A bourbon ‘Field of Dreams:’ Distiller finds success with music venue, spirits
Kentucky distillers have learned that if you build a bourbon experience, tourists will come.
But will they come back, again and again? Maybe if you add an extra incentive: Like A-list musical acts in a COVID-safe venue framed by a picturesque setting.
That’s the hope of Wally Dant, who is building a spirits “Field of Dreams” in Gethsemane, Ky., for a brand called Monk’s Road, a reference to the actual Monks Road, which leads to the distillery and to the nearby Abbey of Gethsemani monastery.
Part of that unique Kentucky bourbon experience includes his music venue that’s drawing big concert names from Nashville and beyond, Ricky Skaggs and Wynonna Judd for example..
A former Nashville health care CEO, Dant in 2019 wanted to return to his family’s roots in the bourbon industry in Nelson County. He bought a long-defunct distillery once owned by his great-grandfather and teamed with two cousins to re-establish it.
“Now we have a place we called Dant Crossing,” Dant said. The 350-acre campus opened the Log Still Distillery tasting room that opened in May to offer samples of Monk’s Road gins created on a 50-gallon mini pot-still or a Monk’s Road Fifth District bourbon sourced from a distillery in Bardstown. It’s a limited release dubbed Cold Spring Distillery, aged six years. One gin is a dry white with citrus notes, the other is finished in a bourbon barrel.
What does Dant Crossing offer?
Dant is building a bigger distillery, capable of producing up to 15,000 barrels a year, that will be operated by Lynne Dant, a chemical engineer and Wharton MBA. Another cousin, Charles Dant, is the vice president of operations.
They’ve opened an on-site bed-and-breakfast, are building a 350-seat wedding and events venue and, next year, will have a farm-to-table restaurant, 47 and Poplar.
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In all, Dant Crossing is expected to be a $36 million development that will create almost 150 full-time jobs, according to the state, which approved up to $600,000 in tax incentives and up to $6 million in tax incentives for tourism development.
Concerts at Dant Crossing
But where Dant Crossing has veered into new territory in the bourbon industry is with entertainment: In July, the campus debuted The Amp, a 2,000-seat state-of-the art amphitheater. Tickets for the first show on Aug. 6 featured Little Big Town and were sold out.
Upcoming concerts will feature a range of artists from Ricky Skaggs (Sept. 3) to Kansas (Sept. 10), Wynonna Judd (Oct. 2) to Gin Blossoms (Oct. 22).
“We want people to come back and what better way than with music of all types,” Dant said.
He said that the natural slope of the land led him to the idea for the stage.
“As I’m out there looking at it, I’m thinking about the time I’ve spent in Nashville for the last 22 years, and I’m wanting to bring a different experience for our guests,” he said. “If you can mix bourbon and spirits with entertainment you have a reason for people to visit again and again and again and develop a relationship with us. That’s what we’re trying to do with our campus ... to make sure it’s not a once and done.”
Dant Crossing is a little over an hour from Lexington and from Louisville but it is still basically in the middle of a rural area in Nelson County, not the kind of venue that usually draws major artists.
“I don’t know if this is one of those ‘Field of Dreams’ sort of things, but I felt like matching the distillery with the amphitheater that we could get big acts to come to a place that hasn’t seen anything like that in a long time,” he said. He worked with Ticketmaster for sales and with consultants to meet the artists needs.
COVID-safe live music
And it turned out to be a great time to have a shiny new outdoor venue.
“Circumstances turned out to be good for us,” he said. “It’s a unique opportunity for people to come out and feel safe than in indoor arena.”
Artists who had been sidelined for a year by the pandemic also were eager to get back to crowds safely.
“Once word gets out that everybody’s having a good time and we’re a place to go, I think we’re going to be on the radar,” Dant said.
So far most of the crowds have been locals but he’s gradually seeing people coming from farther away.
“We’re encouraged by the warm reception that we’re getting from guests and from artists so far,” Dant said.
Although he still divides his time between the campus and Nashville, Dant said he’s mostly out of the active health care business and focused on representing the distillery and its many facets.
“This is what’s going to carry me into my twilight years. You’ve got to be passionate about what you do and you’ve got to have fun doing it,” he said. “That’s what we’re setting up here at Dant Crossing. That’s the culture we’re establishing.”
This story was originally published August 31, 2021 at 6:00 AM.
