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. As you tour more distilleries, you can pick out the differences between the bourbons. The tour includes a walk through their cooperage, where you get to see how the barrels are made. Most tours cost $10 to $15 (including tastings), and are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Our website uses cookies. In one day, it is possible to do three to four tours and/or tastings. Get our travel tips Delivered to your inbox. A beautiful time of year, however, is mid-September to late-October. Traveling directly between Louisville and Lexington (when you arent stopping at distilleries) takes less than an hour, and both cities have convenient airports. You know you are at a distillery when you see these prison-style buildings. From beautiful fall foliage, to pumpkin patches and farm cider, this is the best time to experience the Bourbon Trail. Plus, being on your own gives you the flexibility to visit other sights along the way, such as a nice lunch in Bardstown or a scenic drive through horse country. PRO TRAVEL TIP: When planning your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary, check the distilleries websites for updated hours and tour availability. After touring the three distilleries, you can either return to Louisville or spend the night in Bardstown. 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. The distilleries of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail are deeply rooted in history, many beginning operations in the 18th or 19th centuries that are still operated by the same families generations later. Twenty minutes northwest of Woodford Reserve, youll find Buffalo Trace Distillery; 25 minutes southwest is Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, home to the Four Roses and Wild Turkey distilleries. All rights reserved. Some distilleries are closed on Mondays. For the most part, the distilleries are located in and around Louisville, Lexington, and Bardstown. Day after day, distillery tours can get to be monotonous. Old Forester Discovery Tour. Finally, day three can be spent in Louisville, visiting Stitzel-Weller, Old Forester, Michters, Rabbit Hole, Angels Envy, and/or Evan Williams. This is a beautiful distillery. Unfortunately, we do not have a PDF of this article. Holiday Inn Express and Suites Downtown Louisville. They were one of only three bourbon distilleries that were allowed to operate during Prohibition, producing medicinal bourbon. Louisville and the rest of the bourbon trail are located in the Eastern Time Zone. If you are only planning a quick visit to Kentucky (3 to 4 days tops), I recommend choosing one place and making this your home base. 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. For more suggestions on how to plan your time, dont miss our Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary planner. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 3 Days: Follow days #1 and #2. Hotel Tango Distillery. However, there are few places to visit out this way, if you are interested. Woodford Reserve. We loved everything we tasted on this tour (as did many other people we spoke to who were also touring the trail). 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. They must be designed to work with a standard printing press. Take a late afternoon or early evening tour of Michters Distillery. Take the first tour of the day to give yourself enough time to get to Green River. Each distillery has a gift shop selling bourbon and related souvenirs. This is the biggest driving day on this Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary. These distilleries are located within 110 miles of Louisville, mostly clustered between Louisville and Lexington. Here are four highly rated hotels in Louisville. Why not? Lexington Brewing Company. Use it to customize your trail experience. Yes, May should be a very nice month for the Bourbon Trail. To tour the Kentucky Bourbon Trail you have two options: self-drive the bourbon trail or join a tour group. This is the busiest time on the trail and tours can sell out. If you want a hotel with an awesome location and one that gets great reviews, the Homewood Suites is one to consider. Its located right around the corner from 21c Museum Hotel, so you can walk to many sights in downtown Louisville. Here's a sample itinerary to follow for your visit. A 24" x 18" layout will fold more efficiently than the 22" x 20" layout for example. 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. Buffalo Trace has a long and fascinating history. This day includes the remaining distilleries in Louisville with the option to add on one or two museums. Located in Bardstown, the Old Talbott Tavern dates back to the 1700s. 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 Grab a bottle or some bourbon balls in the gift shop afterwards! Just look for the giant, golden David statue out front and you know that you are in the right place. This grain mixture is referred to as the mash bill. 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. Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Bourbon Trail and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour are trademarks of the Kentucky Distillers Association. Do you need a reservation? A combination of ideal weather, limestone water sources, and a long history of the craft make Central Kentucky the bourbon capital of the world. Morning: Rabbit Hole. On the tours, learn how bourbon is produced, hear about the history of the distillery, and end with a bourbon tasting. If you want a hotel with an awesome location and one that gets great reviews, the Homewood Suites is one to consider. Your email address will not be published. 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. If you move fast, you have enough time to visit both in the afternoon. Most distilleries offer free or discounted tours for military personnel. There are 37 distilleries total, but whether you tackle them all is entirely up to you! This cocktail class is only offered once a day, so if you like this idea, plan your other distillery visits around this class. For information on how to plan your visit, dont miss ourKentucky Bourbon Trail Itinerary. They specialize in bourbon barrel-aged brews as well as bourbons, and since it's a smaller operation than other stops on this trip, the tour is a totally difference experience. If you are looking for a large-format map, you should buy an printer that is large-format. Say goodbye to Louisville and head south to Bardstown. 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. You take a tour, learn about the art and science behind the distilling of bourbon, and end with a tasting. A Few Facts about the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. To read about our favorite bourbon distillery, read this post. Northern Route New Riff Second Sight Old Pogue Boone County Neeley Family Western Route Boundary Oak Casey Jones MB Roland Dueling Grounds Central Route Kentucky Artisan Kentucky Peerless Jeptha Creed Willett Preservation Bluegrass Route The Kentucky Bourbon Trail began in 1999 as a way to bring tourism to Kentucky. Morning: Stitzel-Weller Distillery. The original distillery opened on Derby Day in the 1930s, and it recently reopened for tours. It can be chilly, but most of the time we were indoors, so weather wasnt much of a factor. Trust me!!! 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). Your email address will not be published. Tours last approximately one hour, ending with a tasting. My father, who is a Bourbon man, will be celebrating his birthday next month and I thought of taking him on a Bourbon tour. Louisville is the most logical choice, with its relatively central location, abundance of hotels and restaurants, and easy access to the airport. Also, they have a cafe if you're looking for a place to grab food while on the trail. If you have an interest in Abraham Lincoln or American history, this is a worthwhile visit. If you stay until Memorial Day weekend, expect big crowds that weekend because of the holiday. 3125 US-231 North, Shelbyville, Tennessee 37160 Featured Old Dominick Distillery Tennessee | Tennessee Whiskey Trail, Hand Sanitizer | Bourbon, Gin, Vodka, Tennessee Whiskey 305 S Front Street, Memphis, Tennessee 38103 B.R. 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. We recommend staying in Louisville. The blue markers are restaurant recommendations, Buffalo Trace Distillery, and other notable experiences to add into your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary. But there is more to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail than just distillery tours and bourbon tastings. Plus, everyone who visits gets a mini souvenir Louisville Slugger for themselves! Choose the size you would like to print and click OK. After that, select your print quality. Rather than paying the fee to join the Kentucky Distillers Association, they prefer to offer free tours and tastings to their visitors. How to Use This Map: Click the icons on the map to get more information about each point of interest. What Size Of Paper Do You Print Your Maps On? Is May a good month to do the Bourbon Trail? Morning: Makers Mark. A stay at the boutique 21C Hotel makes a great homebase in Lexington; this artsy, modern hotel is located right downtown, and the lobby also functions as a contemporary art gallery. One of our favorite parts of the tour was a visit to the rickhouse. It is possible to print maps by choosing the print option in your printer menu. 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). During these tastings, you still get to learn about the history of the distillery and what sets it apart from the others. BUDGET: Holiday Inn Express and Suites Downtown Louisville. The 1 hour Discovery Tour ends with a tasting at their bar on the second floor. 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. However, if you like the idea of getting outside of the city, Bardstown also makes a nice option. 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. Allow about 30 to 45 minutes for a visit here. And we highly recommend lunch at the Old Talbott Tavern in Bardstown. Here in Kentucky, we do things at our own pace and you should, too. 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. Theres something here for everyone. Explore our guide to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail for suggested routes, cant-miss spots, and other tips for having the best experience in bourbon country. You do not have to take a tour at each distillery. Lux Row. If you have specific non-KBT distilleries in mind I recommend checking their websites for pricing information. It's not a part of the Kentucky Distillers Association's official Bourbon Trail, but they are, however, open for tours and tastings. Tour the distillery, see the hundreds of barrels inside of the rickhouses, and maybe meet legendary Jimmy Russell while you are here. Consider Lexington and Louisville as practical bases for your trip: most distilleries are within these cities, or in the small towns orbiting them, and both cities have vibrant downtowns full of hotels, restaurants, and notable sights. Make sure to stop for a drink at the Bluegrass Tavern, a Lexington classic that boasts the largest bourbon collection in the state. Abraham Lincoln was born in a one room log cabin in Hodgenville, Kentucky in 1809. You can also select Print from your web browsers menu (the web browser menu typically looks like 3 dots in either the horizontal or vertical position). Also, consider how the map will be folded. Cameron is a freelance writer and editor working in travel publishing for the past 10 years. From the Brown, you can walk (or call a rideshare) to distilleries along the citys historic Whiskey Row by the Ohio River, such as Angels Envy, Old Forester Distilling Co., and the modern Rabbit Hole Distillery in Louisvilles artsy NULU district. 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. Children are allowed on the tours and generally pay a reduced tour fee or can tour for free, depending on the distillery. And , even then, their maps are already obsolete before they even hit the plotter. 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. Starting off in Louisville, visit the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. See our privacy policy here. More than one distillery tour taught us that the strain of yeast they use is one of the most important factors in how their final product tastes. If you are really short on time, you can simply visit the gift shop, get your passport stamped, and do a little shopping. 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. Click the star next to the title of the map to add this map to your Google Maps account. 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. You can also inquire for a quote with our team of cartographers. The weather is pleasant and bourbon is in full production. 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. Each of these bourbon distilleries must be a member of the Kentucky Distillers Association, which requires paying a fee. For lunch, dine at Star Hill Provisions at Makers Mark or Ragettis Italian Food in Lebanon. Read on to learn how to use printable maps. Many people state that the Buffalo Trace tour is their favorite in Kentucky. Distilleries to visit along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. UPSCALE: 21c Museum Hotel Lexington. Again, thanks for the great article! Note: Green River is located in the Central Time Zone. With so many great distilleries spread across the rolling hills of Kentucky, planning a trip on the Bourbon Trail can feel a bit overwhelming. 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). 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! 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. This is Louisvilles landmark hotel. Nearest Green Distillery. What distinguishes one bourbon from another is the mash bill, the strain of yeast used by each distillery (some strains dating back decades), and how long the whiskey ages in the oak barrels. 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. The worst time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, according to the guides that we spoke to, is during the summer months. Heaven Hill. Custom-printed maps are perfect for parks departments, companies, and recreational complexes. And many distilleries offer longer, behind the scenes tours for a more detailed look at the distilling process. Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. As you drive back to Louisville, you have the option to stop at the Lincoln Boyhood Home and National Museum and/or Santa Claus, Indiana. Specialty tours cost more. But they see map making as a necessary problem, one which requires a significant amount of time and money. Heaven Hill is one of the biggest bourbon distilleries, producing Evan Williams and Elijah Craig. BUDGET: Hampton Inn Bardstown. 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. There are tours and special events at both facilities year round. Here's how. Then head to The Woodford Reserve Distillery. We were thinking of going the week before Memorial Day weekend and staying through the weekend. Visit their website here. This hotel also gets great reviews and has an excellent location. From Bardstown it is a 45 minute drive. For tour information, visit the Wilderness trail website. Woodford Reserve has a historic, upscale feel to it. For a lesson on the wild and crazy tales of the Prohibition Era, book a tour at Prohibition Craft Spirits. This day includes three must-visit distilleries on Whiskey Row with suggestions for Louisvilles best eats. This itinerary is organized into seven different daily itineraries. For more information about the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, we have two more articles that will help you plan your trip: The Ultimate Guide to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. Map of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Below is a map of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Whether you just have a few days or an entire week, we have some great ideas for how you can plan your time. Next up is the Buffalo Trace Distillery. 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). Our favorite experience on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail was the cocktail class at Bardstown Bourbon. Local Chef Ouita Michel is at the forefront of Bourbon Trail gourmet dining, with top-notch restaurants in Midway, Versailles, and Lexington. Louisville, Bardstown, and Lexington make a great home base for this day (and day number 7 below). For lunch and/or dinner, we recommend Kitchen& Bar, the restaurant at Bardstown Bourbon. We started at Wild Turkey and were the only ones on their 9 am tour. Sleep in Louisville. Do you have to be a bourbon drinker to have a good time on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail? They offer a comprehensive tour of their facility, including a look into how their bourbon is bottled. The bourbon and whiskey at Green River spend less time in the barrel than at most distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. 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. It smells like you are at a bakery, only they are baking slightly sour bread. Lunch: Doc Crows Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar or Troll Pub under the Bridge. Then it's on to Heaven Hill Bourbon, which offers a cheaper "mini-tour" if you're getting tired of hearing the same thing over and over again at every distillery. 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