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Kentuckalypse Soon: On The Bourbon Trail

I love the smell of bourbon in the morning...

I’ve never been to Kentucky, so when I was asked if I wanted to tag along on a trip with several of Vancouver top bartenders for six days, I didn’t say no. Press trips are always plenty of fun, but this particular one (courtesy of Maker’s Mark) sounded more insane than just marginally entertaining. It looks to be mighty educational, too (I’m not as up to speed with American whisky as I am with scotch). While I don’t foresee any real interruption to our local coverage, the Kentuckalypse Now blog will be popping up plenty. To give you a window into what’s on the dance card, here is my rough itinerary:

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OK Boys,

Here’s the final itinerary. I hope you have all prepared yourselves. We are going to have a blast. Morrison, it looks like we may not be able to shoot guns as we will be pretty busy, but don’t count anything out. Remember that you all need to bring a suit and tie! Don’t forget or you aren’t going to the race. Call me with any questions.

Ron Oliver | Maker’s Mark Distillery Diplomat-Canada

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Monday, April 6th

Arrival

The 21 C Museum Hotel in Louisville, Kentucky

6:20pm Ron Oliver, Simon Kaulback, Andrew Morrison, Shaun Layton, Jay Jones, Trevor Kailes arrive at Louisville International Airport. Proceed to baggage claim.

6:30pm Bryant Mao arrives. Proceed to baggage claim where you will meet Ron Oliver and the rest of the group.

6:30pm Laura Marnich, Lewis Wilkinson, Ambrosse Bathford, Luke Watson, Padro Garvoa, David Greig, and Joseph Stokoe arrive. Proceed to baggage claim where Jane Conner will meet you and take you to the hotel.

Tuesday, April 7th

Cooperage & Maker’s Mark

7:00am Depart the hotel for the cooperage.

8:30am Arrive and begin tour of Independent Stave Cooperage. DO NOT BE LATE. Independent Stave provides the majority of our barrels. Here you will see the extra steps taken to make sure Maker’s Mark gets the highest quality barrels.

9:45am Depart for Maker’s Mark.

10:30am Arrive and “Be the Bourbon”. Dave Pudlo, Bourbon Specialist for Maker’s Mark. Follow the bourbon process from lake water and grains to the finished product in a tasting glass. You’ll see, touch, and taste each step that goes into making this fine bourbon.

12:30pm Enjoy lunch in the Burks House. During this informal lunch you will receive a history lesson. The Samuels family’s Kentucky roots go deep. Here you will be able to see artifacts from their history and hear amazing tales of bandits and past presidents

1:30pm Resume the bourbon process.

3:30pm Bourbon tasting with Kevin Smith, Master Distiller for Maker’s Mark.

5:00pm Depart for Louisville.

6:15pm Arrive back at the hotel and freshen up before dinner.

7:00pm Depart for dinner at Z’s Fusion.

9:00pm Return to the hotel.

Wednesday, April 8th

Working At The Distillery

8:00am Depart for Maker’s Mark distillery.

9:30am Arrive at distillery and begin work in the Distillery. You’ll be cooking this morning, as well as milling, fermenting, and distilling. The good folks in our still house will take you through each step of the creation process. If you’re really lucky, you’ll even get to see where we keep our 200 year old yeast.

10:30am Work in the Warehouse. The afternoon is going to be a bit more strenuous. You will go through the life of a Maker’s Mark barrel. You will be able to fill, load, rotate, unload, empty, and finally see the barrels off to Scotland.

11:30am Lunch at the Burks House on the hill. The Burks Family home was built between 1898 – 1902 and has been restored to its original Victorian style and furnished with Victorian antiques personally acquired by Mr. Bill Samuel, Jr.. The Burks house sets on the hill overlooking the distillery and the beautiful grounds.

12:30pm Work in the Bottling House. You will finally get your chance to put your mark on a bottle of Maker’s Mark. You will get to dip those fun bottles and hand-package them. You will even get to see what it would have been like to hand tear every single label. Dale will take you through the bottling of Maker’s Mark handmade bourbon.

1:30pm Time to test your dipping skills. Hope you learned from the ladies on the bottling line how to create the perfect dip.

2:00pm Depart the distillery for Louisville.

3:30pm Arrive back in Louisville to freshen up and relax.

4:30pm Depart the hotel.

5:00pm Arrive at the home of Bill and Nancy Samuels for cocktails and dinner. **Attire: Business Casual. Bill Samuels is the son to the founder of Maker’s Mark, and the 7th generation bourbon distiller. He continues the family’s handmade bourbon tradition, and remains true to his father’s innovation of fine bourbon whisky and to the vision of Maker’s Mark. Each team of bartenders will present their Maker’s Mark cocktail creation.

8:30pm Depart for the hotel.

Thursday, April 9th

Bourbon Trail

9:00am Depart for day of touring the distilleries on the Bourbon Trail

10:00pm Guided tour of the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Legendary explorers, pioneers and settlers followed ancient paths of buffalo that led America westward through rugged wilderness to new lands and new adventures. Today the bold heritage of mighty buffalo and the pioneering spirit of those early Americans are found at the Buffalo Trace Distillery.

1:00pm Guided tour of the Four Roses Distillery. One trip to our historic distillery and you’ll begin to understand why our Bourbon has come to be so mellow. Nestled in the quiet Kentucky countryside near Lawrenceburg, and on the banks of the scenic Salt River, the Four Roses Distillery makes the trip to this very mellow place all that more rewarding.

3:15pm Guided tour of the Wild Turkey Distillery. Premium Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey has been distilled on Wild Turkey Hill for generations. Sitting on the crest of a hill that overlooks the Kentucky River, the Wild Turkey Distillery possesses an outward appearance as simple and unadorned as the traditional distilling methods used inside.

5:00pm Depart distillery for your hotel in Lexington (Lexington Downtown Hotel & Conference Center by Hilton).

6:00pm At your leisure, come to meet Bill Samuels for a cocktail at the Bigg Blue Martini (hotel bar) before departing for dinner.

7:15pm We know you have worked up a hunger. Depart in the car service provided for dinner TBD.

9:00pm Arrive back at the hotel.

Friday, April 10th

Maker’s Mark Mile

8:30am Depart the hotel for the bottle signing at Keeneland Racetrack. Attire: Casual. This National Historic Landmark opened in 1935 and plays host to a wide variety of horse related events annually including the Blue Grass Stakes and the Phoenix Handicap, the oldest stakes race in the United States. You could say that Keeneland is the original Maker’s Mark Ambassador. About 50 years ago, they became the first account to purchase a case of Maker’s Mark from Bill Samuels, Sr. Years later, when we inaugurated the Maker’s Mark Mile, we began celebrating the event with a limited edition commemorative bottle that raises money for a Kentucky charity. These bottles are highly sought after, so much that people wait in line all night to be the first to their local liquor store to purchase one. As you will see, the signing draws more than 1,500 people while the signers lay down their signatures for more than five hours!

9:30am Return to the hotel for breakfast and to get ready for the day.

11:45am Depart with Ron and Jane in their vans for Keeneland. *Ron & Jane: Be sure you have your clubhouse parking passes. **Attire: Keeneland has a very strict dress code. Men must wear a jacket and tie. Ladies must wear a suit or dress. No denim is allowed.

12:45pm Take your seats in the Kentucky Room.

1:15pm Post time! Have you placed your bets? The first race of the day begins! Before the 13th Running of the Maker’s Mark Mile, Nick Nicholson will take you to the paddock to see the horses and the jockeys that will be racing. You will head back to the trackside to watch the race. Following the race, you will have the opportunity to join Bill Samuels in the winner’s circle for the trophy presentation. Then have a drink with the winning group in the Director’s room.

6:00pm Last race of the day. Return to the hotel.

7:30-9:00pm At your leisure, enjoy dinner in the hotel where Kevin Smith, Master Distiller for Maker’s Mark, will be your host. **Attire: Casual

9:30pm Let the party begin! Head on over to our Ambassador Party. It’s our way of getting together the people who are passionate about what we do and having a good time with them. Last year over 3,200 people joined us from 47 different states for live music and cocktails! **Attire: There is a Prohibition Theme this year. Costumes are encouraged, but not required.

11:30pm This party is over, but if you still have the energy and your Maker’s craving hasn’t been satisfied, join us back at the hotel bar, the Bigg Blue Martini.

Saturday, April 11th

Home and recovery.

1:50pm: depart Louisville International Airport

Naturally, I’ve taken out insurance.

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Andrew Morrison is a west coast boy who studied history and classics at the Universities of Cape Town and Toronto after an adolescence spent riding skateboards and working in restaurants. He is the editor of Scout Magazine, the weekly food and restaurant columnist for the Westender newspaper, a contributor to Vancouver and Western Living magazines, and a proud board member of the Chef’s Table Society of BC. He lives and works by the beach in Vancouver.

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There are 3 comments

  1. Andrew, you are quite right to be mightfully fearful about Life on the Bourbon Trail, with which I am modestly experienced.

    Some tips and techniques:

    First, the pharmaceuticals:

    1. Standard issue ASA with codeine – 200 tablet quantity for the usual 4-day itinerary, admixed with
    2. Gravol and
    3. Zantax or equivalent as the turpentine spirits will swiftly denature your esophagus and gut into a NASCAR track of recombinant acids that only Timothy Leary could love
    4. Quality eye drops
    5. Tight underwear (see Quality Latin Phrases, as below)
    6. High Sodium mineral water (widely available there)
    7. Sunglasses of a hefty tint

    Next, drinking protocols:

    1. Pace should be the order of the day as you are expected a dinner–the best part of these tours
    2. Always park your vehicle TIGHT to your motel room door.
    3. Sleep when you are tired (especially on those 90-minute bus rides), eat when you are hungry, and drink when you are happy.
    4. If you are not happy, ask them to pass more carbonized jet-fuel and admire your hostess’s barrels.

    You will find no more hospitable folks—with the possible exception of the scions of Atlanta, Georgia—than those you are shortly about to meet: gracious, kind and with livers that have lived.

    You are fortunate that the weather will be cool when you visit. Humidity and bourbon in the morning is a completely different chllenge.

    Finally, say this to your arresting officer: ‘Sine Timore aut Favore’. I’ve always found that a bespoke Latin phrase ensures a lighter bail bond in North Kentucky, although it’s no guarantee of whom your cell-mate might be.

    Yours, etc.

    DeShawn

  2. somewhere off the I-75 outside of lexington is a stuckey’s. can one of you please pick me up a pecan log roll? haven’t had one since i was a kid. weirdest most delicious treat ever.

    http://www.stuckeys.com/

    p.s. oh, and a bottle of bourbon we can’t get here. 🙂