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Filson Club Bourbon Academy 2010, Classes 1 and 2 are in the books and so far it has been a wonderful experience and a must for any Bourbon lover, like myself.  Our “Bourbon professor” Mr. Mike Veach is a wealth of knowledge and has done a great job teaching our classes.   The setting is perfect, Monday nights after work, in the spectacular Filson Club Historical Society Building on South 3rd Street.  We are the only ones in the building during class, there are 10 of us in this current class.   My class mates are equally enthusiastic about Bourbon as I am and all come from different walks of life, which makes this experience all the better.   The small class size makes it perfect for an in-depth discussion on Bourbon between Bourbon lovers.  We lecture and taste Bourbons around a great big oval shaped mahogany table, in a parlor on the first floor, surrounded by old old painting of various historical figures and an endless maze of hardwood walls, ceiling and floor.  Perfect for a Bourbon lecture and tasting.   We are working our way through the history of Bourbon and have covered the early days going back to the Whiskey Rebellion and in our second class have covered the Industrial Revolution and it’s affects on the Bourbon industry.   Mike has provided us with some interesting copies of historical documents from the Filson Club, some dating back to the 1790’s, referencing Bourbon and the Bourbon industry.   It is very profound to think that we are all sitting around this table in 2010 as Bourbon fans all discussing Bourbon and it’s almost 200 plus year history - I can’t help to think that we are the modern day Bourbon ambassadors and we need to carry forth the word and tradition surrounding this great product!   The questions are endless and it is refreshing to see the enthusiasm surrounding Bourbon in and around the city an state. 

The first night much of the lecture was discussing our theory’s and the historical facts about how Bourbon came about, and we learned some really interesting things about how the Whiskey Rebellion and the Louisiana Purchase played key roles in creating what we know today as Bourbon.    Mike also covered the sources of flavors of Bourbon, which we have referenced many times.  He has six - the grain, water, fermentation, distillation, maturation, and bottling.     We talked about the different categories of flavors - friut, candy, spices, wood, floral, and garbage (unwanted).   The first night we tasted Old Forester Signature Bourbon - 100 proof, no age statement (8-12 years old).  We learned that Brown-Forman’s mash bill is about 72% corn, 18% rye and 10% malted barley, for this Bourbon.  The water is from Louisville tap water, which is purified through reverse osmosis.   It is the only Bourbon made entirely in Louisville  They let the mash ferment for 5-7 days, it is distilled at 140 proof, barreled at 135 proof and bottled at 100 proof.   Also we learned that Old Forester was the first Bourbon to be sold in a bottle.  A very fine traditional Bourbon and for the price is is one of the best we have all had. 

The second class consisted of a history lecture on how the Industrial Revolution has shaped Bourbon.    The inventions of the steamboat, railroads, and the column still were discussed and each of there importance in history in regards to Bourbon.   We also covered he Civil War and what it meant to the Bourbon industry, and like many wars before it, it brought back the whiskey tax to help pay for war debts.  An interesting fact we learned, was for many years in the 1800’s, the  whiskey tax paid for about 60% of the federal budgets and before income tax it was the single biggest income for the federal government.  We lastly covered the mid to late 1800’s of Bourbon history, and the beginnings of branding and advertising of Bourbon.   In fact we learned that the term “brand” came from the Bourbon Industry because distilleries started branding their Bourbon marks on their barrels, because the barrels often times stood in saloons were patrons could see them and he distillers wanted to market their Bourbon’s to them.   The second night we tasted Wild Turkey 101, a traditional Bourbon.  We learned that this Bourbon is a mixture of 6, 7, and 8 year old Bourbon, so their is no age statement on the bottle.   We also tasted Old Fitzgerald 1894 - one of only 5 families of wheated Bourbons.  The1894 stands for the year that Stizel-Weller distillery first opened, which made Old Fitzgerald for many years.   Next we tried a Tennessee whiskey for comparison, George Dickel.  The nose and taste were really good, but the finish was not pleasing to many of us.  Lastly we tasted a rye whiskey, Old Overholt, made by Jim Beam.    Looking forward to next Monday’s class.  We will be tasting small batch and single barrel Bourbon’s, so stay tuned for a recap of this class and the last and fourth class in March.  Sincerely, Bill.

May 22nd, 2009 - Happy Hour at Bourbons Bistro.   5:00pm.  The GotBourbon.com team and a few friends met for a Bourbon tasting at Bourbons Bistro, to kick off the long holiday weekend with a few samplings of some fine Bourbon.   Kyle, our gracious bartender, suggested a few and he was right on.  I had Old Pogue Master Select on ice first.  A delicious 9-year old, small batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was my first choice.  An excellent rye recipe Bourbon, it’s nose was caramel, and the palate had hints of oaky brown sugar.   I will be buying a bottle of this Bourbon very soon.  My next venture was actually not even a Bourbon, but it was a Rye Whiskey – Russell’s Reserve Rye.  Since I was in the rye mood, I figured I would branch out and try something that I never have.  Rye Whiskeys are making a comeback and have been gaining more and more popularity lately.   This one, from Wild Turkey, really hit the spot!  Kyle highly recommends it, and he was right on.    Obviously the big difference between Rye Whiskey is just that instead of Bourbon being made from 51% corn, Rye Whiskey has to contain 51% rye.  On ice, it has a golden amber color.  This chewy, robust, 6 year old Whiskey had a clean, fruity aroma, with hints of oak underlies it. The palate was strong with fruity taste, along with a slight burn and strong almond.   After cleaning my palate with some water, my last sampling, was an old one but a good one.   Back to Bourbon, I picked this one because this distillery has a special place in my heart, and because I had never had this variety of Bourbon from this label.  It was a unanimous choice between all of us, and the whole group each had one on the rocks!  Old Grand Dad 114 proof.    Bottled in Bond, and Barrel proof, two of my favorite qualities of good Bourbon.  This one packed a bunch both in strength and flavor.   With a very grainy aroma, the smoky palate really sticks with you.   Old Grand-Dad 114 has one of the most unique flavors in the bourbon, which is made from a unique recipe that uses more of the costly small grains, which create a distinctive flavor and body.  This fine bourbon is bottled at 114 proof, to preserve every drop of that unique character.  After some more water, and some more conversations on Bourbon, we wrapped out our “Memorial Day” Bourbon Happy Hour, and made plans to do it again soon.

April 24, 2009 – GotBourbon.com Bourbon Tour 2009

It was a crisp, beautiful Saturday morning in April. The Derby Festival had begun the week before with Thunder Over Louisville, and many other Derby events had occurred or were happening that weekend. The GotBourbon.com team had been planning this Saturday ever since Christmas Day when each of us opened up the envelope containing a full day Bourbon Tour. Our wives had planned together to get each of us this special gift. So needless to say since that winter day, a lot of planning and thought had gone into this very day and making sure it was a success. It had been a long winter, with the ice storm and many cold days of no sun. Derby, spring and a Bourbon Tour was just what the doctor ordered.  We spent the Friday night before, packing our coolers and gathering our clothes and items for the day. For the rendezvous was a 8:00 am sharp the next morning at one of our houses. There we were on the porch of a house in St. Matthews, on an already sunny Saturday morning, waiting like excited school kids for the bus to come pick us up. Everyone was going over their checklists - sunglasses, cell phones, chap stick, cameras, and of course Bourbon. Each of us had planned to bring one bottle of Bourbon that we had been wanting to try, so that we could have a drink or two in between distilleries.  Our wives had each purchased us a full day Bourbon Tour of three distilleries on the Bourbon Trail, through Mint Julep Tours, a local startup company specializing in Tours of the Bluegrass (Bourbon, Horse Farms, Wine, etc). We had read about them in the paper, so when we found out the tour was through Mint Julep Tours we were excited and anxious to see how it was going to go.  Our particular tour included three full distillery tours and lunch, and obviously transportation. We chose the “East” track and were headed to Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, and Wild Turkey.

9:00 am - Before we knew it a large conversion van pulled into the driveway just as planned. It was perfect, very comfortable with plenty of room and all the necessities of a day long Bourbon Tour. We loaded up our coolers and other belongings and headed out to the Watterson Expressway. Our Tour guide and driver, was none other than the owner of Mint Julep Tours, Sean Higgins. Right away we could tell he was excited as us about Bourbon and loved Bourbon as much as we did. Sean was very knowledgeable of the Bourbon industry, and the 50 minute drive down I-64 went by in no time.  We introduced ourselves and learned some interested Bourbon facts from Sean during the drive. Of course the first flight of Bourbon tasting commenced before we even got out of Jefferson Country.
 
10:00 am – Our first stop was historic Buffalo Trace Distillery, on the banks of the Kentucky River in Frankfort, Kentucky.  A beautiful and expansive campus, right away we were welcomed at the gate and ushered into the gift shop and museum.  Our tour consisted of a walk through the campus, a short movie on Bourbon, a visit inside a rick house, and a visit inside a bottling house.  The tour was led by Freddie , a very friendly and knowledgeable employee of Buffalo Trace.  What impressed us most about this distillery was it’s history and culture, and what it means to the Commonwealth of Kentucky as the oldest continually operating distillery in the country.  Our tour ended with several small tastings at the tasting bar off the side of the gift shop.  Excellent Bourbons to start the morning off.  Then it was off to the van for our next stop. 
 
11:30 am - We set off Southeast from Frankfort on Old Frankfort Pike to have lunch, which was included in the tour, at Wallace Station.   A quaint, old-fashioned deli/eatery tucked away in between the stone fences and horse farms of central Kentucky.   It was one of the best lunches that I have ever had.  I dined on a grilled Kentucky country ham and pimento cheese sandwich.  It hit the spot, on a mild, sunny Kentucky Saturday, in the heart of horse country while on our Bourbon Tour.  We wrapped up lunch and headed to our second distillery of the day, Four Roses. 

 
1:00 pm – Nestled in the rolling hills south of Lawrenceburg, KY, Four Roses Distillery is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and has been distilling Bourbon since the 1860s and grew to become the top-selling Bourbon in the U.S. throughout the 1930s, ’40s and ’50s.  Produced at a historic Spanish-mission style distillery in McBrayer, KY.    Our tour was crowded and included some of the same people we met on our Buffalo Trace tour.   Our guide was a petite, gentle, soft-spoken young lady, in her late 60’s or early 70’s.   With her distinct Kentucky accent she greeted the group and started the tour with a short video on Four Roses Bourbon.  Then she led us through the distillery itself, and allowed us to taste the “White Dog” – the clear distilled spirit before it enters the barrel.   What stood out about this distillery was that everything from the buildings to the bottles were very unique and intriguing.  The tour ended with tastings of several Four Rose’s brands.    The sun was high in the sky, the day still beautiful, and we were feeling pretty good at this point.   After some photos, Sean ushered us back to the van where we gathered our thoughts and cooled off with some A/C and Bourbon on the rocks.  Off we went to our next destination. 

 
3:00 pm - We arrived in Tyrone, KY (southeast of Lawrenceburg) from the west to get a spectacular view of the Wild Turkey Distillery, across the Kentucky River.   The distillery sits atop a bluff overlooking the Versailles Rd. bridge and the six floored rick houses seem mammoth on the hillside, compared to the passing cars on the bridge below.    What struck us the most about this distillery was that for the most part not much of the buildings or the facilities have changed since Bourbon was originally distilled on this site by the Ripey family.   What stood out, literally, were the massive six story rick houses dotting the countryside, 23 total with 3 under construction.  That is a lot of Bourbon, and the scale of the whole operation was impressive.  Yet it only takes a handful of people to operate on a day-to-day basis.   Again, we started our tour in the simple, but comfortable gift store, with a short video on Wild Turkey and Bourbon in general.   The tour was somewhat brief because it was a Saturday and much of the operations were not open, but nonetheless very interesting and informative.   We actually had a canine companion that followed us the whole way, and the entire tour seemed very laid back but business as usual.   There were no tasting this day at Wild Turkey, so after the tour ended we retreated to the comfort of the A/C in the Mint Julep Tour van and enjoyed a cocktail as we wrapped up our tour. 
 
5:00 pm – The day ended perfectly, Sean dropped us off at the Galthouse, which is a complementary part of the tour, and we all four had a nice steak dinner (with Bourbon cocktails of course) at Jeff Ruby’s (not part of the tour) but very appropriate given the days events.  We dined and reminisced of our Bourbon Tour ‘09, which was not even a few hours old, and we already were making plans for Bourbon Tour 2010. 
 
Much thanks to Sean and Mint Julep Tours!!  We had a wonderful time and look forward to our next tour with him. 
 
For more information on Mint Julep Tours visit them at www.mintjuleptours.com.

June 15, 2007 - The official “launch” of the gotbourbon.com web site was held at Churchill Downs, on Friday, June 15, 2007.  We celebrated the kick off of the site by gathering with friends and family at the historic track and by being the official sponsor of the eight race on the card that day.  Below are the details and pictures from the race and from that wondrous day.  First we would like to thank Churchill Downs for allowing us such an honor.  As well we would like to thank the Churchill Downs staff that took care of us so well and treated us like celebrities, when we were simply flattered to be able to present the gotbourbon.com trophy to the winning owners.  Speaking of, congratulations to Timeswept, the stunning 5-year old gray mare that captured the race.  Also, congratulations to the winning owners, Mr. and Mrs. Reeves, it was a pleasure meeting you.  As well, congratulations to the winning jockey and trainer.  You all captured our memory and we will be following you and your horse for years to come.   Bourbon, Horse Racing and Churchill Downs all go together very well, so what better venue could we have asked for to officially “announce” the web site to the public.   Actually, one of gotbourbon.com’s partners had a winning ticket on Timeswept, who paid $34.60 to win, so everything kind of fell in to place.   Due to the excitement and how well the day turned out for us we have actually decided to make it an annual event and are thinking about sponsoring another race in the fall meet, so stay tuned for more.  Thanks to all!
 

Official Results:  Churchill Downs, June 15, 2007, Race 8:  1 1/16 Dirt, Claming Race $30,000-$25,000, Purse $23,000.  For Fillies and Mares Three Years Old and Upward which have never won two races. Winner:  Timeswept, Owner:  Robert and Sarah Reeves, Trainer:  Mark E. Thomas, Jockey:  William D. Trolio