On June 3, 2019, we reached Bardstone in Kentucky, also called Bluegrass State. Where did the name come from? In the spring, there grows a grass in Kentucky with a bluish tinge. (Bluegrass is also called a style of country music.)

Kentucky and especially the Bardstone region are known for two things. There is the Bourbon Whiskey, which has its home here. It was distilled for the first time in 1789 in the adjacent Bourbon County, which bears the name of the French noble family. Since that time, this drink, which contains at least 51% corn in addition to rye and barley, is called Bourbon whiskey. Unlike Jack Daniels, which is produced in Tennessee, the Bourbon whiskey in Kentucky is not filtered through charcoal. Of the many distilleries (including Jim Beam, Wild Turkey, Four Roses, and Woodford), we’ve visited the scenic location of Maker’s Mark. Here, the bottleneck is finally dipped in sealing wax, which gives the product a special appearance.

Even more than Bourbon, the Thoroughbreds were of interest for us. The most famous horse breeders worldwide are located in this region. This is also where the most famous horse race in the world takes place: the Kentucky Derby. We missed that by a few weeks. But there are also plenty of other things to see. For example the Kentucky Horse Park. There it is all about the horse. We met the former champions who won the Kentucky Derby and other important races (and millions of prizes). We saw how horses are lovingly washed with shampoo and by hand. Here you want to be a horse …

More about horses: Kentucky Horse Park