What I Learned About Bourbon at One of America’s Most Historic Distilleries

8 min read

The drill enters the sturdy wooden barrel with a whirr , but before a bottle can be placed beneath the hole to catch the golden-brown liquid, it geysers at a bustling pace. There’s bourbon all over the floor now, but no one’s worried about that. The six of us exploring the musty rickhouse in Shively, Kentucky, just want a taste.

Not that I need any more whiskey . I’ve already enjoyed two tasting flights, courtesy of Old Forester. Master Distiller Emeritus Chris Morris and four of his esteemed team of whiskey makers and shakers are showing me all the craft that goes into their product. So far, I’ve toured the brand’s downtown whiskey distillery and Old Forester parent company Brown-Forman’s headquarters, both in Louisville. At each stop, I tasted through Old Forester’s mo