Boundary Oak – Craft Bourbon Tour #2

Freddy September 10, 2021February 11, 2024 0 Comments

After leaving the Preservation Distillery I saw a brown tourist sign for Log Still Distillery just 14 minutes away. I’d been lucky following the one to Preservation so this must be worthwhile, too.

But this time I’m a few months too early. It isn’t ready for visitors yet. A quick consultation with my new passport showed there was a craft distillery named Boundary Oaks that I’d be able to make it to before closing. May as well get a second stamp!

Boundary Oaks is named after the oak tree that marked the extent of the Lincoln family property. This distillery is very rooted in history, especially that of Abraham Lincoln and General George S Patton.

That circle is a slice of the oak tree that is supposedly the last living link to Abraham Lincoln. It was used as a specific boundary marker in the original 1805 survey of the 300-acre farm that Abraham Lincoln’s father purchased. It lived 195 years before dying in 1976. That is where the distillery draws its name. The owner is also making gavels to be gifted to all US Presidents.

The tour is pretty much self guided and starts with a video about the history of bourbon in the region. As a former member of General Patton’s 2nd Armored Divisions (Hell on Wheels) I loved seeing the ties to the US Army. 2AD was the only unit that didn’t wear their unit patch on the left shoulder. General Patton wanted it on their left chest above the name tape to keep the unit close to the wearer’s heart. It kind of ruined our uniforms, though, because when I moved to 1st Cavalry Division and had to change patches you could always see where that triangle was stitched. But I digress…

82nd Airborn, 3rd Infantry Division, and Patton Armored Diesel

82nd Airborn and Blackhorse (11th Armored Cavalry Regiment)

Apparently when Patton was leading the 2nd Armored Division in World War II he liked to have a glass of what he called Diesel. It was something called “amber” which is a spirit made from sugar cane instead of grain. Essentially white rum aged in oak. Sometimes the troops mixed it with real bourbon, scotch, and even white wine, depending on availability. That oil cup was allegedly what the good general used to make it look like he wasn’t imbibing.