LEXINGTON, KY — Though identified extra, maybe, for basketball and horses, Kentucky’s second-largest metropolis additionally has a wealthy historical past of bourbon. And one in every of Lexington’s latest leisure locations was as soon as one of the vital well-known and productive distilleries in the complete Bluegrass State.
The 25-acre Distillery District, because it’s referred to as at present, is situated a bit greater than a mile exterior downtown Lexington on the as soon as and present website of the James E. Pepper Distillery a couple of three-hour drive from Columbus. The distillery had been deserted for 50 years earlier than the model was resurrected, albeit in a extra modest kind.
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The present iteration of James E. Pepper takes up simply a part of the footprint of the outdated distillery, the biggest within the nation after its development in 1879. Occupying the stability of the outdated distillery and its auxiliary buildings are plenty of different companies that make the Distillery District a spot the place a customer can simply pack a complete day stuffed with meals, libations, leisure and extra. Renovation of the district started in 2008, however the brand new Pepper distillery solely started manufacturing in late 2017.
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A lesson in bourbon, extra
Guests who take the distillery tour will hear the fascinating story of James E. Pepper, who went bust within the bourbon enterprise twice, as soon as earlier than constructing his grand Lexington distillery and as soon as after. The second time, he was bailed out by his equally fascinating spouse, Ella, who made a fortune breeding and racing thoroughbred horses.
A promoter and flamboyant showman, James Pepper was additionally answerable for pushing reforms that helped enhance and assure the standard of retail whiskey all through the business. He’s additionally credited with introducing the Previous Original cocktail to the world — not a nasty method to be remembered.
Pepper died in an accident in 1906, and the unique distillery burned in 1933. The distillery was rebuilt the next 12 months, however ceased manufacturing in 1967.
The location and model had been deserted for half a century, solely to be reclaimed by entrepreneur Amir Peay, a former bartender who received hooked on the historical past of Pepper whiskey after which acquired first the model, and later the outdated distillery itself.
Excursions additionally embrace a tasting of the distillery’s merchandise, together with Previous Pepper Rye and Bourbon.
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Distillery District additionally provides eating
City Department Creek, which, after years of neglect, has additionally been cleaned up, runs instantly behind the Distillery District and gives a pleasant backdrop for al fresco eating or ingesting at a number of district locations, together with Goodfellas Pizzeria, which additionally occupies a part of the previous distillery.
In case your style runs extra towards ice cream than bourbon — or if, like me, you’re deeply invested in each — you completely can not miss Crank & Growth Ice Cream Lounge, which grew from the actually good ice cream produced at a Lexington Thai restaurant.
Craft beer and cider followers can even discover loads to interact their palates. Ethereal Brewing, which can also be situated in a part of the outdated distillery constructing, options conventional craft beers similar to IPAs and witbiers and a few fascinating experimental suds as nicely, and has a fairly patio alongside the creek.
Fusion Brewing and Clever Fowl Cider Co. are every situated in a former rickhouse the place bourbon was as soon as saved for growing older. Additionally within the outdated rickhouse is the Rickhouse Pub, connoisseur espresso store Brevede Espresso Co. and Relic, a cool retailer that includes classic, rustic and reclaimed googaws.
One other tavern, The Break Room, is situated, after all, in a constructing as soon as used because the distillery’s break room, additionally now with creek-side seating.
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Leisure venue close by
Throughout Previous Frankfort Pike from the distillery correct is The Burl, an indoor/outside leisure venue in and round a former practice depot in-built 1926. The Burl books all kinds of acts — on my most up-to-date go to I noticed a efficiency by legendary East LA rock and roots band Los Lobos.
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Subsequent door is the Burl Arcade, with pinball and reversion Nineteen Eighties arcade video games and a full-service bar of its personal.
However wait — The Distillery District has much more bourbon! (In Kentucky, there’s at all times extra bourbon.)
Barrel Home Distilling is situated, as you would possibly guess, within the Pepper distillery’s former barrel home. The craft distiller shares the barrel home with Elkhorn Tavern, which provides craft cocktails that includes Barrel Home spirits in addition to good native tavern fare similar to burgoo, a basic Kentucky-style stew made with beef, rabbit and elk.
What, you didn’t suppose a very good Kentucky burgoo would depart out the elk, did you?
Steve Stephens is a contract journey author and photographer. E mail him at sjstephensjr@gmail.com.
For close to two decades, Rick Pitino was a villain to Kentucky basketball fans, a man whose life and career had an almost Shakespearean arc.
After leading the Wildcats from the depths of scandal to championship glory, and after an ill-fated three-year run with the Boston Celtics, Pitino stunned many nationally and angered hundreds of thousands across the commonwealth by returning to the college game to coach archrival Louisville.
Nearly 25 years after being hired at Louisville, Pitino appears eager to mend fences with Big Blue Nation — and offer them up some money, too.
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In an appearance Thursday on Kentucky Sports Radio — which was being hosted that day by the hosts of the popular podcast “Pardon My Take” — the legendary coach, now at St. John’s, said he has donated money to Kentucky football’s NIL initiatives and would happily do the same for Mark Pope and the Wildcats’ basketball program as his former player heads into his first season as Kentucky’s coach.
“Well, I actually cut a check to the football program because I’m a casual friend of Mark (Stoops) and Eddie Gran,” Pitino said. “I cut a check to the football program. I would definitely cut a check if Mark (Pope) needs me for anything no matter what it is — except for my first-born, Michael — he can have it.”
The connections to Kentucky extend beyond the basketball and football programs, as Pitino noted later in the interview that he sent a text message to Wildcats baseball coach Nick Mingione, who guided the program to its first-ever College World Series this year, wishing him good luck.
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While his relationship with Stoops — whose Kentucky tenure overlapped with Pitino’s stint at Louisville for four years — wasn’t widely known, Pitino’s connections to Pope have been well-established.
He coached Pope from 1993-96, an accomplished run that included a national championship in 1996 with one of the most dominant, star-studded teams in college basketball history. Pitino gave his former center a full-throated endorsement when Pope was named as John Calipari’s successor in April, helping assuage what had been intense public angst over the hiring to that point. At that time, Pitino added that he would donate NIL funds to the program if they needed it.
“I absolutely love Mark (Pope) and would do anything for his program,” Pitino said Thursday. “I always called the University of Kentucky Camelot for me. Never had a bad year, never had a bad day. They treated me like a king.”
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Though Pitino, even during his time at Louisville, has long referred to Kentucky as “Camelot,” he has been much more vocal in recent months about his reverence for the program and his fond memories from his eight seasons in Lexington, from 1989-97.
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In a March interview on “Pardon My Take,” Pitino expressed regret for leaving Kentucky in 1997 to become the Celtics’ head coach and president.
“Dick Vitale, every time I speak to him, ‘If you would have stayed at Kentucky, you’d have more wins than any coach,’” Pitino said. “And you think back on that.”
Pitino contrasted his treatment at Kentucky with Louisville, where he coached from 2001-17 and led the Cardinals to their third national championship, but where he was fired from in 2017 after the program was connected to the FBI investigation into corruption in college basketball.
In 2023, Pitino was exonerated by the NCAA’s Independent Accountability Resolution Process, which didn’t directly link him to any of the violations that came with the Cardinals’ recruitment of former five-star prospect Brian Bowen. Still, Pitino said he would only possibly consider returning to Louisville for any kind of banner-raising or ceremony if the university reconciles with former athletic director Tom Jurich, who was also fired in October 2017 in the wake of the FBI probe.
“They treated me with great respect,” Pitino said Thursday of Kentucky. “Obviously, I didn’t get treated great when I was at Louisville, but sitting back on it and examining it today, I totally understand why. So I am very, very fond of the University of Kentucky.”
Unemployment rates rose in 109 counties between May 2023 and May 2024 and fell in six counties and remained the same in five counties, according to the Kentucky Center for Statistics (KYSTATS).
Cumberland and Washington counties recorded the lowest jobless rates in the Commonwealth at 3.4% each. They were followed by Woodford County, 3.5%; Anderson, Marion, Shelby and Spencer counties, 3.6% each; and Carroll, Fayette and Oldham counties, 3.7% each.
Martin County recorded the state’s highest unemployment rate at 9.5%. It was followed by Magoffin County, 9.4%; Breathitt County, 8.4%; Leslie County, 7.8%; Carter County, 7.6%; Knott and Lewis counties, 7.5% each; and Clay, Elliott and Johnson counties, 7.3% each.
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Kentucky’s county unemployment rates and employment levels are not seasonally adjusted because of small sample sizes. Employment statistics undergo sharp fluctuations due to seasonal events such as weather changes, harvests, holidays, and school openings and closings. Seasonal adjustments eliminate these influences and make it easier to observe statistical trends. The comparable, unadjusted unemployment rate for the state was 4.5% for May, and 3.7% for the nation.
Kentucky’s seasonally adjusted May 2024 unemployment rate was released on June 20, and can be viewed at www.kentucky.gov.
In that release, Kentucky’s statewide unemployment rate and employment levels are adjusted to observe statistical trends by removing seasonal influences such as weather changes, harvests, holidays, and school openings and closings. For more information regarding seasonal fluctuations, visit the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics website.
Unemployment statistics are based on estimates and are compiled to measure trends rather than actually to count people working. Civilian labor force statistics include non-military workers and unemployed Kentuckians who are actively seeking work. They do not include unemployed Kentuckians who have not looked for employment within the past four weeks. The data should only be compared to the same month in previous years.
Learn more about Kentucky labor market information at kystats.ky.gov.
Big Blue Nation received some surprising, welcome news on Thursday afternoon when Cedric “CJ” Works announced his commitment to Kentucky.
A four-star talent, Works became the highest-ranked player in Kentucky’s 2025 recruiting class, vaulting the Wildcats up to No. 24 nationally in the On3 Team Industry Rankings. Ranked as the No. 143 player overall, he is the third Top 200 player in the class, joining DB Martels Carter and RB Marquise Davis.
Vince Marrow’s work is far from finished. Another Top 200 player may join the fold with a few other impressive prospects.
Thank you to today’s sponsor,our friend Andy Luedecke at MyPerfectFranchise. Andy is a huge college sports fan and franchise veteran, having owned multiple franchises and businesses. Using his expertise, he helps others find their American Dream through a very thorough consultation and evaluation process.
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Tight End Off the Board
Before we get to the good news, there’s some bad news we must share. For the second straight year, Ohio State stepped in to snag a tight end from Cleveland that was on the verge of pulling the trigger and committing to Kentucky. A year ago it was Damarion Witten. This summer the Cats are missing out on Brody Lennon.
Lennon is an exceptional athlete for his size. If he camped at Ohio State, he was probably going to get an offer. Lennon did not make the trip to Columbus for a few weeks. He changed his mind just a few days away from his official visit to Kentucky. Lennon earned the offer, officially visited a week later, then pulled the trigger and committed to today. Ya can’t win ’em all, especially against Ohio State for kids from Ohio.
Kentucky Trending for Multiple Players
The On3 Recruiting Prediction Machine (RPM) nailed the Works commitment, despite significant interest from Penn State and Florida. The RPM Machine believes the Cats are staying hot.
Despite multiple picks from 247 Alabama insiders, Kentucky leads the way for Frankfort DL Javeon Campbell, the No. 167 player in America. An impressive Ohio athlete who visited last week, Top 200 CB Dawayne Galloway, is trending toward Kentucky according to On3’s RPM.
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Kentucky has one offensive tackle in the fold, but two more bricks may soon be added to the Big Blue Wall. The Wildcats are the favorite to land Jermiel Atkins, who announces his commitment on July 4. On Thursday On3’s Steve Wiltfong submitted an RPM pick for Kentucky to land Florida offensive tackle Bryan Auguste, who officially visited earlier this month.
Although the RPM machine isn’t buying all the way in, Adam Luckett shared on 11 Personnel that he believes Kalen Edwards is another one to closely keep an eye on. The Tennessee athlete is a true nose tackle prospect who is an ideal fit in Kentucky’s 3-4 defense.
Learn more about Andy Luedecke and franchise ownership through these resources: Andy’s Story Why a Franchise Service Based vs Brick and Mortar Semi Absentee Ownership The Process and How It works
