UK academic, 30-something (just), married to an American gal from Pennsylvania. After spending the last 4 academic years in the south of England landed a post at the University of Louisville, Kentucky. Been in the country and the South less than a month cue some culture shock and some incredibly hot weather (90F plus).
Few days ago headed off on our first Southern tour, first stop -- Versailles county to visit the Woodford Reserve Bourbon distillery (following in the footsteps of Stephen Fry on his tour of America).Ok, first mistake -- its pronounced "Ver -- sales" not 'ver - say', while Louis-ville is pronounced (Loo ah vul) which I still cannot quite get right.
Well the trip to the distillery was through quintessentially Kentuckian countryside. Rolling bluegrass hills, white picket fences and huge horse estates. The horses was clearly bred for racing, lean and handsome looking and the houses betrayed the money there is to be made in horse breeding and racing. (Apparently there are over 350,000 horses in Kentucky most in the eastern part of the state close to Louisville and Lexington).
To the bourbon tour. First tasted bad bourbon years ago and didn't like it. Then when I came stateside for the interview I was offered a drink of the stuff on the first dinner I had with some of the faculty. Naturally I accepted the offer (or was it a test?) and found that Woodford Reserve was wonderfully smooth and had a somewhat caramel-y taste. I was hooked and so it was natural that on our journey South we had to stop for the tour.
Just to clear up for the folks back home. Bourbon does not have to be made in Bourbon county (unlike Scotch and Scotland), although 95% of all bourbons are made in Kentucky. When the state of Kentucky began making bourbon the county was much larger, covering 34 of todays modern counties and included the port from which most of the whiskey was shipped up and down the Ohio river. BUT to be a bourbon the whiskey has to meet the following requirements:
1) it must be aged in a new white oak charred barrel
2) it must age at least 2 years in that barrel
3) it must be made from at least 51% corn (most are over 70%)
4) it cannot be distilled over 160 proof
5) it cannot go into barrel over 125 proof
6) it cannot have any additives
Well I won't bore y'all with the full details of the tour (pictures to follow). Just to say that the site is on the National Historic register, and deserves to be. You're greeted by a porch with about half a dozen white rocking chairs and the tour itself is expertly done. You get to see the vats with the corn and yeast bubbling away, the three enormous copper stills and the warehouse where the whiskey ages for 4-6 years in the infamous, and required by law, white oak charred barrels. And of course you finish it off with a free tasting.
Whiskey was made at the site from 1812 until 1968 but began again a small-batch production in the 1990s since when it has gone on to become a preferred choice of many critics and is also now the bourbon of the Kentucky derby.
They also do really good food (which was unexpected) which we ate on their delightful porch overlooking the distillery buildings. To get in full southern mode I opted for a corn chowder with corn muffin, which I'd rate as a 4/5.
Much as I could have remained drinking much more of the stuff (as Stephen Fry did) we had miles to make up to reach the log cabin we were to be staying at that night so onwards we went.
No comments:
Post a Comment