Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. It can be chilly, but most of the time we were indoors, so weather wasnt much of a factor. Your email address will not be published. Scheduling a reservation is highly recommended. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you. And many distilleries offer longer, behind the scenes tours for a more detailed look at the distilling process. Before heading out of Lexington, check out the citys historic Distillery District, home to the recently revived James E. Pepper Distiller (and several other restaurants, bars, and breweries), one of Kentuckys first bourbon brands originally created during the American Revolution. Thank you for explaining that a bourbon trail tour will encompass a history of how the liquor was made. You can bookmark this post on your browser. The worst time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, according to the guides that we spoke to, is during the summer months. 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. Explore the Kentucky Bourbon Trail experiences and find what youre looking for in our map below. Many people state that the Buffalo Trace tour is their favorite in Kentucky. Renting a car was cheap, driving between the distilleries was easy (and gorgeous), and we could make our own schedule. Wish I had this information prior will save it for next visit. We chose the self-driving option. Here's how. HISTORIC: Talbott Tavern and Inn. The Old Talbott Tavern, located in Bardstown, is also a great pick. Wilderness Trail is the newest member on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Also, remember that the quality of maps is unbeatable! For dinner, opt for classic and refined, or hip and casual. Are you? Visiting these distilleries is similar to visiting a winery. During this time, most tours will be full and many will sell out in advance. Julie Last updated: December 16, 2022 United States 32 Comments. For the most part, the distilleries are located in and around Louisville, Lexington, and 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. Kentucky Bourbon Trail: Lexington, Kentucky Visitor Information They have a good beer selection, excellent pulled pork, tasty baked beans and a variety of BBQ sauces. Major Kentucky Bourbon Distilleries Map | VinePair Take a specialized tour of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Whether you're a bourbon snob, or you just like drinking, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a must-visit. This inn has been welcoming guests since 1779. Here are four highly rated hotels in Louisville. The weather is nice and all of the distilleries should be in operation. But inside are stacks and stacks of bourbon filled barrels, slowly maturing and filling the air with a wonderful aroma. There are some other very cool things to do in this part of Kentucky and I didnt want to leave those out. Some have limited to no hours on certain days and hours can change based on the season. This is a beautiful property with a lot of tour and tasting options. Bourbon tourism is skyrocketing, with nearly 2 million visitors from all 50 states and . Their signature tour is a one-hour tour of the distillery. Located just outside of Lexington, stay in a suite or one-bedroom apartment, perfect if you like having extra space or a kitchenette. On day two, visit the distilleries located south of Louisville: Makers Mark, Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, Bardstown Bourbon, and Lux Row. In 2008, it was Historic Hotels of Americas top pick. A visit to Buffalo Trace is definitely worthwhile when you are in the area, even if it is not officially on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Angels Envy offers several different tours. If you only have one day on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the combination of these three tours hits the most important steps in the distilling process. Partners & Sponsors By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. 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. However, if you like the idea of getting outside of the city, Bardstown also makes a nice option. 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. Louisville, Bardstown, and Lexington make a great home base for this day (and day number 7 below). It is even rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Jesse James. It's one of the biggest in Bardstown, which is certainly worth seeing. After breakfast at the hotel, its a 30-minute drive to the Frankfort area, where touring the new distillery at Castle & Key is a true gem. BUDGET: Holiday Inn Express and Suites Downtown Louisville. PRO TRAVEL TIP: When planning your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary, check the distilleries websites for updated hours and tour availability. Tim and I stayed here on our first visit to Louisville in 2016. If you have three days in Louisville, follow our day #1 and day #2 itineraries above. State Map of All Kentucky Distilleries - Distillery Trail If you have plans to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail during this time, make sure you make your reservations in advance. 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. 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. LUXURY: The Brown Hotel. Due to vivid -19? BUDGET: Holiday Inn Express and Suites Downtown Louisville. You could easily spend an hour or two here, sampling their beers and boozes and chatting with the owners. Partners & Sponsors Tour the distillery, see the hundreds of barrels inside of the rickhouses, and maybe meet legendary Jimmy Russell while you are here. If you are looking for a highly rated hotel and dont want to spend a lot of money, this is a great option. It takes five days to complete this tour. The busiest time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is from August through mid-November. Rather than paying the fee to join the Kentucky Distillers Association, they prefer to offer free tours and tastings to their visitors. HISTORIC: Jailers Inn Bed & Breakfast. We give links to all of the distilleries in our Kentucky Bourbon Trail distillery post. It is said to be the oldest western stagecoach stop in America and to be visited by Jesse James ghost. Most distilleries offer free or discounted tours for military personnel. Bourbon Map - Louisville Downtown Partnership Green River sits out in Owensboro, almost a two-hour drive from Louisville. Visit Your Favorite Distillery. 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. Both times we visited the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, it was the weekend before Thanksgiving. Note: Due to COVID-19, distillery tours may be cancelled or offered on a reduced schedule. Spring is a nice time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. It depends on the time of year that you are visiting, and whether or not you been touring over the weekend. As soon as you step out of your car, you can smell the grains cooking, the first part of the distillation process. And for full details on Bluebird Cafe, read our article How to Visit Bluebird Cafe. Mint Julep is the most popular tour company in Kentucky that offers tours to the distilleries. For tour information, visit the Wilderness trail website. Lexington or Louisville arent the only places to eat well in bourbon country. The brisket is renowned, especially with their Texas hot sauce. Bourbon Country Map Use this interactive map of Kentucky to plan your visit by finding nearby attractions, hotels, shopping, and restaurants. Artsy, unique, contemporarythis is another top pick in Louisville. 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. The tour is very well done and you get to see a few things that many tours do not include. You take a tour, learn about the art and science behind the distilling of bourbon, and end with a tasting. While in Bardstown, head to the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskeyso you can learn all about the liquid gold you've been knocking back! Fortunately, the distilleries are getting more creative with their activities, and some are now offering cocktail classes, food pairings, and in-depth behind-the-scenes tours. The typical size is Letter to North America and DIN A4 for the rest of the world. The 6 Best Distilleries to Visit in Lexington, Kentucky, Your Trip to Lexington: The Complete Guide, The Top 13 Things to Do in Lexington, Kentucky, The Best Day Trips From Lexington, Kentucky, The Spirits Industry Is Broken, But a Sustainable Revolution Is Coming, 12 Best Things to Do for Free in Louisville, Kentucky, The 11 Best Things to Do in Galena, Illinois, The Kentucky Horse Park: A Complete Guide. Bring your military ID, if you have one. Sleep in Louisville. Uber and Lyft are also all good choices, and if you've managed to stay sober, biking can also be a fun option. It has a relatively central location, so its easy to get to Bardstown, Lexington, and even Owensboro. Our website uses cookies. Hours vary by day of the week, with more tour times on Fridays and Saturdays. If you want to print a different dimension, choose an alternative size from the drop-down list , then alter the size of the page. These include Willett, Pogue, Boone County, Neeley Family Distillery, Kentucky Peerless, Kentucky Artisan and many others. Download the TN Whiskey Trail brochure in PDF format. To take a tour at all eighteen distilleries you will need a minimum of five days, but six to seven days is ideal. There are four major regions of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Lexington Brewing Company. For lunch, dine at Star Hill Provisions at Makers Mark or Ragettis Italian Food in Lebanon. This is a great place to start your visit to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. At the end of this article, we list specific hotel and B&B recommendations for Louisville, Bardstown, and Lexington. Im looking into doing at least part of the trail myself with some friends when weve all been vaccinated. Follow day #4 and #5, sleeping in either Bardstown or Louisville. Spread out over two separate trips, it took us seven days to visit seventeen distilleries (one more distillery has been added since our visit in November 2019), doing a combination of tours and tastings. It's not a part of the Kentucky Distillers Association's official Bourbon Trail, but they are, however, open for tours and tastings. During our visit this ranged from $5 to $20 per person depending on the distillery and the type of tour you choose to take. Renting a car was cheap, driving between the distilleries was easy (and gorgeous), and we could make our own schedule. Heaven Hill is one of the biggest bourbon distilleries, producing Evan Williams and Elijah Craig. MIDRANGE: Homewood Suites. 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. Kentucky Bourbon Trail Itinerary - Suggestions for 1 Day to 1 Week This was our favorite tour for several reasons. All bourbons are whiskey but not all whiskeys are bourbon. We have been twice, the same weekend both times (the weekend before Thanksgiving). All of these distilleries offer tours and tastings. It's no secret that all American states can legally produce bourbon, but Kentucky is the spirit's undisputed . More Information for Your Trip to Louisville. 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. 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. Say goodbye to Louisville and head south to Bardstown. Andrew Jackson, Henry Harrison, and King Louis Phillippe have all stayed here. Cheers, Julie. So, its nice to break up distillery visits with other experiences. Some of these yeast strains have been used for decades at each distillery. I give links to each distillery in these daily itineraries. Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. They were one of only three bourbon distilleries that were allowed to operate during Prohibition, producing medicinal bourbon. Pdf Printable Kentucky Bourbon Trail Map | Ruby Printable Map But there is more to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail than just distillery tours and bourbon tastings. 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. The weather is pleasant and bourbon is in full production. Your email address will not be published. Looking to plan trip in mid June 2020, I recommend checking the official websites of the distilleries to see if they are open. If you are looking for a highly rated hotel and dont want to spend a lot of money, this is a great option. 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. Kentucky Bourbon Trail | Earth Trekkers - Google My Maps There are 37 distilleries total, but whether you tackle them all is entirely up to you! For most people, a combination of tours and tastings is the perfect way to sample the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Distillery Directory - Distillery Trail I recommend visiting the official website of the distilleries for hours and tour information. Plus, everyone who visits gets a mini souvenir Louisville Slugger for themselves! 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. Nothing can be added to the whiskey other than water. To maximize value, do not get too big or small. Copyright 2023 Kentucky Distillers Association. Touring the distilleries, learning about the origins of bourbon, and tasting lots and lots of bourbon whiskey is an excellent way to spend a long weekend. Located in Downtown Louisville, the Bourbon District is a walkable urban experience for anyone looking for a taste of Kentucky. In this guide, learn how to plan a trip around the world. Also, take some time to enjoy the bucolic setting of this distillery. Yes, you can push CTRL+P and that will bring up the printer dialog box. 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. Angels Envy puts a twist on whiskey distilling. It is said to be the oldest western stagecoach stop in America and legend has it that Jesse James left behind bullet holes in the tavern. But map makers don't want to let that stop them from building trails. It is possible to print maps by choosing the print option in your printer menu. If you are still craving more bourbon, this restaurant is famous for their cocktails and bourbon and whiskey flights. Take the history and the gorgeous natural settings, and add delicious, often entertaining whiskey tours and tastings, and you'll see why traveling along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is such a special experience. We offer a real-time comprehensive list of all the distilleries from start up farm distillery to craft distillery to large pre-Prohibition distillery. They have 10 different varieties of bourbon, and a really unusual, Spanish-style building that houses the distillery. However, note that the map will display an uninspiring look, since it will be used only for only one printing session. These are the rickhouses at Heaven Hill. This is the biggest driving day on this Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary. Get suggestions on how to plan your trip, whether you just have a few days, a long weekend, or an entire week. We recommend staying in Louisville. On the third day, watch the horse races at Churchill Downs. Once you get to Shepherdsville, visit the Jim Beam Distillery. Are children allowed on the tours? 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 takes the headache out of planning a day of distillery tours, perfect for some people. It must be distilled from at least 51% corn. You will also notice that on some days I have included more than just distillery tours. Artsy, unique, contemporarythis is another top pick in Louisville. Specialty tours cost more. To ensure you benefit from our products Contact us for more details. Where will your trip lead you? Printable Bourbon Trail Map - We offer flattened and free TIFF file formats of our maps in CMYK color and high resolution. Nearest Green Distillery. Required fields are marked *. If you are really short on time, you can simply visit the gift shop, get your passport stamped, and do a little shopping. For lunch and/or dinner, we recommend Kitchen& Bar, the restaurant at Bardstown Bourbon. Most distilleries give you a few, tiny sips of several of their bourbons, just enough to get a good taste, and not so much that you will walk around schnockered for the rest of the day. Take the evening to explore downtown Lexington. It is not the actual log cabin of Abraham Lincolns birthplace. Renting a car gives you the most freedom to explore, but it's not necessary. 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). Morning: Evan Williams Experience. It does require more ink than printing text. NEARBY DESTINATIONS: Asheville, North Carolina makes a great weekend destination. My husband has been thinking about taking me to one for out anniversary. If you are doing this over a long weekend, plan on spending one day in each area. Evening: Michters Distillery. Bardstown Bourbon. Map of Kentucky : BourbonCountry.com Official Travel Source ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. They like to talk about their mash bill and their yeast strains that they use. Visit the distillerys website for up-to-date pricing. Each of these bourbon distilleries must be a member of the Kentucky Distillers Association, which requires paying a fee. As for tours, it looks like distilleries are still offering tours and tastings, but I would get the full details for each distillery on their website (we have a link for each distillery in this post). Morning: Stitzel-Weller Distillery. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 6 Days: Follow our itinerary for 5 days and add on day #7 (Bulleit, Buffalo Trace, and Lexington Brewing Company). You can elect to skip the tour and just do a tasting instead. 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). Take a Tour of Makers Mark. Cameron is a freelance writer and editor working in travel publishing for the past 10 years. Old Forester offers a tour with the president of the company (a few times per year). But they see map making as a necessary problem, one which requires a significant amount of time and money. In this post, we cover everything you need to know to have the best experience on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. These five rules are: Bourbon contains at least 51% corn with different proportions of wheat, malted barley, or rye. 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. You can search by name, state, spirit, amenity or simply click on the map to discover distilleries you never knew existed! 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. If you want to do some non-Bourbon activities while road tripping around Kentucky, here are some ideas for you. Save to your device to access at a later date. It's a great destination on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour, which focuses on smaller and more inventive distillers. We have not visited this distillery yet but have been drinking their bourbon for quite some time. If you want to tour all eighteen distilleries, you need a minimum of seven days. Carry it with you, and allow it to guide you to adventures unknown. Cheers, Julie, Your email address will not be published. You will drive through scenic bluegrass Kentucky, with horse farms as far as the eye can see. All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. This map was created by a user. If you have concerns then consider alternating driving/tastings with another person in your party, have a designated driver, or take a tour. Being on our own, we could choose which distilleries to tour and which ones to just do a tasting. Then make a quick stop at folk legend Daniel Boone's Gravesite for a great photo op (especially if you happen to have one of those coontail hats). At your first distillery, pick up a Kentucky Bourbon Trail Passport. Unfortunately, we do not have a PDF of this article. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour is a collection of small and/or new (er) distilleries assembled by the Kentucky Distillers' Association. 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. Similar to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the Craft Tour takes bourbon touring and tasting to the next level. MAMMOTH CAVE: Mammoth Cave is a national park in Kentucky and it makes a great day trip from Louisville and Nashville. 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! Eating is important, of course, and luckily, there are tons of local restaurants where you can get a great meal to soak up some of the liquor. 1280 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Lebanon, KY, US. All distilleries are legally limited to how much bourbon you can drink while on a tour. 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). #1 Louisville: Intro to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, #3 Green River and Stitzel-Weller Distillery, #5 Makers Mark, Jim Beam, & the Kentucky Cooperage, #6 Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey, Four Roses & Wilderness Trail, #7 Bulleit, Buffalo Trace, and Town Branch. Tours typically run every hour, and its usually best to reserve online ahead of time. Make sure you check the hours of the distilleries you want to visit before your trip. Each of these bourbon distilleries must be a member of the Kentucky Distillers Association, which requires paying a fee. Take a late afternoon or early evening tour of Michters Distillery. Again, thanks for the great article! Morning: Makers Mark. Traveling directly between Louisville and Lexington (when you arent stopping at distilleries) takes less than an hour, and both cities have convenient airports. Bourbon Trail Map - Etsy Kentucky Bourbon Trail Field Guide - Your passport to the true home of Plus, if you save your ticket from the distillery tour, you can tour their warehouse operation, located in Cox's Creek, for free! George Washington's Distillery and Gristmill. This was our all-around best tour experience. 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. There is even an art museum located inside of the hotel. They must be designed to work with a standard printing press. The rickhouse is where the barrels are stored. For more information on these tours and experience, read our article, More Information for Your Trip to Kentucky. We both acquired a taste for bourbon on our long weekend in Kentucky. LOUISVILLE: Plan your visit to Louisville with our articles about the Best Things to Do in Louisville and Best Places to Eat in Louisville. To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu button, go to Your Places, click Maps, and you will see this map on your list. If you stay until Memorial Day weekend, expect big crowds that weekend because of the holiday. We took the Shaken & Stirred class at Bardstown Bourbon and it was our favorite experience on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Green River is the outlier, located almost two hours west of Louisville, in a small town named Owensboro. 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. MIDRANGE: Staybridge Suites Lexington. Map | Kentucky Bourbon Trail As you tour more distilleries, you can pick out the differences between the bourbons. They also operate a bed and breakfast. All other times of year, making reservations is advised but might not be absolutely necessary. If you have hotel reserved, the staff might be able to make some recommendations for you. 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.
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