Woodford Reserve Tasting & Shelbyville
After Louisville, we took a short trip to nearby Shelbyville. We stayed at Lake Shelby Park & Campground (9/2022) which was nothing special to write about but was in a good location for the right price.
Woodford Reserve
If you're a bourbon enthusiast like me, a visit to Woodford Reserve is an absolute must! Woodford Reserve is a historic distillery that has been producing some of the world's finest bourbon since 1812. On the way there, you cannot help but notice the stunningly beautiful scenery of rolling hills, sprawling greenery, and architecture that is the Kentucky countryside. We couldn’t help but admire the many thoroughbred horse farms we saw along the way with their impressive grounds that were immaculately maintained. Everything feels very high-end in this area!
Since we had just done a distillery tour in Louisville at Angel’s Envy, and would be doing another at our next stop which included Jim Beam, we opted to just walk around and do the bourbon tasting. The grounds are spotless and you feel like you are at a high-end resort. During the tasting, we were able to sample a variety of Woodford Reserve bourbons, each with its own distinct flavor profile and aroma. We found it hilarious that Jeri was the only girl in the tasting! The knowledgeable staff at the distillery is on hand to guide visitors through the tasting process, offering tips and advice on how to fully appreciate the nuances of each bourbon. Afterward, we visited the next-door craft bar and had a couple of signature cocktails in branded copper cups that you get to keep. They had all kinds of rare bourbons you could try that could only be found there onsite. I remember the talk at the bar was that The Queen had just died too.
Claudia Sanders Dinner House
One of the other places we wanted to see was the Claudia Sanders Dinner House for some homestyle Southern cuisine. I heard about this restaurant on Reddit and wanted to check it out since it has an interesting history.
Claudia and Harland Sanders opened a small restaurant together in Corbin, Kentucky, in 1940. The restaurant was a success, but Harland's true passion was his fried chicken recipe. He spent years perfecting the recipe and eventually patented it in 1964 as "Kentucky Fried Chicken". He began franchising the KFC business in 1952 and the rumor is he became so unsatisfied with how the chicken tasted at the franchise restaurants, she and Harland decided to open a new restaurant together in 1968. The Claudia Sanders Dinner House was born, and it quickly became a beloved local institution.
The restaurant was designed to feel like a home away from home, with cozy, comfortable décor and a menu that was full of comfort food favorites like fried chicken, meatloaf, and mashed potatoes. Claudia oversaw the kitchen, ensuring that every dish was made with the highest-quality ingredients and the utmost care. It’s the only place you can supposedly get the original recipe chicken other than a KFC restaurant. The menu was reasonably priced with all-you-can-eat chicken for <$20 each and it included all eight sides which was nice for all the variety. I’d probably give it a 6 or a 7 as there are just so many better fried chicken places these days. It reminded me of Grandma’s cooking though for sure.
Throughout the years, the restaurant has remained a family affair, with Claudia's children and grandchildren continuing to run the business. I think the family sold it to some close friends, the Settles family in the 80s who owns it these days. Unfortunately, we heard it is now again for sale after all these years.
