The bluegrass is green
Let’s start with the bluegrass, which is vibrantly green and sweeps across the region’s rolling hills. At dawn, this landscape shimmers under a soft, bluish hue, giving this region its name and an enchanting vibe.
Surrounded by 450 horse farms, Lexington is the self-proclaimed horse capital of the world. Many legendary Triple Crown winners and champion racehorses were bred in the area. Horse farm tours, the Kentucky Horse Park, and the Keeneland Racecourse - the world’s largest and most prominent thoroughbred auction house - are ways to experience Kentucky’s horse culture.
Gussy up and liquor up
I never pass an opportunity to visit Keeneland during the April and October race seasons. Keeneland adheres to tradition. Here, folks gussy up and liquor up, southern style. Ladies wear outlandish fascinator hats and gents sport plaid jackets. Everyone trades horse tips while boozing and betting. Win or lose, it’s a fine party.
In the General Admission section, you’ll rub shoulders among dedicated fans who have no better place to be on a weekday afternoon.
During the recent Spring Meet, my shoulder neighbour advised me to “always bet on the jockey.” Not to be outdone in the advice department, a slightly tipsy woman interjected “Takoma is a hot sire!!” She elongated the pronunciation of “sire” as southerners do, before rattling off an encyclopedic knowledge of equestrian statistics.
“Do you see the legs on Velvel Devil?” asks another. Velvet Devil soon won that race.
Banking on the hindlegs proved the most practical tip of the day.
Off the grid
The races are fun, but my favourite way to experience the pastoral bluegrass is to meander narrow country roads outside Lexington. In the rolling terrain, thoroughbreds forage on expansive, emerald fields framed by iconic white four-board fences. On scenic routes like Old Frankfort Pike or Paris Pike, you’ll pass historic farms with names like Calumet and Claiborne, which have bred champion racehorses for generations.
If you want to go off the grid - not just the tourist grid, but the electrical grid - venture further east, toward Carlisle. Many bluegrass towns are sleepy, but Carlisle is near comatose. It’s the kind of place where everyone knows your name, your business and probably what you had for breakfast.
For a taste of authentic America, head into Dick’s on Main, facing the county courthouse that anchors the town square. At lunchtime it’s a lively scene, when seemingly the whole town shows up. Patrons wear overhauls, boots and the occasional red ‘Make America Great Again’ hat. And they usually greet strangers with a bubbly “how ya doin’?”
In downtown Carlisle, you’ll likely see horses and buggies. Amish families began moving into the area two decades ago in search of affordable farmland. The Amish eschew modern technologies in favour of maintaining traditional ways of life. They dress modestly - women wear bonnets, men broad-brimmed hats - and get around town on horse-drawn buggies. The rhythmic clip-clop of hooves striking the country roads is a familiar sound. Driving on the backroads, it’s easy to spot an Amish farm by the presence of horse-powered farm equipment and the absence of electrical power lines.
The native spirit
Just as Napa Valley and Bordeaux are pilgrimage sites for wine lovers, Kentucky stands as the undisputed home of bourbon.
Bourbon is a distinctly American whiskey made primarily from corn and aged in new charred oak barrels. A sip goes down like a warm, spicy Kentucky hug.
There are more bourbon barrels than people in Kentucky. The state produces 95% of the world’s supply, thanks to limestone-rich waters. The best way to experience bourbon is to visit one of the 60 distilleries scattered across the bluegrass on The Bourbon Trail. Maker’s Mark and Jim Beam are the heavyweight distilleries, but there are many smaller stillhouses to explore the tastes, scents and personalities of Kentucky firewater.
Recently I visited Woodford Reserve, a modern premium brand with pedigree. The distillery, a national historic landmark, is surrounded by gorgeous thoroughbred farms, not far from the well-preserved 19th century railroad town of Midway.
Touring the distillery, I learned the maturation process determines 100% of bourbon’s colour and half of its taste. The morning tour was followed by a five-flight tasting. It was just past 10am and Caine, our guide, suggested savoring each glass. “Don’t ‘spring break’ it,” he counselled. On the first pour Caine asked, hopefully, “Anyone picking up mint or eucalyptus in the nose of that glass?” But this zealous group was already spring breaking it, and on to the next glass.
Adventurer Todd Miller has explored more than 115 countries. He authored the best-seller ENRICH: Create Wealth in Time, Money, and Meaning. www.ToddMiller.asia.