Destination: Bourbon

Twenty years ago, Bourbon wasn't the hot ticket it is today, and experiencing a great Kentucky distillery tour required a bit of luck. No website led to your favorite maker; you had to find it on your own. Once there, you hoped that someone knowledgeable might give you a tour instead of just pointing to the gift shop. And sampling, legally, was out of the question. Nevertheless, Wine Spectator's Jack Bettridge's first Bourbon pilgrimage delivered a thrill few true believers could have hoped for: audience with an idol.

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