In May 2021, we made our annual trip to Kentucky and on that trip we were able to visit a number of distilleries. Perhaps the most memorable visit was to the Ridgemont 1792 Distillery. The reasons that we enjoyed it so much may surprise you (they certainly surprised us while it was happening).

When we arrived, we were greeted by one of the sweetest women in all of Kentucky named Bernadette. She was tasked with showing us around, explaining the history, and describing future plans and what separates this distillery from all of the others. This was not a job that she felt that she had the experience to accomplish (we were her first ever tour) and was more nervous to meet us than we were to meet her. That lasted all of about 5 minutes. She and Renzo hit it off immediately (he does have a way with the ladies) and she really appreciated our enthusiasm to help her get her first tour under her belt. Once it was clear that we were interested in what she had to say and that, in fact, her many years of working at the distillery in the office really had given her more answers than she realized, it became a warm and wonderful visit.

The stories she told and the memories that she shared with us were more the type of thing you might expect to hear sitting around the kitchen table in her home. She was generous with her time, caring in her approach and offered up a big helping of southern hospitality intermixed with good humor and a genuineness (is that a word) that, we wish we could see more often in our everyday lives.

One of our take aways was her explanation to their approach to sourcing corn. Much like a great vineyard prides itself in their “terroir”, so does this distillery use that approach in sourcing only the best corn available from relationships built over many years. In fact, three grain trucks unloaded their full trailers while we were there and she explained that this is a daily drop.

She told us stories of the boys staying long past closing playing cards and sipping from their favorite barrels.  Those extracurricular activities eventually led to a fire that burned the distillery to the ground, leaving only the limestone foundation.  She further went on to explain that limestone is a very unique building material, but it is an important component of Kentucky bourbon as it provides the high mineral content to the local underground springs that provide the water distilleries use to make their product.

In answer to our question,  “Why is there all that black on the trees around here?” Bernadette explained that it was a fungus that grows on the pine trees created by the residue of the distillation process. It is not something that will hurt you or the trees, but if you have ever been in the area, you know how beautiful it makes the scenery around the distillery. She went on to tell us that “back in the day” (and still presently), the fungus was one of the clues that the authorities used to find illicit stills used by moonshiners in the area.  The fungus grows on the side of the tree facing the still, so if the law is trying to find the bootlegger, they “look for the black and follow it back”.

Following our tour, we sat down and tasted through their line-up and were once again treated to more great conversation and some terrific whiskey. Our favorite that day was the 12yr, a whiskey that generally doesn’t get the respect that we believe it deserves but part of that might just be the crazy markups you see out there from some retailers and traders. At $50.00 this one really over delivers in our humble opinion. The Sweet Wheat on the other hand was a let down for us. Lots of people are chasing this bottling and perhaps our expectations were too high, but we just didn’t “get it”. To each his own I suppose. Bernadette’s favorite in their portfolio is the Thomas Moore Chardonnay finish barrel which she kept in her glass through our time sitting together on the patio on a beautiful day.

The good news is that in the samples we tasted, we were able to find a winner. Click the link below for our tasting notes and your opportunity to purchase this newest single barrel in our program.

Because of the demand that we expect for this barrel and the low bottle count we will be limiting it to one bottle per person and we will offer it for sale in two different ways…online and in the store.  Tomorrow, Friday January 14th at 9:30pm we will release 70 bottles online. (The link below will go live right at 9:30pm).  If you miss that opportunity you will have another shot on Saturday January 15th beginning at 8:00am in-person at Harry’s on a first come, first serve basis.

We think you will agree that this whiskey’s profile is delicious and unique and we hope you get as much enjoyment out of tasting it as we did out of selecting it.

Cheers,

Patrick, Renzo, and the Harry’s crew