A Bourbon Renaissance

All Things Considered:

Gregory says both big names, like Jim Beam and new micro distillers, are turning out those more expensive, high-quality brands to growing foreign markets, like China and India, all the while targeting new drinkers in the U.S. It's apparently working. There are now 4.7 million barrels of bourbon aging in Kentucky, outnumbering the state's 4.3 million people. In fact, business has been so good that distilleries are investing $200 million on expansions and improvements. They're also selling the bourbon experience. Tourists can follow the Kentucky Bourbon Trail through six distilleries. It drew 400,000 visitors last year. One of the stops is Wild Turkey in Lawrenceburg, where 76-year-old master distiller Jimmy Russell presides over a brand-new $50 million operation.

I've considered taking a trip and following the Bourbon Trail, even though I'm not a big fan of whiskey.  It is definitely pretty country, and I like most tours where you can see how things are made.  Maybe I'll make it there in a few years.