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ISCOVERING
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ENTUCKY
WHEN YOU GO: TASTING ROOM HOURS Sun, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tue - Wed, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Thur - Sat, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. BAR HOURS Thur - Sat, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. FIND OUT MORE www.logstilldistillery.com
& Dant Crossing By Ray Hunter
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Photographs Courtesy of Log Still Distillery
n the early 1800s, Joseph Washington Dant first made a still out of a hollowed-out poplar log to make his very own bourbon. The result propelled his family into a booming distilling business until the 1960s. Today, 60 years after the Nelson County distillery closed, Dant’s descendants are reviving the family business on the very same grounds.
“People are used to the usual Bourbon Trail experience. You go to the distillery, take the tour, go to the tasting room, then you leave and go to the next place,” Wally said. “What we wanted to create is a destination place and invite your family to be a part of our family and our history here. So, we are offering more than what a traditional distillery tour can.”
Spearheaded by J.W. “Wally” Dant and cousins Lynne and Charles, Log Still Distillery combines the age-old craftsmanship of distilling with the camaraderie and spirit of a family-owned business.
Located near New Haven in Gethsemane, Dant Crossing boasts 300 pastoral acres of rolling farmland anchored by Log Still Distillery. The campus includes a network of wooded walking trails, a fully functional train depot, a 13,000 square-foot outdoor amphitheater, a farm-to-table restaurant, and a 12-acre fishing lake. Several unique lodging options include The Homestead, a fully renovated historic bed-and-breakfast, and The Poplar Cottage, a stunning lakefront getaway.
Wally hopes to tell the story of his family’s “rich history” in Kentucky bourbon and help rejuvenate the industry in Nelson County with new jobs and venues to make it a Bourbon Trail destination once again. “The Dant name is synonymous with bourbon,” Wally said. “Now we have seven continuous generations of Dants that have been on the production end of things.” Designed to bridge the history of distilling to its modern future, the Tasting Room responds to the rural Kentucky distilling legacy of its past while creating a sustainable and contemporary facility that is both inviting to visitors and familiar to locals. Built by Buzick Construction, its primary focal point is a Vendome Copper mini-still. It also features an overhead bi-fold door that opens as weather allows so visitors can enjoy outside tastings with a view of the countryside. The tasting room opened to the public this past May and premiered Log Still’s initial spirits. Debut products included Monk’s Road Dry Gin, Monk’s Road Barrel Finished Gin, and Monk’s Road Fifth District Series Bourbon: Cold Spring Distillery, the first in a rotating series of bourbons named for historic pre-Prohibition distillers in the region.
More lodging options are available, including a rental home called The Mansion, targeted towards large family gatherings or wedding parties. Next to The Mansion is a 20,000 square foot event center called The Legacy, boasting a chapel for weddings and a banquet hall ideal for receptions, parties, and company outings. If that weren’t enough, a new restaurant (47 & Poplar) is scheduled to open soon, and a train depot called Gethsemane Station is also under design to include sleeping cars for overnight stays on the rails. Call it a whiskey resort dedicated to drinking, eating, and hanging out. Wally and his fellow Dants offered their hats off to the Kentucky Distillers Association, the Bardstown Chamber of Commerce, and all the other organizations that helped make their part of Kentucky a true tourist destination. “This place has been such a big part of my life since my childhood,” Wally said. “We are incredibly grateful and blessed to have been able to revitalize our family business and this area with pride, heritage, and history.”
58 • November/December 2021 • Kentucky Homes & Gardens
