Kentucky

Win a VIP Trip to the Kentucky Derby with Woodford Reserve

Filed under: Spirits, Events, Art, Sports

Woodford Reserve, the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, is once again honoring the country's favorite horse race with the release of a Kentucky Derby commemorative bottle (pictured above) full of their celebrated whiskey. The 2011 limited edition design features the work of award-winning artist and Virginia native Brett Amory.

Amory showcases two horses racing in those final moments towards the finish line with the only splash of color on the bottle. "The build up to the Derby is unlike any other sporting event," Amory notes. "Louisville is absolutely transformed, and people from all over the world come to join the excitement. I wanted to capture on canvas that one key moment they all came to see."

The limited edition liter-size bottle will be available in early April in 42 US states at a suggested retail price of $42.99. In addition to purchasing a true collector's item, consumers can enter Woodford Reserve's Kentucky Derby Sweepstakes with a chance to win a VIP trip to the 2012 Derby. They can enter by either registering their bottle's unique number printed on the neck label, by entering any random five digit code at www.WellCraftedDerby.com, or by mail.

Upon registering, entrants will be given a randomly-generated post position, from 1-20, for the 2011 Kentucky Derby. If the horse that starts from their assigned post position wins, he/she will be entered in the grand prize trip drawing. Official Rules are available at www.WellCraftedDerby.com; no purchase is necessary but you must be 21 or older to participate.

Tags: art, bourbon, contests, equestrian, horse racing, horses, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, Louisville, Virginia, whiskey, whisky, Woodford Reserve

The Classicist: Thoroughbreds, Bourbon and Private Planes from Flexjet

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Spirits, Wings, Events, Sports, The Classicist

The Classicist: Thoroughbreds, Bourbon and Private Planes from Flexjet

Private jet juggernaut Flexjet is offering an alluring incentive to new fractional owners via a promotion with Kentucky's Keeneland, one of the world's leading thoroughbred racing and auction facilities. The three-day Unbridled experience centers around the 2011 Breeders' Cup World Championships this fall. Known as the thoroughbred industry's most prestigious championship event, the Breeders' Cup attracts fierce competition for the richest prize-money event in the world with over $26 million in purses at stake. There's a lot more to the Unbridled experience, however, as you'd expect considering the cost for a 1/16th fraction (or 50 hours / year) on one of the company's Learjet 40XRs starts at $362,500.

Each owner and their guest will enjoy the Breeders' Cup races in the comfort of a finish-line owner's suite at the iconic Churchill Downs, one of the world's greatest racetracks and home of the Kentucky Derby, as well as an invitation to attend sun-up morning workouts. A one-on-one meeting with a renowned thoroughbred trainer and an insider's look at a famed horse farm are also in the offing. The Unbridled experience is available in limited quantities at no extra charge for Flexjet customers purchasing a new fractional share now through June 12, 2011; the all-inclusive experience takes place November 3 - 6.

Gallery: Flexjet Unbridled Experience

Tags: 21c Museum Hotel, Bombardier, bourbon, Breeders Cup, Buffalo Trace, Churchill Downs, distillery, equestrian, events, Flexjet, fractional ownership, horse breeding, horse farm, horse racing, horses, jets, Keeneland, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, lear+jet45, Learjet, learjet45, Louisville, luxury travel, Private jet, private plane, spirits, sports, stables, the South, thoroughbred, whiskey

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Delong Place, Estate of the Day

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Estates

Today's home is the largest mansion for sale in Lexington, Kentucky. This massive property was inspired by a 17th century English country home. It sits on 11 acres with award-winning formal gardens and bronze statuary (some perched in odd places including two scampering up the home's gate). The five-bedroom home has over 24,000 square feet of space. The listing pictures give just a hint of the grand scale of this place. There are massive fireplaces, large staircases, a dining room with a table so long it requires two chandeliers and a wood-paneled library. This home is listed at $6.5 million.

Gallery: Delong Place

Tags: estate of the day, kentucky, lexington

Continue reading “Delong Place, Estate of the Day”

Tiffany & Co. To Build Factory In Kentucky

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Jewelry, Timepieces / Watches

When I think of Kentucky I don't think of luxury. Then again it is good to see new manufactures being built in America as well as a growing demand for luxury goods. Famous luxury goods brand Tiffany & Co. just broke ground on a site in Lexington Kentucky where it will open up a new facility to produce certain basic jewelry and accessory pieces. Other US facilities for the brand are located in Rhode Island and New York.

Tiffany & Co. makes a range of products, some licensed by other companies (such as their timepieces), and certainly not all of them are made in the US. While the luxury goods market is steadily increasing in the US, it is booming in China. It might be seen as somewhat ironic that the Kentucky location will be making volume goods for the Chinese market.

Over the last several years Kentucky has been working with companies and giving them large incentives to build plants in Kentucky were labor is relatively cheap (for America) and jobs are needed. Tiffany & Co. will join other such as automotive makers who see Kentucky as a very friendly business environment. The new plant is said to only provide about 125 new jobs, but will likely have the type of name recognition that will open more doors in the area. Completion of the new Tiffany & Co. facility is said to completed in the first half of 2011.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Tags: kentucky, manufacturing, tiffany, tiffany co

Orvis Presents North America's Finest Hunting Lodges

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Sports, Books

Last spring we reported that legendary Vermont-based sporting outfitters Orvis had published a great new book on fly fishing's finest destinations. Now the company has come out with an equally compelling companion volume on hunting game birds. Great Hunting Lodges of North America: Wingshooting's Finest Destinations (Rizzoli) is a lavishly illustrated look at the very best upland and waterfowl hunting destinations around. Profiles of almost 20 featured Orvis destinations celebrate the great American sporting tradition and include detailed information on the local game species and wildlife, the lodge and the surrounding countryside, along with in-depth sidebars on key game birds and sporting dogs. Even if you're merely an armchair adventurer who's never fired a shotgun the great outdoor photography is worth the price of admission in its own right. Featured lodges include the Eagle Nest Lodge in Montana, Flying B Ranch in Idaho, Greystone Castle in Texas, The High Lonesome Ranch in Colorado, Mexico's Rancho Caracol, Deer Creek Lodge in Kentucky, Harris Springs Sportsman's Preserve in South Carolina and Pine Hill Plantation in Georgia. Check out the gallery for a preview.

Gallery: Great Hunting Lodges of North America

Tags: books, coffee table books, Colorado, dogs, fishing, fly fishing, Georgia, guns, hunting, hunting lodge, Idaho, Kentucky, Montana, Orvis, Rancho Caracol, shotgun, sporting, sports, Texas, Vermont, wildlife

Woodford Reserve Master's Collection - Maple Wood Finish

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Woodford Reserve has announced the release of Maple Wood Finish, the latest entry in its exclusive Masters Collection put together by Master Distiller Chris Morris. The new expression (as previewed on Luxist) is one of the most unique Master's Collection offerings to date as it is the industry's first bourbon to be finish aged in barrels made from sugar maple wood.

Though it was thought that whiskey barrels could not be crafted from sugar maple wood, the Brown-Forman Cooperage accomplished the feat, creating a toasted instead of charred barrel. The result is a smooth, elegant whiskey enhanced with hints of maple, honey and cinnamon.

Maple Wood Finish is the fifth in the Woodford Reserve Master's Collection series following the Four Grain, Sonoma-Cutrer Finish, Sweet Mash and Seasoned Oak offerings. Released periodically at the master distiller's discretion, the Master's Collection whiskeys are extremely limited in quantity and bottled only once in a proprietary package inspired by the copper pot stills of The Woodford Reserve Distillery.

The inspiration for the Master's Collection is rooted in the distillery's rich history and tradition. In the mid-1800s distillery owner Oscar Pepper and Master Distiller James Crow studied and recommended use of key processes like sour mashing and charred barrel maturation at Kentucky's historic Woodford County distillery.

These practices are still maintained in the bourbon industry and, today, the distillery receives more than 100,000 visitors annually and is the only one in America to triple-distill bourbon in copper pot stills. The Maple Wood Finish will go on sale throughout the United States on Nov. 1 in limited quantities with a suggested retail price of $89.99.

Tags: bourbon, Brown-Forman, distillery, Kentucky, whiskey, whisky, Woodford Reserve

Knob Creek Warms Up for the Holidays

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Spirits

Knob Creek, the super premium small batch bourbon that's aged for nine years in charred American white oak barrels and bottled at a robust 100 proof, is gearing up for the cooler weather with some recipes for giving both food and drink a Kentucky-style kick in the pants this holiday season. Knob Creek, with its smooth, sweet and rich flavor and signature maple sugar aroma, makes a great accompaniment to many festivities on its own but also works well as an ingredient in everything from hors d'oeuvres to Thanksgiving turkey. Read on for some key recipes:

Knob Creek Bourbon Egg Nog

½ cup Knob Creek Bourbon
6 large egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
2 ½ cups milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Beat egg yolks and sugar in medium saucepan. Slowly beat in 2 cups of milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring
frequently, until thermometer registers 150°F or mixture coats the back of the metal spoon. Remove from heat.
Strain into pitcher. Stir in remaining milk, Knob Creek Bourbon, vanilla and nutmeg. Cover and chill at least 8 hours.
Sprinkle with additional nutmeg.
Makes 6-8 servings.

Knob Creek Holiday Punch

3 parts Knob Creek Bourbon
3 parts cranberry juice
4 parts lemon-lime soda
1 part fresh lemon or lime juice
dash bitters
6 parts champagne
ice block
orange and lemon slices

Pre-chill ingredients. Pour into a punch bowl over a large piece of ice, adding champagne last.
Decorate with slices of lemon and orange. [continued]

Tags: bourbon, cocktail recipes, cocktails, holiday 2010, holidays, Kentucky, Knob Creek, mixology, spirits, Thanksgiving, whiskey, whisky

Continue reading “Knob Creek Warms Up for the Holidays”

Inside Design Duo Badgley Mischka's Kentucky Equestrian Estate

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Estates, Architecture & Design

This month's issue of Elle Decor offers an inside look at famed fashion design duo Badgley Mischka's horsey estate in Kentucky, embodying a perfect example of haute equestrian style. Three years ago the New York-based designers, Mark Badgley and James Mischka, whose fans include the Olsen Twins, Lauren Hutton and Brooke Shields, traded in their house in the Hamptons for a 1920s estate in Kentucky horse country near Lexington. They renovated the limestone-and-clapboard Dutch Colonial Revival house (above) on 15 rolling acres and added top-class equestrian facilities with an interior design scheme to match, naming it Moon Stone Farm. A screened porch along one side was totally remodeled, a downstairs bedroom suite was converted into a chic library, and the kitchen and baths were redone in sleek marble. Check out the gallery for a look at the horsey, elegant interior.

Gallery: Badgley Mischka's Equestrian Estate

Tags: Badgley Mischka, decor, Elle Decor, equestrian, equestrian style, fashion designers, horses, interior design, Kentucky

Emeril Lagasse Heads New Kentucky Food Festival

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Dining, Events

Louisville Kentucky's Churchill Downs will be the setting for a new food and wine festival called Fork, Cork and Style. The event, scheduled for September 12 from 1:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. at Churchill Downs racetrack will feature chef Emeril Lagasse among other celebrity chefs who will offer cooking demonstrations. A wine testing will feature Grgich Hills, Jordan Winery, Cloudy Bay and many more. Festival tickets run from just $15 (for festival admission and the first plate of food) to as much as $500 for a VIP ticket that includes a meet and greet with celebrity chefs, reserved seating at the cooking demo stage, access to the wine tasting and VIP parking.

[via Wave 3]

Tags: churchill downs, emeril lagasse, food festival, food festivals, kentucky, louisville, wine festival, wine festivals

Rent A Room In Kentucky's Castle

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

It makes a certain lovely sense that Versailles, Kentucky has its own castle. The CastlePost is the work of Tom Post who spent millions of dollars restoring the property and creating the unique retreat. The CastlePost has 16 professionally luxury rooms and suites, 12 within the main castle and four two-story royal turret suites on the outer wall which offer scenic views of the rolling green countryside.

According to an article published by USA Today, Post bought the home in 2003 for $1.8 million. The previous owner had started building it in 1969 but had never finished it and it was empty for more than 30 years. Post started improving the home but a fire destroyed it in 2004. Undaunted, he decided to build an even bigger castle and turn it into a bed and breakfast. It has 50 rooms total with a library, sitting room, game room and dining room. The grounds are equally lavish with a large pool, tennis courts, formal garden and a dragon fountain. A 2.5 acre garden provides fresh produce for the castle's kitchen There is also an onsite concierge who can arrange horse farm or bourbon distillery tours. Rates start at $375 for a state room and $1,250 for a turret suite.

Tags: castle, castle hotel, castlepost, kentucky, rent a castle, stay in a castle

Woodford Reserve & Tiffany Unveil World's Most Exclusive Mint Julep

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Events, Charity

Woodford Reserve, the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, has created the world's most exclusive mint julep in collaboration with Tiffany & Co. Only 73 of the sterling silver cups will be available at $1,000 apiece; purchasers will be served a julep in the cup at Churchill Downs on Derby Day, May 1st. Not just any old julep either. The elite cocktails are crafted from raw-cane sugar made from 100 percent organic sugar cane grown in Brazil; Kentucky Colonel Mint from Louisville, KY which was grown in a used Woodford Reserve bourbon barrel; ice made of water from a 10,000-year-old glacier in the far northern region of the Pacific Ocean near the Gulf of Alaska; and a small batch of the Master Distiller's personal selection of Woodford Reserve super-premium bourbon.

Proceeds from the cups will benefit The Barnstable Brown Kentucky Diabetes & Obesity Center. Each individually numbered cup is presented with a sterling silver sipping straw and features the Woodford Reserve logo along with a unique horse racing design. The handmade silver cups come with a sterling silver sipping straw. Each cup will be presented in a unique Tiffany & Co. "blue box" and will be set in a Woodford Reserve casing made from the same oak as Woodford Reserve barrels. Consumers age 21 years and older can log on to www.woodfordreservemintjulep.com through April 28 to purchase one of the 73 cups (first come first serve basis).

Tags: Bourbon, cocktails, horse racing, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, mint julep, mint julep cup, silver, sterling silver, Tiffany, Tiffany Co., Woodford Reserve

Win a VIP Trip to the Kentucky Derby with Woodford Reserve

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Art

Woodford Reserve, the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby, has unveiled its limited-edition commemorative bottle for this year's event. The 2010 bottle features the work of nationally-acclaimed, Louisville-based artist Jeaneen Barnhart, and also includes a chance to win a trip to the Derby.

Barnhart's image depicts the vibrancy and intensity of Kentucky Derby racehorses as the jockeys charge toward the finish line. The artist's signature adorns the neck of the bottle, and an attached neck tag bears information about the artist and product.

The limited edition liter-size bottle will be available later this month in 42 U.S. states at a suggested retail price of $42.99. In addition to purchasing a true collector's item, consumers can enter Woodford Reserve's Kentucky Derby Sweepstakes with a chance to win a VIP trip to the 2011 Kentucky Derby.

Though no purchase is necessary, buyers can enter by registering their bottle's unique number, printed on the neck label, at www.WellCraftedDerby.com. Upon registering they will be given a randomly-generated post position, from 1-20, for the 2010 Derby. If the horse that starts from their assigned post position wins, he/she will be entered in the grand prize trip drawing.

For the twelfth year in a row Woodford Reserve Bourbon has been selected the "Official Bourbon of Kentucky Derby." It also sponsors a Grade I race, the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, which is run on Derby Day, May 1, 2010, and has become one of thoroughbred racing's premier turf events.

Tags: bourbon, equestrian, horseracing, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, Louisville, Woodford Reserve

Woodford Reserve Ltd. Edition Seasoned Oak Finish

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits

Woodford Reserve has announced the latest limited edition release of its acclaimed Master's Collection bourbons. Called Seasoned Oak Finish, it is finish-aged in unique barrels crafted with wood that has been seasoned longer than any previously used in the industry, producing an extremely robust spirit.

The staves for most bourbon barrels are seasoned for three to five months; however, Seasoned Oak Finish combines fully-matured Woodford Reserve with barrels crafted from wood that has been exposed to the outdoors for three to five years, making for a much richer and more complex flavor profile.

"Of all the distillers in our industry, we are the only bourbon company that crafts its own barrels, giving us unique knowledge and control of the process," said Woodford Reserve Master Distiller Chris Morris. "As the rough oak staves are exposed to seasonal weather changes and subsequently dried, this natural cycle develops a new range of flavors in the wood."

Seasoned Oak Finish is the fourth in the Woodford Reserve Master's Collection series following the Four Grain, Sonoma-Cutrer Finish and Sweet Mash bottlings. Released periodically at the master distiller's discretion, the Master's Collection whiskeys are are bottled only once in a proprietary package inspired by the copper pot stills of the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery in Kentucky.

Tags: bourbon, distillery, Kentucky, whiskey, Woodford Reserve, WoodfordReserve

Woodford to Serve Up $1,000 Mint Juleps on Derby Day

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Events, Charity, Sports

The other day we told you about Woodford Reserve's limited edition bottle for the Kentucky Derby. Now Woodford, the official bourbon of the famed race, which takes place on May 2, is offering the world's most exclusive mint julep for $1,000. It's made with sugar cane cut and crushed by hand from Sainte Marie in the Reunion Island of France; Turkish mint grown near the Euphrates River; ice made of water from an aquifer in the wilderness of Central Norway; and a small batch of the Master Distiller's personal selection of Woodford Reserve super-premium bourbon. Of course for $1,000 you get to the keep the cup. Made of sterling silver plated in 24-karat gold, it's adorned with jockey silks representing the Woodford Reserve Stables. The cups are made by New England Sterling, the official trophy maker of the Kentucky Derby.

Each comes with a sterling silver straw and an oak box crafted from the same wood as Woodford Reserve bourbon barrels, lined in black satin. There are 96 of the cups available for purchase from April 13 - 29 via their website; you have to pick them up (along with the julep) in person at Churchill Downs on Derby Day. Additionally, there are three extra-special Legends Cups which also feature three diamonds – one for each leg of the Triple Crown – and each one is in honor of a different living Triple Crown-winning jockey. You can bid on your favorite jockey from those offered in the Legends Cups, and the cup has his signature engraved on it. Bidding for the Legends Cups starts at $1,000. Proceeds from the cups will benefit The Permanently Disabled Jockeys Fund and The Robby Albarado Foundation.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: bourbon, cocktails, diamonds, gold, horseracing, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, KentuckyDerby, mint julep, MintJulep, Triple Crown, TripleCrown, Woodford Reserve, WoodfordReserve

Woodford Reserve Ltd. Ed. 2009 Kentucky Derby Bottle

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Spirits, Events, Art, Sports

Woodford Reserve, the "Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby", crafted at the historic Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Kentucky in the heart of thoroughbred country, has released its limited edition 2009 Kentucky Derby liter-sized bottle (right) featuring artwork by retired jockey Tom Chapman.

Chapman's eye-catching image captures the excitement and intensity of the Kentucky Derby as two jockeys in brightly-colored silks concentrate on the race with the historic Twin Spires of Churchill Downs in the background. The artist's signature adorns the neck band of the bottle, and an attached tag bears information about the artist and product.

Woodford Reserve, an award-winning small-batch bourbon, has served as the Derby's official bourbon for the past 11 years. It also sponsors a Grade I race, the Woodford Reserve Turf Classic, which is run on Derby Day, May 2, 2009, and has become one of thoroughbred racing's premier events.

"Much as we try, it's impossible to express in words the intensity of racing from a jockey's perspective," Chapman says. "My goal is to capture it with a paint brush and canvas, often using unique angles and vibrant colors to set the tone. But no painting can truly capture the vibrancy and intensity of the Kentucky Derby."

Tags: bourbon, equestrian, horseracing, horses, Kentucky, Kentucky Derby, KentuckyDerby, Tom Chapman, TomChapman, Woodford Reserve, WoodfordReserve

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