Eastward, Ho! Days 36-37: Travel to Frankfort and starting on the Bourbon Trail with friends

 Sunday, July 11

We left the Zookimelt Suzuki Rally under gray skies, said our goodbyes to our new friends that we met and then spent perhaps 1.5 hours heading towards Frankfort, KY.

Martha selected the route that contained US Highways, reasoning that they'd be wide enough roads for comfortable driving.  Nope, might as well been county roads for all the room they gave to vehicles at times!

It rained on and off as we neared Frankfort, and we found the RV Park with no issues and met up with our friends from Virginia, Jane and Larry H.

We've known them since our Army days when we were posted together at Fort Bragg, NC.  In fact, it was Jane and Larry that introduced me to Martha!  So its their fault that I've become the occasional bane of Martha's existence!  :)

In the afternoon, we went to the Woodford Reserve Distillery and participated in a tasting of their Bourbon whiskey offerings.

Larry H. to my left, as we sample the Woodford Reserve Bourbons

At the end of the sampling tour, having enjoyed different

cocktails in our souvenir Churchill Downs brass cups

(Woodford Reserve is official sponsor/Bourbon for this portion of the 

Kentucky Derby I believe)

That evening, by a roaring fire, we sampled the Woodford Reserve bottle of Bourbon that Larry H. had bought for us.  It was quite tasty and we stayed up late, talking about times past....

Monday, July12

We drove about an hour to the Maker's Mark Distillery and signed in for their 1PM tour.  Quite informative and well done, this tour.

At the Maker's Mark Visitor Center

Alcohol being distilled

Very big vats of yeast and materials creating the "magic"

Distillery

Receiving new barrels to use for aging the Bourbon

Storage area for Maker's Mark Select Barrels

They're processed additionally for enhanced flavors

and for "select" clients, customized flavors as well.

Up to two of the differently charred slats are introduced to add

and enhance the standard Maker's Mark Bourbon

Here, "Select" clients craft their custom Maker's Mark 

Then came the tasting room and the sampling of the various offerings made by Maker's Mark.  We ended up liking Makers 46 the best.  Very mellow, almost no bite or heat.

Glass art exhibit created to celebrate 60th Anniversary of the company I believe.

We exited the art exhibit ceiling into the facility's gift shop.  Surprise.

I ended up purchasing a bottle of Maker's 46 which we sampled after dinner, again by a fire, again talking about many subjects.  Another good day on the Bourbon Trail!