Bourbon 30
Bottled one barrel at a time this process features each barrel's distinct personality.
Small Batch (100 Proof)
Selected individual barrels of Bourbon are combined to create a well rounded, smooth and creamy on the palate.
Proof Aged Bourbon (90 Proof)
Selected barrels of Bourbon are cut to 90 proof before finishing the maturation process. This yields the great flavors of high proof Bourbon at a lower sipping proof. Cool concept.
And ... Rye Whiskey (98 Proof)
A nice blend of Ryes from different barrels is finished in previously used Bourbon barrels to give it a bold, spicy, and bourbony experience. Not bad for Rye Whiskey!
OK, you can probably tell by my nearly empty tasting glass in front of the Small Batch that I liked it the best! (Even though it is the highest proof Bourbon.) The glasses also indicate that my preferences were for the Proof Aged followed by the Single Barrel.
A higher proof Wheated Bourbon can be drawn straight from the barrel, and then you can cork and label your own Bourbon at 104 Proof.
Kentucky Straight High Rye Bourbon is bottled at 90 Proof and made with 75% yellow corn, 15% rye, and 10% malted barley. It has aromatic notes of butterscotch and spices with a peppery, spiced flavor. The Bourbon is barrel-aged for at least 2 years.
Surprised to see a 15% rye content billed as "high rye." The rye content of 35% in Four Roses Single Barrel seems more like a high rye.
High Rye Straight Bourbon Barrel Drawn is a bourbon you can draw straight from the barrel, cork and label it for a one-of-a-kind 107 Proof bottle of Kentucky Straight Bourbon.
Thomas Bulleit, Jr. revived an old family Bourbon recipe and started the Bulleit Distilling Company in 1987. He was inspired by his great-great-grandfather Augustus Bulleit, who made a high rye whiskey between 1830 and 1860. High rye content gives Bulleit a bold, spicy character with a distinctively smooth, clean finish.
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| Forrest takes the Bourbon tour to another level. |
- Bulleit
- Bulleit 10 Year
- I W Harper
- Blade And Bow
Bulleit Bourbon 10 Year Old is Tom Bulleit’s selected reserve. Aged in charred American white oak, select Bulleit Bourbon barrels were set aside to age for 10 years. The result is a special expression of Bulleit that provides a rich, deep, incredibly smooth sipping experience.
I.W. Harper began in 1872 and was originally launched by Isaac Wolfe Bernheim.
I.W. Harper Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey (82 Proof) has a subtle nose with hints of caramel and vanilla, velvety bursts of wood and spice finishing with subtle fruit notes.
Blade And Bow is made using the Solera aging process. Whiskey from old Stitzel-Weller barrels is added in a fractional blending that is a mixture of ages. The average age gradually increases as the process continues over many years.
Blade and Bow Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has a subtle aroma of fresh fruit and a taste that includes hints of dried apricot, ripe pear and a sweet roasted grain. The finish has notes of charred oak and warm winter spices.
We visited the Jockey Silks Bourbon Bar at the Galt House Hotel as our first stop on this Louisville Urban Bourbon Trail trip. I enjoyed some Wheated Bourbons: W L Weller Special Reserve (90 Proof) and an Old Fitzgerald Bottled in Bond (100 Proof), a blend of 75% Corn, 20% Wheat, 5% Malted Barley.
Downtown Bristol Bar & Grille
Our next stop on the Urban Bourbon Trail was the Downtown Bristol Bar & Grille. I tasted a Bernheim Original Kentucky Straight Wheat Whiskey (90 Proof) distilled from a mash containing at least 51% soft winter wheat and a Willet Corner Creek Reserve Bourbon Whiskey (88 Proof) a blend of Corn, Rye, Barley and Wheat. Both were very good and unique!
We first visited this bar in 2016 and I published some pictures of the place and my first Pappy tasting there. Our initial visit was lots of fun, but this time it seemed like the bartenders were more interested in getting ready to close up (at 9:30 on a Friday night) than educate somebody about their Bourbon selection. Must have been that everyone went to A Taste Of Main Street, a special event at The Kentucky Center that night.
For my last taste of the evening I had a Wathen's Kentucky Bourbon (94 Proof) at Harvest Restaurant. Wathen's is produced by Charles Medley and has a Mash Bill of 77% Corn, 10% Rye and 13% Malted Barley. I enjoyed the different Rye-Barley balance, despite its mediocre reviews online.
We enjoyed this NuLu bar and restaurant on Friday night so much that we went back for their Saturday Brunch! It was an interesting farm to table menu that included seasonal ingredients delivered to their kitchen by local farmers. We had the special Omelette and the Market Strata with some Gruet Brut Rose for Devon and I had a great Bloody Mary!
We enjoyed this NuLu bar and restaurant on Friday night so much that we went back for their Saturday Brunch! It was an interesting farm to table menu that included seasonal ingredients delivered to their kitchen by local farmers. We had the special Omelette and the Market Strata with some Gruet Brut Rose for Devon and I had a great Bloody Mary!
This place looks very cool inside and out, a great presentation of products, but we didn't have time for a tour and, consequently, there was no tasting. I've had their Bourbon before and liked it. The mash bill (as you can see in their mash bill components display) is 72% Corn, 18% Rye and 10% Malted Barley; it's also finished in ruby port casks.
Well, we managed to show up in Louisville a few weeks after the Derby, but we watched the Preakness Stakes at the Sidebar At Whiskey Row - Downtown (unfortunately, they couldn't turn on any audio). I sampled these fine Bourbons during the race and with a fantastic lunch:
- Town Branch (80 Proof, 72% Corn, 15% Malted Barley, 13% Rye)
- Old Forester Signature (100 Proof)
- Willett Pot Still Reserve (94 Proof)
And, of course, Justify won!
We only visited Lexington, Versailles, Georgetown, and Louisville for four days, but it was plenty of fun! I hope we can return to the Urban Bourbon Trail in Louisville soon.
See you on future tasting trips!
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