Going Deeper with My Whiskey Knowledge and Bonus Louisville Experiences

When I committed to Cork and Copper, I wanted to raise my whiskey knowledge, and not on my own. I have enjoyed whiskey as a hobby and interest over the last 15 years. I have visited plenty of distilleries, some in Kentucky, some in Scotland, and some here in Indiana. Before Cork and Copper, I felt I had enough knowledge to understand how the mash bill and different grains can affect the finished product. I practiced tasting with my whiskey log and tried to pull out different notes. However, I didn’t know all the details, and I never went deep into the distilling process. 

Well, that changed after I enrolled in and completed the Stave & Thief Society Executive Bourbon Steward certification based in Louisville, KY. I researched whiskey certifications, and the Executive Bourbon Steward program ticked all the boxes. Somewhat close to Indy, recognized by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, included sensory training, and went deep into the distilling process. 

The Stave & Thief Society provided an excellent handbook based on the content they taught. History, distilling, aging, and much more information about whiskey.

A mash cooker that will be filled with grain and water to help create the starches and sugars that yeast can then turn into alcohol.

A combination still that will distill the alcohol into spirit.

My certification was in late August, and I decided to travel down to Louisville the afternoon beforehand to visit a distillery and tasting rooms. After checking into my hotel and knowing it was a low-humidity, beautiful summer day, I first walked to Angel’s Envy Distillery. I love the finished whiskey Angel’s Envy is known for, and this was a chance to dig in a bit deeper. After admiring their beautiful bar and enjoying a delicious flight (tasting notes coming soon), I also checked out their gift shop, which had so many fun things besides whiskey.

The beautiful brick facade of the Angel's Envy Distillery located on Whiskey Row.

I loved this slogan and it's a nice touch on your way out of the bar or at the end of a distillery tour.

A great flight of Angel's Envy Triple Oak, Cask Strength Bottled-in-Bond, and 10 Year Cask Strength. I loved the creme brulee on the nose of the 10 Year Cask Strength.

Their bar is beautiful and they have everything you need to enjoy whiskey or a cocktail.

I then ventured to the Whiskey Thief Distilling Co. Tasting Room. My friend shared a YouTube video that featured an interview with their Director of Distilling, Lisa Wicker. Lisa’s comments on community, distilling, tasting, and more resonated with me, so I wanted to visit and support them. As I walked in, a dog greeted me, which already earned them a million bonus points in my book. Then, I tried a couple of whiskeys and even their gin. I ended up buying a bottle of their rye and gin (again, tasting notes coming soon). Their tasting room was so much fun, with a barrel tasting experience you can book (tasting straight from barrels with a whiskey thief) and a great live band and listening setup. The service was fantastic, and everyone was welcoming and fun to talk to.

Part of the great space that is Whiskey Thief's tasting room. They have barrels ready to be tasted from, a stage for live music, and the barrels as high-tops are a nice touch.

I loved the rustic feel of their menu. The bartenders were knowledgeable, kind, and funny. They offer whiskey flights, cocktails, beers, wine, and more.

Another great looking bar with all of their products.

The last place I walked into before I called it an evening was Taste Fine Wines & Bourbons. What a charming retail and tasting shop. A place like this is in our long-term plan for Cork and Copper, so I was very excited to experience it. Jerry, one of the owners, served me at the bar, and I got to taste a couple of whiskeys I had never tasted before. He was also great with recommendations again, many of which I had not heard of. He was an absolute pleasure to talk with, and I learned a lot about their shop, craft whiskeys, and the NuLu neighborhood.

The next day was the 8-hour certification class, and what a day! It was a full day full of great information and people. I now understand why barley is a great grain to use (enzymes!) even if it’s a very low percentage. I now understand what heads, hearts, and tails mean and how congeners affect flavor. Also, the sensory training had me geeking out. We tasted groupings of whiskey from the same distillate. Each sample was aged for 2, 4, 6, and 8 years to help us understand how age affects taste. We also received a sensory training kit that I have been using with each bottle I try to help me understand what I am smelling. There is so much more to share with you all!

Part of the certification was sensory training. We got to taste the difference between agings, mashbills, and more.

We even sampled the cooked mash. It was great learning to see what happens when you start with only milled corn and what happens when you add barley. The mash gets thinner even with a very small amount of barley.

The staff conducted an exercise that included a blind tasting of easy-to-find bourbons and how a higher rye or wheat mash bill will affect flavor.

The sensory training kit that was included with our certification. This helps you understand what you get on the nose or palate of whiskeys. This is a new favorite activity of mine when I sit down to taste whiskey.

Overall, it was a great experience travelling to Louisville and getting certified as an Executive Bourbon Steward. The whiskey community runs deep in Louisville, and I met so many kind and fun people. I can’t wait to share the knowledge I learned to make your next whiskey tasting that much more enjoyable, approachable, and educational!

Cheers,