Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays are the days that distilleries are most likely to close their doors to tour groups, but this varies from distillery to distillery. So, its nice to break up distillery visits with other experiences. Also, they have a cafe if you're looking for a place to grab food while on the trail. Dine on Central American food prepared by the chef who grew up on the Yucatan Peninsula. If you have specific non-KBT distilleries in mind I recommend checking their websites for pricing information. Though, not nearly as polished as distilleries like Maker's Mark, it's a much more personal, intimate and informative experience than what you'll get touring a bigger operation. Surprisingly, it is not part of the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Most distilleries offer free or discounted tours for military personnel. Have a classic, refined dinner at the hotel restaurant, or opt for a more funky choice in town (Latin farm-to-table, asian fusion, or BBQ and oysters). Also in Lexington is the Barrel House Distillery, which makes small-batch bourbon, as well as moonshine, vodka and rum, which makes it worth a stop. Tours last approximately one hour, ending with a tasting. In 2008, it was Historic Hotels of Americas top pick. As you tour more distilleries, you can pick out the differences between the bourbons. Cheers, Julie. For more restaurant recommendations, check out our article Best Eats in Louisville. The samples were pretty small, but it's straight bourbon, so you're probably gonna feel pretty good afterward. Plan to spend at least 2-3 days traveling along the Bourbon Trail, and stop off at some of the many charming Kentucky towns along the route. It is also possible to save the map in a PDF format. If you want the map twice as wide you can select extra large. Louisville, Bardstown, and Lexington make a great home base for this day (and day number 7 below). The usual 150-page guide will include maps of the trail, itineraries and cocktail recipes, advice, tasting notes and information on the 19 participating distilleries. Many people state that the Buffalo Trace tour is their favorite in Kentucky. Plus, its easy to find. This Bulleit facility offers a handful of different tours, tastings and cocktail classes. Ride sharing services are abundant in the area, and there are many guided tour options as well. Visiting the winding trail of bourbon distilleries here (now officially called the Kentucky Bourbon Trail) has become a main draw to the area, and a whole tourism industry itself. Spring is a nice time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. This is a great place to visit to counterbalance the bigger distilleries along the Bourbon Trail. If you've got a sweet tooth, definitely also try the bourbon cream (it's perfect if you're still not sold on straight bourbon) and bourbon brittle. Did you know: If you use the Roadtrippers mobile app, your trips will instantly auto-sync over Ready for navigation and good times! Sleep in Louisville. Thank you for explaining that a bourbon trail tour will encompass a history of how the liquor was made. Confirm that youre over 21 years of age. You can elect to skip the tour and just do a tasting instead. Any advice you have on this front would be greatly appreciated, since Ive heard mixed answers. The final distillery is back up near Louisville: The Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail website includes a map of all area distilleries, general exploring tips, and a calendar of upcoming distillery events. What Is The Best Way To Print An Un-Cost Map? KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL: Pick out which distilleries to visit in our article Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. During our visit this ranged from $5 to $20 per person depending on the distillery and the type of tour you choose to take. This takes the headache out of planning a day of distillery tours, perfect for some people. Many places offer tastings without a tour. Explore the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour New Riff Distilling 24 Distillery Way Newport, KY 41071 See on Map More Info Second Sight Spirits 301 B Elm Street Ludlow, KY 41016 See on Map More Info The Old Pogue Distillery 715 Germantown Road Maysville, KY 41056 See on Map More Info Boone County Distilling Co. 10601 Toebben Drive On Google Chrome, go to Bookmarks -> Bookmark This Tab and then this post will be saved in your bookmarks. Dont miss out on the beautiful horse farms in the Lexington area! Many of these distilleries are historic and their story is fascinating. MIDRANGE: Staybridge Suites Lexington. Optional Detour: Abraham Lincoln Birthplace. Creating a snapshot image is easy since all dimensions are measured in pixels. To tour the Kentucky Bourbon Trail you have two options: self-drive the bourbon trail or join a tour group. LOUISVILLE: Plan your visit to Louisville with our articles about the Best Things to Do in Louisville and Best Places to Eat in Louisville. If you want to print a different dimension, choose an alternative size from the drop-down list , then alter the size of the page. Tour the distillery, see the hundreds of barrels inside of the rickhouses, and maybe meet legendary Jimmy Russell while you are here. Bring your military ID, if you have one. During this time, most tours will be full and many will sell out in advance. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour is organized into four regionsplease toggle through the drop down menu for official groupings. They have a few iconic bourbon brands that are produced here: Buffalo Trace, Blanton's (with the little horse on top of the round bottle), and Eagle Rare. Even the most enthusiastic bourbon-lover can't just barrel through and sample bourbon at 9 places all in a rush. But inside are stacks and stacks of bourbon filled barrels, slowly maturing and filling the air with a wonderful aroma. How can I safe it to find once again? You can still tour the distillery, but you might not get to see the fermentation and distilling process. It must be distilled from at least 51% corn. At the end of this article, we list specific hotel and B&B recommendations for Louisville, Bardstown, and Lexington. Kentucky's Bourbon Trail now consists of 18 whiskey distilleries. Old Forester offers a tour with the president of the company (a few times per year). In 2019, it was much busier and had we not scheduled everything in advance, we would have missed out on a lot of tours. Is there a fee to visit the distilleries? There are many more distilleries you can visit in Kentucky that are not part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. We chose the self-driving option. Built in 2017 and open to visitors in 2019, this brand-new distillery features modern, state-of-the-art technology. You can bookmark this post on your browser. There is even an art museum located inside of the hotel. In 2016, we were able to show up and do a lot of tastings. Tim and I stayed here on our first visit to Louisville in 2016. Sleep in Louisville. Thanks! The Old Talbott Tavern, located in Bardstown, is also a great pick. Kentucky Bourbon Trail: The Ultimate Guide, Best Distilleries to Visit on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, 12 Best Things to do in Louisville, Kentucky, Louisville Restaurants: Best Eats in Town. Foaling begins in late January and will continue through May, so visit in the spring if you want to meet the youngest future racehorses! If you want a hotel with an awesome location and one that gets great reviews, the Homewood Suites is one to consider. At your first distillery, pick up a Kentucky Bourbon Trail Passport. Santa Claus is a small town filled with Christmas-themed hotels, shops, restaurants, and even an amusement park. Lexington Brewing Company offers a wide variety of tours as well as a mixology class. All content and photography shall not be reproduced without written permission from the Kentucky Distillers Association. Starting off in Louisville, visit the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. Angels Envy offers several different tours. For the most part, the distilleries are located in and around Louisville, Lexington, and Bardstown. This hotel also gets great reviews and has an excellent location. And the smell is amazing! On our most recent tour in November 2019, we booked all of our tours in advance but only one of them was sold out (the Inside the Barrel Tour at Angels Envy). On the tours, learn how bourbon is produced, hear about the history of the distillery, and end with a bourbon tasting. Visiting these distilleries is similar to visiting a winery. The red markers are the seventeen distilleries on the trail. Bourbon tourism is skyrocketing, with nearly 2 million visitors from all 50 states and . Cheers, Julie. UPSCALE: 21c Museum Hotel. Luckily, there's lots to do (and eat) in Kentucky while traveling from distillery to distillery (or rather, from sample of bourbon to sample of bourbon). Take a late afternoon or early evening tour of Michters Distillery. However, there are few places to visit out this way, if you are interested. Evans William Experience in Louisville. This is the best historical lesson about the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and a great place to get an overview of how bourbon came to be. Take your pick from day #4 (the Best of Bardstown), day #5 (Makers Mark and the Kentucky Cooperage), or day #6 (Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey, Four Roses, and maybe Wilderness Trail). This tour does the best job explaining the history of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. We saw their vans everywhere! All bourbons are whiskey but not all whiskeys are bourbon. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 3 Days: Follow days #1 and #2. The top things to do on an Extraterrestrial Highway road trip, The top things to do on a Blue Ridge Parkway road trip, The top things to do on an I-40 road trip, The Great Northern is a 3,600 mile, cross-country odyssey, A road trip along New York state's Women's Heritage Trail, 9 stops on a Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail road trip, A cross-country road trip to U.S. presidential libraries, A road trip to filming locations featured in 'The Goonies', Pay Tribute and Reflect at These US Monuments and Memorials. Republishing this articleand/orany of its contents (text, photography, etc. Some have limited to no hours on certain days and hours can change based on the season. A combination of ideal weather, limestone water sources, and a long history of the craft make Central Kentucky the bourbon capital of the world. Angels Envy. Check out this map of the KY Bourbon Trail. Enjoy the nightlife in Louisville, drive through scenic bluegrass Kentucky, watch a horse race at Churchill Downs, visit the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, or spend the night in a historic tavern. Located just outside of Lexington, stay in a suite or one-bedroom apartment, perfect if you like having extra space or a kitchenette. We felt thatit was just enough to give us a taste but not so much that it impaired Tims driving. With so many great distilleries spread across the rolling hills of Kentucky, planning a trip on the Bourbon Trail can feel a bit overwhelming. Starting off in Louisville, visit the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. Custom-printed maps are perfect for parks departments, companies, and recreational complexes. Many people state that the Buffalo Trace tour is their favorite in Kentucky. Tonight, sleep in Louisville, Bardstown, or Lexington. Located in Bardstown, the Old Talbott Tavern dates back to the 1700s. However, note that the map will display an uninspiring look, since it will be used only for only one printing session. Its located right around the corner from 21c Museum Hotel, so you can walk to many sights in downtown Louisville. For more information on these tours and experience, read our article about the distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Hours vary by day of the week, with more tour times on Fridays and Saturdays. We recommend staying in Louisville. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 4 Days: Follow days #1 and #2. It's not a part of the Kentucky Distillers Association's official Bourbon Trail, but they are, however, open for tours and tastings. Plus, its easy to find. Inside of the memorial is a symbolic log cabin, a historic replica of the one that Abraham Lincoln first lived in. Visit the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail website here. In this post, we cover everything you need to know to have the best experience on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Sundays, Mondays, and holidays are the most common days to have limited or no hours. LUXURY:The Brown Hotel. Also known as the Independent Stave Company, this is where the barrels are constructed for many of the bourbon distilleries in Kentucky. Stillwagon Distillery. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour is a collection of small and/or new (er) distilleries assembled by the Kentucky Distillers' Association. It has received accolades from Conde Nast Traveler, Southern Living, and Travel & Leisure. This cocktail class is only offered once a day, so if you like this idea, plan your other distillery visits around this class. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 5 Days: Follow our Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary for four days, and add on day #6 (Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey, and Four Roses). The bourbon and whiskey at Green River spend less time in the barrel than at most distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Since it is located off of the Bourbon Trail and does not have the actual log cabin that Abraham Lincoln was born in, this is only worth it if you have an interest in American history or Abraham Lincoln. This map was created by a user. On this tour you visit micro-distilleries, tour historic sights andtowns in Kentucky, and stay in historic bed and breakfast accommodations. Uber and Lyft are also all good choices, and if you've managed to stay sober, biking can also be a fun option. For more information, visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail website. Many offer tours and a few are very near to the popular distilleries! There are some other very cool things to do in this part of Kentucky and I didnt want to leave those out. Tall tales, trip guides, & the world's weird & wonderful. We have not visited this distillery yet but have been drinking their bourbon for quite some time. Louisville and the rest of the bourbon trail are located in the Eastern Time Zone. The whiskey cannot be distilled higher than 160 proof, enter the barrel higher than 125 proof, and it must not enter the bottle less than 80 proof. HISTORIC: Talbott Tavern and Inn. Looking to plan trip in mid June 2020, I recommend checking the official websites of the distilleries to see if they are open. Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Bardstown Bourbon. Bourbon is distilled year-round, with the exception of a few weeks during the summer, when some distilleries shut down for routine cleaning and maintenance. On this immersive tour, travel back in time to 1783, when bourbon distilling got its start. This distillery is so new that their bourbon is still aging, although they do have other liquor you can sample when you visit, like rum aged in old bourbon bottles and unfiltered vodka. However, there is a lot more to do in this part of Kentucky than just tour bourbon distilleries. It was delightfully quiet, with small tour groups. MAMMOTH CAVE: Mammoth Cave is a national park in Kentucky and it makes a great day trip from Louisville and Nashville. Bulleit Distilling Company. Travel back in timeto 1783, to the very early days ofLouisville, where you will learn about the early history of bourbon and this area of Kentucky. If this is part of a bigger road trip through the USA, visit our United States Travel Guide for more inspiration and travel planning tips. It has a relatively central location, so its easy to get to Bardstown, Lexington, and even Owensboro. If you have plans to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail during this time, make sure you make your reservations in advance. On day two, visit the distilleries located south of Louisville: Makers Mark, Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, Bardstown Bourbon, and Lux Row. 528 W Main St Louisville, Kentucky (502) 272-2623. You won't be able to fully appreciate every sip if you don't take a break to clear your mind and your palate! If you are short on time, or have no desire to visit all eighteen distilleries, here is a short list of the top experiences to have on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. And , even then, their maps are already obsolete before they even hit the plotter. Rather than paying the fee to join the Kentucky Distillers Association, they prefer to offer free tours and tastings to their visitors. Printing a map gives you an image that can be used to guide your instructions. Visit their website here. Children are allowed on the tours and generally pay a reduced tour fee or can tour for free, depending on the distillery. The best time of year for a road trip down the Bourbon Trail: Summer is high season along the trail, so you'll have more crowds to contend with, and hotels will be slightly more expensive. There's a reason that bourbon is historically produced in Kentucky (even though legally it can come from anywhere in the US): the limestone filtered water and locally-grown grains just plain taste better, and the fact that the region has, for most of history, made most of America's bourbon, means that the people there have a deep passion for it, and they also have old-school, time-tested recipes, too. Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. Its centrally located, so you can walk to many of the sights and distilleries on Whiskey Row. To get to Evan Williams and/or to get back to your hotel, consider driving or using Uber (we used Uber while in Louisville and kept our car parked at our hotel). Even if you dont plan on staying here, a drink in the Lobby Bar is a must-do while in Louisville. All of the distilleries are listed inside, with space for your own notes and a stamp from each distillery. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. Four Roses distillery was built in 1910 and features Spanish Mission-Style architecture, a rarity in Kentucky. How far in advance would you recommend booking tours, or are walk-ins generally accepted at most of the distilleries? Just look for the giant, golden David statue out front and you know that you are in the right place. Roadtrippers helps you find the most epic destinations and detoursfrom roadside attractions to natural wonders and beyond.