What's Old in Bardstown - Distillery Tour

7900 Shelbyville Road,Louisville KY 40222

17 May, 2022

Description

A visit to Barton Barton 1792 Distillery, Talbott Tavern, Old Steelhouse Distillery and Heaven Hill Distillery The Brotherhood's last trip to Bardstown was to discover "What's New". We toured shiny modern glass and stainless steel distilleries. This time, we're going to explore "What's Old" in Bardstown's deep and rich bourbon history. The price of admission includes a full-day of fun with four special destinations, lots of new friends and an experience you'll always remember. We will meet near the Oxmoor Mall to board a special luxury motor coach supplied by our good friends at Pegasus Distillery Experiences. Snacks and beverages will be provided. BARTON 1792 Our first stop will be the Barton 1792 Distillery. The distillery is no longer booking tours, but we managed to work out a deal, so this may be your last opportunity to see the distillery. Barton is the oldest fully-operating distillery in Bardstown, built in 1879. Situated in heart of bourbon country on 196 acres, the Distillery boasts 29 barrel aging warehouses and 22 other buildings including an impressive still house. We'll tour the inner-workings of this distillery to see how their award-winning bourbon is made. We'll drink some too, of course. TALBOTT TAVERN We'll be enjoying lunch at the historic Talbott Tavern, where we've rented out the entire Pub room and even hired our own dedicated bartender. The room's exposed stone walls, ceiling rafters, creaky floor and quarter-sawn oak bar will make you feel as if you've stepped back in time. The Talbott Tavern was built in 1779 and has been called the oldest western stagecoach stop in America. It was a haven of hospitality to those sturdy pioneers who carved an empire out of the threatening wilderness. The Tavern has had many famous visitors over the past 241 years including Abraham Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, Daniel Boone and George Rodgers Clark. The outlaw Jesse James had too many drinks in the Pub one evening then went upstairs to sleep it off. He saw birds moving in the murals and shot at them, leaving behind bullet holes that remain to this day. It's said that Jesse James is just one of the ghosts that still haunt the Tavern. Lunch is on your own nickel, along with a wide selection of bourbons and cocktails. OLD STEELHOUSE DISTILLERY Sitting quietly alongside the railroad tracks just north of Bardstown, are the ruins of an abandoned historic distillery that produced bourbon after prohibition was repealed. Some people say these buildings, once known as the T. W. Samuels Distillery, are still haunted. We'll walk through these mysterious steel-clad buildings, frozen in time for over 50 years, to discover what's inside and learn the fascinating history. We will also hear about their plans to restart bourbon production. HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY Shortly after Prohibition at the height of the Great Depression, Heaven Hill Distillery was founded in Bardstown by the Shapira family. Today, it's the largest independent, family-owned and operated distilled spirits supplier in the country and is the second largest holder of aging bourbon in the world, with an inventory in excess of 1.6 million barrels. Our visit to the recently-opened Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience will include the theater, Elijah Craig and Larceny museum galleries, and of course a tasting of various bourbons and whiskeys. You must be 21 or over to attend this tour. The Bourbon Brotherhood is a gathering of men who enjoy bourbon and camaraderie. Please enjoy your bourbon responsibly.