Considering a visit to explore the Kentucky Bourbon Trail? Here’s what to expect and a few tips for a great visit to the distillery.
Since I began drinking bourbon cocktails a decade ago, I’ve wanted to visit the distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. I don’t consider myself a connoisseur by any means, but something about visiting the distilleries and learning about the nuisances of bourbon appealed to me. When I finally suggested we go, my bourbon-loving husband (Jerry) didn’t resist too much. We spent a week exploring northern Kentucky, including Lexington and Louisville. Although we didn’t stop at distilleries every day, we hit quite a few. Here’s what we found along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, plus some tips at the end for making the most of your trip.
A barrel at Buffalo Trace Distillery. Photo by Teresa Bitler
Covington
Because we wanted a direct flight from Phoenix, we landed at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport in Hebron. If we had taken a slightly earlier flight, we would have had time to visit at least one of the area’s distilleries: New Riff Distilling in Newport, Second Sight Spirits in Ludlow, or Boone County Distilling in Independence.
Instead, we had just enough time for dinner at Agave & Rye, which has a fairly extensive list of bourbons to kick off your trip. Then, we checked into the Cincinnati Marriott at RiverCenter. A full day would not have been enough time to explore Covington, its connection to Prohibition, and the nearby distilleries. I plan to come back.
A sample at Glenn’s Creek Distillery. Photo by Teresa Bitler
Frankfort
Plan to spend at least two full days in the Frankfort area. Our first stop: Glenn’s Creek Distillery, formerly the Old Crow Distillery. By far, Glenn’s Creek was Jerry’s favorite distillery because it’s small and you can’t find its bourbons outside the state. I preferred Castle & Key Distillery next door, though. It’s a little more corporate, but I enjoyed ordering a cocktail and sipping it near the river.
That afternoon, we boarded a boat for the Kentucky River Bourbon History Tour. Not only did we learn about Kentucky bourbon and local distilleries, we learned how Kentucky became a state, how “Frank’s Ford” became Frankfort, and about the role Daniel Boone played in the area. We also sampled Rebecca Ruth bourbon balls, made in Frankfort.
Although we visited the Buffalo Trace Distillery gift shop when we drove through Frankfort later in the week, we missed several other big names in the area: Woodford Reserve Distillery in Versailles, Wild Turkey Distillery in Versailles, and Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg.
We made a stop at Jeptha Creed Distillery on the way to the airport. Photo by Teresa Bitler
Bardstown
The Bourbon Capital of the World, Bardstown is home to Bardstown Bourbon Company, Barton 1792 Distillery, Heaven Hill Distillery, Willet Distillery, Lux Row Distillers, and Preservation Distillery. Our first tasting was at Willett Distillery, and it was one of my favorite tastings of the trip. That’s because instead of specific pours, you got to choose what you wanted to sample for three of your four tastes.
After lunch, we had enough time to visit the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History. I expected to learn about the history of bourbon in the area, but the museum basically showcases Getz’s whiskey memorabilia. It’s interesting and free, but if you’re short on time, you could skip it without missing out on the Bourbon Trail experience.
Some distilleries, like Lux Row Distillery, have bars onsite. Photo by Teresa Bitler
Not far from downtown, Barton 1792 Distillery was also a disappointment. Visitors have to park on a substantial incline in front of the tasting room, and our tasting lasted only 15 to 20 minutes. It also wasn’t very informative. That’s why I was glad we drove to Lux Row Distillers next. Even without an appointment, Jerry could order a flight and I could sip an Old Fashioned on a patio facing a red barn.
More Kentucky Bourbon Trail
We spent the night in Bardstown at the Bourbon Manor Inn. If you have the chance, stay here. This is probably one of the best bed and breakfasts I’ve stayed at, thanks to the hospitality, spacious rooms, and great food. Best of all, you can purchase bourbon samples—including some hard-to-find labels—and cocktails in the evening at the inn’s bar. (Just to be clear, I paid for my room here, and I would pay again.)
Bardstown makes a great base for exploring nearby distilleries, and when I return, I plan to spend an extra night doing just that. Nearby, you can visit Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto, Jim Beam American Stillhouse in Clermont, Log Still Distillery in New Haven, and Old Samuels Distillery in Cox Creek.
Lux Row Distillery in Bardstown. Photo by Teresa Bitler
Lexington
In Lexington, we focused more on horses than bourbon, but we did tour the James E. Pepper Distillery. Having opted for tastings over tours the entire trip, this tour gave us a good overview of the distillery’s history—it holds the state’s fifth bourbon distillery license—and the process of making bourbon. Jerry says this is a close second to Glenn’s Creek and bought a hat in addition to two bottles here.
Pepper isn’t the only distillery in Lexington, so we plan to come back. When we do, we’ll visit Barrel House Distillery, Town Branch Distillery, and Bluegrass Distillers. Lexington also has a number of excellent bourbon bars and even tours that combine bourbon and horse farms.
James E. Pepper Distillery in Lexington. Photo by Teresa Bitler
For more information on Lexington, check out my Wander article that is the Ultimate Guide to 2 Days in Lexington.
Louisville
If you want to experience the Kentucky Bourbon Trail without a lot of driving, stay in Louisville. The city has seven bourbon distilleries, a brandy distillery, and a craft spirits distillery. We visited Michter’s Fort Nelson, and even though we didn’t have an appointment, Jerry sampled a flight while I enjoyed a cocktail at The Bar at Fort Nelson upstairs.
During our visit to Michter’s, we learned the distillery offers a bottle-your-own-bourbon experience on a first-come, first-served basis. So, the following day, Jerry stood in line waiting for the opportunity. Turns out, everyone else was there for the first tour of the day, so he easily made the cut and got to bottle his own bourbon. Even Jerry admits all he did was fill out his bottle’s label and pull a level, but it was the highlight of the trip for him.
Jerry bottled his own bourbon at Michter’s Fort Nelson in Louisville. Photo by Teresa Bitler
Later that day, we had what I thought was the best tasting of the trip at the Evans Williams Bourbon Experience. The 45-minute Ideal Bartender Experience begins in the distillery’s speakeasy, where you meet Tom Bullock, the first Black American to write and publish a cocktail book. In addition to several tastings, the actor who portrays Tom makes a classic Old Fashioned and does a great job staying in character.
Between distilleries, we visited the Frazier History Museum, which serves as the Kentucky Bourbon Welcome Center, and one evening, we had drinks in the Old Seelbach Bar at The Seelbach Hilton. I highly recommend a visit to the Seelbach just because it’s such a beautiful, historic hotel.
Tom Bullock shares his story as a Prohibition-era mixologist at the Evans Williams Experience in Louisville. Photo by Teresa Bitler
Tips for the Bourbon Trail
- Book early. I began booking tours six weeks before our trip, and even then, many of the more popular distilleries, like Buffalo Trace, had no openings for the date of our visit.
- Drop by anyway. Even if you can’t book a tour, you can usually visit the gift shop. Some distilleries sell flights in their gift shop or bar, so you can get a similar experience without the tour.
- Limit the tours. If you’ve toured wineries or breweries, you know one looks pretty much like the next. Save the tours for one or two distilleries you’re really interested in, and opt for tastings at most distilleries instead.
- Plan two distilleries per day. It’s possible to squeeze in a third distillery, but even if you’re not tasting bourbon, it takes time to drive from one to the next. Don’t overdo it.
- Stay put. We zigzagged through northern Kentucky trying to hit all the area’s highlights. I’d recommend picking one area and focusing on that part of the trail rather than trying to hit it all.
- Enjoy other attractions. The distilleries are great but don’t miss out on the area’s other great attractions, tours, and museums.
- Check your bag. If you plan to bring bourbon home, you’ll need to check a bag. Most distilleries don’t ship your purchases, and you can’t mail alcohol to yourself (as we found out).
Wander With Wonder Articles Related to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail
- 7 Craft Distilleries to Visit This Year
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- Holiday Cocktail Recipes to Celebrate the Season
- Wonderful Women Wine Makers of Maryland Wineries
- Our Favorite Cocktail Recipes
- Ultimate Guide to 2 Days in Lexington
- The Ultimate Guide to 2 Days in Louisville, KY
Why I’ll Visit the Bourbon Trail Again
I could go on and on about the restaurants and bourbon bars in Louisville. The city even has its own Urban Bourbon Trail dedicated solely to them. And of course, we barely made a dent in Louisville’s distilleries. We’ll be back to visit Angel’s Envy, Rabbit Hole Distillery, Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co., Old Forester Distillery, and Stitzel-Weller Distillery.
For more information on Louisville, watch for my upcoming article on how to spend two days in Louisville.
A mint julep at the Old Seelbach Bar at The Seelbach Hilton in Louisville. Photo by Teresa Bitler
But I think the biggest lesson I learned on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is just how much there is to do in this part of the state. We didn’t have time to visit history museums or spend a day watching horse racing at Keeneland or even make the trek to Colonel Harland Sanders’ grave. Of course, we’ll be back for the bourbon, but we’ll be back for so much more.
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