Distilleries in Central Kentucky such as Buffalo Trace and Woodford Reserve annually draw hundreds of thousands of visitors ready to experience the phenomenon of what makes bourbon whiskey special.
But, for those enthusiasts who prefer a more custom, laid-back approach, Whiskey Thief Distilling Company at Three Boys Farm is a great place to experience the art of distilling single-barrel bourbon in a beautiful rural setting. It’s situated on 127 rolling acres in western Franklin County just off of Exit 48 on I-64, making it easy for local and out-of-town guests to visit.
A member of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® (created in 2012 by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association), Whiskey Thief offers a more casual, less structured environment than the larger distilleries.
Unique tour and tasting
Whiskey Thief’s Chief Operating Officer Jeff Markowitz explained that tours and tastings are different at their distillery. “We are all about the experience,” he said. “We produce top-notch spirits and couple that with a unique tour and tasting experience. That includes the opportunity to ‘thieve your own bottle’ from one of the tasting barrels.”
A whiskey thief is a tool, usually made of copper,
that allows you to steal or “thieve” bourbon directly from the barrel.
At the conclusion of a tour, visitors can sample bourbon from each of the five barrels set up and ready for tasting. A barrel tender uses a whiskey thief to steal the bourbon to be tasted. Nearby, guests can check the daily chalkboard that lists the tasting barrels’ characteristics — how long the bourbon has aged, the proof and the mash bill (the recipe). Instead of having a master distiller, Whiskey Thief has a small team of distillers that decide the mash bills.
Hannah Melillo, a very knowledgeable barrel tender, explained that everything at Whiskey Thief is single barrel. “We don’t distribute,” she said. “The only way you can get Whiskey Thief at this time is to come to the distillery. Anything you taste in this barn is only available to buy in this barn.”
She added, “In the gift shop we do offer a 100 proof bottle-in-bond Whiskey Thief bourbon and three gins — our Prototype flagship gin, Spring gin and Spring gin with Hibiscus.”
At the end of a tour, excitement builds around the tasting barrels as various guests choose to purchase uncut and unfiltered bourbon for bottling. Once the bourbon has been “thieved” into the bottle, it is sealed and labeled so that their favorite bourbon can be taken home by the happy customer that day.
Uncut, unfiltered, unique
Walter Zausch, the owner and CEO, explained how Whiskey Thief is unique. “If you don’t know what we do here, we celebrate the single barrel. No two barrels are alike; no two barrels are the same. We celebrate that single barrel and the uniqueness of that barrel as it matures and changes. The temperature, barometric pressure and humidity in this barn will change the flavor of those barrels over time.
“We use the whiskey thief to let our visitors taste the bourbon. As we say, the whole thing is from the land to the hand. We go from the corn that we grow used for our bourbon into the barrel and then into your glass. Every time people taste here [Whiskey Thief] it’s straight from the barrel, uncut and unfiltered in everything we do — the way whiskey was meant to be enjoyed.”
Come to taste, stay for a while
“We like it when people come and stay,” Jeff said. “We’ve got great areas for people to enjoy being out here — places to sit and have a drink or get something from the food truck. Sometimes people end up spending the day here with us.”
Whiskey Thief also has its own food truck with an executive chef that is open four days a week, Thursday through Sunday. It’s set up next to a shady-covered patio with a bar. One of the specialty drinks offered is an Old Fashioned using bourbon thieved from the barrel.
Throughout the year, various events are hosted at the distillery, including an onsite broadcast of KSR with Matt Jones. “It’s a fun time when KSR is out here,” Jeff commented.
Last year, Whiskey Thief Distilling Company hosted approximately 44,000 visitors and even more visitors are expected this year. “I like to say that 80% of the people visiting get out of their car smiling and 100% get back in their cars smiling,” Jeff said. “I’m happy when people say they enjoyed the bourbon, but even happier that they’ve loved the experience of spending time at Whiskey Thief,” Jeff remarked.
For more information about Whiskey Thief Distilling Company, visit www.whiskeythief.com.
