My District: Is Home to the Bourbon Capital of the World.

• Author: Caley, Nora

Kentucky is known for its bourbon, and probably nowhere in the state is there more of it than in Bardstown, the self-described Bourbon Capital of the World.

There are 11 bourbon distilleries within 16 miles of downtown Bardstown, located about 55 miles southwest of Frankfort, the capital. The state's second-oldest city, Bardstown is the seat of Nelson County, where nearly 3 million barrels of bourbon are aging.

Federal law requires that bourbon be made in the U.S., consist of at least 51% corn and be aged in new, charred oak containers, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States. That recipe makes bourbon distinctive from other American whiskeys. Consumer interest in bourbon has soared in recent years, and in 2020, more than 28 million 9-liter cases of American whiskey (mostly bourbon) were sold in the United States, generating over $4.3 billion in revenue for distillers.

As a result of the increased interest, new companies have built distilleries and established brands have expanded operations, says Sen. Jimmy Higdon (R), who represents Senate District 14, which includes Bardstown. He says visitors to Bardstown are immersed in the culture of bourbon as soon as they drive into town, passing fields of corn, smelling the mash cooking--"the best aromatherapy ever"--and seeing dozens of warehouses storing barrels aging the bourbon.

"In Bardstown you can touch, taste, smell and see the lifespan of bourbon from field to bottle," Higdon says.

In September, the Kentucky Bourbon Festival attracts thousands of bourbon enthusiasts to Bardstown. "I enjoy this event because I not only get to visit with my friends in the distillery business, but I meet people internationally and get to enlighten them about bourbon and its significance to Bardstown and the entire state of Kentucky," Higdon says.

'Beautiful on the Inside'

For nonenthusiasts, Bardstown has other appeal. It was named "The Most Beautiful Small Town in America" in 2012 by USA Today and Rand McNally. "They said Bardstown was beautiful on the inside and out...