Bourbon is ubiquitous throughout the state of Kentucky. But only in Northern Kentucky will you find the gateway to Bourbon Country—The B-Line. Follow this series to learn more about the hidden treasures found Only in NKY.
Kentucky and bourbon go together like horses and bluegrass. Bourbon enthusiasts and curious travelers seeking an authentic taste of Kentucky will be thrilled to discover NKY’s very own bourbon trail: The B-Line. Launched in 2018, this self-guided tour offers an accessible bourbon experience for anyone visiting the area, whether it's for the weekend, a few days, or a full “bourbon vacay.” I’m not much of a bourbon drinker, but I decided it was finally time to try this local adventure for myself. If anything could convert me to a bourbon believer, it would be an itinerary of carefully curated “sipping points” right here in my own backyard. So one Saturday morning, after downloading the line guide, I woke my fiance up and told him we were hitting the B-Line.
GETTING STARTED
The first step for anyone participating in the B-Line is downloading the line guide—the mobile passport that will help you track your tour and give you the chance to earn free bourbon swag. Don’t worry, if you’re sentimental like me, you can pick up a physical copy of the line guide at any of the stops along the way. Then it's time to choose your travel plans. The B-Line has three pre-made itineraries for those looking to enjoy the journey without the hassle of planning it yourself. However, one of the best parts about the B-Line is that it is entirely self-made and you can tailor your experience exactly as you’d like. We only had one day to dedicate to our adventure, so we chose our stops based on proximity to one another, saving the farther locations for a different day.
THE EXPERIENCE
We started with lunch at Rich’s Proper Food & Drink, where the food was great and the drinks were even better. We got to chat with Nelson, the director of operations at Rich’s, who gave us a lot of really great tips for exploring the B-Line as bourbon newbies. First things first: stick to bourbons in the 90 proof area. Starting much higher than that might ruin your palate for the day and make everything else taste weak or uninviting. He recommended we go with a bourbon cocktail instead of a neat pour to get things started. Heeding his advice, I ordered the Old Fashioned made with Old Forester ‘86. It was the perfect balance of sweet and citrus, garnished with a Luxardo Maraschino cherry and an orange peel. We got our passports stamped and checked in on the digital line guide. At this point I knew we were in for a good day.
With full bellies and a better understanding of what we were getting ourselves into, we decided to head to Second Sights Spirits in Ludlow, KY. The distillery offers tours and tastings, and we were lucky enough to catch the 4:00 demonstration. While the tour isn't required to receive a passport stamp, I would highly recommend booking one ahead of time. Carus Waggoner, co-founder of Second Sights, was a charming host and incredible storyteller. Hearing the tale of how two best friends with backgrounds in industrial design and mechanical engineering went from building Cirque Du Soleil sets to distilling fine spirits is worth the visit, even if you don't try the bourbon. But of course we did try the bourbon, and in an incredible cocktail called the Good Omen, mixed by the ever-welcoming bartender Morgan Winship. It was a summertime take on an Old Fashioned, using the house-made Oak Eye Kentucky Bourbon, peach, elderflower liqueur, bitters, and a lemon for garnish. It was delicious. And because it was getting late in the afternoon and our feet were starting to drag, we decided to stick around for some non-alcoholic dirty chai lattes to bring a little pep back into our step.
After properly caffeinating, we hopped back to Covington to visit Mainstrasse, where there are three more B-Line bars to choose from. We decided to try Wiseguys, the speakeasy located on top of Goodfellas Pizzeria. We climbed the staircase in the back of the restaurant and stepped back in time to the days of prohibition. Low light, leather couches, and dapper barkeeps greeted us with warm hospitality. Our bartender, Chase Henry, was a certified Master of Bourbon who helped us decide which liquor would be best for this round. We landed on Old Turkey 101—the highest proof we'd tried yet. And let me tell you, there was a noticeable difference. This was by far the boldest drink of the day with Sauternes used as a sweetener, Angostura bitters, and a torched orange peel garnish.
By this point, we could feel the effects of the bourbon, so we took advantage of The B-Line’s partnership with Lyft and used their discount code to catch a quick ride to the newly-added sipping point, Pompilio’s, for dinner (Uber users can also save). We enjoyed an authentic Italian dinner, but decided to forgo the bourbon this time and switch to water to end the evening. Purchasing alcoholic beverages is not a requirement for getting your passport stamped, as long as you purchase something.
WHAT I’D DO DIFFERENTLY
We were exhausted and full-bellied after a long day of exploring, eating, and drinking. And with two bars, one distillery, and a restaurant stamped on our passports, we decided it was time to call it a night and head home.
While our experience was a blast from start to finish, there are a few things I will do differently for my next B-Line excursion:
- Call ahead for dinner reservations. As mentioned before, one of the perks of The B-line is that it is entirely self-guided and you can visit the stops on any day and at any time. But it would have been smart for us to call ahead to make reservations for dinner, especially since it was a Saturday night. This goes doubly if you’re touring with a large group!
- Give yourself plenty of time. I knew we weren’t going to be able to visit every location on The B-Line in one day, but I was surprised that we only made it to four stops. There were so many friendly faces on our tour that we ended up chatting and making friends everywhere we went. Plus, there were tons of unique and distracting shops to visit in the neighborhoods surrounding the B-Line businesses!
- Wear comfortable shoes. A lot of The B-Line locations are within walking distance or a short drive of each other. That doesn’t mean your feet won’t get tired as the day goes on. Opt for flats instead of heels, especially if you’re going to be touring distilleries!
- Book a night at one of the partnered hotels. Even though we’re local to the area, my fiance and I both agreed we would have done more exploring if we had a hotel in Covington or Newport to go back to at the end of the day. Hotel Covington and Aloft at Newport on the Levee are both centrally located among The B-Line stops. Being able to wake up and get started immediately would have been a great way to elevate our adventure.
Our B-Line passports still have plenty of spots that need stamps. And we’re looking forward to completing the challenge of hitting two bars, two restaurants, and two distilleries on the line to earn some free bourbon swag. Maybe we’ll see you at one of the stops!
