The Barn Series- Day 4 - Maker's Mark

Every barn tells a story. This story began as Burks Distillery way back in 1953, in the tiny town of Loretto, Kentucky. However, in 1953 the story changed when a Kentucky gentleman, Bill Samuels, bought the distillery.

Five years and much ado later in 1958, the first run of bourbon was bottled at Maker's Mark Distillery, complete with the dipped red wax seal, and a star was born. Maker's Mark is a global brand renowned as one of the best bourbons bottled. Having visited Maker's Mark multiple times, I have to say the one thing I love, almost as much as the barrel laden vintage wagon that sits in the yard, has to be this stark black barn with its distinctive red shutters that lends a hand to the Maker's Mark brand.

The story doesn't end there though. My father, Joseph Mattingly, was born right up the road from Maker's Mark, before it even became the renowned distillery it is today. Furthermore, if you were to travel the back roads surrounding Loretto, Springfield or Bardstown, Kentucky, you couldn't throw a stone without hitting one of my ancestors.

As vintage barns go, the barn at Maker's Mark is definitely one of my favorites for obvious reasons. Seriously, one minute we were in the heart of the Bluegrass State and the 'Horse Capital of the World' and nary a minute later we are in the 'Bourbon Capital of the World' and we didn't leave the state of Kentucky. Amazing!

It's Day 4 of The Barn Series and we are still traveling in Kentucky. If thoroughbreds and horse barns didn't peak your interest, I hope this little splash of spirits from Maker's Mark did. Let's get back in the car and head on down the road. Hey, you suppose we'll make it out of Kentucky? ENJOY!

Linking to Metamorphosis Monday

Red Barn & News

It is a beautiful red barn that you will find as you walk the grounds at Jim Beam Brands. The company transformed this old barn into one of the centerpieces on the distillery grounds. An old well sits just in front of the barn, while an old distillery building filled with whiskey barrels going through the aging process, sits directly behind it. This distillery is a great place to visit and tour. There is also a huge new grey barn with Jim Beam logos which is now a Stillhouse where visitors can wander in and out. You are welcome to walk the grounds and check out all of the beautiful buildings. Believe it or not, the distillery sits a mere quarter of a mile down the road from Bernheim Arboretum, my favorite stomping grounds.

And just a quick note to all of my friends and followers across the globe. As you may or may not know, I am based out of Louisville, Kentucky, home of the Kentucky Derby and home to the Bluegrass Region with its beautiful horse farms. But soon I will living in Nashville, Tennessee, as my job as been transferred and I chose to stay on with my company and make this move. While this is not how I had planned to spend my January, pulling up stakes, and moving three hundreds miles south, I am looking at the positives. I will be two and a half hours from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park which cuts that drive almost in half. And I will be able to visit the beautiful town of Franklin, south of Nashville, which is known for its rolling farm fields and quaint small town with wonderful shops and restaurants. And I will even be closer to the Land Between the Lakes which is in southwest Kentucky, but will be a shorter drive for me living in Nashville. There are many other positives too, I wanted to travel to Charleston and Savannah in the next few years on a photo trip. Well, now I will be able to drive there as it will be close enough to drive in an easy day's time. I hope that all of you will wish me well as I make my way South to the Country Music Capital of the World. ENJOY!

Linking to Barn Collective
Linking to Wednesday Around the World