After a night in Cincinnati, we made our way back down to Kentucky to finish up Brandon’s bourbon birthday trip. This time, I chose distillers around Lexington. If you haven’t read part I, check it out before you continue.
Buffalo Trace
Buffalo Trace in Frankfort, Kentucky, wasn’t on our original list to visit but I’m so glad we did. It ended up being my favorite tour! Notably, all tours at Buffalo Trace are free. We signed up for the Hard Hat Tour and, even in the rain, it was fantastic.
In the gift shop, Brandon picked up a bottle of Buffalo Trace and a bottle of Blanton’s. We lucked out on the timing, as they put Blanton’s on the shelf a little after we arrived, and it was almost all gone when we left. I am finishing this post 18 months after our visit to Buffalo Trace, and Brandon drank the last of his Blanton’s last night. It was very precious to him, hah!
Birthday night
I made a dinner reservation at OBC Kitchen in Lexington for Brandon’s birthday dinner. Their bacon in a glass and extensive bourbon menu drew my attention, and the meal was wonderful.
We stayed in a tiny Airbnb right by University of Kentucky’s campus for the night. I loved the spiral stairs, but the neighbors in the adjoining unit kept us up all night. It was our worst Airbnb experience to date, though it was solely because of noise—not because of the space we rented. I would link to the listing, because I really did love it otherwise, but it has since been removed.
Four Roses
The next morning, we booked an early tour at the Four Roses distillery in Lawrenceburg. We felt like tour pros at this point, and enjoyed being part of a very small (four person) group this time around.
Woodford Reserve
We saved one of the best for last: Woodford Reserve. Woodford was the first nice bourbon Brandon started drinking years ago, and I was excited to see their distillery. We arrived early for our tour, so we ate lunch on property and lounged by the fire in their gorgeous lobby while we waited. I just discovered the recipe for their Bourbon Trail Chili online, and plan to make it this winter at home.
I didn’t think their tour was as in-depth as some of the others, but their tasting was my favorite!
After wrapping up things at Woodford, we hit the road to West Virginia to spend the night before driving the rest of the way home. Brandon ranks his bourbon birthday trip just under our trip to Hawaii, so I feel like it was a job well done.
