So, Cincinnati...two places not to miss. Both are not in Cincinnati...Both are not in Ohio.
Go to Lawrenceburg, Indiana, and visit the MGP facility. This is the old Seagrams distillery and is the home to Uncle Remus, Old Ezra, Yellowstone, Rossville, Rebel Yell, and a host of other Non-Distiller Producers, such as Blaum Brothers Old Fangeled Knotter Bourbon, and a bunch more. People used to make fun of product coming from MGP until some of these NDP's started putting the product out there and we all realized just how good it was. Credit to Greg Metze, long-time MGP Master Distiller.
Go across the bridge to Newport, Kentucky, and visit New Riff Distillery. Unlike Lawrenceburg, IN, which is a quintessential old-world contract distillery that distills for a living, New Riff is a new take on an old tradition. Ken Lewis owned the US's largest liquor store under the bridge from Cincinnati into Kentucky. He gifted his store to his employees and opened New Riff in 2014 as a craft distillery (according to US law, you can't own a distillery and a liquor store at the same time). He does amazing work with young bourbon to make it taste fantastic.
So, both places are just outside Cincinnati, in bordering states, but are absolutely can't-miss opportunities to see bourbon at it's finest. Not sure if MGP is offering tours yet.
PS: If you like and miss Greg Metze's genius, pick up a bottle of Old Elk bourbon or rye and reconnect with Greg and his unbelievable flavor profile. He's using 20-25% malted barley to jazz up his bourbon and rye, and it absolutely shows. He's a one-of-a-kind master distiller. Had the opportunity to spend 30 minutes with him elbow-to-elbow at a bar before a showing and he's a fascinating guy. Most of these master distillers are ChE guys that went into the alcohol manufacturing industry.
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