Barrel Making Warehouse at Buffalo Trace Distillery. ©LifeofThrift
Barrel Making Warehouse at Buffalo Trace Distillery. ©LifeofThrift

Got to love the opportunity to mix business with leisure AND American History.

Getting to Lexington

Depending on where you’re coming from you might find it better to fly into Louisville even though you’re destination is Lexington. This is especially true if you are staying for more than a day or so and are traveling with several people. GO SOCCER MOM VAN DADS. Didn’t realize we could score a round trip ticket from IAD to SDF for almost $100 direct. PRETTY COOL.

Alright so another aspect of taking this route and either Ubering or renting a car is the opportunity to see more of the state of Kentucky- I always find it interesting how culturally things change with the brand of retailers that operate in different regions of the country or how that affects the local energy and vibe. Of course, in today’s USA you will find some of your well known chains regardless of where you are.

Vacation Rental By Owner

We found ourselves at this incredible, but somewhat deceiving vacation rental by owner(s) aka VRBO (please note this was not booked through VRBO’s service and does not reflect their listings or business- it was a private property collection which seems to be more and more popular for luxury/sophisticated listings).

 It was a massive property, and as a bunch of grown men we turned into giddy boys fighting over sleeping areas and marveling at what most of us won’t ever be able to afford on our own. Living like kings in the country. The only issue was the impression the listing and description gives you- that this place is on lots of acreage and very seclusive. They did a good job not showing the neighboring homes and outright busy roadway at the front of the property hahaha. So luckily we did not bring our shotguns and clay pigeons otherwise we might’ve ended up like these folks. Do check google maps or Zillow if possible to know for sure where the property is so your expectations are met.

This brings to mind something you should be weary of when booking something other than a hotel- what they make you pay for as an inclusive service. It’s always my impression that less is more and the added cost for ‘dedicated staff’, ‘activity coordinator’, or ‘food and logistics prep team’ isn’t worth the squeeze. With enough dudes to field a rugby team we can easily share responsibility of cooking or shopping (although as you can imagine we mostly ate out in-between the fellas drinks of course). Something you should consider is required cleaning; the property might say you need to do this to get your deposit back. I find that redundant since they charge quite a bit for cleaning fees which is why a hotel can be a better option sometimes. 

Buffalo Trace

Okay, so now that we were settled in we got in a couple shuttle vans and made our way to BUFFALO TRACE. Full disclosure, I do not really drink and am in no way a liquor or bourbon connoisseur so forgive me for my ignorance in this regard. What I will say is this couldn’t be a better place to start for my first distillery tour and understand the culture of American bourbon. Funny enough.. because of my lack of awareness I literally thought.. “Buffalo Trace? What is that even, why aren’t we going to the Jack Daniels Distillery or Maker’s Mark- something I know?” It wasn’t until the excellent tour guide shared his wealth of knowledge and enthusiasm for his chosen trade, its history, and the cultural significance of Buffalo Trace itself, that I understood this Distillery’s significance to our Nation and the bourbon industry at large. Not to mention how each whiskey- especially their small batch decades old aged bourbons- are prepared by one generation for another! That’s pretty cool.

So what’s better than touring America’s oldest, longest operating distillery?

Touring America’s oldest, longest operating distillery with men who have served our nation through the military, emergency services, housing, and facility management! There were clearly some badasses among us and that is why the distillery was like, “Hold my beer. We don’t normally do this..”, and BAM. Out cometh forth Ye ‘Ol Grand Pappy Van Winkle himself to share 23 years of aged excellence with us. DUDE. what the f***. Yeah, that is what you think when you taste the smooth rich flavor of this incredibly crafted liquid time capsule of history. 

One bro was like, “HOLY S***. NO F***ing WAY.”  ..but WAY MAN. WAY.

I mentioned earlier that I am not a whiskey connoisseur- so I’m sure, as some already have in-person, a few of you may disagree that this is one of the best options out there. It is for sure a pricey bottle, but given the taste, the meaning behind this small-batch bourbon, and the amount of effort that went into bottling it, I believe this is an excellent choice to add to anyone’s collection and serve for very special occasions. For me, the flavor was really enjoyable! More importantly, the memory of sharing that first sip with all those salt of this earth men is unforgettable.

No Kentucky trip is complete without visiting Buffalo Trace for their iconic distillery tour!

Photos from Buffalo Trace Distillery Tour. Stone carved buffalo outside of Buffalo Trace
Stone carved buffalo outside of Buffalo Trace. ©LifeofThrift

After an incredible tasting, surprise bonus experience, some shopping, and an all-you-can eat meal we made our way back to the house, bellys full, ready for the next adventure.

#thisistheway