Kentucky Bourbon Trail

Since 95% of the world's bourbon is made here and bourbon's popularity is booming, no wonder the distilleries are working non-stop to keep up with the demand. Some highlights are:

• Woodford Reserve is the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby and the oldest and smallest working bourbon distillery. Personalize a bourbon souvenir bottle with a private label. 
• Wild Turkey is  set on 900 acres that front the Kentucky River, which is its water source. This distillery has made bourbon since 1869, aging its barrels from six to twelve years. Half of the product is exported to about 60 countries. Australia is number one. 

• Heaven Hill Distillery has the most educational of the tastings and is conducted in a barrel-shaped room. Drinking it "neat" means straight up. An exhibition traces bourbon's history.

• A visit to Maker's Mark has the personal touch of the founding Samuels family. Some of the cypress-wood fermenting vats are 100 years old. They bubble, like all bourbon-making vats do, from the active yeast consuming the sugar in the grains. Replicate the company's red wax bottle neck coating on a purchased souvenir bottle by dipping it in red wax.

President Lyndon B. Johnson and an Act of Congress in 1964 recognized bourbon as "America's Official Native Spirit." And although it can be produced anywhere in America, most brands come from Kentucky. 

What's In Bourbon?

By law, bourbon must contain at least 51% corn; the rest is barley and rye. Some distilleries, such as Maker's Mark, use wheat instead of rye, which lends a sweater taste. It must be aged in new, charred, white oak barrels. It has to be distilled at no more than 160 proof and aged in the barrel a minimum of two years. Other requirements differentiate types of bourbon such as blended and straight. 

The elements here are perfect for making bourbon. The water used by the distilleries to dilute pure alcohol coming off the stills is naturally filtered by underground limestone rocks. Out goes the iron and calcium gets put back in. The four seasons are an added bonus. Kentucky is hot in the summer and cold in the winter. With bourbon aging in the barrels, the temperature expands and contracts the liquid. That process contributes to its color and flavor coming from the barrel. 

But before the government sanctioned bourbon "America's Official Native Spirit," the Bluegrass State already had a long heritage making it. Dating back two centuries, the spirit's founding pioneers were primarily Scotch-Irish immigrants. They brought with them generations of whisky-making from the other side of the Atlantic. The distillery responsible for 50% of the bourbon produced in Kentucky is Jim Beam.

Starting the Kentucky Bourbon Trail in Lexington is a favorite choice. Discover historic downtown buildings using a free Lexington Walk brochure and LexWalk Audio Tour smart phone app. Both are available at the city's Victorian Square tourist center or call toll-free to 800-845-3959.

For a good night's sleep on a Tempur-Pedic mattress, stay at the downtown Gratz Park Inn that also offers complimentary parking. Jonathan's onsite restaurant is a winner. Expect the menu to have bourbon in some selections. Supposedly, the bar makes the best Old Fashioned mixed drink in town.