Bourbon Trails and Louisville Tales
Each time we come to the US for summer we take what our friend Erik Hanberg calls an Inception trip. An “inception trip” borrows its name from the Christopher Nolan movie, it is a trip within your trip. This year’s inception trip was the Bourbon Trail.
Driving between Nashville and Louisville we caught ourselves admiring the scenery and rolling hills more than a few times. Neither of us have ever been to Kentucky and we were both shocked by how much we enjoyed it and especially its natural beauty. It's incredibly green, at least in the summer. I reckon a lot of those trees shed their leaves in the fall.
There are a few things that we enjoy more than a road trip, unless there's traffic, then they're hell.
We love a river city and the way cities contort themselves around the bends of the river. Neither of us had a particularly strong grasp on the geography of the Ohio River basin which slices through the heart of Louisville before this trip.
A Georgian, Illinoisan, Indianian, Nebraskan, and two Washingtonians walked into a bar… no, this isn’t the start of a bad joke, but actually the makeup of our crew on this trip. Touring bourbon country with a group of 9 people who are particularly fond of bourbon was hilarious. Nate enjoys it but doesn't consider himself an expert by any means. He was joined by Bill, who served as one of the main characters for the trip and as commentator during our people watching sessions. Everyone else was along for the vibes.
Bourbon is like Champagne, as in its origin is geographically specific. To be bourbon, a whiskey must be made in Kentucky from a grain mix that's at least 51% corn, distilled to no more than 160 proof, aged in oak barrels at no more than 125 proof, and bottled at 80 proof or higher. Critically, nothing can be added except water to adjust proof – no flavorings or colorings allowed.
Between formal reservations and drop in visits along Main Street, we tasted at five distilleries.
Evan Williams Bourbon Experience
Buzzards Roost Whiskey (tried their bourbon line)
Jim Beam (home for many beloved labels such as Old Grandad, Knob Creek)
Although not in the bourbon family, we channeled our PNW spirit and popped by a family winery. It was giving Hoodsport vibes and serving excellent Kentucky cheeses. Little did we know that fish crackers pair well with fruit wine.
Hope had three very Southern experiences for the first time: Buc-ee’s, fireflies, and Waffle House. With all her worldly gallivanting, you’d think these would be familiar by now. But Hope treats even grocery shopping as a cultural event, a chance to learn something about the habits and traditions of a place. Buc-ee’s, in that sense, is an anthropologist’s dream. The branding is relentless, from Buc-ee’s mints to Buc-ee’s bikinis. Everything runs with remarkable efficiency. The bathrooms are spotless and fully staffed, and the registers keep people moving. Large sandwich boards throughout the store proudly display employee salaries and benefits, turning even HR into part of the experience.
Waffle House did not disappoint, especially when you can drop a $20 bill on breakfast for two, including tip. Waffle House feels like the Best of America. Everyone is there. Someone could pop off at any moment but the Aunties are regulating from behind the counter with the fierceness of a Vegas bouncer.
Besides bourbon and having the country’s best tap water, Louisville is known for being the birthplace of the Greatest, Muhammad Ali, and has museum honoring him.
The Muhammad Ali Center “presents and mobilizes Muhammad Ali's legacy of creating change, pursuing justice, and inspiring greatness.” Ali and his wife Lonnie designed and founded the museum in 2005, while they were still alive. The museum was filled with young men, likely drawn in by the sports but leaving with a deeper understanding of social and racial justice. The center traces Ali’s path as an athlete, but more importantly, it highlights his growth as a human being. We also got a timely reminder about his vociferous opposition to the Vietnam War. He stood for his principles, even at great personal cost – he let his values ground and guide him through everything. That is the kind of reminder we need in 2025.
Acknowledge Me
The horse’s name is “Acknowledge” which is is an inside joke because we often use the Roman Reigns phrase “acknowledge me” when one of us isn’t adequately recognizing the effort of the other.
Before heading onto I-65 back to Nashville, we made a final detour to Churchill Downs Racetrack, home of the Kentucky Derby. It wasn’t Derby Day but you could feel the energy of fans cheering on their favorite jockey and race horse. It was a fun way to spend the remainder of the day before hopping back onto the interstate. Nate has a weird formula for picking his horses that never seems to work; Hope always picks one with a hilarious name.
We then returned to Nashville for dinner with some friends from Nate’s teacher of the year cohort and night’s rest at Ye Ole Airport Marriott before returning to the fam bam in Washington.
Highest of keys, Kentucky was dope, y’all — we’d happily go back and visit again.
That’s honestly a sentence neither of us thought we’d ever say.
