Bulleit Distilling Co.

We spent the day in Shelby County, sipping some of the best bourbon in the commonwealth. This was our second roadtrip to Shelby and won’t be our last – as we keep discovering that there is more to be explored.

Before we begin sharing the details of our roadtrip, let us say….we have toured several bourbon distilleries through the years and have to say that the phrase “if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all” does not apply. While the basic mechanics and ingredients are similar throughout each operation, they are as unique as the people in your lives. In many ways, they are like meeting a new friend.

Our day started at the Bulleit Distilling Company with a tour and tasting, led by their charismatic tour guide, Ash. One of the distinguishing features of Bulleit was evident from the start of our experience. The bus we boarded for the short ride to their distilling center was literally stepping into one of their green initiatives, as it runs on the propane.  Ash used the bus time to boast of the company’s other green initiatives – like planting one million trees to offset the wood used to make their bourbon barrels. Their facility also uses geothermal heating and cooling throughout the year as another sustainability measure.

Also, distinguishing their distillery tour from others we had taken were the larger than life “petri dishes” of yeast strains and the interactive spray and smell center. That was a first for us! We also appreciated their display explaining that they have adopted a pallet stacking system, instead of the traditional rick house method for aging barrels.

The tasting experience was a full sensory experience, including mood music, lighting and scent bulbs matched with specific pours of Bulleit bourbon. IF you are short on time and can’t make the entire tour happen – we definitely recommend adding this thirty minute tasting experience if at all possible.