10 Days of Bourbon Christmas - Day 6

Comin' right back atcha with Day 6 of the 10 Days of Bourbon Christmas!  Rather than take the time to recap all of the great bourbon suggestions I've made on days 1-5, I'm just gonna launch into this one.

Bourbon Country!

Sometimes the best gift is not a physical entity.  A great gift can be as simple as an idea or a plan.  Day 6's recommendation is just that - a great idea.  Plan a trip for you and your bourbon buddy to visit Bourbon Country in Kentucky!!   There's a ton to do in the Louisville and Lexington areas.  You can check out the regions many distilleries, nearly all of which offer guided tours rich with the history of bourbon whiskey.  I recommend checking out Buffalo Trace and Four Roses though I've enjoyed every tour I've been on in Bourbon Country.  Maybe you try to complete the Kentucky Bourbon Trail?  There's also the Urban Bourbon Trail which consists of many bars with fantastic bourbon selections.  You could plan to be in Louisville for the Kentucky Bourbon Festival or maybe for the Kentucky Derby!  There's even a guide to Bourbon Country to help you plan.  The options are endless.

I've been to Kentucky about a dozen times for work and pleasure and I've always had a good time, especially when touring distilleries.  It's pretty hard not to have a good time when you're sipping bourbon whiskey all day!  Look into it as a vacation right here in the good ol' US of A.  Maybe your gift for Bourbon Christmas is picking up the flights or the hotel rooms?  Regardless of how you put it together, you're guaranteed a great time.  Ya heard me!?!?

10 Days of Bourbon Christmas - Day 5

Ok, we're back with Day 5 of the 10 Days of Bourbon Christmas and today we're goin' back to the juice.  That's right, another bourbon whiskey for you to enjoy.  This one is gonna be a hard find though...

John J. Bowman Single Barrel Virginia Straight Bourbon Whiskey

One question people often ask me is if all bourbon is made in Kentucky.  Today's recommendation is clear evidence that, no, bourbon is not only made in Kentucky.  The A. Smith Bowman Distillery is located in Fredericksburg, VA.  I had the pleasure of popping into the distillery on a business trip through Virginia.  I had sampled a few of the Bowman products prior to my visit and the John J. Bowman bourbon had quickly become a favorite.  Trouble was in finding it.  They don't distribute in South Florida so I had to enlist a friend to get me a bottle.  Driving through Virginia with spare time meant I had to check out the distillery and pick up a bottle or two.

I really enjoyed meeting with Master Distiller, Truman Cox, on my visit along with a few other employees at the friendly distillery.  Truman had a ton of passion for distilling and aging some great whiskey and that really shows in the Bowman Brothers, John J Bowman, and Abraham Bowman products.  The John J. is my current favorite and my frontrunner for new bourbon of the year at The BTS.  John J. Bowman is triple distilled.  The first 2 distillations take place at Buffalo Trace while the last distillation takes place at the A. Smith Bowman facility.  This bourbon is then aged 12-14 years (based on my experiences w/ the regular product and some private bottlings) standing straight up at the Bowman facility and bottled at 100 proof.  This is a phenomenal bourbon whiskey.  Fragrant nose, tasting hints of toffee, chocolate, fig, and hints of vanilla.  Delicious!

The A. Smith Bowman Distillery aging warehouse

This is a rare find here in South Florida but do some digging and you may be able to source some for yourself of your best bourbon buddy.  That or take a quick flight to DC and make the drive about an hour or so South to the A. Smith Bowman Distillery and pick up a bottle for yourself!!

Until tomorrow!