{"id":97188495,"date":"2017-05-05T19:01:18","date_gmt":"2017-05-05T19:01:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/?p=97188495"},"modified":"2018-08-01T12:13:41","modified_gmt":"2018-08-01T12:13:41","slug":"everything-to-know-about-kentuckys-bourbon-trail","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cheapoair.com\/miles-away\/everything-to-know-about-kentuckys-bourbon-trail\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You\u2019ve Always Wanted to Know About Kentucky\u2019s Bourbon Trail…But Were Afraid to Ask"},"content":{"rendered":"

In Kentucky, bourbon is king. Sure, mint juleps are fine to sip at occasional events, like maybe a world-famous horse racing derby. But if you want to taste the real boozy soul of the Bluegrass State, then you need to order the whiskey that shares its name with the\u00a0famous county where many believe American whiskey was born. <\/span><\/p>\n

To be fair, there is some contention as to the actual genesis of the name \u201cbourbon,\u201d but what we know for sure is that during the late 1800s American southerners had begun distilling a form of whiskey made from corn and aged in charred oak barrels, giving it a distinct amber color and mellow flavor and was called \u201cbourbon.\u201d Some believe that it was named after the street in New Orleans, where ships carrying the barrels were unloaded, but the most popular origin story is that it came from a region (named after a French royal house)\u00a0that originally was part of Virginia and covered what is today more than 30 counties in Kentucky.<\/span><\/p>\n

Today the state now cooks up 95% of the world\u2019s bourbon. And if you want to learn more about, and probably most importantly, taste some of the state\u2019s rich boozy liquid gold, then you need to take on the Bourbon Trail. <\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the Bourbon Trail?<\/h2>\n

Started in 1999 by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, the Bourbon Trail is a program originally meant to promote the state\u2019s bourbon industry and has since become a challenge to all whiskey lovers, the completion of which is a declaration of their dedication to bourbon. A mapped 225-mile swath from Lexington to Louisville, the Bourbon Trail marks 9 stops that distil the state\u2019s most well-known bourbon and which you can visit. These include Four Roses, Jim Beam, Bulleit, Maker\u2019s Mark, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve, Evan Williams, Heaven Hill, and Town Branch.<\/span><\/p>\n

How Do I Do the Bourbon Trail?<\/h2>\n

Before you get started with your Kentucky Bourbon Trail you\u2019re going to need a passport. Don\u2019t take this one with you into customs, because the<\/span> official Kentucky Bourbon Trail Passport<\/span><\/a> is a free souvenir that\u2019s given to you at your first distillery stop. Every time you stop at one of the 9 distilleries, you will receive a stamp on your passport and when you\u2019ve finished the trail, you will be honored with an exclusive Kentucky Bourbon Trail t-shirt! Making your love for bourbon internationally recognized. <\/span><\/p>\n

You can then start in either Lexington or Louisville and just follow the route from either point. But the suggested itinerary for a journey on the Bourbon Trail is to start in Louisville and head on to Lebanon, then double back to hit Bardstown and Shepherdsville, before making your way to finish up at Lexington,<\/span>
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Each distillery offers tours that last about an hour and a half. While the self-guided tour is an option, at all of the locations, the basic tour will set you back between $5-$10, but what comes out of your wallet, you\u2019ll make back with a complimentary bourbon tasting. You can find the tours details on each participating distillery\u2019s website.
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A tough looking assignment. @fourrosesbourbon #brentelliott #kybourbonaffair #fourroses<\/a><\/p>\n

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