TRAVEL: Northern Kentucky’s “The B-Line” Adds 5 New Bourbon Destinations
Northern Kentucky Tourism (meetNKY) is celebrating the 5th Anniversary of its Bourbon travel destination creation “The B-Line” in proper style and fashion. Think of The B-Line as a collection of Bourbon distilleries and Bourbon bar/restaurant destinations that you certainly want to both add and check off your experiential list. A B-Line official stop must follow strict criteria of which is described in more detail below. Essentially, you can’t be any geek off the street.
To honor The B-Line’s half decade milestone and also National Bourbon Day (June 14th), they are adding 5 new Bourbon destinations:
- Pompilio’s (Newport, KY)
- Revival Vintage Bottle Shop (Covington, KY)
- Lisse Steakhuis (Covington, KY)
- Knowledge Bar & Social Room (Covington, KY)
- Caproni’s on the River (Maysville, KY)
“We launched The B-Line® in 2018 as a way to remind people that Northern Kentucky is the gateway to Bourbon Country,” said meetNKY President and CEO, Julie Kirkpatrick. “It celebrates the businesses that are passionate about being part of the Commonwealth’s rich bourbon heritage, representing and elevating Northern Kentucky on an international scale. There’s no better way to celebrate National Bourbon Day, a holiday created to recognize the high standards for distilling and celebrating ‘America’s Native Spirit’ than by adding these five new spots for visitors and locals to enjoy!”
The B-Line was created to help capture the bourbon-curious audience of millions of people who drive down I-75 or fly into CVG (Cinci Airport, actually in NKY) annually to visit Kentucky’s famed Bourbon Trail, of which there were 2.1 million in 2022.
“Revival is known for our vintage, rare and eccentric collection of spirits, which is a perfect addition for The B-Line®,” said Shannon Smith, co-founder of Revival Vintage Bottle Shop in Covington. “We look forward to showcasing what Northern Kentucky has to offer to bourbon fans who come to us from all over the world to experience our region’s own rare and eccentric nature.”
The new additions to The B-Line® bring the number of bourbon bars, craft distilleries and bourbon-centric restaurants throughout Covington, Newport, Independence, Sparta, Augusta and Maysville, Ky., to 23. A full list of participating establishments can be found on The B-Line’s website.
These spots are the real deal. Matter of fact, 12 B-Line stops were included on our AMERICA’S BEST BOURBON BARS 2022 LIST.
“On this B-Line stop expect to experience history, tradition, hospitality, a continued passion for family, a little Hollywood and great Italian food,” said lead bartender for Pompilio’s, Kristin Knollman. “The bar at Pompilio’s dates back to 1886, was the first bourbon bar in Northern Kentucky and houses a vast and growing bourbon selection. Once alcohol became legal again, Pompilio’s earned and still holds the first liquor license awarded in Kentucky after prohibition. Pompilio’s has provided visitors from around the region and nationally with classic cuisine and great spirits for over 90 years. With a heritage almost as rich as bourbon itself, this new B-Line stop is the perfect backdrop to create your own traditions.”
There are seven, strict criteria the new stops have to agree to in order to be a part of The B-Line®. These include things like fostering a culture around bourbon through continuing education and stocking certain types of bourbons. Restaurants must have at least 50 labels of bourbon (with a preference for Kentucky Bourbon) while bars must stock at least 100. Weekly bourbon-infused food and drink specials are also a requirement. For bars, they must also host bourbon-related events and offer specialty flights.
Distilleries
must be a member in Good Standing with the Kentucky Distillers Association and
be part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® or Kentucky Bourbon Trail
Craft Tour®. Full details on qualifying for The B-Line®
can be found on meetNKY’s website.
In conjunction with the new additions and National Bourbon Day festivities, The B-Line® also launched a new line of merchandise, designed by BLDG, including t-shirts featuring bourbon-centric puns, hats, and glasses. People can receive this new swag by completing their B-Line® passport by visiting each stop along Northern Kentucky’s bourbon trail. (Passports can be acquired at any official B-Line location.) To redeem a passport, visit meetnky.com/redeem.
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