Bourbon Whiskey

by Bernie Lubbers

  Impellizzeri’s Pizza–1381 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40204–502.454.2711 (impellizzeris.com). Famous in Louisville, and right in the Highlands. Impellizzeris Pizza uses only the finest and freshest ingredients, which is why it’s no wonder they’ve been voted “Best of Louisville Magazine” a whopping SIX TIMES! They offer this award-winning pizza alongside a full menu of Italian-style dishes from appetizers to salads to hoagie sandwiches and mouth-watering pasta dishes. They’ve opened a new location on Main Street just down from the new Yum Center Arena, too.

  Jack Fry’s–1007 Bardstown Road–Louisville, KY 40204–502.452.9244 (jackfrys.com, at Baxter Avenue and Highland Avenue at the foot of the Highlands). Many locals will tell you that Jack Fry’s is the best restaurant in Louisville, period. Great live jazz during the week, wonderful food, and the décor takes you back to the 1960s. It doesn’t get much better than this.

  Jeff Ruby’s–325 W. Main Street–Louisville, KY 40202–502.584.0102 (jeffruby.com). Eat where O.J. can’t. Jeff Ruby asked O.J. Simpson to leave his place a couple Derbys ago. He serves up some of the best steak and seafood around. My buddy Robbie Bartlett’s band plays there almost every weekend. It’s not cheap, but it’s worth every penny.

  Kern’s Korner–2600 Bardstown Road–Louisville, KY 40205–was founded by Mr. Kern, who used to work with my dad at the Falls City Brewing Company. Kern’s has great chili, soups and burgers and is a great place to hang out with the locals and have a casual lunch.

  Lilly’s–1147 Bardstown Road–Louisville, KY 40204–502.451.0447 (lillyslapeche.com). Lilly’s bills itself as a Kentucky bistro, and its menu is shaped by the produce and meats available from community farms and its own organic garden. Lilly’s is located right in the heart of the Highlands, just a couple miles from downtown hotels.

  Molly Malone’s–933 Baxter Avenue–Louisville, KY 40204–502.473.1222 (mollymalonesirishpub.com). This is an authentic Irish pub with authentic Irish people. They have a pub quiz early in the week, and dining inside and out.

  MOZZ–Mozzarella Bar & Enoteca–445 E. Market Street, Louisville, KY 40202–502.690.6699 (www.mozz-louisville.com). Proprietor’s Chef Matthew Antonovich and Michael Cooper welcome you to this unique Italian supper Club with farm-to-table aristocratic food from the Lazio-Rome-Naples, Tuscany-Florence and Emilia-Romagna regions. Their mozzarella bar is delicious! Live jazz nightly (closed Sundays).

  O’Shea’s Irish Pub–(www.osheaslouisville.net).Wherever you find yourself either downtown, the Highlands or St. Matthews, you’ll find one of these great fun pubs.

  Patrick O’Shea’s–123 West Main Street–Louisville, KY 40202–502.708.2488 (www.osheaslouisville.net). At the foot of the Second Street Bridge, this gorgeous building is a great place for lunch or dinner. It’s a great place to hang out downtown, as well.

  St. Charles Exchange–113 S. 7th Street-Louisville, KY 40202-502.618.1917. They’ve got probably the best collection of mixologists behind the bar and an awesome menu, as well. A great addition to the Derby City.

  Seviche–1538 Bardstown Road, Louisville, KY 40205–502.473.8560 (www.sevicherestaurant.com). Award-winning chef/owner Anthony Lamas shows off his Latin culture with his modern flare. Seviche is a Louisville local favorite, so better make a reservation, although the bar is a great experience, too. I saw Anthony and his crew down at Epcot Food & Wine Festival this past year.

  Silver Dollar–1761 Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, KY 40206–502.259.9540. Facebook page is under “The Silver Dollar.” My buddy Larry Rice and his partners Shawn Cantley opened this awesome place in an awesome spot. Located in the renovated old Albert Stoll Fire House, Silver Dollar has a 42-foot-long bar made from reclaimed wood from old tobacco barns and distillery rackhouses. Awesome old bourbon choices like Old Grand Dad, Very Old Barton and Old Fitzgerald. The staff there are some of the best around, and the place is jamming every night. I love that the music is very Western and rockabilly and played on vinyl on a real turntable. The food is awesome too and matches the music with a chef-driven menu filled with the vivid flavors from the Southwest, dubbed “gastro-honky tonk” by our local food critic, who gave a glowing 3.5 star review (out of 4).

  Rye On Market–900 E. Market Street, Louisville, KY 40206–502.749.6200 (www.ryeonmarket.com). Right in the heart of the thriving area called NuLu, head chef William Tyler Morris came in from the Breslin Hotel in New York. Proprietor Michael Trager-Kusman is the driving force who never settles for second best.

  Wick’s Pizza–975 Baxter Avenue, Louisville, KY 40204–502.458.1828 (wickspizza.com). Home of the “Big Wick,” this is a Louisville favorite when it comes to pizza. It has good entertainment on the weekends, too.

  LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY

  Lexington is a smaller city than Louisville, but it’s just as much fun. I went to college there at the University of Kentucky. The Bourbon Review is published there, and it’s the perfect place to stay when you visit the distilleries on the Eastern Shelf: Buffalo Trace, Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey and Four Roses.

  I’d suggest visiting Wild Turkey and Four Roses one day, and then Woodford Reserve and Buffalo Trace the next. Lexington doesn’t have the equivalent of the Urban Bourbon Trail (yet), but there are a few places, including hotels, that carry a nice selection of bourbon.

  DOWNTOWN LEXINGTON HOTELS

  Crowne Plaza–1375 S. Broadway, Lexington, KY 40504–859.255.4281. Just a mile or so down the road from the Hyatt, the Crowne Plaza Campbell House was renovated in 2005. Bogart’s is the bar there, and it has a variety of bourbons.

  Gratz Park Inn Lexington–120 West Second Street, Lexington, KY 40507 (www.gratzparkinn.com). Gorgeous locally owned hotel, right downtown where ya need to be. It’s the only historic boutique hotel in Lexington, and it’s just a couple blocks off Main Street on land first settled in 1781.

  Hyatt Regency–401 W. High Street, Lexington, KY 40507–859.253.1234. The Hyatt is right across the street from the Hilton and ideally located near downtown watering holes. The Hyatt is actually connected to Rupp Arena where the University of Kentucky plays basketball, so if you want to see Wildcat basketball madness up close, go for it! They’ve got a very nice lobby bar in the atrium with a nice bourbon selection, so it’s a great place to start or end your evening on your Lexington visit.

  Lexington Hilton–369 W. Vine Street, Lexington, KY 40507–859.231.9000. This hotel is right in the heart of Lexington and within walking distance to many fine restaurants and watering holes. It has the Bigg Blue Martini Bar off the lobby–a great name for being in the home of the Big Blue Kentucky Wildcats. The bar also has a nice bourbon selection and live music often on the weekends.

  Marriott Griffin Gate–1800 Newtown Pike, Lexington, KY 40511. Located a few miles out of town and right off I-64, this hotel boasts a great golf course that was host to a couple Senior PGA Tour events. Large hotel, nice bar, too.

  WHERE TO GO FOR A COCKTAIL/AFTER-DINNER DRINKS:

  Al’s Bar–601 N. Limestone, Lexington, KY 40508. Josh is one of the owners and he prides himself on specializing in local “everything,” from ingredients in food to over 30 bourbons. He also hosts a great variety of local music talent nearly every night of the week. Their house specialty cocktail is called the “Kentucky Cocktail,” which is your favorite bourbon mixed with a local ginger ale called Ale 8. Can I suggest an Old Grand Dad with that, anyone?

  Austin City–2350 Woodhill Drive–Lexington, KY 40509 (austincitysaloon.com). Just a couple miles from downtown Lexington, this is a shit-kicking country bar with great bands. My buddy Puddin’ Howell plays there regularly. This is where Troy Gentry of Montgomery Gentry won a contest sponsored by Jim Beam, and to this day, Jim Beam and Montgomery Gentry have a mutual partnership spreading good music and good bourbon wherever they travel.

  Bluegrass Tavern–115 Cheapside Street, Lexington, KY 40507. Also owned by Larry Redmond, this bar offers more bourbon and American whiskey than any other bar, period. That would be 187; Larry’s counted them. Led by head mixologist
, Chris, all the bartenders wear a white shirt, black trousers and black tie, and they are eager to help you select a bourbon and/or a cocktail if you need such a suggestion. I’ve helped train the staff there, too, since I’ve done a couple bourbon tastings there. It’s located right on the pavilion downtown on Cheapside, so in nice weather it’s a huge outdoor patio party on the whole block.

  Cheapside Tavern–131 Cheapside Street, Lexington, KY 40507–859.254.0046 (www.cheapsidebarandgrill.com). Good food and live music, too. It’s located on the opposite end of the block from Redmond’s. My Louisville buddy and singing partner, Robbie Bartlett, performs there from time to time. Cheapside Street has been turned into a pavilion and is one rockin’ outside area when the weather permits, which is often!

  Horse and Barrel–101 N. Broadway, Lexington, KY 40507. 2008 Global Icons of Whisky Award winning account by Whisky Magazine. This is a gorgeous bar and well appointed with bourbon and other whiskies from around the world. This bar is attached to deSha’s and has a nice bar menu. You have to walk out of deSha’s and enter the Horse and Barrel from its own entrance. Home of the “Bluegrass Bourbon Club,” where members learn more about bourbon by tasting all 53 bourbons they carry there. Their “Kentucky Margarita” is very popular.

  Jakes Cigar Bar–263 East Brannon Road–Nicholasville, KY 40356 (www.jakescigarbar.com). Located just 10 minutes south of downtown Lexington on Nicholasville Road (US 27) in the Brannon Crossing Shopping Centre. Jack Glancy owns the joint and it’s only been open since April 2010, but it’s the only place you can go in Lexington (or Louisville, for that matter) to enjoy fine cigar brands from all over the world, along with a choice of 50 bourbons. They don’t have food, so it’s a perfect after-dinner stop. Take the short drive out to Brannon Crossing and have a great smoke, great bourbon and stellar conversation.

  Parlay Social–257 W. Short Street (right next to Dudley’s), Lexington, KY 40507–859.244.1932 (www.parlaysocial.com). Cool cocktail bar with live music. I did the first bourbon tasting there and met the owners Bob Estes and Joy Breeding, and it’s a very cool place to enjoy bourbon.

  Redmond’s–269 W. Main Street, Lexington, KY 40507. This is Larry Redmond’s live music bar. Larry is a great singer/performer and has some of the best talent in the area appearing there all the time. If live music is up your alley, come on by and have a good time with Larry and everyone else who’s there enjoying the same.

  The Grapevine–4101 Tates Creek Centre Drive–Lexington, KY 40517. The Grapevine is a comfortable neighborhood bar with good pub grub. They also have TVs to watch all the Wildcats games and a stage with live music, where the owner of the joint gets up and plays, too. FUN!

  BREAKFAST

  Tally Ho’s–395 S. Limestone, Lexington, KY 40508. The only place for authentic college grub! This is a little greasy spoon, where extra grease is no extra charge. It takes me back to my college days every time. It’s one of the few places in the world where I order a chocolate milkshake with breakfast! Yummie!

  BREAKFAST/LUNCH

  Ramsey’s–496 E. High Street, Lexington, KY40507–859.259.2708. There are three other Ramsey’s in town, so check out their website for them (www.ramseysdiners.com). Ramsey’s offers great breakfast and just good food all the way around. Sunday mornings are particularly fun with their brunch menu. Plan on waiting awhile though, but even waiting for breakfast there is kind of cool.

  DINNER

  Baker’s 360–201 East Main Street, Lexington, KY 40507–859.523.7797 (www.bakers360.us). Great steakhouse and seafood. A buddy of mine from San Diego recently went there and said it was the best sushi he’s ever had, and he’s from California! After dinner it turns into a nightclub and bar. Really cool new spot in Lexington.

  Bellini’s— 115 W. Main Street, Lexington, KY 40507 (www.bellinislexington.com). Italian cuisine with locally grown seasonal ingredients. Bellini’s has a great atmosphere, a classy bar, great food and a nice bourbon selection, too.

  deSha’s–101 N. Broadway, Lexington, KY 40507–859.259.3771 (www.tavernrestaurantgroup.com). In business since 1985, it’s right in the heart of downtown on Main and Broadway and across from the Hyatt and Hilton. The chef is very creative cooking with bourbon there, and it was voted by Whisky Magazine as a 2008 Icons of Whisky Bar of the Year globally.

  Dudley’s–259 W. Short Street, Lexington, KY 40502–859.252.1010 (www.dudleysrestaurant.com). Dudley’s Restaurant has been a mainstay on the Lexington gathering and dining scene for the last 28 years. Great food and atmosphere. I like it!

  Eddie Montgomery’s Steakhouse–180 Lucky Man Way, Harrodsburg,KY 40330–859.734.3400 (www.eddiemontgomery-steakhouse.com). Eddie is the Montgomery of dynamic county music duo, Montgomery Gentry. They are Jim Beam guys through and through and are personal friends of Fred and the Beam family. This is quite a showplace in Harrodsburg, which is a little bit of a drive from Lexington (or Louisville), but it’s sure a treat and worth the drive.

  Malone’s/Harry’s–3347 Tates Creek Drive, Lexington, KY 40502–859.335.6500 (www.malonesrestaurant.com, in the Landsdowne Shopping Center). Always makes the top 10 great steak houses in the United States by all the inflight magazines I see when I’m traveling around the country. Awesome seafood, too. Malone’s is the more formal (although dress is casual), and Harry’s is the hangout bar area with a great menu as well. Malone’s ownership is proud to claim that they carry prime beef that’s considered to be the top 1.5-2% of the beef served in the whole world! Now that’s a statement. They have the Big Lex cocktail, which is Maker’s Mark bourbon with Kentucky Proud blackberries and strawberries infused into a simple syrup with a splash of 7UP and a squeeze of lemon and lime.

  Merrick Inn–1074 Merrick Drive, Lexington, KY 40502–859.269.5417. Merrick Inn is without a doubt the oldest and most traditional dining experience in Lexington. The bar area and patio are an experience all on their own.

  Portofino–249 E. Main Street, Lexington, KY 40507–859.253.9300.Portofino is in a nicely renovated building downtown and serves northern Italian food. If you’re looking for some good wine on your visit to bourbon country, know that Portofino earned the Wine Spectator Award eight years in a row, from 2003 through 2010, for their varied selection.

  Sal’s/Oscar’s–3373 Tates Creek Road, Lexington, KY 40502 (www.bluegrasshospitality.com). Actually in the same shopping center as Malone’s and Drake’s. That’s how good these places are: They compete directly with themselves! It’s just a great experience, and once you go, it won’t be for the last time. The outdoor patio at Sal’s is always hopping from Keeneland’s spring meet through the summer, of course, and until the fall meet ends before it gets too cold. Trust me, this is where all the pretty people are.

  SOME GOOD PACKAGE LIQUOR STORES FOR WHEN YOU VISIT THE BOURBON TRAIL…AND YOU WILL VISIT!

  So you’re in Kentucky visiting distilleries, and you’d like to purchase some bourbon to take back with you? Where do you go? Also, you’re in Kentucky, so certainly there are some bourbons you can buy only in this state, and not where you’re from. Knob Creek and Old Grand Dad are my two favorites, but you can certainly buyt those in almost every part of the country.

  THE BOURBON CAPITAL OF THE WORLD

  You’ll drive right through Bardstown when you go to visit Heaven Hill, Thomas Moore, Independent Stave Cooperage, Maker’s Mark or Jim Beam, so you might as well stop and buy some great bourbons that you can only find here in the Bourbon Capital of the World. And don’t forget to visit Bardstown during Bourbon Festival, which is always the third weekend in September.

  STORES IN BARDSTOWN

  Toddy’s–100 S. 4th Street-Bardstown, KY 40004-502.348.1444. This was Toddy Beam’s store (does the name sound familiar?), and it’s a small ‘lil store in downtown Bardstown that is just chocked FULL of bourbon…as well it should, being in the Bourbon Capital of the World.

  Liquor World–93 N. Salem Drive (just off Hwy 245)-Bardstown, KY 40004-502.349.7560. This store is a little larger and has more of what Toddy�
�s carries.

  Kroger’s-102 W. John Rowan Boulevard (Hwy 245 at N. 3rd St.)-Bardstown, KY 40004- 502.348.2977. This is located smack dab on Hwy 245, which you’ll most likely take to get to Heaven Hill and Maker’s Mark.

  STORES IN LOUISVILLE

  If you’re staying in Louisville, you’ll probably choose a hotel downtown and then venture out to grab a bite to eat in the Highlands or out East, so here are stores that will be close by. Stores in Louisville tend to be bigger; you’ll get a kick out of just how BIG the bourbon spreads are in the stores. Some even have sections for each category of bourbon. You’ll be in bourbon heaven.

  DOWNTOWN

  Theater Square Marketplace–651 S. 4th Street, just behind the Brown Hotel. It’s a small store, but there’s a cool market, bagel shop and damn-nice restaurant there. George and Eric own the place. It’s a great store, and one of the few that’s located right in the heart of downtown.

  HIGHLANDS