More Than the Bourbon: My Kentucky Bourbon Trail Experience

My recent trip to Kentucky started as a bourbon trip, but somewhere along the way it became something much bigger. Over the course of the week, I hit Old Forester, Green River, Peerless, Bardstown Bourbon Company, Buffalo Trace, Heaven Hill, Evan Williams, Stitzel-Weller, Wild Turkey, Jim Beam, Lux Row, Buzzard’s Roost, Pursuit Spirits, Michter’s Fort Nelson and Whiskey Thief, among others. It was a chance to experience almost every side of Kentucky bourbon—from some of the biggest names in the industry to smaller producers where the experience feels much more personal.

There were a few stops that really separated themselves. Old Forester was probably my favorite overall experience. There’s something different about walking Whiskey Row and stepping inside a distillery with that much history. Seeing the process, experiencing the atmosphere and spending time in the heart of Louisville gave me an even greater appreciation for a brand I already enjoyed.

Buffalo Trace was another bucket-list stop. We did the Biscuits & Bourbon experience along with the Trace Tour, getting the opportunity to walk the grounds, see the warehouses and experience a place responsible for some of the bottles bourbon hunters spend years chasing. Regardless of how many pictures or videos you’ve seen, being there and walking those grounds is completely different.

Then there were the more personal experiences. We had a private experience at Bardstown Bourbon Company, which showed a completely different, modern side of bourbon. The facility, innovation and approach to whiskey were impressive and provided a great contrast to some of Kentucky’s historic distilleries.

Whiskey Thief was another standout and one of the most memorable stops of the trip. Instead of the traditional polished distillery experience, you’re on a working Kentucky farm tasting whiskey directly from the barrels. We were fortunate enough to get a VIP experience through Brian Certain, which made an already unique stop even better. Experiences like that are what stick with you long after the trip is over.

Of course, no Bourbon Trail trip would be complete without the haul. I came back to Texas with 16 bottles, but I tried to make those 16 count. This wasn’t about filling the vehicle with bottles I could easily buy at home. I wanted bottles that represented the trip and would bring back a memory every time I opened one.

Some of the biggest scores included a Michter’s 10 Year Rye, Elijah Craig 21 Year and Jim Beam Lineage 15 Year, along with other bottles picked up throughout the week. Hunting while traveling through bourbon country became part of the experience itself. Every distillery gift shop and stop along the way brought that same question bourbon hunters know well: What might they have today?

But looking back, the best thing I brought home wasn’t one of those 16 bottles.

It was a different perspective on bourbon.

I spent the week talking with people who make it, sell it, represent it and simply love drinking it. I saw huge heritage brands, modern operations, smaller producers and everything in between. It reinforced something I’ve increasingly come to believe: bourbon is at its best when the bottle becomes the reason people connect.

That experience also helped clarify what I want The Bourbon Poor to represent. I don’t want this to simply be another page showing allocated bottles or elaborate tasting notes. I’m an everyday bourbon drinker who drinks what I like, enjoys the hunt and wants to know the stories and people behind the whiskey. I want to help other people discover bottles, distilleries and experiences they might otherwise miss while building genuine relationships throughout the bourbon community.

I left Kentucky with 16 bottles.

I came home with the beginnings of an idea much bigger than the haul.

Discover. Connect. Enjoy.

That’s what the Bourbon Trail became for me—and it’s exactly the kind of experience I want The Bourbon Poor to help create for others.