Currently, there are eighteen bourbon labels that are a part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. This budget hotel gets good reviews and is conveniently located in Bardstown. By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a collection of eighteen bourbon distilleries located in and around Louisville. Save to your device to access at a later date. This is a great spot for lunch or dinner while touring the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Evening: Michters Distillery. NEARBY DESTINATIONS: Asheville, North Carolina makes a great weekend destination. Woodford Reserve (a seven-minute drive from Castle & Key) has its own restaurant and is a great mid-day stop for lunch and a tour of its beautiful grounds. Get suggestions on how to plan your trip, whether you just have a few days, a long weekend, or an entire week. This was our all-around best tour experience. Some of them include the distance to view and the subject. It smells wonderful and it kind of made me hungry! More Information for Your Trip to Louisville. Ride sharing services are abundant in the area, and there are many guided tour options as well. They offer both tours and tastings individually, so if you'd rather skip seeing the still and warehouse, you can just sample their wares-- try the sweet and spicy Wild Turkey Honey Stinger! Jack Frys and the Brown Hotel Lobby Bar are also great options. Note: This post contains affiliate links. Most tours teach you the same process about bourbon distilling, with a few differences at each distillery. Tour the distillery, see the hundreds of barrels inside of the rickhouses, and maybe meet legendary Jimmy Russell while you are here. It is possible to print maps by choosing the print option in your printer menu. NASHVILLE: For recommendations on what to do in Nashville, check out our articles Best Things to Do in Nashville and Best Eats in Nashville. During these tastings, you still get to learn about the history of the distillery and what sets it apart from the others. You can also take a tour where you bottle the single barrel whiskey, but spaces are limited and the tour is expensive (but you do end up with a cool souvenir to take home!). Summer and autumn are busy months to visit the Bourbon Trail, so I also recommend booking your tours in advance at these times, even on weekdays. Download the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Distillery Map Download Now Join Our Newsletter Mailing List Fields marked with an * are required First Name * Last Name * Email * If you are a human seeing this field, please leave it empty. Partners & Sponsors If you are looking for a highly rated hotel and dont want to spend a lot of money, this is a great option. 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. Visit the final two distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, plus one notable bourbon distillery that is not part of the official trail, Buffalo Trace. Distillery Trail is the place to start your distillery tour experience. From beautiful fall foliage, to pumpkin patches and farm cider, this is the best time to experience the Bourbon Trail. These regions are broken out by geographic location. Plus, there is a high concentration of distilleries located right in town, not to mention lots of great restaurants and hotels to choose from. Over in Lebanon, hit up the Limestone Branch Distillery, which seeks to make everything as authentic as possible, and as a family-owned and operated craft distillery, their local heritage goes back a few generations. The tour is very well done and you get to see a few things that many tours do not include. Four Roses. I recommend visiting the official website of the distilleries for hours and tour information. This is an ultrasonic process that removes impurities and improves the quality and taste, speeding up the refining process without spending years in the barrel. During this time, most tours will be full and many will sell out in advance. All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. In one day, it is possible to do three to four tours and/or tastings. In fact, if you visit every. This is Louisvilles landmark hotel. We offer a real-time comprehensive list of all the distilleries from start up farm distillery to craft distillery to large pre-Prohibition distillery. While you are in the area, consider a tour at Buffalo Trace, adding on a visit to Bulleit in Shelbyville, or lunch or dinner in Lexington. They have 10 different varieties of bourbon, and a really unusual, Spanish-style building that houses the distillery. We have been twice, the same weekend both times (the weekend before Thanksgiving). The barrel making process is a key element in bourbon distilling, and this is the best place to learn all about it, since many distilleries get their barrels here. This is a great resource for getting an in-depth history of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail as well as additional information to help plan your trip. 528 W Main St Louisville, Kentucky (502) 272-2623. By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. These are the rickhouses at Heaven Hill. The tastings do get spread out over the day, but they are also right before you hop in the car to get to the next distillery, so know your limits. Cheers, Julie. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Wild Turkey produces one of the most popular bourbons in the US and one of the best-selling bourbons in the world. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 7 Days: This is our day by day itinerary listed above, in the same order, with suggestions on where to stay. Surprisingly, it is not part of the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Check the hours of operation for each distillery before your visit. USA TRAVEL INSPIRATION: For more great ideas on where to go in the United States, check out our article Best USA Road Trips, which has 18 sample itineraries for your next big adventure. Learn how to plan your bourbon tasting itinerary, when to go, where to stay, and even ideas for things to do off of the bourbon trail. During the aging process, a small percentage of the bourbon evaporates per year, what is referred to as the angels share. If you want to take home this aroma, many gift shops sell bourbon-scented candles. It has received accolades from Conde Nast Traveler, Southern Living, and Travel & Leisure. Nope. Theres something here for everyone. Spend the day visiting two big names in bourbon and a tour of a cooperage. Buffalo Trace has a long and fascinating history. Abraham Lincoln was born in a one room log cabin in Hodgenville, Kentucky in 1809. With so many great distilleries spread across the rolling hills of Kentucky, planning a trip on the Bourbon Trail can feel a bit overwhelming. Tim and I stayed here on our most recent visit to Louisville and we had a very nice experience here. Yes! MAMMOTH CAVE: Mammoth Cave is a national park in Kentucky and it makes a great day trip from Louisville and Nashville. Its centrally located, so you can walk to many of the sights and distilleries on Whiskey Row. Looking to plan trip in mid June 2020, I recommend checking the official websites of the distilleries to see if they are open. Explore the Kentucky Bourbon Trail experiences and find what youre looking for in our map below. If you are a bourbon drinker and have a favorite distillery thats on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, make sure you include it on your tour of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Make the most of your time by including a diverse mix of ones to visit, from big names in the industry, to up-and-coming, smaller-batch operations. Finally, day three can be spent in Louisville, visiting Stitzel-Weller, Old Forester, Michters, Rabbit Hole, Angels Envy, and/or Evan Williams. Take the first tour of the day to give yourself enough time to get to Green River. But how big should the maps be? It's not a part of the Kentucky Distillers Association's official Bourbon Trail, but they are, however, open for tours and tastings. Jim Beam. Just spent two nights in Bardstown and took the cocktail class which was awesome. MIDRANGE: Staybridge Suites Lexington. Honestly, the tours do get repetitive, as they all take you through the distillation process. Some have limited to no hours on certain days and hours can change based on the season. Even the most enthusiastic bourbon-lover can't just barrel through and sample bourbon at 9 places all in a rush. The mash always looks the same but the horse farms have different aspects to showcase at different times of the year. Im looking into doing at least part of the trail myself with some friends when weve all been vaccinated. The distilleries are grouped together in four general areas. This takes the headache out of planning a day of distillery tours, perfect for some people. The 1 hour Discovery Tour ends with a tasting at their bar on the second floor. We opted to take the 30 minute Unlocking the Senses tasting, where we sampled four Bulleit whiskeys. It is not the actual log cabin of Abraham Lincolns birthplace. This day includes three must-visit distilleries on Whiskey Row with suggestions for Louisvilles best eats. You can bookmark this post on your browser. They were one of only three bourbon distilleries that were allowed to operate during Prohibition, producing medicinal bourbon. Plus, its easy to find. It has received accolades from Conde Nast Traveler, Southern Living, and Travel & Leisure. And , even then, their maps are already obsolete before they even hit the plotter. Most tours cost $10 to $15 (including tastings), and are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Why not? MIDRANGE: Homewood Suites. The blue markers are restaurant recommendations, Buffalo Trace Distillery, and other notable experiences to add into your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary. Plus, there is more to see and do in this part of Kentucky, with scenic drives, great towns to visit, and restaurants to try. Where will your trip lead you? All other times of year, making reservations is advised but might not be absolutely necessary. Its located right around the corner from 21c Museum Hotel, so you can walk to many sights in downtown Louisville. Races do not run year-round. During the mid-20th century, Four Roses was the top selling bourbon in Japan but it could not be purchased in the US, even though it was being produced in Kentucky. Its a step back in time where you learn about the history of Kentucky. BUDGET: Holiday Inn Express and Suites Downtown Louisville. You know you are at a distillery when you see these prison-style buildings. Lux Row. The tour guides are very knowledgable and encourage questions. Dine on Central American food prepared by the chef who grew up on the Yucatan Peninsula. Wilderness Trail sits a bit farther away, in Danville. In Louisville, stay downtown at the Brown Hotel, a city landmark full of history and romance. Is there a fee to visit the distilleries? Please enjoy like a true Kentuckian Responsibly. Located in Lexington, this bourbon distillery also produces beer. 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. Cheers, Julie. Any advice you have on this front would be greatly appreciated, since Ive heard mixed answers. Buffalo Trace. Renting a car gives you the most freedom to explore, but it's not necessary. We have visited the Kentucky Bourbon Trail twice. If you want to print a different dimension, choose an alternative size from the drop-down list , then alter the size of the page. The samples were pretty small, but it's straight bourbon, so you're probably gonna feel pretty good afterward. Louisville, Bardstown, and Lexington make a great home base for this day (and day number 7 below). Cheers, Julie, Your email address will not be published. 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). It is a National Historic Landmark property and they offer several different tours depending on your level of interest. This will minimize your driving and let you stay in the small towns in Kentucky. They have a good beer selection, excellent pulled pork, tasty baked beans and a variety of BBQ sauces. We took the Shaken & Stirred class at Bardstown Bourbon and it was our favorite experience on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. With driving times averaging about twenty minutes between distilleries, most people can fit in three tours per day (in some distilleries, tours are only offered on the hour). 526 Happy Hollow Road, Shepherdsville, KY, US. After that, check out the Maker's Mark Distillery. Andrew Jackson and King Louis Phillippe both stayed here. PRO TRAVEL TIP: When planning your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary, check the distilleries websites for updated hours and tour availability. We chose the self-driving option. If you want to see the entire bourbon distilling process from start to finish, including the making of the barrels and the bottling of the final product, take the Old Forester Discovery Tour. Buffalo Trace, located in Frankfort, is one of the most famous bourbon distilleries in Kentucky. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Earth Trekkers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by advertising & linking to Amazon.com. But many distilleries offer special tours. The Angels Envy tour features a tasting of their Rye whiskey straight from the barrel. Woodford Reserve. For information on how to plan your visit, dont miss our Guide to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. 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. BUDGET: Holiday Inn Express and Suites Downtown Louisville. All standard one-hour tours are roughly the samea tour of the facility ending with a tasting. Heaven Hill is one of the biggest bourbon distilleries, producing Evan Williams and Elijah Craig. There is a lot of history here. Stillwagon Distillery. During the tour, which usually lasts about one hour, your guide leads you through the property, teaching you about the distillation process and the history of the distillery. Check out this map of the KY Bourbon Trail. If you like the idea of getting out of Louisville for the day, I recommend day #1 plus day #4 (the Best of Bardstown) or day #5 (Makers Mark and the Kentucky Cooperage). Spend the next day slowly heading out of Louisville to visit a few distilleries on the citys outskirts, and then use Lexington as a homebase for the next couple of days. If you want to tour all eighteen distilleries, you need a minimum of seven days. They like to talk about their mash bill and their yeast strains that they use. With more time, you can make the drive out to Owensboro and visit Green River Distilling Company or drive to Danville and visit Wilderness Trail. Renting a car was cheap, driving between the distilleries was easy (and gorgeous), and we could make our own schedule. Learn how to create your own. This hotel also gets great reviews and has an excellent location. Why not? The rickhouse is where the barrels are stored. Sleep in Louisville. 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. Trail builders, on the other hand prefer to be in the woods in order to use chainsaws to make their trails. Your timing depends on which experiences you choose to have at each distillery. It has a relatively central location, so its easy to get to Bardstown, Lexington, and even Owensboro. The Old Nelson County Jail housed prisoners from 1797 until 1987. To take a tour at all eighteen distilleries you will need a minimum of five days, but six to seven days is ideal. Buffalo Trace is the oldest continuously operating distillery in America. 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). The distilling process at Green River is very innovative and a visit here is worthwhile if you want to learn about a unique way to distill bourbon. Cheers, Julie. This tour does the best job explaining the history of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. UPSCALE: 21c Museum Hotel. It gets to be repetitive. Chuckanut Bay Distillery. How you do it is completely up to you. You can elect to skip the tour and just do a tasting instead. A map that folds up for instance, is approximately the same size as an ordinary poster. If you prefer, you can inquire for a quote with our group of cartographers. All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. I give links to each distillery in these daily itineraries. Learn how to create your own. Even if you dont plan on staying here, a drink in the Lobby Bar is a must-do while in Louisville. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Artsy, unique, contemporarythis is another top pick in Louisville. There are many more distilleries you can visit in Kentucky that are not part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Bulleit Distilling Company. Over in Bardstown, there's Willett Distillery. The tour takes you through the entire distilling process from start to finish, so you'll get to see the still, the warehouse, and the bottling process. This is a great place to start your visit to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Then its on to Makers Mark, one of the farther distilleries (about an hour out of the way in Loretto, Kentucky) but a favorite for the hand-dipped bottles, gorgeous 1,000-acre farm, and onsite restaurant. We give links to all of the distilleries in our Kentucky Bourbon Trail distillery post. Prior to touring the Bourbon Trail, Tim and I were not whiskey drinkers. For more ideas of what to do in Louisville, read our article about the best things to do in Louisville. Andrew Jackson, Henry Harrison, and King Louis Phillippe have all stayed here. Most people stay in Louisville, Lexington, or Bardstown. A Few Facts about the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. A beautiful time of year, however, is mid-September to late-October. If you need a break from bourbon, a fine margarita at Corto Lima, or craft cocktail at West Main Crafting Co., will do the trick. $20 is the average price for a tour. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations? It must be distilled from at least 51% corn. Races at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington take place in October and April, and at Churchill Downs in Louisville in November, May, and June . Some distilleries are closed on Mondays. 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. The worst time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, according to the guides that we spoke to, is during the summer months. The red markers are the seventeen distilleries on the trail. The Major Kentucky Distilleries and the Bourbon Brands They Produce, Mapped. Spend one day visiting the four distilleries near Lexington: Four Roses, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve, and Town Branch. Browse by category to find what you're looking for, or select icons displayed on the map for detailed information.

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