By Timothy Long
If you’ve never been to Lexington, KY, you need to go. It’s a short plane ride, and worth it. Lexington is a small quaint city with thoroughbred horses, beautiful countryside, a great food scene, and, of course, world class bourbon. The horserace track, Keenland, is absolutely stunning. It only runs races twice a year, in April and October. So, we couldn’t go on this trip. It’s so elegant that you would not be surprised to see King Charles there.
We were visiting to attend the University of Kentucky and Ole Miss football game. My wife, Leigh, attended Ole Miss. Her brother, Colby, lives in downtown Lexington. His house is one hundred yards from everything, or at least he claims it is.
Colby picked us up at the airport in Cincinnati. Lexington has its own airport, but sometimes it is easier, and cheaper, to fly into Cincinnati or Louisville, both of which are close.
Our first stop was lunch at Libby’s Southern Comfort in Covington, Kentucky. A wonderful choice made by Colby. Covington is a cute little town not far from the airport. Libby’s is a very homey, diner-style restaurant. As you enter, it kind of looks like a dive, which is usually a good sign. The bar is right by the host stand at the front and displays an amazing bourbon selection. I knew that we were in Bourbon country, but wow! The bourbon list in this little place was impressive.
“They have quite a bourbon selection.” I said to Colby.
“Can’t stay in business long around here without a good bourbon selection,” he said with a smile as he also admired the bottles.
We got a table and began to peruse the menu, which featured both fried chicken and bourbon. Not quite ready to start drinking bourbon yet, I chose to order craft beer. I always love trying local beers when we travel. My choice is a Rhinegeist Cheetah Lager, a craft beer from Rhinegeist Brewery in Cincinnati. It was light, crisp, clean and had a smooth finish. For lunch, I ordered their two-piece fried chicken entree, which was delicious. Lunch at Libby’s was a great start to a fun weekend.
After arriving in Lexington, we did some shopping. The city has great little shops. Dinner time came and we were off to Tony’s. This is a foodie town, and Tony’s is one of our favorite stops. The restaurant and bar have a very sophisticated design. Plus, there was a jazz band playing in the corner of the bar. It made for a great atmosphere
They also, of course, have a great bourbon selection. It’s the first place I ever drank Little Book. Colby keeps a locker there and offered me a Buffalo Trace Kosher Bourbon. It’s a limited release, is made in partnership with the Chicago Rabbinical Council, and is released after Passover every year. This is a wheat bourbon, so it’s mild and soft. It also has rich notes of caramel and hints of vanilla. It’s silky as you drink it and finishes a little chocolatey with a bit of leather on the tongue. This bourbon is very well done.
The next day was game day. Breakfast is an important start. They take their tailgating seriously in Kentucky. You need something in your stomach. Being a WVU man, I can appreciate that. We headed to Minton’s for Breakfast. It’s a fun little breakfast nook. The food was fantastic, and so was the cocktail list. I am a bourbon on the rock’s drinker, but I will not pass on a good bourbon cocktail. So, I had to try the Honeybee made with Makers Mark Bourbon, honey liqueur, earl grey tea, and lemon. It’s a perfect breakfast drink. I’m in heaven.
Kentucky has a fun tailgate scene. I don’t think it compares to WVU’s, but it’s close enough. (I do have to acknowledge a bit of bias here.) We are fortunate enough to be invited to two tailgates, Colby’s, of course, and Leigh’s sorority sister Peggy’s. Both tailgates were fun with good food and great company. My only disappointment was the lack of craft beer. As we walked through the parking lot, all I saw were domestic beers, mainly Miller Lite. One kid even tried to give me a can of Busch Light Peach Bee. I politely declined. These beers are not my cup of tea. On a high note, Peggy’s husband, Joe, gave me a My Father’s Opulencia cigar, more on that later.
Kentucky’s stadium has a club section, which is not very common in college football. More good luck for us, Colby is member. It’s really cool, and the seats are great. They serve Woodford Reserve bourbon, and they give you a steak house pour when you order one. We were in Kentucky; they drink big glasses of bourbon here. But before a bourbon, I need a good beer. My eyers caught a local brew, Country Boy Brewing’s Cougar Bait Blonde Ale on the menu. I love the name. Blonde ales are mild, and usually lightly malty with biscuit flavors. This blonde ale has all of those aspects plus a touch of citrus. It’s a perfect football beer for a perfect football game. Ole Miss won by a touchdown.
Dinner that evening was at a lovely restaurant called 3Ten. They have a rather eclectic menu of wonderful small plate food. I also enjoyed one of their bourbon cocktails called Thyme Flies made with Eagle Rare bourbon, oloroso sherry, thyme, honey lemon, and angostura bitters. It comes with a thyme sprig right in the drink, nice touch.
Plan a weekend in Lexington. The city is a gem filled with great food, beer, and top-notch bourbon. And attend a football game if you can. The Kentucky fans are very welcoming and hospitable. Plus, they get into their football. Although I had to admit I giggled at their favorite cheer. Their colors are blue and white. So, one side yells “Blue!” then the other side replies “White!”. They do this several times. It’s a boring cheer. But I did find myself cheering it with them after a while. A few steak-pours of Woodford Reserve bourbon can work miracles. Cheers!
Tim’s Whiskey and Cigar Recommendations
1792 Bottled in Bond Bourbon
This is a fantastic bourbon. I love 1792 bourbons as it is, but this one tops the charts. You get rye spice and caramel on the nose. The first sip has rye spice as well, but caramel, vanilla, cherry, and charred oak are revealed. This bourbon is pleasantly sweet and finishes with notes of caramel, cherry, black pepper, and oak. Bottled in Bond means it adheres to the requirements of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897 which ensures the use of a single distillery, a single distillation season, and a minimum of four years of aging at 100 proof. It is considered the first consumer protection act. It was established to ensure quality. But in modern times, it’s mainly a marketing tool.
My Father La Opulencia Cigar
As I mentioned above, my buddy Joe gave me this cigar at the tailgate. I was quite grateful. Having smoked this cigar before, I knew it was of high quality. La Opulencia is a medium-bodied cigar yet complex cigar. It’s a blend of chocolate, cocoa, spice, leather, and earthy flavors. You get all of these flavors throughout the smoke. It finishes with espresso and earthy notes. It’s a great tailgate cigar that will go well with that 1792 Bottled in Bond bourbon on the rocks you have in your hand. Enjoy.
About the Author: Timothy Long is an educator, writer, consultant, and experienced restaurant operator. Email: tlong@belmarinnovations.com. Instagram and Twitter: @wvutimmy. Blog: What is that fly doing in my soup? http://whatflyinmysoup.com.