Your Ultimate Guide to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail

For fans of whiskey, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a must-visit adventure, offering a chance to tour distilleries and delve into the world of bourbon—along with plenty of tastings throughout your journey.

Kentucky is known as the birthplace of bourbon, a distinctive American whiskey crafted from at least 51 percent corn and matured in new, charred, white oak barrels. Additionally, many distilleries in Kentucky produce other whiskey varieties (like rye or American single malts) and various spirits. However, if you’re visiting Kentucky, you can expect to find an abundance of bourbon, including some unique pours you won’t find anywhere else. Here’s your guide to navigating Kentucky’s bourbon scene.

What does the Kentucky Bourbon Trail entail?

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail, overseen by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association (who hold the trademark), features 18 major distilleries and 32 smaller ones recognized as part of the “Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour.” While this official trail doesn’t encompass every bourbon maker in the state, it offers a thorough overview, providing a structured way to plan your visit—with a website that includes numerous maps and resources. For those who prefer a physical guide, a Bourbon Trail Passport & Field Guide ($15) is available, containing similar information. The bourbon distilleries are scattered throughout the state, most located within about 100 miles of Louisville, which serves as a natural starting point for your adventure.

Suggested Duration for Your Visit

You can explore a significant number of renowned distilleries in just three to four days. Most travelers use Louisville as their base, dedicating a day or two to discovering the city’s “Whiskey Row” and other local distilleries. From there, it’s logical to drive about an hour east to Lexington, stopping at places like Wild Turkey, Four Roses, and Woodford Reserve before heading back to Louisville. The next day, travel south to Loretto, home of Maker’s Mark, while visiting Bardstown and its distilleries along the way. Plan to spend an hour or two at each distillery, with a realistic goal of visiting two to three distilleries daily.

Several distilleries are situated in more remote, rural areas, requiring additional travel time. (Green River, located in Owensboro, is the most distant; it’s even in a different time zone, despite being only about 100 miles from Louisville.)

For those aiming to tour all 18 distilleries, the KBT suggests setting aside at least four days. However, extending your visit to a week or nine days could enhance the experience, especially for those interested in exploring craft distilleries or nearby attractions along the way.

Additionally, the KBT advises allowing at least a week to explore the Kentucky Craft Distillery circuit; many of these venues are near the main KBT distilleries or conveniently located along your route. A bit of advance planning and mapping can help maximize your visits.

What distilleries can you find along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail?

There are 18 distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail—a lineup of the most recognized bourbon brands that you'll find at a well-stocked bar or liquor store:

• Angel’s Envy
• Bardstown Bourbon Co.
• Bulleit
• Evan Williams
• Four Roses Distillery; Four Roses Warehouse & Bottling (two separate locations)
• Green River
• Heaven Hill
• James B. Beam
• Lux Row
• Maker’s Mark
• Michter’s
• Old Forester
• Rabbit Hole
• Stitzel-Weller
• Town Branch
• Wild Turkey
• Wilderness Trail
• Woodford Reserve

Getting around

In Louisville, you can easily walk to distilleries or use taxis and rideshare services. However, outside the city, having a car is essential, especially in rural regions where ridesharing may not be available. To simplify transportation and planning, consider booking tours with renowned companies like Mint Julep or Pegasus Distillery Tours. They offer shuttle services for you or your group, and many tours cater to specific interests, such as culinary or horse farm experiences, or provide VIP access to tastings. Regardless of your transportation choice, remember not to drink and drive.

How to arrange a visit to a distillery

It’s highly advisable to plan your visit in advance. Many distilleries close during the week, typically on Monday and/or Tuesday, and their hours can vary, so it’s wise to check their website beforehand. Additionally, keep in mind that part of Kentucky operates on Central Time, which may require some adjustments. If you’re traveling with children, be aware that some locations are family-friendly, while others are restricted to those 21 and older.

Is it necessary to make reservations for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail?

While not always required, making reservations is beneficial, especially during the busy summer and fall tourist seasons. Many tours do require reservations and typically charge a fee, usually around $25, though prices can increase significantly for special bottlings or cocktails. Tours usually last between 60 and 90 minutes.

Generally, visiting two or three distilleries in a single day is sufficient. Most tours provide similar insights into the bourbon-making process, and if you're sampling, it can quickly add up. However, for bourbon enthusiasts eager to learn about America’s signature whiskey and seek out rare bottles for their collections, it's definitely worthwhile.

Begin your journey in Louisville.

Louisville serves as a perfect launching point for a bourbon tour. Not only does it offer various distillery experiences within the city, but it’s also conveniently located near Lexington, Clermont, and Bardstown, along with a vibrant selection of bars, restaurants, and cultural sites.

Begin your adventure on Whiskey Row, home to Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery (featuring an excellent bar), Old Forester Distilling (be on the lookout for exclusive whiskey drops), and Angel’s Envy. Next, explore the NuLu district, which showcases the contemporary Rabbit Hole Distillery and its Overlook bar on the second floor, serving drinks crafted by the team from Death & Co. Then, catch a rideshare for the five-mile trip to West Louisville, where you can tour the historic Stitzel-Weller Distillery, which opened in 1935 but had been closed to the public for many years. Horse enthusiasts should also check out the nearby Kentucky Derby Museum.

In downtown Louisville, you can find smaller Craft Trail distilleries like Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. and Copper & Kings, a stylish facility that originally focused on brandy and has recently started producing bourbon. Don’t miss the monarch butterfly garden at the entrance and the rooftop restaurant/bar offering stunning views of the city.

When the distilleries close for the day, keep the bourbon tasting going at local bars such as the Silver Dollar, a Bakersfield-style honky-tonk run by whiskey connoisseur Larry Rice; Trouble Bar, where you can sample curated flights by local experts; or the 1920s-themed Neat Bourbon Bar & Bottle Shop.

Where to stay while in Louisville

Consider booking a stay at Hotel Distil, a bourbon-themed hotel housed in a historic building on Louisville’s famous “Whiskey Row.” The stylish 21c Museum Hotel also features the excellent restaurant Proof on Main.

You might also want to check out the Galt House Hotel, a larger establishment with views of the Ohio River, or the elegant Brown Hotel, which dates back to 1923 and boasts skyline views from its beautifully restored rooftop garden.

Options for day trips from Louisville

Explore a couple of distilleries on each of these day trips, using Louisville as your convenient home base, or combine them for a longer road adventure. Here are a few suggested options to help you create your itinerary.

1. Clermont

From Louisville, it's roughly a 30-minute drive south to Clermont, home of James B. Beam Distilling, famous for brands like Jim Beam, Knob Creek, and Basil Hayden. Recently, they launched a new $45 million “homestead experience” that includes the Kitchen Table, a spacious 5,000-square-foot restaurant and bar, as well as the Fred B. Noe Craft Distillery, dedicated to exploring innovative fermentation and distillation methods.

2. Bardstown

Whether you're starting your journey from Louisville or continuing from Beam, make your way to Heaven Hill, a family-owned distillery known for iconic brands like Elijah Craig, Old Fitzgerald, and Henry McKenna, among others. While the company’s new $200 million distillery is set to open at the end of 2024, it remains an excellent spot to learn about bourbon production and acquire exclusive bottles.

Also worth visiting are two modern distilleries: Lux Row Distillers and Bardstown Bourbon Company, the latter of which specializes in crafting complex bourbon blends.

3. Lebanon/Loretto

Maker’s Mark is a highlight for many bourbon enthusiasts. Be sure to tour the distillery and its grounds, and don’t miss the chance to dip your own bottle in the signature red wax before you leave.

This could mark the end of a journey that takes you south through Clermont and/or Bardstown. Given its remote location from Louisville, it’s advisable to stay overnight—ideally at Samuels House, an Airbnb-style rental owned by the Maker’s Mark family, featuring an array of whiskey memorabilia.

Consider adding a visit to the Kentucky Cooperage Visitor Center to discover how barrels are crafted and witness the dramatic charring process, which is essential to bourbon production. (Tip: You can also travel directly from Louisville to Maker’s Mark by helicopter.)

4. Frankfort/Lexington

From Louisville, it’s roughly an hour’s drive east to Frankfort, where you’ll find Buffalo Trace. Choose from various themed tours of the extensive facility, such as the “Old Taylor Tour,” which highlights the contributions of E.H. Taylor, a pioneer in the bourbon industry, or explore the property’s arboretum and botanical gardens.

Next, head to Four Roses in Lawrenceburg, located in a beautiful mission-style building from 1910, or visit Woodford Reserve in Versailles (pronounced “ver-sales”). Notably, Lexington, known as the “Horse Capital of the World,” is home to numerous thoroughbreds, so consider adding a horse farm tour to your plans.

5. Danville

About an hour south of Lexington, you’ll find the scenic Wilderness Trail Distillery nestled in the Bluegrass region. This relatively new distillery opened in 2012 and released its first bourbon in 2018. In just a few years, it has gained significant recognition and is expanding its operations. Initially starting with 44 acres, the distillery acquired an additional 124 acres in 2021, adding six new fermentation tanks and six barrel houses to its facilities.

This article was first published online in August 2022 and was most recently updated on April 24, 2024, to reflect the latest information.