In case you missed it, they made a movie about Elizabethtown:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elizabethtown_(film)
Too bad most of the scenery in the movie is actually not in E-town.
FYI, read that Willett just today released their first estate distilled bourbons. Only 4 years old but depending on price should be interesting. All barrel proof. Available only at the distillery.
which is the best hotel in Louisville if you want to walk to a few good bourbon bars ?
I think the best strategy for staying within a walking distance to a few great bars is finding someplace downtown. Most places downtown are all within walking distance. 21C Hotel has an eclectic modern museum as well as Proof on Main downstairs. Proof is a great restaurant and bar where you can find high end bourbons and a wonderful cocktail program. It is also walking distance to plenty of other bars downtown such as the Seelbach and the Brown Hotels. They are more old school (in a good way) and also have their own in house bourbon bars as well. Also The Galt House is on the river downtown and has Rivue (a restaurant/bar) at the top floor with great views of downtown. Milkwood restaurant, Haymarket Whiskey Bar, Doc Crow’s, and the Evan Williams Bourbon experience are all downtown and within walking distance to these hotel’s. I believe there is a Courtyard Marriott very close to the Haymarket Whiskey Bar too. Nulu/East Market Street is just down the road as well and has plenty of options including Rye on market and Decca. It is probably walking distance but with current construction in the area I would probably just pay for a short 10 minute taxi ride rather than walk.
Just back from an enjoyable weekend in KY. Thanks for all the recs. We went to Willet, Barton, Four Roses, the silly Jim Beam “experience” in Louisville, wild turkey, buffalo trace, Barrel House and Copper and Kings.
Not a bad experience among them, but Willet, Wild Turkey and Copper and Kings were all exceptional.
I was disappointed that hard to find bourbons were no easier to find in KY than VA, but i guess I shouldn’t be surprised. Every place was packed–it’s clearly such a booming industry.
That is also my experience, Pappy, Eagle Rare 17, etc… are just too highly sought after to leave them on the shelves in KY.
And I wasn’t even looking that high end. I was hoping to find some Weller, some Elmer T. Lee, etc. $30 stuff that has become harder to find in virginia. Nada.
Still had a great time–no complaints!
Yeh, bummer
Just coming home from a business trip in the area and did a couple of days on the Bourbon Trail as well as hitting some stores for some hard to find bottles. Big strike out on finding anything worthy. The Bourbon craze is in high gear and specialty bottles are usually spoken for by the locals per some retailer conversations. Even sought after mid tiers are off the shelf in a day or two.
That was my experience in Lexington and Louisville both
Buffalo Trace tour is great- Make sure to get Freddy (Nothing good on the shelves)
Willett Gift Shop will have the most sought after juice as they will put some well aged stuff first come…
Four Roses has Master Distiller private selection Single Barrels which are excellent
Stitzel-Weller is a cool tour and if you can land a private tour, they might let you taste some of the older orphan barrel stuff and Harper 15. (best you’re gonna get there).
As others have mentioned, Bourbon is HOT right now, so hard to find anything lying around, but if you can get hooked up with a couple of good tours, it will be fun. I also know a guy who runs an amazing Bourbon Bar/Eatery in Lexington that I can reach out to if you are in that area.