By 9 a.m., we were at Maker’s Mark’s door. Day 2 on our distillery tours of Kentucky, and we were ready. The Maker’s Mark distillery has a lot of Southern style – a charming house is the waiting area and you stand on a large front porch to the distillery to get the introduction. They were still polishing the huge copper stills when we arrived. Enormous mash tubs that will make 400 barrels of whiskey each bubbled and frothed. We got to dip our fingers through the spongy top layer to taste the fermenting beer, which has a sweet, tangy flavor. Maker’s Mark has over 400,000 barrels aging and they are building more warehouses to step up production with rising demand. “No bourbon distiller has enough bourbon,” said our guide.
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It being Super Bowl Sunday, I headed to the nearest bar without a TV, but with an exceptional view: a wall o' whiskey. Because this is it, folks. Final showdown in my 30-day challenge to drink 33 whiskies. And it all came down to Jim Beam soft red wheat bourbon against Jim Beam brown rice bourbon. The match up seemed pretty even. Both 11 years. Both 90 proof. I can tell you right now this is not the Jim Beam you tipped back (quickly) during college, which I think is the last time I tried Jim Beam. These are more well-aged, refined, post graduate bourbons. Everybody needs their escape sometime – whether it’s avoiding that final paper or avoiding football. And I would say that Jim Beam seems to be able to deliver in both categories. |
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November 2017
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