Kentucky Bourbon/Horse Tour
So its a beautiful fall day in the Midwest and we are off to do a trip we have talked about forever with some of our friends. Although I am crammed in the 3rd row seat of our vehicle, it will give me time and space to capture the highlights of the trip and share with you some of the hidden treasures.
A little background first, T went to the University of Kentucky so he is very familiar with the area and also with the Bourbon trail. The rest of the group are novices. Also not the whole group are bourbon fans, so the trip contains a variety of stops that are unique to the area. Plus we are hoping the trees are in full swing.
First stop is Buffalo Trace. They are the oldest distilleries in the United States and also happen to be the maker of T’s favorite bourbon - Blantons. We took the tour which was very informative. The grounds of this place is amazing (photo) and of course it ended in a tasting and lots of purchasing of bourbon and such- (Merry Christmas boys). We then traveled to Versailles Brewing Company (link) mostly because one of T’s frat brothers was owner. It was a nice break to sit down and some of their microbrews which were very good. Also bought some of this Sorghum which included lots of recipes. It is kind of like molasses but not as sweet. Dinner was at Campe Mexican where lots of margaritas were had as well as some good quesadillas, tacos. chips etc. Would definitely recommend the quesadillas as the tortillas were house-made, filled and toasted perfectly.
Day Two - Claiborne Farm - the tour is worth taking to learn the history, the beauty of the horses, and the legacy. And the drive to Lexington is spectacular with all the horse farms. First we had breakfast at Doodles in Lexington. With COVID rules of course made this a little challenging as we had to order at a window and then eat in a heated tent outside. But OMG the biscuits on the breakfast sandwich were one of the best I have ever had. They folded the cheese and bacon inside the eggs so they did not fall out when eating and were nestled in a perfectly flaky biscuit. Others had the steel cut oatmeal which were additionally awesome. Definitely worth the stop if you are in Lexington. After a day of bourbon tasting (Woodford Reserve - double thumbs up on their Old Fashioned - the chocolate bitters really made the drink) and Wild Turkey which had a beautiful view from their patio - we had dinner at Carsons in Lexington. The Sweet and Spicy Sirloin Steak was cooked to perfection. I would also highly recommend the sausage board which had 3 types of sausages which were locally made, as well as the desserts - a triple chocolate cake and a cheesecake - both I would say are worth saving room for. That’s all for today. Tomorrow holds more exciting experiences.
Day 3 - Not on purpose but this day ended up being “tour” day. First was Churchill Downs which, although we have been to the Kentucky Derby, we took the tour which gave a lot of history and also some good horse training viewing. Then off to Louisville for the Louisville Slugger Museum and to finish it up a Prohibition Craft Cocktail tour which ended with spirits tasting. The tour was interesting and the spirits were good. But the highlight of this day was staying at the famous Brown Hotel in Louisville. It has been restored to its original beauty. You feel like you have stepped back in time from the rooms, to the lobby to the restaurant. Would highly recommend staying here. And of course the hotel is known for the home of the original Hot Brown Sandwich. This smoked turkey sandwich with the Berinaise sauce and cheese is not for the faint at heart. We shared one and it was still plentiful. The evening and the trip finished off with their Old Fashioned done in a classic style. Breakfast the next morning at the hotel was a great way to end the trip. The pancakes (3 huge ones) were done perfectly and 2 of us had the avocado toast where you can never go wrong. Back to the Lou!!!!
