Distilleries

A collection of 36 posts

Banter

Wyoming Whiskey: Well Worth the Lone Prairie Journey

The discussion to create a distillery was born of Kate Mead’s pitch to her husband to build a winery. Her notion was, in common spouse-dismissal fashion, prompt and pointed. According to co-founder David DeFazio, “Brad thought she was crazy and told her, ‘No one grows grapes out here.’”

On The Road

Breckenridge Distillery & Laws Whiskey House – Worth the Visit and Purchase

Our visit to Breckenridge Distillery began later that day with a tour. Our guide, Davis, was entertaining and generous with a tasting that regular tourists don’t get. (Yay, whiskey media!)

Bourbon News

Owensboro has ‘no regrets’ about Green River Distilling Co.

Roughly six years after Terressentia Corp. began making respectable whiskey at the O.Z. Tyler Distillery here, the properly renamed Green River Distilling Co. staged a blowout release party for its namesake 5-year-old bourbon.

On The Road

Get To Know: KO Distilling

Now that 2021 is in the rearview mirror, I thought it would be a good time to revisit one of the team’s favorite experiences from the past year – our road trip to visit KO Distilling in Manassas, Virginia, during Bourbon Heritage Month.

Industry News

Lux Row Distillers Distillery Expansion Announced

Lux Row Distillers – the Bardstown, Kentucky, home of the Ezra Brooks, Rebel, Daviess County, David Nicholson and Blood Oath bourbon brands – will undergo a $4 million expansion beginning in November.

On The Road

Nashville Barrel Company Redefines the Honey Barrel

A gourmet chef, a beekeeper, and a brewery owner walk into a bar… Waiting for them are Mike Hinds and James Davenport, the two gentlemen behind the meteoric rise of Nashville Barrel Company.

On The Road

Wine Plays Fine Role In Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s Tourism Strategy

I also love Maker’s Mark, arguably Kentucky’s prettiest distillery, but a handful of challengers, most notably Bardstown Bourbon Company (BBC), have entered the distillery beauty contest. In a runoff, the 6-year-old BBC property might lose only because of its campus.

Distilleries

New Bourbon Trail™ Passport & Field Guide

The world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour is celebrating its 22nd birthday with a new Bourbon Trail™ Passport & Field Guide to help visitors plan and prepare for the ultimate journey behind America’s only native spirit.

Distilleries

Bringing The Distillery To You: Virginia Direct To Consumer Shipping

If a Virginian can’t come to our distillery, we can bring our distillery to them.

Banter

Kentucky Barrel Pick Trip Recap – Day 2

Lux Row Distillers is a new distillery, having had their whiskeys contract-distilled for over 40 years. We pulled up on a cloudy day, but the distillery site was still gorgeous. The location is prime bourbon real estate, in Bardstown.

Banter

Kentucky Barrel Pick Trip Recap – Day 1

Almost two years to the day after the B&B team traveled to Kentucky to celebrate the 5 year anniversary of Bourbon & Banter, we got the band back together to do it again. There were a few team members that were able to make the trip again and there were some new faces that were able to join.

Distilleries

Old Weller Antique Private Barrel Pick Trip

A barrel pick experience is without a doubt one the best things you can be a part of if you are a bourbon fan. Each one is different. Every distillery does it a bit differently and the people you are with all help to make each one unique.

On The Road

Davis Valley Distillery

Back in late 2000, Rusty Cox, a life-long Virginia resident, began planting vineyards with his wife, Ruth Rhea. When the first grapes were harvested, they started making wines. Many of their wines became award winners, including a revered Davis Valley Cab Franc.

Distilleries

Belmont Farm Distillery – “America’s First Craft Whiskey Distillery”

“This place looks like a church,” remarks my wife, Patti as we walk to the front door. Later we would learn that it actually was a church. A part of the building housing the tasting room, gift shop and distillery was once a Catholic Church.

On The Road

A Visit to New Riff Distilling

I’ve been traveling across the country for the past three weeks visiting distilleries both large and small. Today I’m excited to share with you details of our trip to New Riff Distilling.

On The Road

Whitmeyer’s Distilling Company

When the topic of Texas bourbons comes up in conversation, they are often met with a lot of skepticism. Unfortunately there are some Texas brands out there that have reinforced that skepticism, and Kentucky distillers have gone to great lengths to market Kentucky as the only place to make bourbon.

Bourbon News

A Sneak Peek of the New Willett Distillery Bar

On May 3rd, Willett held a preview event for the new bar and hospitality space completed above their retail shop and tasting room. The Willett bar has been under construction for a long, long time and with good reason. The Kulsveens seem to be perfecting everything on the property right now. The bar

Distilleries

1792 Barrel Select Pick

On a cold day in late January 2017, I was invited to participate in a private barrel select at Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown, Ky. The owner of Louisville Party Center, Jamie Masticola, was looking to stock his already impressive shelves with a store label expression of 1792 Full Proof.

Distilleries

Copper & Kings Distillery Tour

Arriving at Copper & Kings (read our previous review of the distillery) there is an impressive sense that this distillery seeks to be as much a destination as a working distillery.

Bourbon Whiskey Reviews

Ragged Branch Distillery – Part 2

Ragged Branch Distillery presently produces two types of bourbon. One is a wheat mash bill, and the other is a rye mash bill. The Master Distiller at Ragged Branch is Dave Pickerell, the former Master Distiller at Makers Mark.

Distilleries

Ragged Branch Distillery – Part 1

“Ready to taste some bourbon?” This is the greeting we received from Alex Toomy, Founder and Managing Partner of Ragged Branch Distillery as we entered the tasting room at the distillery. And never one to turn down a bourbon tasting, I said yes.

Distilleries

Buying Barrels with the NHLC Part 3: The Decline and Fall of My Liver

In case you missed Part I & Part II of my Barrel Buying Trip with the New Hampshire Liquor Commission, we’ve thus far selected 30 barrels from three distilleries. Would we achieve the promised “up to 40 barrels of the world’s finest liquid”? One day of the trip remains.

Distilleries

Buying Barrels with the NHLC Part 2: The Best Bourbon Experience of My Life

Master Distiller Eddie Russell met our group at the Wild Turkey Visitor Center. After introductions, he said, “You want a tour, or you wanna drink some whiskey?” We did not take a tour. We drove up to Bonded Warehouse A where we were greeted by some barrels that had been pulled for us.

Distilleries

Buying Barrels with the NHLC Part 1: Trial by Firewater

There are many steps on the bourbon lover’s journey. After you decide you like it, you start trying different brands to see what you like. You seek out books, websites and other enthusiasts to further your education. You visit the big Kentucky distilleries and your local craft distillery.

Distilleries

You Need to Meet… Michael Myers at Distillery 291

It’s hard to draw any other conclusion after hearing Michael Myers’ incredible journey from New York photographer to the founder of one of the most decorated craft distillers in the world, Colorado Springs’ Distillery 291.