The Talbott Tavern claims the title of ¨ the world's oldest bourbon bar,¨as well as the ¨oldest western stagecoach stop¨still in operation. Bourbon is an American treat, and 95% of all bourbon is made in Kentucky, having the perfect climate.
For a whisky to be called bourbon, it must be made with 51% percent corn, aged in new charred oak containers, and no more than 125 proof and no less than 80 proof. Before bourbon got its name, it was known as corn whisky. According to a source, it is unclear where the name bourbon came from; this source stated:
The origin of bourbon's name remains, if not murky, a tad cloudy. The word bourbon comes from the House of Bourbon, a famous French dynasty. Its connection to the American South nods to the region's long-standing connection with France (Louisiana, after all, was once a French colony).
Before bourbon was Bourbon, it quite possibly was a dark moonshine, being made in the hills for years before the adapted name of bourbon.
Back to the Tavern.
The Talbott Tavern was built in 1779, when patrons would arrive on foot or horseback, looking for a hot meal and a place to sleep for the night, as it was the last stagecoach stop for travelers heading west.
The Tavern has hosted many famous people, including Daniel Boone, Abraham Lincoln, and Jesse James, to name a few. It is rumored that when James was staying in the mural room, one night, he had too many drinks and he:
¨saw¨birds flying in the trend of the murals and shot them.
The bullet holes remain to this day. James also has been rumored to haunt the Tavern, the manager reporting:
Seeing a man in a long coat, such as the type worn in the 19th century, who turned to look at them, threw back his head and laughed, then disappeared down the stairs. The manager, some days later, happened upon a television show about outlaws of the old west and found herself staring at a familiar face. The man on the fire escape, she later swore, was none other than Jesse James.
There have been other reports of visitors seeing a little girl staring at guests through the shower curtain, and when they went to look, no one was there. Rooms were ice cold in the middle of the night and unable to warm up; odd sounds from rooms sealed off to the public, heavy footsteps all night, doors slamming shut, and doorknobs rattling.
Some have reported hearing a group of men laughing loudly, almost like they were drinking and playing cards. However, when the guests went to investigate, no one was around except them.
So go for the bourbon and stay for the late-night hauntings. The Talbott Tavern carries over 200 bourbon varieties and is a must-stop on the famous bourbon trail. Located at 107 W Stephen Foster Ave, Bardstown, KY 40004, USA
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