A visit to the Wild Turkey distillery in Kentucky

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Originally uploaded by dieselboi

Wow, since Philly, I have been through Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Kentucky and tonight we're in Tennessee. We've got about 900 miles under our belt so far. We decided to stop here in Nashville for some music which we'll be seeing shortly. Today was a good day for visiting a distillery. We ventured into Lexington Kentucky, but didn't find much other than Lincoln's wife Mary Todd's former home. Seriously, we just weren't into Lexington, so shoved off. It was a cool town, but we were on a mission to get to a distillery. On the way out of town, I kept seeing signs for Woodford Reserve. Thinking as if we were in Wine Country, I thought we could see a few distilleries in one day, but Pete kept saying no, keep moving. I was an ass and was a bit whiney. Thanks to Pete though and we ended up at the Wild Turkey distillery!

I first tasted Wild Turkey in 1994 when working for the Kitzhaber for governor campaign - and yes, I had a shot with the guv. So cool. We arrived just in time to catch a tour. It began with a cheezy video, so we were both a little wary, but the tour was amazing. The tour guide took us everywhere and answered every question we asked except for anything to do with the recipe. Wild Turkey is Bourbon, which is at least 51% corn and no additives. It goes into the oak barrels clean and clear and gets colored by the aging process. What a day. I think the tour lasted about 1hr 45min and every minute was a learning experience. We could even put our finger in the mash to taste it while it was fermenting. I didn't, but wow, what access. I was in heaven. Just wish Anna was there to experience it with me. And yes, I got a patch and a bottle.

Filling the barrels: