Jetting Off to Bluegrass Country
- G. Rhodes
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Visiting Kentucky’s renowned Bourbon Trail has long been on our group bucket list. And so it was with a great sense of excitement that six of us set out for Lexington from the Raleigh-Durham International Airport on a Thursday morning in mid-July. We began our journey with Delta Air Lines on their 8:50 flight to Atlanta hoping to make an easy 11:00 o’clock connection through that hub city. Sounds simple, right? Well, it wasn’t. Initially, it was all going according to plan when our aircraft pushed back at the designated departure time. But, we never moved off the ramp! At 9:06, the Captain told us there was an issue regarding “a light in the cockpit” and they were speaking with maintenance in Atlanta to resolve the matter. Some time later, he informed us the problem was fixed, but it would take a bit longer to complete the necessary paperwork. Finally, we began taxing at 9:16 and took off from Runway 5L at 9:30 in the morning, some 40 minutes behind schedule. To make matters worse, since I was using a voucher for a free domestic coach ticket, we found ourselves seated in row 17, much further from the front exit than usual.
The flight touched down at 10:30, pulling into Gate B21. Our next flight was scheduled to depart one half hour later from Gate T5 and, although the flight attendant had requested those not connecting remain seated, nearly all passengers stood up and began deplaning, costing us additional precious minutes. Once inside the airport, we raced to the end of the B concourse and down the escalators to wait for the next SkyTrain which we rode for two-stops until reaching the T Concourse. Then we ascended another escalator and ran to reach the next gate. Some of us heard the gate agent calling our names, telling us we had two minutes to make the flight. We were the last passengers to board the aircraft, but had to check our bags as there was no more bin space available (luckily, we had hand carried our luggage on the first flight from Raleigh or they never would have made what turned out to be an extremely tight connection). Touching down at Lexington’s Blue Grass Airport at 12:30, we quickly retrieved our luggage from baggage claim and picked up the rental car before dashing out for our first tour. Whew, we made it.
The group headed north to Frankfort, arriving at the Buffalo Trace Distillery with time to spare. The tour and tasting experience at this distillery is renowned for several key reasons. Initially, it’s the oldest continuously operating distillery in the United States, with a history spanning over 200 years. The Buffalo Trace Distillery is recognized as a National Historic Landmark and the tour showcased the distillery's commitment to preserving this heritage. We explored several iconic structures like the hand-laid bricks of Warehouse C, built in 1881, where barrels of bourbon continue to age, and the old boiler house, built in 1890, which now houses Blanton's single-barrel bourbon. The tour also featured intriguing sites like the "Bourbon Pompeii" ruins, revealing remnants of 19th-century fermentation tanks, which offered a unique glimpse into the past.
The Buffalo Trace Distillery is famous for producing some of the most sought-after bourbon brands globally, including Pappy Van Winkle, the Antique Collection, and Weller, many of which are known for their scarcity. They’ve also received numerous awards, including the coveted Global Distiller of the Year title in 2022 from Whisky Magazine. Our tour culminated in a tasting session where we sampled a selection of the distillery's award-winning bourbons and whiskeys, led by our knowledgeable guide. The samplings included Wheatley Vodka, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Eagle Rare Bourbon and Sazerac Rye Whiskey. The tastings took a bit of getting used to as the samples are served warm, but we soon discovered they're best enjoyed along with a glass of water.
After the tour and an all-important visit to the Gift Shop, we traveled south to Lexington and checked into the Manchester Hotel, our home for the next three nights. The hotel, located in the historic Distillery District, is a two-year old upscale boutique hotel. It's situated on the site of the former Ashland Distillery, Lexington's first registered bourbon distillery. The hotel's design is considered to be "Rickhouse Revival.” (A rickhouse is a type of barrel warehouse common in Kentucky) and draws its inspiration from the region's bourbon production and horse racing heritage. It features earthy tones and details that reflect the Bluegrass region. The lobby includes brickwork inspired by historic rickhouses, leading to a bar with vaulted ceilings and eclectic furnishings. Our king-bedded room had what would best be described as a moody palette with equestrian-inspired furnishings and Le Labo toiletries. The hotel offers 125 rooms, including standard rooms, penthouse suites, and bunk-bed rooms. The Manchester has a very popular rooftop bar called the Lost Palm with an Art Deco design inspired by 1960s Florida, offering tiki tropical drinks and Latin-inspired small plates. The hotel also offers complimentary shuttle service throughout the downtown area and we availed ourselves of this great service on each of the three evenings during our stay.
After settling in, we met for cocktails in the Granddam Bar off the lobby as there was no place to gather together upstairs at the Lost Palm. I discovered that a granddam is the maternal grandmother of a horse. (In other words, she's the mother of the horse's mother.) This area is also home to a restaurant of the same name. Both the bar and the restaurant boasted a rather refined and sophisticated atmosphere with décor evoking Kentucky's heritage and a touch of the region's equestrian culture. They've been described as an "expansive Bluegrass dining hall" with arched interiors, referencing the hotel's location on a former rickhouse site. Granddam is lauded for its creative cocktails and features table-side juleps, providing a unique and engaging experience for guests. Understandably, Granddam also had a comprehensive bourbon selection and proved to be our go-to place for pre-dinner libations.
Malone’s Steakhouse was our choice for dinner that evening and we were joined by our friends’ son and his family who live in Lexington. We were a large, happy party of 11 and pleased to see that our reservation was honored almost immediately as we waited only a few minutes to be seated after arrival. Malone's is primarily known for its high-quality steaks and they offered a wide selection of fresh, hand-cut USDA Prime. I found mine to be tender, flavorful, and cooked to perfection, something that doesn’t always happen on the first try even in the finest of establishments. Their menu is diverse though and also includes fresh fish and seafood, salads, sandwiches, and daily chef specials. Our server never missed a beat. She was welcoming and attentive and it was refreshing to find all our entrées arriving piping hot and all at the same time. This restaurant has hosted many celebrity guests who have each signed menus posted along the walls. Malone's has been recognized by Smiley Pete Publishing as the Best Overall Restaurant, Best Service, Best Steakhouse, and Best Salad. We had a most enjoyable time.
After a long day of travel and touring, we called it an early night upon returning to the Manchester Hotel, anticipating the next several days along the Bourbon Trail. I’ll tell you all about them in a future post.
Until next time…safe travels.
I have enjoyed sampling some of the Buffalo Trace offerings but never on site - you lucky man!