“Step into the parlor” and discover Bardstown’s newest curated tasting experience, and we don’t mean just bourbon. While there’s plenty of what made us famous to satisfy your bourbon craving, The Parlor Room also offers other spirits as well as wine and beer.
Located in the newly designated Bourbon Capital Entertainment District between North Third Street and the Farmer’s Market, the Parlor Room opened to immediate acclaim.
Part of that is due to Bardstown native Whitney Eversole, founder of the popular Mash Bill podcast, who serves as hostess during the experience.
With every vintage, Eversole takes guests on a deep dive into the artistry and heritage of the spirit.
“I believe there’s a story behind every bottle, and you’ll learn more of the story with each pour,” she says.
Eversole’s expertise as a “spirit guide” is enhanced by the fact that The Parlor Room offers guests a choice of several experiences - cocktail, branded or comparative tastings (see how a single barrel bourbon compares to a floral forward gin).
Heaven Hill’s Five Brothers Bar and Kitchen:
Heaven Hill Distillery has been adding to its visitor experience with stupefying regularity. As they say, “you can discover our heritage, taste our traditions and raise a glass to the fine art of American whiskey.”
One of the newest experiences is that of full service lunch and dinner menus celebrating local heritage and local flavors at Five Brothers Bar & Kitchen. Named in honor of the five Shapira brothers who founded Heaven Hill at the height of the Depression (1935), it is a casually sophisticated dining spot and another place where “every dish tells a story.”
See whether you can tell what story is being told by menu items such as fried pimento balls, the savory fried chicken sandwich, Southern Benedictine (cucumber spread and duck bacon on Texas Toast) or the amusingly named Fluffernutter – a banana, peanut butter and marshmallow sandwich.
The restaurant occupies a sleek, industrial-style space with a large bar taking up one side and sliding glass doors leading to a terrace on the other. A small alcove off the main bar/restaurant provides a quiet niche to sit and sip.
Five Brothers Bar and Kitchen, located on the second floor of the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience, is part of a $19 million renovation at the distillery.
Heaven Hill Springs Distillery:
Five Brothers isn’t the only new addition to the venerable distillery which has been a Bardstown fixture for 89 years. The Shapira family-owned company has recently invested $135 million in a state-of-the-art distilling facility.
With an initial production slated for 150,000 barrels annually, eventually expanding to 450,000 barrels a year, the distillery facility replaces the original which was destroyed in a 1996 fire.
The new distillery will have a more environmentally conscious footprint, re-using dedicated water streams and lessening its dependency on the city’s electrical grid.
The Trail Hotel:
Scheduled to open in March 2025, The Trail Hotel claims to be the world’s first bourbon-centric hotel, celebrating America’s native spirit in a variety of imaginative ways.
For starters, among its 95 guest rooms will be eight creatively themed suites.
Complementing that will be amenities that are a far cry from the standard fluffy robes and scented soaps. How about a cozy bourbon library lounge and a Bourbon Butler who can arrange tours, tastings and transport to any area distillery, as well as non-bourbon activities such as shopping tours and spa and golf packages.
Located in a former Holiday Inn just off the Bluegrass Parkway, the shell of the abandoned building has been extensively renovated to include not only a luxurious bourbon retreat, but a four-star restaurant which seats 200, three bars, and a 160- person capacity swimming pool.
The vaulted lobby will feature original bourbon artifacts and the desk of the Bourbon Butler, who is destined to become your new best friend.
A pergola will connect the main lobby to the rooms, and there will be a patio/courtyard for al fresco sipping and savoring.
An additional benefit will be the hotel’s partnership with 11 local distilleries, guaranteed to help immerse guests in the total bourbon experience.
Bespoke in Bond:
“Bespoke” is a word used to describe something especially created for a particular customer, such as a suit, a piece of jewelry or a perfume fragrance.
Bespoke in Bond owners April and Jason James won’t tailor a perfectly fitted suit or experiment with scents to create a one-of-a-kind fragrance. What thev will do is provide the setting for a one-of-a-kind experience – whether it be a wedding, a corporate event or a family gathering.
Whatever the occasion, rest assured – you’re in good hands. In addition to the event space, Bespoke in Bond offers a fully furnished one bedroom, one bath apartment as an onsite suite; two furnished lounges for use as VIP spaces; fully equipped catering kitchen; full entertainment stage; full bar service, plus a variety of additional amenities.
Bespoke in Bond promises to be a place where memories are made.
Big Wally’s Ice Cream & More:
This new spot offers not only a whopping scoop of ice cream, but an equally whopping dose of nostalgia. If you’re not old enough to remember those halcyon days when the town’s favorite meeting place was the ice cream parlor/malt shop, then check out Big Wally’s.
From gangster chili dogs to Ooey Gooey Peppermint Hot Chocolate, Wally’s is a diner lover’s paradise. On the ice cream side, the usual lineup – double dip cones, banana splits, sundaes, floats and milkshakes – is yours for the ordering.
You can enjoy all this sweet sustenance to a 1950s soundtrack that will make you think “Happy Days” are here again.