Bulleit, Angel's Envy, Evan Williams and The Brown Hotel

Our first day on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail took us to three distilleries:  Bulleit, Angel's Envy and Evan Williams.  During the day we learned about the process for creating bourbon whiskey and tasted a fair sample of the finished product.  Our first tasting was at the old Stitzel-Weller Distillery where we learned about Bulleit Frontier Whiskey.  Thomas Bulleit, Jr. began producing Bulleit Frontier Whiskey in 1987 by reviving an old Bulleit family recipe.  Bulleit produces high rye content Bourbon whiskey which has a bold, spicy character.  Construction of the Stitzel-Weller distillery facilities there began soon after the end of Prohibition.  This place looks like what you'd expect for a historic distillery:  old brick buildings surrounded by tall, black rick houses all of which are found in a low lying, trees covered hollow. 

 

Stitzel-Weller Distillery - Once the Home of Old Fitzgerald

Tasting Some Bulleit at Stitzel-Weller Distillery

Angel's Envy Distillery was quite a contrast to Stitzel-Weller.  Angel's Envy Distillery is a modern facility located on Whiskey Row in downtown Louisville.  Additionally, Angel's Envy is a Kentucky straight bourbon finished in barrels used to age port wine.  As a result, the look and taste of Angel's Envy is significantly different than the Bulleit high rye whiskeys.  This double barrel process produces some very interesting results.  Angel's Envy is a small distillery producing high quality whiskeys and unique tastes.  Their bottles are beautiful.

Angel's Envy Distillery - Whiskey Row, Downtown Louisville

Dave Checking Out the Still

Our tour of Angel's Envy put us only a few blocks from historic Brown Hotel.  Of course, we had to drop in at the J. Graham's Cafe for a Hot Brown at its place of origin.  We were not disappointed.  Our delicious, filling lunch prepared us well for our Evan Williams tasting which was also only a few blocks away.  The Hot Brown lived up to its reputation along with the hotel.

Hot Brown at J. Graham's Cafe in The Brown Hotel - Louisville

After lunch, we had our final tasting of the day at the Evan Williams tasting room on Whiskey Row.  The tour was interesting with its high tech vignettes and historic reproductions.  The tasting was informative.  The take away was Evan Williams was a good, inexpensive whiskey which makes good mixed drinks.

Evan Williams Visitor Center on Whiskey Row - Louisville

It was a great start to what was proving to be a very interesting and fun experience.  We visited historic old facilities, as well as, modern state of the art.  We ate well and drank well.  The weather was fine.  Our accommodations were comfortable and convenient.  All was well.