Final Thoughts From the Bourbon Trail
What I took away from the trail and why it matters to all of us
A few years ago, I wrote about my desire not to lean into a particular writing niche. I had too much to say, too many interests, and I saw all of those things tangled up together in my writing.
It’s why, after months of digging into faith and political commentary, I suddenly found myself writing about travel during the first part of my summer vacation. I believe travel expands our understanding of the world. I believe it enriches our own lives. And there is no better way to support a local economy than to spend time eating, drinking, and spending money in the community.
In a nation increasingly divided, I know there is a lot of ire directed toward those of us in “red states.” As a Hoosier and former Texas resident, I have experienced this phenomenon for over a decade. And I know there are people who may think, “The world is going up in flames. Why should we care about the Bourbon Trail? That’s in Kentucky.”1
I would argue that it matters because it is a part of our nation’s history, it plays an important role in our nation’s economy, and experiencing the Bourbon Trail once again highlighted, for me, just how interconnected everything is.
So here are my three important takeaways from our three days exploring Bourbon Country.
The Environment Matters
As with most of our current problems, the environment never should have been turned into a Left vs. Right issue. The health of our planet matters to everyone who lives on it, especially since most of us won’t have the luxury of colonizing another planet if this one burns up. Because the bourbon industry is dependent on agriculture, there is a strong understanding of just how much the health of the planet matters to the entire enterprise. Many bourbon distilleries are prioritizing creation care because they understand that if the environment collapses, their livelihoods will also collapse.2
Then, as I was doing research for each of the places we visited, I discovered these additional fun facts:
At Woodford Reserve, they are recycling 98% of their waste materials across all operations, have dedicated 10 acres to native grass restoration, and compost 97% of food scraps on the property.
On Maker’s Mark’s webpage, they announce that they are “committed to shaping the future of bourbon through innovation and investment for the better of people and the planet.” It was the only facility with recycling bins everywhere and there is a solar field powering most of the facility. The new limestone cellar, built to house Maker’s 46, is built into a limestone cliff and has a living roof. And Star Hill Farm has committed to being pesticide and fertilizer free.
Angel’s Envy has partnered with the Arbor Day Foundation to plant trees in urban communities to replace the white oak trees the company uses for their own barrels. Since 2014, they’ve replenished over 311,000 White Oaks and over 40,000 trees across 62 acres in Kentucky.
Heaven Hill saves water by placing condensers on a cooling tower loop instead of using city water for the cooling process. They are also working with loggers to improve the logging process in a way that maximizes the use of the wood and minimizes the ecological damage.
At Four Roses, our tour guide told us how the distillery was working to recycle the water they use in their process to minimize the amount of water being pulled.
Buffalo Trace has experimented with recycling plastic by mixing it with asphalt in the paved areas of its facility and has built its own water treatment plant to create a closed-loop cooling system, minimizing water waste.
Nearly every distillery bragged about their corn being GMO-free and the recycling of the mash once the distillation process is complete. Kentucky’s cows are fed with the leftover mash from nearly every distillery in the state. And the barrels from each distillery are sent around the world for additional purposes, used by wineries, scotch and tequila distilleries, and sometimes eventually used for furniture craft.
Is each company doing sustainability perfectly? No, but it is clear the industry recognizes the importance of caring for the environment if they want to be able to keep producing high-quality product.
The Economy Matters
I completely understand the sentiment that praised Canada for refusing to buy and distribute Kentucky Straight Bourbon as retaliation for pointless tariffs levied on the country, but economic issues do not just affect individual regions.
First, when local economies suffer, the people are often easily persuaded to vote against their own interests because they will vote for the people who appear to care for them, even if their stated policy positions say otherwise.3 Suffering people are easily manipulated, so yes, even if our particular region of the country is not suffering at a particular time, we should still care about what is happening in the economy of other regions of the country. (I would think that the past decade would make that obvious.)
Second, while many of the Kentucky distilleries try to keep as much of their production local as possible, it cannot all be local. Rye and barley often have to be brought from other regions of the United States, and sometimes from other countries. The White Oak comes from around the United States and the items sold in the gift shops are produced outside of the state as well. We are a global economy. If one sector suffers, multiple sectors will be impacted. And while we could probably find a way to do the global part better, it is hard to deny that the global economy has helped us more than hurt us.
Finally, Kentucky produces 95% of the bourbon consumed worldwide, and one of the biggest consumers is Japan. The bourbon barrels are recycled and used by liquor producers around the world. Bourbon isn’t a local economic story; it’s a global one. Disrupting the bourbon trade doesn’t just hurt Kentucky. A lot of other people are caught up in the trade cycle as well.
Regulation Matters
One of the important historical markers of the Bourbon Trail story is the impact of Prohibition on the industry. A constitutional amendment almost permanently destroyed the industry, but it didn’t stop people from continuing to produce and trade it. Instead, it just led to product that was less safe and trade practices that endangered nearly everyone involved.
Once Prohibition ended, the bourbon industry called for stricter regulations that would make the product safer for consumers and protect distilleries from potential lawsuits for producing dangerous product.
It’s a lesson we would be wise to apply to the current Wild West approach to both gambling and marijuana in the United States. When we can minimize the damage of human vices practiced in moderation, we should. The liquor industry has shown how to do it and has been doing so for a long time. We study the past to better understand the present and create a better future. I believe this is one area where we are seriously lacking in lessons learned.
I loved our trip on the Bourbon Trail and I cannot recommend it enough to anyone who enjoys history and wants to support local economies. There are enough craft distilleries and local wineries for a full multi-day trip, and the Kentucky countryside is too pretty to describe. The Trail is a perfect start to stepping out of information silos and getting close with fellow human beings with a shared interest: history and bourbon.
A breakdown of our trip
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I would also like to point out that Kentucky has a well-liked Democratic governor and nearly 34% of Kentuckians DID vote for Kamala Harris.
A messaging technique that might work with more industries if people can learn how to reframe how we discuss the environment.
Seriously, just take some time to listen to Sarah Longwell on her Focus Group Pod to understand what has driven a lot of low information voters to vote against their own interests.
This is so super cool. I must have driven through Kentucky a hundred times and seen the signs but never stopped always needing to get somewhere and as I love Bourbon but can’t drink alot without feeling the effects I never stopped. Thank you friend!!
I loved this series. And agree with your point about travel!