The Kentucky Hug

The Kentucky Hug has many definitions, the one I know is a slang term for the burn you feel in your chest when you taste a high alcohol content bourbon. 

WTF Gordy, why are you sharing this information with me??   Well let me tell you!

The fine gentleman to the right, Del worked at one of the distilleries we stopped at down in Kentucky, he was explaining this phenomenon to us...hang on, I need to go further back.



Remember that guy who is moving to Portugal, mentioned in my last post? Well, one of the other events that we arranged was a trip to the Kentucky Bourbon trail,  but wait, what, why?  Going even further into the way back when machine for context, I started playing adult hockey about 10 years ago. Adult hockey is commonly known as beer league hockey in the US, meaning that you play some hockey and there is always post game beers involved. A couple of seasons ago, right after COVID, bourbon started to show up in the hockey coolers, and so now it is almost most bourbon than beer in one league I play in....so yeah..back to the story.


Eight of us jumped in a 15 passenger rental van (it's important later, I promise) and headed down to Kentucky on a Thursday evening. Our ring leader had reserved us a wonderful house (above) 15 minutes from Buffalo Trace, where we planned to visit each morning to get that days limited allocation. Check out the three car garage converted to a game room and bar. If anyone ever plans to head down there with a group, I can wholly recommend this place.


Sorry distracted again, we arrived Thursday night and after a long day of driving, we decided to head out to the fire pit, crack a bottle or four and settle in for the weekend. Our first night saw four of these soldiers perish in the line of duty. The other three survived a few days longer. 

As I mentioned, each day started with a trip to Buffalo Trace, getting their daily special and some other fine wares, before heading out onto the trail to visit five additional distilleries, for tours, tastings, general merriment. In all I believe we visited  close to 15 over the three days, which is a pretty good chunk of the bourbon trail. 

My favourites on the trail were Buffalo Trace, Stitzel Weller,  Bluegrass, Willett and Bardstown. 

What about Del though? Del worked the tasting bar at Barrel House. He was a cool guy and taught me (and I assume at least some of the others) about the Kentucky Chew and the Kentucky Hug. 

You take about half the shot of a high alcohol content bourbon into your mouth and swill it around. The Chew.  Chewing it allows your palate to experience the bourbon itself. After you have done this, you can swallow. Once you swallow, breathe out, (this releases the ethanol taste), and smack your lips a few times. This will allow you to appreciate the finish.  

Once you breathe out a few times, you shoot the rest of the shot and you get the Kentucky Hug. 

You thought I forgot why the van capacity was important, didn't you? As the driver and champion packer, it was up to me to pack the luggage of 8 people, the 8 people themselves, ancillary leftover groceries, assorted memorabilia, plaques, barrel tops, etc and the 96 (yes 96) bottles  of bourbon into the van for the return trip home. In case we got rear ended, the luggage went in the back, and the bourbon travelled safely up front with us. 

If you have never done it, and you are even mildly interested in bourbon, I thoroughly recommend it. A few more shots from the trip and the return below.






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