Keeneland has its own Maker’s Mark: Private Select available in bars

Keeneland and Maker’s Mark have always had a special relationship: the Lexington racetrack purchased the first case of the premium bourbon that Bill Samuels Sr. ever sold in 1958, and the bourbon sponsors the premier turf race, now called the Maker’s 46 Mile, of the spring meet. When Maker’s announced last year a program to allow bars, restaurants and other customers to customize Maker’s bourbon, Keeneland was first in line to do a private barrel selection.

And the result is Maker’s Mark Private Select, a version finished with 10 French oak staves selected by track president Bill Thomason and Bryan O’Shields, Keeneland hospitality managing director, to give it a signature flavor. How does it taste? “Our specific profile has more spice, more deep tones of vanilla and cinnamon, and a very rich maple flavor,” O’Shields said. “It’s just spicier. And extremely strong backbone.” You can taste it for yourself: The 110.5-proof Private Select will be available, alone or in a blood-orange old-fashioned, at bars throughout the grandstand during the meet that opens April 8.

▪  Food Truck Friday returns April 8. From 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. the Lexington Herald-Leader, 100 Midland Avenue, will host Bradford BBQ, Crank & Boom Craft Ice Cream, Kentucky Strong BBQ, Mad Mike’s, Rolling Oven Pizza, That’s How We Roll and Whooo Wants Waffles? A portion of the proceeds will benefit March of Dimes. And the LexGo Eat crew will be there.

▪  Proud Mary Honky Tonk BBQ, 9079 Old Richmond Road, will have an all-you-can-eat crawfish boil at 6 p.m. April 12 to benefit the Kentucky Equine Humane Center. Tickets are $30. Call Bob Landry at 859-621-4752 for more information.

▪  Lexington Women Chefs is hosting an island dinner at 6:30 p.m. April 14 at Creative Table Kitchen & Catering, 185 Pasadena Drive. The multicourse dinner will feature several local chefs creating dishes inspired by island life. Tickets are $65; a portion of the proceeds will benefit The Nest. Call 859-494-8046 for reservations.

▪  Creative Table Kitchen & Catering, 185 Pasadena Drive, also will host a pop-up LexEffect event with chef Anthony Lamas of Seviche in Louisville and author of Southern Heat: New Southern Cooking Latin Style, at 6:30 p.m. April 13. Tickets, which include a signed copy of the cookbook, are $8. Call 859-948-3125 for reservations.

▪  I’ll be on Food News and Chews talking food news with chef Jeremy Ashby of Azur, Sylvia Lovely and Twitch at 1 p.m. Saturday on NewsTalk 590, WVLK.

▪  Buffalo Trace’s Firehouse Sandwich Stop has opened for the season at the distillery, 113 Great Buffalo Trace, Frankfort. Staxx Barbecue in Frankfort is doing the food, and they’ve added a few things to the menu, including a pimento cheese sandwich. And after Oaks Day on May 6, they’ll have bourbon ice cream from Crank & Boom make with Buffalo Trace Bourbon. The Firehouse is open 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Call 502-783-5673 to order box lunches, too.

▪  Doc’s Cantina, 1201 River Road, Louisville, at the foot of the Big Four Bridge, opened April 5 with a Mexican cantina atmosphere and “Mex-Mex” menu. Doc’s is taking reservations for the Thunder Over Louisville fireworks show April 23; tickets are $180, and that includes food and spectacular views. Parking is available for $50; drinks are extra. For tickets, go to Brown Paper Tickets. For more information, visit Doc’s Cantina Facebook page.

▪  Louisville-based Copper & Kings American Brandy Co. is launching a very limited release (only 750 bottles) of artisanal gin. Alley Cat is an “Old Tom” style gin made from an apple-brandy base with classic gin botanicals and aged in a Kentucky bourbon barrel for 22 months, according to the company. It’s 98 proof and $40, available at the distillery, 1111 East Washington Street. Alley Cat will be launched at 8 p.m. April 8 with a seminar and demonstration on the history of gin usage in cocktails by Copper & Kings national brand ambassador Chris Wilkins, followed by a tasting with head distiller Brandon O’Daniel. Artist Douglas Miller will be on hand to sign bottles.

This story was originally published April 7, 2016 at 2:28 PM with the headline "Keeneland has its own Maker’s Mark: Private Select available in bars."