May 8, 2008
Maker's Mark Distillery Tour
When I left Nashville, I was still a teensy bit drunk - or, I had the fun kind of hangover. So just imagine the surprise I got when I saw a sign for the Maker's Mark Distillery on my way north to Louisville.
The distillery is located where it has always been, in Loretto, Kentucky. My first impressions (wandering alone before the free tour) were extremely positive due to the well-manicured landscape's fantastic color contrast with the surrounding buildings. The distillery reeked of excellence and quality.
Our guide (Lia? Leah?) was chock full of enthusiasm and energy, which made for an excellent addition to our tour of the whisky making process.
The tour begins by revealing the brand's history, on to the fermenting process, the extraction of alcohol, a quick look at the assembly line (each bottle is hand dipped in that notorious red wax), before entering a barrel storage site. Finally, you walk into the tasting room. And, yes, more reeking of excellence.
There you get to taste the aged and pre-aged bourbon (this one had a kick!). And, of course, the gift shop was there, too.
The Maker's Mark distillery is just one of many on the Kentucky Bourbon trail. But I highly recommend checking it out if you're passing through or are thinking about doing the whole trail.
The distillery is located where it has always been, in Loretto, Kentucky. My first impressions (wandering alone before the free tour) were extremely positive due to the well-manicured landscape's fantastic color contrast with the surrounding buildings. The distillery reeked of excellence and quality.
Our guide (Lia? Leah?) was chock full of enthusiasm and energy, which made for an excellent addition to our tour of the whisky making process.
The tour begins by revealing the brand's history, on to the fermenting process, the extraction of alcohol, a quick look at the assembly line (each bottle is hand dipped in that notorious red wax), before entering a barrel storage site. Finally, you walk into the tasting room. And, yes, more reeking of excellence.
There you get to taste the aged and pre-aged bourbon (this one had a kick!). And, of course, the gift shop was there, too.
The Maker's Mark distillery is just one of many on the Kentucky Bourbon trail. But I highly recommend checking it out if you're passing through or are thinking about doing the whole trail.
