On The Road

A collection of 55 posts

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.

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

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.

On The Road

Catoctin Creek Distilling Company

The distillery is located on Main Street in Old Town Purcellville (every place has an Old Town, right?), in an old Buick Showroom dating back to 1921. Owned by husband and wife, Scott and Becky Harris, they celebrated their 10th year in business in Mid-February.

On The Road

The Dublin Whiskey Experience

Phil Lynott, the late lead singer of Irish rock band Thin Lizzy (pronounced Tin Lizzy in the Irish accent), is still revered in his native Dublin, Ireland. In fact, he is immortalized in a bronze statue that sits just outside Bruxelles Pub in downtown Dublin.

On The Road

Castle & Key Distillery – Worth the Wait and the Cost

Recently we shared a series of whiskey reviews for Coppercraft Distillery that incorporated a unique three person review format. Each whiskey review contained three separate set of tasting notes and observations.

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

Get To Know: Sour Mash Tours

It’s no secret that many fans of bourbon flock to Kentucky annually to have an experience on the Bourbon Trail™. And while those outings are almost certainly rites of passage for visitors to the Bluegrass state, there are many new and cool options to check out as well.

On The Road

The American Prohibition Museum

“Alcohol is Poison.” That is the first thing you see as you enter the American Prohibition Museum. Up the stairs and you begin a fascinating and informative journey into “one of the most controversial and influential time periods in American history…”

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.

On The Road

Sipping Bourbon at Four Roses

A quick history lesson before we dive into our visit. Four Roses was started in 1888. In 1943, when Seagram’s purchased the company, they decided to stop selling in the US market to focus on Europe and Asia.

On The Road

Kelvin Cooperage: The Best Damn Cooperage Tour Ever

Back in 1963, after completing his five-year apprenticeship, Ed McLaughlin started his cooperage. Kelvin Cooperage has been a family-run business ever since. It began on the banks of the River Kelvin in Glasgow, Scotland and now resides in Louisville, Kentucky.

On The Road

Bourbon & Banter 5th Anniversary Bourbon Pilgrimage

Today is the day. I’m hitting the road early this morning, along with half of the Bourbon & Banter team, on my way to Louisville to celebrate Bourbon & Banter’s 5th anniversary.

On The Road

You Need to Meet… Ed Bley from Cork ‘N Bottle

e’s been called “The Nicest Guy In Whiskey,” and my very first experience with Ed Bley, Spirits and Beer Manager for Kentucky’s Cork ‘N Bottle (CNB), certainly supports that title.

On The Road

Get To Know: Mint Julep Tours

As a frequent and enthusiastic visitor to the famed Bourbon Trail, I have had the opportunity to work with Mint Julep Tours, a tour company based in Louisville, KY that offers both custom and public bourbon distillery tours. I have used their services on four different occasions.

Distilleries

Talkin’ Whiskey, History, And Life At Pinckney Bend Distillery

A trip to a small, unassuming river town on the Lewis and Clark trail, about an hour outside of St Louis MO, in between the popular destinations of Washington and Hermann, led us to an equally unassuming storefront that is home to Pinckney Bend Distilling.

On The Road

You need to meet… Ryan Geller at Basecamp Wine and Spirits

“In the mountains (of Colorado), things tend to run a little behind the times,” said Ryan Geller, co-owner of Frisco’s Basecamp Wine & Spirits, which opened its doors on Christmas Eve 2014.

On The Road

A Visit with Tenn South Distillery

Tenn South was founded by Clayton Cutler and Blair Butler, an engineer, and a doctor respectively.

Banter

A Bourbon Oasis Where You Would Least Expect It

Rock Hill Farms!!! I am in a restaurant/bar and they have Rock Hill Farms! Maybe not unusual for Kentucky. Very unusual for any place in my home state of Virginia. I am in neither. I am in Oranjestad, the capital of Aruba.

On The Road

Eastside Distilling: A Bourbon Across America Visit

I first visited Eastside Distilling in September 2011 when they were called Deco Distilling and all they had to offer was rum. It was fine rum and they made some tasty cocktails, but it was a day of dudes strolling Portland’s Distillery Row and it was the 4th place we visited.

On The Road

The Lexington Bourbon Society

The bourbon scene in Lexington, Kentucky has always been good. Located in the center of the state, Lexington is at the crossroads of all of the great Bluegrass distilleries.

On The Road

New Riff Distillery Opens in Newport Kentucky

At the end of May I got to attend a media sneak peek at the newly opened New Riff Distillery. As it was being constructed, I could tell it was going to be a beautiful facility with a lot of serious investment behind it.

On The Road

Destination: Wild Turkey

Just a quick note to let everyone know that I’m heading down to Louisville and beyond to help Jimmy and Eddie Russell celebrate the grand opening of the new Wild Turkey visitor center on Tuesday evening. I’m pretty excited to be one of several whiskey writers/bloggers invited down for the event.