Back to Old Taylor Distillery: Becoming Castle and Key, Part 2

Castle and Key Distillery
One of the most stunning destinations on the distillery grounds is the keyhole-shaped
springhouse that stores water from adjacent Glenns Creek and surrounding land.  This water
 is used to make Castle and Key's bourbon, gin, and vodka.

1822 gazebo waiting for repairs

Brick walls and exposed beams highlight the event space.

A peak inside what remains of the original bottling facility.  The roof is gone, but
note that some of the old curtains survive.

The damaged roof of another building.

Old Taylor became National Distillers

One wall & many stones remain of another building on the grounds.

Remnants of the fallen building have been fashioned into garden beds that will produce herbs used to flavor some of
Castle and Key's products.  At the end of the herb gardens is the entrance to a huge storage building.

Already in use, this storage building is nearly as long as two football fields.

The moat that surrounds the castle where the distilling process takes place.

Buried beneath several feet of mud and brush was Old Taylor's sunken garden.  The fountain, walkways, and small
outbuildings are original, and famed Kentucky gardener, Jon Carloftis, restored the garden.

Castle and Key is scheduled to open to the public in the fall of 2018, and I can't
wait to come back!

Back to Old Taylor Distillery: Becoming Castle and Key (Part 1)

Castle and Key Distillery, Woodford County
My husband and I took the "restoration experience tour" yesterday and loved it!  

The transformation of the Old Taylor Distillery into Castle and Key is quite remarkable.  We noted a careful,
thoughtful renovation with a sharp eye for detail and respect for the past.

Part of the tour shows visitors the process of making bourbon.

The grain and other ingredients are mixed together in huge vats.

Here's a batch that is heating up and bubbling with the yeast added.

Remnants of the stoves once used to heat the bourbon are being preserved  and can be seen as you
enter the gift shop.

The gift shop.  The shelves are made of reclaimed wood from the property.

The ceiling above the gift shop allows lots of natural light to enter the building.

My next blog post will show you more photos of this massive restoration project, including shots of some the beautiful outdoor spaces. In the meantime, visit the Castle and Key website for more about this exciting endeavor and for information about taking the tour yourself.  I highly recommend it!

Woodford Reserve

Woodford Reserve Distillery
Woodford County

Inside the welcome center

Old stencil used for printing on barrel tops

Inside the welcome center is a small restaurant that serves sandwiches, soups, drinks, and desserts.  The
chili and cornbread made for a warm, delicious lunch on a cold winter day.

Behind the welcome center is the distillery, various offices, and storage barns.

Barrels of bourbon travel from distillery to storage on a track system.

The Grassy Springs Branch of Glenn's Creek runs through Woodford Reserve property.

Goodfellas Pizzeria at the James Pepper Distillery

Goodfellas Pizzeria, James Pepper Distillery Campus
Manchester Street, Lexington, Fayette County

Goodfellas Pizzeria recently opened a new restaurant in one of the old distillery warehouses
on the James Pepper Campus in Lexington's distillery district.  Outside is a huge patio
overlooking Town Branch and the rest of the James Pepper Campus.

Brick used on the patio

Looking from Goodfellas patio toward the Pepper campus

Inside Goodfellas looking at the main entrance

Menu

Place your order and watch while your food is prepared.

Find a seat--inside, outside, upstairs, downstairs, at the bar.

If you're lucky, maybe you'll find a seat inside the old smokestack.

If you do sit inside the smokestack, make sure you look up.

Bourbon barrel decor

Wall decor upstairs beside the couch and pool table

More upstairs decor

The bar, called Wiseguys, faces huge windows lined with bottles of bourbon, and
sits beneath an old grain bin.

A nod to the speakeasies of the 1920s