Fourteen of us left Sam's parking lot sometime after 9 a.m. on Tuesday, May 24, heading for Kelso, TN, in a caravan of 5 vehicles. Anna was our sole leader as Fount had just gotten home from MTMC the previous day due to pneumonia. Mac Prichard, cousin of Phil, the Master Distiller, was scheduled to join us but he called Anna that morning to say that a large tree had fallen at his house and he had to dispose of it. We arrived at The Restaurant at Elk River in Kelso, 6 mi. east of Fayetteville, shortly before 11 a.m. and they allowed us to go in early. We decided that the building had at one time housed a bank. Though we failed to verify that fact, there is a very large safe in the area of the restroom. The menu offered a variety of foods. Most favorable comments came regarding the Prichard's Double Barrel Whiskey onion soup, the grouper Reuben and the hot brown. Desserts included key lime pie and a chocolate mousse/cheesecake with chocolate sauce.
I believe we would have been happy had the trip ended there but on we drove, maybe a 1/2 mi., to an old school building which houses Prichard's Distillery, the third largest in TN. Connie Prichard, the wife of the distiller, gave a very interesting tour of the distilling process which ends in the bottling room. (Though we started at that end due to other guests being at that point.) After the tour, we went into the tasting room and were shown the variety of products distilled there and generously served samples. In addition to rum, and several flavored rums, whiskey is now distilled there, along with Lincoln Lightning. The business, which started with only Phil Prichard, the Master Distiller, now employs 11 people.
The drive into that part of TN is lovely, The Restaurant provided a nice dining experience and the tour was quite interesting. Those who were unable to join the Adventure Trip, might enjoy an outing on their own. There were cameras in the group but I think no pictures were made. Thanks to Anna (and Fount) for providing the experience. Get well wishes go to Fount.
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