A historian uncovers the complex story of her home states famous spirit, one strong sip at a time.
Ashley Camper
Growing up inLouisville,I knew about bourbon.
It turned out I wasnt alone.
From left: Behind the bar at the Kitchen & Bar at Bardstown Bourbon Co.; pouring the Bardstown Fusion Series #9 blend.Credit:Ashley Camper
In the early 1970s, sales of vodka surpassed those of Americas native spirit for the first time.
Facing a shrinking market, bourbon makers of the 1970s and 80s wandered into other industries.
My friends family, along with many other distillers, cashed out to conglomerates.
From left: Bourbon bottles at the Frazier History Museum, in Louisville, Kentucky; a horse at Hermitage Farm, in Goshen.Ashley Camper
By the early 90s, the unimaginable had occurred.
Not a problem, he said.
She would get used to it if she brushed her teeth with the stuff for a week.
From left: A bourbon tasting at the Frazier History Museum; the lobby at Origin Lexington.Ashley Camper
Today the bourbon business is booming.
There are more than 11 million barrels aging across the state.
Im a historian who has studied Southern writers and Southern families.
From left: Raising a glass at Trouble Bar, in Louisvilleâs Shelby Park neighborhood; Honeywood restaurantâs Barrel Pick Boulevardier, made with bourbon, Campari, sweet vermouth, and orange.Ashley Camper
I have even written a book about the troubling origins of the song My Old Kentucky Home.
But I had virtually ignored the bourbon comeback.
How did this spirit reverse its course?
From left: The ribbon room at Heritage Farm; mac and cheese and sweet potato beignets at Honeywood.Ashley Camper
My historians bag in hand, I set off on a chilly winter ride along the bourbon trail.
Apparently, they were bourbon hunters waiting for a special release from the Old Forester Distillery.
I had my first official tasting later at Hermitage Farm, an easy 30-minute drive northeast of Louisville.
From left: Fall foliage on the Old Frankfort Pike National Scenic Byway; the Kitchen & Bar at Bardstown Bourbon Co.Ashley Camper
Seated at the Barn8 bar, bathed in whiskey-gold light, I sipped an Old-Fashioned made with foraged-hickory-nut syrup.
I tasted more forest than fire, and my hesitation about the spirit began to fade.
The mixture must be at least 51 percent corn and should contain wheat, rye, and malted barley.
From left: A tasting at Heaven Hill; Hermitage Farmâs Barn8 restaurant, in Goshen.Ashley Camper
That much is lost to time.)
One of my guides called that microscopic motion the heartbeat of Kentucky.
I learned about mash bills: the proportion of corn, barley, and rye used in the bourbon.
From left: An Old-Fashioned and oysters at Repeal; sampling from the barrel at Castle & Key.Ashley Camper
(This beery odor is affectionately known as Kentucky cologne.)
The touring-tasting-dining trend may be most fully realized at Bardstown Bourbon Co., founded in 2014.
BBC produces its own bourbon, as well as spirits on contract for more than 30 other brands.
From left: Oak-fired steak with asparagus at Repeal, the restaurant at Louisvilleâs Hotel Distil; a guest room at Dant Crossing, in Gethsemane.Ashley Camper
Age and masculinity have long characterized bourbon branding.
A patina of longevity communicated stature.
(The brand has since dropped the Yell.)
The grounds of Castle & Key distillery, near Frankfort.Ashley Camper
In 2016, Jack Daniel’s began to embrace this story by offering tours highlighting Greens contributions.
Victoria Eady Butler, a descendant of Greens, now holds the title of master blender there.
ThatsTennessee whiskey, but who knows how many Uncle Nearests have been excluded from the Kentucky bourbon story?
In 2016, Jack Daniels began to embrace this story by offering tours highlighting Greens contributions.
Victoria Eady Butler, a descendant of Greens, now holds the title of master blender there.
Thats Tennessee whiskey, but who knows how many Uncle Nearests have been excluded from the Kentucky bourbon story?
Now an author and consultant, Stevens also founded the Bourbon Women Association in 2011.
This gives it a natural crossover appeal for women who drink wine, said Alice Peterson, Pinhooks CEO.
I love that we no longer have to market solely to the leather-sofa-and-cigars crowd.
I found a similar ethos at Trouble Bar, a tavern in Louisvilles Shelby Park neighborhood.
She founded a bourbon tour agency, Matson & Gilman, with her best friend, Nicole Stipp.
By 2019 they wanted a brick-and-mortar place where they could hold tastings; eventually, a bar followed.
Some of the trees at Castle & Key distillery have a witchy look.
Its about how you create a sense of place, Connors said.
Thats what people remember more than tasting or even tours.
(A farm-to-table restaurant is projected to open next year.)
(The well-known J. W. Dant bourbon brand, owned by Heaven Hill, is separate.)
When it was over I gladly accepted a golf-cart ride back to my room.
The story of bourbon, I found, does not end with the drink itself.
The liquor has also become part of the arc of Kentuckys cuisine.
That led to 11 years as chef-in-residence at Woodfords distillery in Versailles.
Thanks to the bourbon touring boom, Holly Hill is no longer under the radar.
Its a sea change, she said.
Our spirit makers would like you to think that essence is bourbon.
I was reminded time and again of its hold.
Journeying along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail showed me just how big a business my states signature spirit has become.
Along the way, be sure to stop often for the surprises.
Bourbon itself was mine.
The heat that comes with each sip is a reminder of Kentuckys complexity and depth.
Give it to me straight, with a single cube of clarifying ice.
Breakfast is delivered to your door.
Origin Lexington:A sophisticated stay in the heart of the city.
Nami:Tired of fried chicken?
Castle & Key:This distillerys serene gardens are perfect for a midday stroll between tastings.
Heaven Hill:Founded in 1935, this remains Americas largest independent family-owned bourbon distillery.
