The Music Whiskey Trail: Dierks Bentley & ROW 94

In 1994, Dierks Bentley arrived in Nashville with a guitar and a dream. Three decades later, he's a country music superstar with his own honky-tonk on Broadway, his own whiskey brand, and a permanent place in the Grand Ole Opry family.

So what happened in between?

The Music Whiskey Trail traces that answer. Mint Julep Experiences follows Dierks' path from unknown to headliner through the rooms where it happened. Along the way, you'll see how Nashville turns hopefuls into legends, and you'll get to taste some seriously good whiskey.

Hop aboard Mint Julep's luxury fleet and explore the city that gave country music its heartbeat.

• 1994 — The arrival. Dierks moved from Phoenix to Nashville at 18 to attend Vanderbilt University. He went looking for country music and found bluegrass at the Station Inn.
• The TNN years. His day job at The Nashville Network sat across the street from the Opry. He signed onto the backstage list so often that Opry management revoked his pass.
• Lower Broadway. Nights were spent playing the honky-tonks, a street he later called his second home.
• 2003 — The debut. "What Was I Thinkin'" became his first No. 1, and he made his Opry debut on April 18, 2003.
• 2005 — The circle. At 29, the guy once banned from backstage was inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry.
• 2018 — Whiskey Row. Dierks opened his Nashville bar at 400 Broadway, in the 1800s building that was long home to Gruhn's Guitars, steps from the Ryman.
• 2024 — ROW 94. He launched his Kentucky straight bourbon, named for the year he moved to town and for Music Row, and bottled at 94 proof to match.

• Guided music history tour of Nashville — Music Row, Lower Broadway and downtown, told through Dierks' rise
• Climate-controlled luxury vehicle — door-to-door transportation from the Omni Nashville Hotel
• ROW 94 whiskey tasting — select expressions at the ROW 94 Tasting Room, with the story of how the bourbon came to be
• Signature cocktail at Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row — made with ROW 94, with live music on Broadway
• Inside look at the Ryman Auditorium — the Mother Church of Country Music
• ROW 94 bottle signed by Dierks Bentley — yours to take home
• ROW 94 guitar pick — a keepsake from the trail
• Bottled water throughout

The Music Whiskey Trail runs 3 hours, from 2:00 to 5:00 PM, round trip from the Omni Nashville Hotel.

2:00 PM — Pickup at the Omni Nashville Hotel

Board Mint Julep's luxury vehicle and meet your guide.

2:00–2:30 PM — Nashville music history and sightseeing

A guided ride through the city that built country music — and the city that built Dierks.

• Sightseeing highlights: Music Row, Lower Broadway, downtown Nashville
• Dierks highlights: Broadway, the Station Inn, the Ryman Auditorium

Pass the Station Inn, the bluegrass room where a teenage Dierks found the sound he'd been looking for. Roll down Music Row, the stretch that gave ROW 94 its name.

2:30–3:00 PM — Dierks Bentley's Whiskey Row on Broadway

Step into Dierks' own honky-tonk at the corner of 4th and Broadway. Enjoy a signature Dierks Bentley cocktail made with ROW 94 and take in live music on the street he once called his second home.

3:00–4:00 PM — The Ryman Auditorium

It's a short walk up 4th Avenue to the Mother Church of Country Music. Step inside for an up-close look at the historic venue where legends — Dierks included — have stood on stage.

4:00–4:30 PM — The ROW 94 Tasting Room at the Bode Hotel

Back aboard for the final stop: Dierks' own tasting room. Finish with a tasting of select ROW 94 whiskeys and the story of how the bourbon came to be. Collect your signed bottle before you go.

5:00 PM — Return to the Omni

Ride back to the Omni Nashville Hotel, signed bottle in hand.

• Comfortable walking shoes
• A photo ID (required for tasting)
• Sunscreen and sunglasses for sunny days