When one says they are headed to Kentucky, being from California, you get the question, “Why???”. I have traveled to all 50 states and taught cooking classes in probably 40. I see each state as a beautiful place; it is not home to me, but every place has beauty. I hear what some people say. “How do you live in California with all the traffic and earthquakes?” Yes, we have a lot of traffic (you learn when and how to get from point A to point B with the least traffic). One day, I turned onto Highway 555 in Kentucky, and the sign said, “Congested area”. I think I traveled 5 miles before I came across another car.
Here is the diary of what we did from Friday's arrival to Monday’s departure.
Friday Night: We arrived at Lexington, KY Airport, the Bluegrass Airport. One of the surprises is when the luggage belt is about to deliver the bags; instead of a bell going off, a bugle, like a horse race, is about to start tooting away.
Rent an SUV. Some of the roads in and out of the distilleries are rock roads.
Bourbon Barrel Resort
We stayed at Bourbon Barrel Resort. Each barrel has a king-size bed, a roomy shower, a bathroom, a kitchenette with a table, two chairs, a microwave, dishes, a small couch, and a fridge. (Some rent with a hot tub).
The barrel was unique and fun. Bring an eye mask, as the bedroom has a beautiful window without shades. All restaurants are 30-40 miles away, so I suggest going to a nearby grocery store for breakfast items so you can enjoy the mornings.
Yes, one evening it snowed!
We try not to go to chain restaurants when traveling. We ate lunches in diners and dinners a little more upscale. Before you leave your home, you should book all the distilleries as they sell out; many are closed on Mondays. About 40 distilleries make up the trail, but there are many more to visit. Here is a handy map of the trail with information on each location.
https://kybourbontrail.com/map/
Here are the distilleries we visited:
Makers Mark
Makers Mark: A very well-known brand of Bourbon. It is a beautiful location full of art and bourbon. They have a few different tours to choose from. Sign up to be part of their Ambassador Club. It is free; you get your name on a barrel, and about 8-10 years later, your barrel matures. You are given a “Golden Ticket” to come back and purchase bottles from your barrel with your name on the labels. About 2-3 times a year, Makers Mark sends you gifts for being in the club. The gift store has a unique feature. Purchase a bottle of MM, and you get to dip it in the signature red wax. You will see the bottling and dipping process if you visit Monday through Friday.
Freshly Dipped Bottle
Buffalo Trace
Buffalo Trace Distillery: The oldest continuing distillery. They have many tours, and all are free with tastings. We went on a historical tour, which was interesting and full of history. It is one of the largest gift stores of all of the locations.
Log Still
Log Still Distillery: A newer family-owned distillery. The land housed a distillery, and you can see the former equipment. Tours have a fee, but you get samples of their bourbons. After your samples, they will make a full drink for you. They also have a B&B onsite with historical buildings.
Whiskey Thief
Whiskey Thief Distilling Co.: A small distillery that makes you bottle your bourbon. They do not sell their bourbons outside of their distillery. You get to sample five bourbons directly from the barrels. Tour/tasting has a fee.
We drove to one of my favorite candy/soda fountains:
Schimpff’s Candies: Since 1891. They are famous for making red hots, lemon drops, and other hard candies using antique machinery. They do daily demonstrations (Making red hots in heart shapes the day we visited). Half of the building is a candy museum; the other half is retail and kitchen. It is only one off-ramp outside of Louisville, KY, in Indiana.
Dinner Locations:
Vallozzi’s: In the cute 1890’s city of Versilles, KY. Italian with a great wine/bourbon list. The staff and service were perfect. The food, an array of appetizers to main dishes. After dinner, we walked next to the quant Amsden Bourbon Bar with only two dozen people compacity. If you have time, I suggest arriving an hour early and taking a walk down past all of the remarkable businesses and buildings over 100 years old.
http://vallozzis.com/versailles (Open Table for Reservations)
https://www.amsdenbourbonbar.com
Tony’s of Lexington: In a historical building. Old-time steak and fish restaurant. We had the crab cake appetizer that was as big as a baseball. The steaks are perfect, just like the service.
https://tonysoflexington.com (Open Table for Reservations)
Toogie’s Table: Opened in 1937, it is a local restaurant using local produce and foods. A menu is full of surprises. Pasta is made on the premises. The motor lodge (retro from the 50’s), part of the same complex, was recently purchased by a hospitality group, as was Toogie’s Table.
https://www.toogiestable.com (Open Table for Reservations)
I hope you enjoy this quick and fun weekend! Let me know if you have questions in the comments!