lavish dining cars of early 19th century and couple of diesel steam engines half a century old. Also, checkout the Eisenhower Car, which is said to be haunted after it carried the people from President’s family during his funeral in 1969.

Go to Bourbon Heritage Center

Managed by Heaven Hill Distilleries, the Bourbon Heritage Center is a place worth visiting. To know what are the monuments conserved in the center, visit bourbonheritagecenter.com. Also, stopover at the American Outpost of Jim Beam that features a film on making bourbon and the best part is, its free. Tourists are permitted to enter the Beam’s residence and the relics.

Abraham Lincoln’s place of birth

Stroll around the jade, grassy gorge near the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, which is a small cabinet near Knob Creek. The backdrop offer a remarkable source of entertainment fit for hiking without shoes. To know more about the birthplace, see nps.gov/abli.

Maker’s Mark Distillery

The sight of Maker’s Mark Distillery is positioned in the heart of Loretto. The trademark started to be known around the world only since last 50 years, but the mill has been operative since early 1800. A tour through this distillery explains you the whole process of manufacturing bourbon from pulverizing to bottling. There are several distilleries all over Kentucky. However, this is the most-liked by tourists among all.

Rafting in Elkhorn Creek

Apart from learning to make bourbon, you can jump in Elkhorn Creek and try to raft the torrents as swiftly as you can. Adventurer lovers can turn to Canoe Kentucky that offers some rafting adventures like 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Class raft tour in Elkhorn Creek. Visit the neighboring Buffalo Trace Distillery, which stores umpteen whiskey casks in timber-made storehouse.

Story of Bourbon in Georgetown

Drive east of Frankfort for around 19 miles to reach the land of Georgetown. This town cuddles several historic edifices and ancient hotels like the Blackridge Hall and the Bryan House. As soon as you enter this vicinity, you will notice a coil materializing from a neighboring grotto that carries the municipal water to local residents.

Here, an orthodox educational institution was constructed in 1787 by Elijah Craig, a Baptist minister, who later started manufacturing whiskey. As believed by the natives here, once his stock of pallid oak casks were burned by a fire that broke out in the midnight. Soon he realized that the casks were just mildly scalded, not destroyed. He then, started using those casks for hoarding corn bunches. This process increased the age of his whiskey and thus, gave birth to the legacy of bourbon.

Trip Tips

All info about various tourist spots and distilleries throughout the Bourbon Trail, along with the history is mentioned in kybourbon.com. Kentuckytourism.com will give you details about whole Kentucky, as a state. Driving through this route can sometimes be very confusing. It’s always wise to either carry a map or a GPS, or draw this route on a piece of paper along with you.

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