The weather here in Middle Tennessee has been terrible this winter, as it has in much of the country. I have some good friends, Mark and Robin Greer, who live near Daytona Beach, Florida. We go back to the free-wheeling days of the 70's and 80's, when we both lived in South Florida, me in Miami, and them in Ft Lauderdale. We were in Key West at least once a month, driving down on Sat. and coming back either Sat night or Sunday morning. It was well within reach, being on a little over 3 hours each way from my place. We knew all of the important stops, beer and bathrooms, coming and going. Why did we go to Key West? Well, it was a beautiful fun drive over the ocean for the most part, and we knew all of the characters in Key West that were worth knowing. Also, there was usually something in the air that made life good. We lost touch for about 15 years during the 90's and the beginning of this century. Then, thanks to the reach of Facebook and a little luck, we were reconnected 2 years ago. Mark has an Aunt that lives just west of Nashville and was visiting her for Thanksgiving in 2009. They spent a few days with me and the old days were relived, and plans were made for the future connections.
This year, the weather being what it was, did not make anyone want to visit Middle Earth. However, a visit was planned for the middle of March, with a trip north to Kentucky planned. They arrived on a Sunday after noon and it was warm enough for no coats. They travel with two little Chihuahua dogs, who enjoyed being able to roam my big back yard. The 2 day trip to Bardstown, bourbon capital of the world, was left open, hoping for good weather. On Wednesday, week ago, we left Murfreesboro and drove north about 3.5 hours and found a couple of rooms in Bardstown.
After depositing the dogs, we headed South to the small town of Loretto, Ky, home to Makers Mark Bourbon. We missed the walking tour of the facility, which was just as well, since my hiking days are behind me, I fear. But we did manage to score a taste of Makers Mark's best. Fine stuff, to be sure. After making a few purchases in the ever present gift shops, we drove back north to Bardstown to visit the Heaven Hill distillery. This was Mark's favorite bourbon, and he was looking forward to tasting it at the source. Here, we did survive a walking tour of some of the barrel houses where the bourbon is aged for at least 2 years, and usually longer. At the tasting, Mark was upset because they wee only tasting 2 of the best bourbons, and not his regular Heaven Hill. What we tasted was excellent, though. Again, we visited the gift shop where they did sell good and sometimes rare bourbon. But $500 for a 750ml bottle is a bit out of my price range. Plus I'm not a sipper- I'm a guzzler, so a rare liquor, no matter what it is, does not last me long. I did buy a bottle of 12 year Old Fitzgerald, and will try to stay away from it, except for special occasions- like the weekend.
On the way back to the room, we stopped at a liquor and bought some Heaven Hill to get through the night. We sat at a smoking area in front of the rooms, Mark & Robin still partake, and drank good fresh bourbon and contemplated dinner. The Talbott Inn was advertised in everything you picked up. It was a stagecoach stop back in the early 1800's. Abe Lincoln and Jesse James, along with many other illustrious folks had dined or slept there- maybe both. So if it was good enough for them, it was good enough for us. We had eaten lunch at the old Lutz restaurant, another historic place, and it had been quite good. Without getting into the details, the Talbott Inn was horrible, as far as the food went. The atmosphere was OK, but that was it. We took the long way home to clear our heads of the experience, and headed for some bourbon.
Stephen Foster was a big man in Bardstown at one time, so we went next door for his breakfast buffett. Of course, we forgot that the Best Western had a nice free breakfast. Oh well, off we went to Clermont, Ky. home of Jim Beam. It was too early for a walking tour, but the gift shop was open. No tasting this early for us. It was offered, but not in any brands we were interested in. Next stop, the Four Roses storage facility and Gift Shop. Here we bought what turned out to be our favorite bourbon of the trip. When we got home, we had a 'tasting' of all of the brands we had brought back, and 'Four Roses Small Batch' was the hands down winner. It was Smooooth!!
When we left Bardstown, we stopped at a few places. First was the boyhood home, a very small cabin, that Abe Lincoln had lived in as a boy. It's just east of Hodgeville, Ky. And just south of the same town is Abe's birthplace, now a National Historic Site. There is a large marble building, a replica of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., with a replica of the cabin he was born in, inside of it.
Next, we stopped at Kenny's Farmhouse Cheese, a dairy farm on the outskirts of Austin, Ky. He sells farm-fresh cheeses, in many varieties, and at an excellent price. From Kenny's, we went over to the Mennonite community in Scottsville, for some butter and other stuff. Then back home to Murfreesboro.
On Saturday, after a good frog leg dinner the night before, we had my brother and his wife for some of my world famous Babt Back ribs.
All in all, it was a good visit with a good trip thrown in. Mark is a Lawn Maintenence Engineer, who owns his own business in Daytona, and had to get back south, to begin the long, hot Florida grass shortening season. So, on Sunday morning, Mark and Robin headed for the Smokey Mountains for a few days, then back home.
