DESTINATIONS DEEP SOUTH | THE US


agents agent ASK THE


Rachel Wilkinson, consultant, Bon Voyage


“I recommend the Deep South to music lovers of all ages. I have a widower going on the Trafalgar tour in October and I know he’ll be well looked after by the knowledgeable tour director and the attentive driver. If you want stress-free travelling, combined with spine-tingling musical experiences and daily opportunities to immerse yourself in Deep South hospitality, this trip is ideal.”


ABOVE: Nearest Green Distillery, Tennessee PICTURE: Clare Vooght


since the pandemic. I joined 49 agents from around the world, including 11 from the UK, to sample some Deep South experiences from the TTC portfolio earlier this summer, travelling from Tennessee, down through Mississippi and ending up in Louisiana – taking in everything from music and food to civil rights spots. And it’s the stories we heard along the way that truly made this a memorable trip.


TENNESSEE: THE BOURBON WHISKEY TASTING “That ain’t sweet tea,” says our guide, Jason, in the dulcet southern tone we’ve grown accustomed to over the past few days in the American South. We’re sipping the first of five


generous pours of premium whiskey distilled here on a former horse farm near Lynchburg, Tennessee. But Nearest Green Distillery isn’t your run-of-the-mill American whiskey distillery. Here you can


travelweekly.co.uk


33Our tour ends with a walk through the old horse stalls, housing around 1,800 barrels


find bourbon created by the man who taught Jack Daniels the tricks of the trade. While few know the story of


the first African American master distiller on record, that’s soon likely to change, as chief executive Fawn Weaver has set her sights on making the distillery the most-visited in the world by 2026. In the on-site speakeasy, visitors can learn how Nathan ‘Nearest’ Green, created Tennessee whiskey, using techniques that were likely brought over from West Africa and passed down through the generations – before teaching his


good friend Jack Daniels how to distil. Our tour ends with a walk through


the old horse stalls, housing around 1,800 barrels, and it feels like we’ve discovered a secret that’s not going


to be kept that way for very long. Book it: Experience available as an optional excursion ($20) on Contiki’s Boot Scoot N Blues 15-day Southern road trip, which is priced from £3,054 based on a November 2023 departure, including accommodation, some meals and domestic transport. International flights not included. contiki.com


MEMPHIS: THE MUSIC BUS TOUR It’s halfway through our Memphis tour and the whole bus is singing along to Al Green’s Let’s Stay Together, strummed on musician Davy Ray Bennett’s guitar as he leads us through the city’s musical history. “Reverend Al Green has a


service in town – I’ve never ²


Charlotte Kinder, travel consultant, Tropical Sky


“Look at the tour itineraries rather than just the costing. Whether [the hotels are] three, four or five-star, I don’t think that matters as much as the itinerary. You don’t spend that much time in the hotel. And if your customer wishes to upgrade on something, suggest they upgrade on the tour itself rather than flights.”


Karen Williams, Travel Counsellors


“The music has been incredible, from country to soul to jazz. We’re going home with such superb memories. I think this sort of trip needs at least 10 days – but ideally four nights in Nashville, three nights in Memphis, one night out in the country and then probably four or five nights in New Orleans.”


6 JULY 2023 47


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