The Bourbon Bunch

Over the past few years, home life has changed as my husband and I have become
empty nesters. With that change came something we hadn’t realized we were
missing: time.
For years, our calendars were filled with kid’s activities, homework help, endless
laundry, and the never-ending list of chores around the house. We checked the calendar
daily to figure out who needed to be where, coordinated multiple work and school
schedules, and built friendships along the way while sharing bleachers with fellow
parents at games and activities.
Then, almost overnight, the house got quieter.
Now, we have many nights when it’s just the two of us sitting on the couch, watching
whatever we can find on Netflix and scrolling on our phones as we watch. While we
certainly enjoy the slower pace, we also discovered that this new stage of life gave us
something we hadn’t had in a long time—the freedom to be intentional about how we
spend our time.
One of the beautiful things about becoming empty nesters has been having more
opportunities to engage with friends—not because we are brought together by a child’s
activity or a shared obligation, but simply because we want to be together.
And somewhere along the way, bourbon became one of those shared interests.
What started as an appreciation for bourbon quickly became about so much more than
what was in the glass. It became an excuse to gather, to try something new, to share
recommendations, to laugh, to tell stories, and to enjoy the company of people we
genuinely like being around.
Because while we love bourbon, what we’ve come to appreciate even more is the
friendship that surrounds it.
There’s something special about the combination of bourbon and friendship.
Bourbon gives us something to talk about. Only bourbon enthusiasts could talk
endlessly about what they get on the nose, the tasting notes, mouthfeel, and those
unforgettable “Kentucky hugs”. Only bourbon enthusiasts get excited about a “find” at
Costco, share bourbon lists from their local convenience store, and get excited about
the perfect-sized ice to fit in a Glencairn glass. Only bourbon enthusiasts will drive 12
hours with us on a yearly adventure to discover new things the Kentucky Bourbon Trail
has to offer.
We don’t all have the same tastes. We don’t always agree on which bottle is the best.
Some of us can identify a high-rye whiskey from a wheated bourbon with one sip, while
others are still trying to figure out how someone managed to taste “vanilla, leather,
caramel, dark chocolate, orange peel, and a hint tobacco” in the same glass.

We compare proof points. We argue over whether a bottle is actually worth the price.
We insist we’re not buying another bottle—and then somehow come home with another
bottle. We say things like, “This is really good,” and immediately follow it with, “You
need to let it open up.” Because apparently bourbon has feelings.
We’ve learned that a $60 bottle can sometimes beat a $200 bottle, that the best
bourbon is often the one you’re sharing with friends, and that there is always room in
the car for “just one more bottle.”
With every pour, we discover something new. We’ve shared laughs, stories, road trips,
questionable purchasing decisions, great finds, and disappointing pours.
Because in the end, it was never really just about the bourbon.
It’s about the people around the table. It’s about the miles traveled, the bottles
discovered, the arguments over which pour is best, and the stories we’ll tell long after
the bottle is empty.
It’s these shared experiences that have turned acquaintances into friends, & that has
been the sweetest blessing of all.