Souvenirs for the Bourbon Traveler Made Easy by Cork and Barrel at LEX

As we’ve combed through all 162 submissions for our list of The Best Places to Stay in Bourbon Country, a few have stood out to us Bourbon Travelers. Last week, we headed to NuLu in Louisville, Kentucky with entrepreneur Rick Keuber to see two of his Bourbon-themed Air BnB units, but this week we’re taking to the skies and finding out how Bourbon Travelers can bring home a little bit of Kentucky. 

While half of the US population is lucky enough to live within a day’s drive of the Bluegrass, the rest of the world arrives by plane. After spending their vacations visiting distilleries, staying at some of the coolest Bourbon themed lodging imaginable, and sipping on what we consider the best whiskey in the world, its time for Bourbon Travelers to fly home.

LEX Airport has a great new way to bring some of that Bourbon love home in your carry on. Last summer, local Lexington retailer Cork & Barrel opened a Bourbon shop in the airport helping to spread the good word of whiskey. With a convenient location past security, customers will be able to take home the best of the Bluegrass every day with no hassle from TSA.

Old made new – these beams from Old Crow make the stunning front display at Cork and Barrel.

The storefront itself has a Bourbon warehouse feel. Their window display is made of 125 year old Old Crow rickhouse beams, reconstructed in shop to hold dozens of barrels from distilleries across the state.

“As we designed our store, we wanted to recognize the historic contribution that the Bourbon industry has made to Kentucky,” says Jim Taylor, owner of Cork & Barrel. “We’ve built a stunning display keeping it as authentic as possible. We also wanted to be as inclusive as possible, reaching out to not only the large distillers but also to many of the small craft bourbon makers who help bring new ideas and innovation to one of Kentucky’s signature industries.”

The bottles tagging along with Bourbon Travelers have stamps in their passports that some of us can only dream of. Visitors stopping through the shop have taken Bourbon to hike a volcano in Iceland, fly to South Africa for a 90th birthday party, and more.

Gifting a tasting like this will show any Tennessee whiskey drinker the light.

The shop stocks more than 100 different brands and bottles, ranging from basics like Maker’s Mark and Jim Beam up to special barrel picks by the staff that you can only find there. If you’re picking up a souvenir for someone who (gasp) isn’t a Bourbon fan, they also offer fine wines, gourmet treats, and southern accessories like hats and bow ties.

If you’re a Lexington local not planning to travel any time soon, stop by Cork & Barrel’s Nicholasville Road location to peruse their collection of over 800 bottles or sample whiskey, one of 650 wines, and cheese, Monday – Saturday 10 am to 8 pm.

Caroline Paulus
Caroline Paulus is the Senior Editor for The Bourbon Review. She lives and writes in Lexington, Kentucky. Follow her on Instagram @misswhiskeyhistorian to keep up with her latest in bourbon news - and a few old finds, too.