Sep 7, 2018

Book & Bourbon Stamping Urban Bourbon Trail® Passports at Louisville International Airport

First ever Urban Bourbon Trail stop at the airport

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (September 7, 2018) – Travelers and guests can now start or continue their journey on Kentucky’s Urban Bourbon Trail at global restaurateur HMSHost’s award-winning Book & Bourbon Southern Kitchen at Louisville International Airport. Louisville Tourism and the Urban Bourbon Trail are celebrating Bourbon Heritage Month this September with special events and new locations, including adding Book & Bourbon as the first ever stop at Louisville International Airport.

Part of the criteria to become a stop on the Urban Bourbon Trail is to offer over 50 different bourbons and foster and uphold Louisville’s significant Bourbon culture. Book & Bourbon Southern Kitchen was created specifically to celebrate Kentucky’s deep and rich bourbon heritage and features an impressive list of more than 85 world-class bourbons (including several rare labels), a unique design which gives off a contemporary speakeasy vibe, and specialized service standards that allow guests to engage with the knowledgeable staff to learn about things such as tasting notes and distilling history.

“It is a great honor to be part of the Urban Bourbon Trail, a Louisville tradition that highlights the city’s best local bourbon bars and restaurants. We are excited to invite anyone interested in the Trail to visit us in the airport for the full Book & Bourbon experience and to get their passports stamped while they take part in Kentucky’s bourbon heritage,” said HMSHost Executive Vice President of Restaurant Development Stephanie Havard.

The Urban Bourbon Trail is Louisville’s version of a self-guided pub crawl where participants get a passport and collect stamps at official participating bars and restaurants. After making a purchase, guests will receive a stamp in their passport. Collecting six stamps is good for an Urban Bourbon Trailblazer T-shirt available at the Louisville Visitor Center.

“Thanks in part to Bourbonism, our city is welcoming more than 16 million visitors annually, and with the addition Book & Bourbon Southern Kitchen to the Urban Bourbon Trail, it’s never been easier for guests to responsibly enjoy our native spirit,” said Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. “I applaud HMSHost and the Louisville International Airport for their support in the growth of Louisville and the Bourbonism movement.”

As an official stop on the trail, guests can now pick up passports, including the new annual edition, at Book & Bourbon Southern Kitchen to begin their Urban Bourbon Trail journey right at the airport. A signature Buffalo Trace Old Fashioned is Book & Bourbon’s featured cocktail for the Urban Bourbon Trail but guests interested in getting their passport stamp can make any food, beverage or retail purchase within the restaurant to qualify.

“This truly is an exciting occasion for Book & Bourbon Southern Kitchen, HMSHost and the Louisville International Airport,” said Dan Mann, Executive Director of the Louisville Regional Airport Authority. “We are proud to be the welcome to the city, and this is a great way for visitors to kick-off their time in our community by taking part in the Urban Bourbon Trail.”

This new honor adds to the special appeal of Book & Bourbon Southern Kitchen, a restaurant widely recognized for its outstanding menu and innovative design, with industry awards including:

• First Place for Best New Food and Beverage (Full-Service Concept) – 2018 Airports Council International - North America, Excellence in Airport Concessions Awards:
• Airport Restaurant Bar of the Year – 2018 Airport Revenue News
• New Food & Beverage Concept of the Year (Regional Winner) – 2017 Moodie Food & Beverage Awards
• Airport Food & Beverage Offer Best Reflecting 'Sense of Place' – 2017 Moodie Food & Beverage Awards

Book & Bourbon is located in the upper level pre-security area of the airport which, for those taking to the Urban Bourbon Trail, means easy access without having to go through security. A list of all HMSHost-operated locations at Louisville International Airport is available on the HMSHost location finder map.