October’s Haunted Establishments
with “Spirits” Series
Buffalo Trace Distillery – Frankfort, Kentucky
The
wind is rising, the leaves are changing and it’s time for our annual trek to
check out some haunted restaurants and libation locations around the country. Today,
we’ll discover one of the oldest distilleries in the country where there’s more
than the usual high alcohol spirits residing …
It
has long been rumored that Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky is
more “spirited” than other distilleries. The distillery has a rich history
beginning sometime before 1773 when Hancock Lee first began distilling spirits
there. By 1811, a three-story stone warehouse was constructed near the Kentucky
River for the purpose of storing barrels of whiskey as they awaited shipment to
New Orleans. A year later the first official distillery was built on the
grounds.
 |
| Edmund H. Taylor, Jr. |
In
1870, Edmund H. Taylor, Jr. bought the distillery and named it the O.F.C (Old
Fire Copper) Distillery believing that wood fired copper stills produced the
best whiskey. Two years later, Taylor
invested over $70,000 to build a new distillery on site. Taylor proved to be
one of the last bourbon aristocrats, making numerous innovative contributions
to the bourbon industry; upgrades that are still in use today.
 |
| George T. Stagg |
George
T. Stagg purchased the O.F.C. in 1878 but Taylor continued to oversee the
operation. Stagg let Taylor modernize the plant. In 1886, Taylor
revolutionized the storage warehouses by adding steam heat, making O.F.C. the
first whiskey warehouses to be climate controlled. Working together, the two men
built the most dominant American distillery of the 19th century. In
1904 the distillery’s name was changed to the George T. Stagg Distillery.
 |
| Albert B. Blanton |
By
1900, young distillery employee Albert B. Blanton was promoted to the position
of Still House Warehouse and Bottling Superintendent. In 1921, Blanton became
President of the George T. Stagg Distillery where he would remain until his
death in 1959.
 |
| Migrating Buffalo |
 |
| Buffalo Trace Distillery |
In
1999, new distillery renovations were completed and the complex was rechristened the Buffalo Trace Distillery after the Buffalo Trace Road, one of the major buffalo migration paths
running through Kentucky, Indiana and Illinois.
Rumors of ghosts abound on the premises. A
simple white stone house, known as the Riverside House, has been the site of several ghostly encounters. Among those who
haunt the place is Edmund Taylor, Jr. His spirit has been seen peering out an
upstairs window, apparently still keeping an eye on his distillery. People have
also reported seeing a young boy at the house.
 |
| Stony Point Mansion |
It
seems one the most haunted location on the 125-acre property is the Stony Point
Mansion built in 1934 by Albert B. Blanton.
Employees have reported hearing footsteps echo throughout the house and
attribute them to Colonel Blanton. He has also been sighted in the sunroom
where he died, wearing his signature bowler hat. Humming can be heard in the
house and employees say that is Blanton’s housekeeper, Sarah, a pleasant soul
in life … and after. There are also reports that you can hear the sounds of
furniture being moved – maybe Sarah is cleaning … The basement has a cold,
almost icy feel to it at times, even during the hotter months. Few care to
remain there for long.
 |
| Warehouse C |
Warehouse
C, built in 1885, is another paranormal location. Workers were busy in the
warehouse one day when a voice suddenly told them to “Get out!” As the last man
ran out, a wall collapsed. No one in the group knew where the voice had come
from, or to whom it belonged but because of its warning, no one was injured. Distillery employees also report cold spots in
the warehouse, along with fleeting shadows and disembodied voices.
In
2011, SyFy Channels’s “Ghost Hunters,®” investigated some of the stories and
came up with more than they anticipated. (Read more about the Buffalo Trace episode
here: Distillery
of Spirits.)
Buffalo
Trace Distillery is located at 113 Great Buffalo Trace near Frankfort, Kentucky.
Visit the Buffalo Trace web
site for hours and more tour options.
If
you’re in the area, make a tour reservation by calling 800-654-8471 and take a walk with the spirits. The one hour Ghost Tour is free and available Thursdays through Saturdays, 7 p.m. at the distillery.
And,
don’t despair if you don’t see a ghost, there are always award-winning “spirits”
awaiting you at the end of the tour.
~
Joy
(Photos courtesy Buffalo Trace Distillery)
It was 1830 when saloon
owner Augustus Bulleit decided to create a whiskey with a unique flavor. Using two-thirds
rye and one-third corn, Augustus made a mighty tasty rye whiskey that was
popular until his death in 1860. Then, in 1987, Augustus’s great-great grandson,
Thomas E. Bulleit, Jr. stepped up to begin crafting his version of Bulleit
Bourbon. Bulleit, Jr. used 68% corn, 28% of rye and 4% malted barley in the
mash bill for an exceptional flavor. Ten years later, Seagram’s purchased the
brand. 
In 1999, Diageo
bought the Seagram’s brands and Bulleit Bourbon was produced at Four Roses
Distillery. In March of this year, Diageo opened the Bulleit Distillery in
Shelby County, Kentucky. Now part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the Bulleit
Frontier Whiskey Experience is located in the Stitzel-Weller Distillery, five
miles from downtown Louisville, Kentucky. 
Open a bottle of
Bulleit Bourbon and you will notice the aromas of vanilla, honey and oak that tempt
you to taste. The flavor profile is spicy with vanilla, caramel and hints of
wood that trail into a long smoky finish. With a proof of 90% and ABV 45%
(alcohol by volume), this bourbon retails for under $50 a bottle.
My new book The Family Tree Cemetery Field Guide is out in bookstores across the country. Click
here for more information. (FYI: Goes well with a glass of Bourbon!)
