Hello Bourbon

My introduction to bourbon began with a bit excitement & a lot of apprehension. While
planning our trip, my husband and I quickly realized that many distillery tours were
booked months in advance. By the time we were finalizing our itinerary, only a handful
of experiences fit into our schedule. So, after an early morning drive down from
Pittsburgh, we found ourselves stepping onto historic Whiskey Row in Louisville for our
very first tour—Old Forester.

I had been looking forward to this experience, but I have to admit I felt a bit intimidated
as I began the tour, being the only female besides the tour guide. That said, I absolutely
loved everything I learned about Old Forester—the Brown family, the process of
charring barrels, the different mash bills, and the intricacies of barrel aging.

The tasting portion, however, loomed large in my mind. Upon entering the tasting room,
I was greeted by five glasses, each with a small amount of amber liquid & a luscious
dark chocolate caramel marshmallow. I listened carefully as I was instructed on how to
“nose” the bourbon. The aroma was incredible! (I’ll go into more detail on this in another
post.) Next, I learned the proper technique for sipping: how to sip, chew, and then blow
out as I swallowed. I was also schooled on “the Kentucky hug”.

As my hand shook, I took that first sip. The bourbon was smooth, flavorful, and
surprisingly approachable. More importantly, I managed to make it through the tasting
without coughing, sputtering, or embarrassing myself in front of the group. In my book,
that's what they call a successful bourbon education.