Guests will begin their day alongside KAD's Head Distiller, Jade Peterson and several associate distillers performing the opening duties for the distillery. Guests will be granted access to areas normally restricted to the public, such as the milling platform, cooking decks, distillation mezzanine and the laboratory.
After the cookers, fermenters and stills are up and running for the day, guests will then head a mile away to Waldeck Farm and Mansion, where KAD contract grows 95+% of its grains. After a hard mornings work, you'll need some sustenance, so you'll join KAD founder and industry veteran, Steve Thompson, for a traditional Southern breakfast in the historic mansion. After you regain your energy, you will take a tour of the farm with Steve and Waldeck Farm Manager Tim Diebel, to see where the grains you milled that morning were grown.
After your tour of the farm, you will return to KAD's warehouse area, where you will meet Trey Zoeller, founder and master blender of Jefferson's Bourbon. Jade, Steve and Trey will have selected 5 barrels of KAD products, and each guest will participate in an experimental blending experience. Guests will learn from a master blender what goes into creating the perfect blend. Each guest will go home with an experimental bottle of their own creation.
Whether you're interested in learning how a distillery actually runs, or seeing where the Bourbon in your glass starts its life growing in the ground, or you want to know tricks a master blender uses to create the products you enjoy, you won't want to miss this once in a lifetime opportunity!
PLEASE NOTE:
- Guests will have to dress appropriately (closed-toe shoes, preferably boots of some kind, long pants, comfortable shirt).
- Dress in layers, as it is cooler in the morning and will get warmer as the day goes along.
- Physical requirements: standing for periods of time is required during the distillery portion, and there will be some walking involved in the farm tour. Any duties or jobs performed in the distillery helping the distillers will be at the discretion of the guest.
