Anytime someone heads out for a night at a restaurant, the diner looks for an experience they can’t find in their home kitchen.

Milazzo’s Restorante in the Clark’s Grove subdivision of Covington offers an Italian night out on almost a nightly basis, but every so often offers an even more immersive experience.

Monday, Milazzo’s hosted an evening of conversation, information and libations during a whiskey tasting dinner featuring Buffalo Trace distilled beverages.

The restaurant has featured different spirits and wines, paired with chef Christina Milazzo’s food, in similar past dinners, but Monday’s was the first from one distributor.

That distributor, Buffalo Trace, happens to be America’s oldest continually running distillery opening in the early 1770’s.
A local representative of Buffalo Trace was on hand to help explain the origins of the distiller and how it produces some of the most awarded bourbon in America.

The dinner was preceded by a gathering Black Eye Susan cocktail of Benchmark Old No. 8 bourbon, orange juice and sprite, accompanied by a selection of meats and cheeses and a description of the Frankfort, Kentucky distillery.
Each individual course also had a lesson before it, highlighting the whisky that accompanied it.

The first course featured a grilled cheese sandwich of gruyere, bacon and fig jam, paired with Sazerac 6-year old Rye whisky. The second featured Buffalo Trace bourbon, along with spicy whisky BBQ sliders. The third was sesame seared tuna with ginger carrot dipping sauce, paired with an Elmer T. Lee Commemorative Bourbon which was allowed to reach 93 proof in honor of the late Elmer T. Lee’s age.

Following the commemorative bourbon was the strongest of the six whiskies, in the 128 proof Stagg Jr. bourbon, which was paired with spicy hoison steak with cucumber salad. The evening was rounded out by a whiskey apple pie and Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream.