Kentucky Bourbon Country: The Essential Travel Guide

This fully updated edition of Reigler’s bourbon travel guide reflects the increased consumer interest in bourbon and thoroughly examines its manufacturers, both old and new. There are nearly 70 in the state of Kentucky, 39 of which are tourable and can be found in large cities such as Louisville and Lexington, and smaller burgs like Shelbyville, Frankfort, and Midway. Each of the major producers is extensively explored. For example, information about the Barton 1792 Distillery, in Bardstown, includes a full list of the bourbons it produces, color photos of the site, and a history of the business (which, as with most of the entries, is also the history of a family). Many of the listings also include a “What’s Special” section, highlighting unique aspects of a locale, such as the Dale Chihuly blown-glass ceiling in the Maker’s Mark distillery in Loretto. Reigler also devotes a chapter to smaller craft distilleries. Among the must-sees is Second Sight Spirits, in Ludlow; owned by two former props department employees of Cirque du Soleil, the distillery uses a custom-made still shaped like a fortune teller’s turban. The book is also filled with travel and dining advice, as well as notes on bourbon-related extracurriculars including the Kentucky Derby Museum and the six-day Kentucky Bourbon Festival. Deeply researched and thoroughly indexed, this guide should satisfy any thirsty and curious visitor to the Bluegrass State. (Oct.)