This is the latest book from my friend Susan Reigler. She has done a guide to Kentucky distilleries before and that book is still a good book to have when visiting the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. But it is old and needed an update. This book is that update, so if you plan a trip to Kentucky to do the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, I would recommend that you purchase this book.
Kentucky Bourbon: The Essential Guide to the American Spirit. Susan Reigler, Forward by Julian Van Winkle III. New York, N.Y., Countryman Press, 2025. Forward, Contents, Index, Illustration, Glossary, pp.228.
This book is a highly recommended purchase for those visiting Kentucky to do the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The book starts with an introduction by Julian Van Winkle III, who does an excellent summary of the book. The introduction, by Susan, gives a brief history of Bourbon and gives tips on how to taste Bourbon. The following chapters are about the 38 distilleries on the trail. Each chapter gives a brief history of the distillery and recommends bottles from each distillery. Susan then gives tasting notes for each of her recommended bottles. After the distillery chapters, she gives many helpful hints about what else to do in Kentucky while on the trail. This includes recommending bars and restaurants to visit, annual events such as The Kentucky Bourbon Festival and Bourbon and Beyond. There is even a checklist for the distilleries you have visited.
The book is well designed and well written, It has many color photographs of the distilleries and the people involved with the distillery. There are also many black and white, historic photographs scattered throughout the book. The book is well indexed and contains a further reading list. The bar and restaurant list is broken down by city, making it easy to find a good place to eat and drink while in the area.
This book is an excellent addition to any whiskey library, whether you plan a visit to Kentucky or just want to know more about your favorite Kentucky distillery. The only problem is that like all travel guides, it will be out dated in five years. This is actually a good thing as Susan will have to write another edition in five years.
Photos Courtesy of Rosemary Miller