A question was asked recently about the Old Prentice Distillery. Today, while looking through some old papers, I found the following. I don't know the source--it is a single, typewritten sheet of paper--but I think it was given to me by Ova Haney, then master distiller at Four Roses in Lawrencebu...
The distillery in Shively is now the Brown-Forman Distillery. This reflects the fact that they have moved the still from the downtown distillery where they made Old Forester (DSP 414), to the Early Times Distillery (DSP 354).
Plus the new tasting room is awesome. Buffalo Trace is great but you have to arrange for the real tour, aka the Hard Hat Tour, in advance. The walk-in tour is not so great. All that said, you asked for the best Kentucky distillery. If you asked for the best American whiskey distillery to see if you could only see one, I'd say Jack Daniel's.
The Olde Boone distillery shut down around 1971 after an explosion and fire caused by a ruptured gas line. I read this in an article somewhere but can't remember exactly where. Whiskyportal.com lists the current owners as Fortune Brands and says that Jim Beam uses the warehouses at the site. I also remember reading about another fire that occurred at Old boone sometime in the 1960's that ...
Sazerac owns BT (the distillery) and the mashbill #1 brands. Age International owns the mashbill #2 brands and BT distills for them.
From the distillery visits I've made, I'm not sure what I'm smelling when but I know I love them all. Especially love the fermenting mash vats and the barrel rack house. Never been introduced to the drying of stillage process. Is the smell you're describing a pleasurable one or not so much? I've heard they use these solids in animal feeds.