They were one of only three bourbon distilleries that were allowed to operate during Prohibition, producing medicinal bourbon. Prior guests rave about cleanliness, comfort, and location. Custom-printed maps are perfect for parks departments, companies, and recreational complexes. Partners & Sponsors 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. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 3 Days: Follow days #1 and #2. It is a National Historic Landmark property and they offer several different tours depending on your level of interest. However, with various sizes for printing come a variety of new variables. But inside are stacks and stacks of bourbon filled barrels, slowly maturing and filling the air with a wonderful aroma. Its good to know that classes about cocktails can be taken during a bourbon tour. It is not the actual log cabin of Abraham Lincolns birthplace. Take a specialized tour of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. You will also notice that on some days I have included more than just distillery tours. For more suggestions on how to plan your time, dont miss our Kentucky Bourbon Trail. It smells wonderful and it kind of made me hungry! Download the TN Whiskey Trail brochure in PDF format. Angels Envy puts a twist on whiskey distilling. Thank you for explaining that a bourbon trail tour will encompass a history of how the liquor was made. Four Roses. During this time, most tours will be full and many will sell out in advance. It must be distilled from at least 51% corn. 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. 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. 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. Most tours teach you the same process about bourbon distilling, with a few differences at each distillery. Louisville, Bardstown, and Lexington make a great home base for this day (and day number 7 below). Get our travel tips Delivered to your inbox. This is a great place to start your visit to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Now, you can stay in a colonial style room in this very same building. And many distilleries offer longer, behind the scenes tours for a more detailed look at the distilling process. If you move fast, you have enough time to visit both in the afternoon. They have 10 different varieties of bourbon, and a really unusual, Spanish-style building that houses the distillery. Get suggestions on how to plan your trip, whether you just have a few days, a long weekend, or an entire week. Created by Roadtrippers - March 22nd 2016. Republishing this articleand/orany of its contents (text, photography, etc. 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). They offer a comprehensive tour of their facility, including a look into how their bourbon is bottled. A beautiful time of year, however, is mid-September to late-October. Explore the Kentucky Bourbon Trail experiences and find what youre looking for in our map below. Hotel Tango Distillery. Visit the distillerys website for up-to-date pricing. The Field Guide is your passport to exploring the people and the places behind the Bourbon. In this guide, learn how to plan a trip around the world. Its hot, its crowded, and during the summer months, most distilleries take a break from distilling, anywhere from a week or two or longer. Mint Julep is the most popular tour company in Kentucky that offers tours to the distilleries. 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. Below is a map of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. 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. On the tours, learn how bourbon is produced, hear about the history of the distillery, and end with a bourbon tasting. Yes, you can push CTRL+P and that will bring up the printer dialog box. Abraham Lincoln was born in a one room log cabin in Hodgenville, Kentucky in 1809. Many people state that the Buffalo Trace tour is their favorite in Kentucky. Yes, May should be a very nice month for the Bourbon Trail. It was delightfully quiet, with small tour groups. This is a beautiful property with a lot of tour and tasting options. Its a step back in time where you learn about the history of Kentucky. After touring the three distilleries, you can either return to Louisville or spend the night in Bardstown. Spring is a nice time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL: Pick out which distilleries to visit in our article Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The blue markers are restaurant recommendations, Buffalo Trace Distillery, and other notable experiences to add into your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary. Buffalo Trace, located in Frankfort, is one of the most famous bourbon distilleries in Kentucky. Rather than paying the fee to join the Kentucky Distillers Association, they prefer to offer free tours and tastings to their visitors. Old Forester is the only bourbon to be continually sold by the same company before, during, and after prohibition. Alternatively, and on a more direct route into Lexington, you can head to Bulleit Distilling Co.'s new state-of-the-art facility in Shelbyville. 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. It was educational, lots of fun, and a great way to tour another distillery without taking a tour. Plus, there is more to see and do in this part of Kentucky, with scenic drives, great towns to visit, and restaurants to try. If you are doing this over a long weekend, plan on spending one day in each area. MIDRANGE: Staybridge Suites Lexington. Each distillery has a gift shop selling bourbon and related souvenirs. Partners & Sponsors On day two, visit the distilleries located south of Louisville: Makers Mark, Jim Beam, Heaven Hill, Bardstown Bourbon, and Lux Row. Visiting these distilleries is similar to visiting a winery. If you plan to take distillery tours, you will need to visit the website anyway, in order to make your reservations. 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. On this tour, you visit micro-distilleries and this takes an additional week to visit all of these distilleries. Take the first tour of the day to give yourself enough time to get to Green River. The final distillery is back up near Louisville: The Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience. As soon as you step out of your car, you can smell the grains cooking, the first part of the distillation process. Cheers, Julie, We are thinking about making this trip in an RV in early November.. are there nice places to stay and how does the pandemic affect things, Hello Jan. As far as to where to stay with your RV, I am not sure, since we had a car and stayed in hotels. 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). You do not have to take a tour at each distillery. LOUISVILLE: Plan your visit to Louisville with our articles about the Best Things to Do in Louisville and Best Places to Eat in Louisville. This distillery features bourbon finished in port wine barrels and rye whiskey finished in rum barrels. All other times of year, making reservations is advised but might not be absolutely necessary. In 2016, we were able to show up and do a lot of tastings. At your first distillery, pick up a Kentucky Bourbon Trail Passport. One of our favorite parts of the tour was a visit to the rickhouse. Morning: Evan Williams Experience. 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. Our website uses cookies. Its a short walk to the Mayan Caf. 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. I recommend visiting the official website of the distilleries for hours and tour information. Are children allowed on the tours? This is a great place to visit to counterbalance the bigger distilleries along the Bourbon Trail. Do you need a reservation? In Louisville, stay downtown at the Brown Hotel, a city landmark full of history and romance. This takes the headache out of planning a day of distillery tours, perfect for some people. Most of this day is walkable. 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 visited both but prefer the American Stillhouse. If you are looking for a highly rated hotel and dont want to spend a lot of money, this is a great option. The KY Bourbon Trail Here are some more resources to aide you in making your way to the places that make Kentucky's world-renowned bourbon. They also offer seasonal classes and tours, so make sure you check their website to see what they are offering during your visit. Dont miss out on the beautiful horse farms in the Lexington area! In 2008, it was Historic Hotels of Americas top pick. Surprisingly, it is not part of the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The memorial is free to visit. Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Bourbon Trail and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour are trademarks of the Kentucky Distillers Association. Our website uses cookies. The distilling of bourbon began in Kentucky in the 1700s in Bourbon County. There are eighteen distilleries on the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Our favorite experience on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail was the cocktail class at Bardstown Bourbon. Take a quick break from bourbon tasting and take your pick from these two amazing museums. Visiting the winding trail of bourbon distilleries here (now officially called the Kentucky Bourbon Trail) has become a main draw to the area, and a whole tourism industry itself. 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. The red markers are the seventeen distilleries on the trail. 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. There are eighteen distilleries on the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Some distilleries are closed on Mondays. It is open daily except for major holidays. Free Printable US Map With States Labeled, Washington State Map With Cities and Counties. ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. Get suggestions on how to plan your trip, whether you just have a few days, a long weekend, or an entire week. 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. 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. These distilleries are located within 110 miles of Louisville, mostly clustered between Louisville and Lexington. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you. Kentucky Bourbon Trail Map Rocks Glass WellTold (22,289) $19.95 Bestseller Kentucky Bourbon Distillers Art Print - 11" x 15" +, Kentucky Bourbon Trail Map - Kentucky - Bourbon - Louisville - Bardstown - KY GeographicsArt (739) $69.00 FREE shipping Kentucky Distilleries map MediaevalMapmaker (2,260) $23.95 More colors One of these is the very famous Buffalo Trace Distillery (which we include on this itinerary). See our privacy policy here. Id rather not print the article because of all of the adds. The process of creating a map to print is slightly more complicated than creating an image that is static. You will drive through scenic bluegrass Kentucky, with horse farms as far as the eye can see. Children under 21 are welcome on tours, for free or at a discounted cost (and no sampling whiskey for them, of course). It's not a part of the Kentucky Distillers Association's official Bourbon Trail, but they are, however, open for tours and tastings. You won't be able to fully appreciate every sip if you don't take a break to clear your mind and your palate! Andrew Jackson and King Louis Phillippe both stayed here. NEARBY DESTINATIONS: Asheville, North Carolina makes a great weekend destination. If you have plans to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail during this time, make sure you make your reservations in advance. It is a very fun thing to do and it was one of our highlights on our first trip to Kentucky. UPSCALE: 21c Museum Hotel Lexington. 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. Lunch: Walk, drive or Uber to the Mussel & Burger Bar, another one of our favorite restaurants in Louisville. Heaven Hill. After reading your article, I am sold and will make the arrangements soon. Trail builders, on the other hand prefer to be in the woods in order to use chainsaws to make their trails. By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. While in Bardstown, head to the Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskeyso you can learn all about the liquid gold you've been knocking back! Unfortunately, I do not have any private drivers to recommend. Located in Lexington, this bourbon distillery also produces beer. 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. 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. Both times we visited the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, it was the weekend before Thanksgiving. Some have limited to no hours on certain days and hours can change based on the season. Foaling begins in late January and will continue through May, so visit in the spring if you want to meet the youngest future racehorses! Cheers, Julie. A long weekend is a good amount of time to spend on the Bourbon Trail, but if you plan to combine your trip with other area activities, a week is definitely doable. We started at Wild Turkey and were the only ones on their 9 am tour. 526 Happy Hollow Road, Shepherdsville, KY, US. This grain mixture is referred to as the mash bill. For more great things to do in Louisville, read our post 12 Best Things to do in Louisville. If you want to print a different dimension, choose an alternative size from the drop-down list , then alter the size of the page. 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). If you want to tour all eighteen distilleries, you need a minimum of seven days. Just spent two nights in Bardstown and took the cocktail class which was awesome. Aging must take place in a new, charred oak barrel. They also operate a bed and breakfast. All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. Specialty tours cost more. Take a late afternoon or early evening tour of Michters Distillery. Renting a car was cheap, driving between the distilleries was easy (and gorgeous), and we could make our own schedule. The grand finale of the tour isthe bourbon tasting. MAMMOTH CAVE: Mammoth Cave is a national park in Kentucky and it makes a great day trip from Louisville and Nashville. This inn has been welcoming guests since 1779. Also known as the Independent Stave Company, this is where the barrels are constructed for many of the bourbon distilleries in Kentucky. Many places offer tastings without a tour. On the other hand, you may want to sit back, enjoy the ride, and join a tour. 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). Some of them include the distance to view and the subject. A memorial now stands at his birthplace. Nothing can be added to the whiskey other than water. Learn more about the benefits of printing maps. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Jack Frys and the Brown Hotel Lobby Bar are also great options. Tim and I stayed here on our first visit to Louisville in 2016. The original distillery opened on Derby Day in the 1930s, and it recently reopened for tours. The repurposed stone castle and the rest of the historical property are breathtaking, and the distillerys chic branding (with plenty of merchandise to take home from the gift shop) adds to the overall charm of the location. All rights reserved. Is May a good month to do the Bourbon Trail? Some of these yeast strains have been used for decades at each distillery. Bourbon has a wonderful aroma and the rickhouse is the best place tosmell it. Green River sits out in Owensboro, almost a two-hour drive from Louisville. 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. The brisket is renowned, especially with their Texas hot sauce. Its centrally located, so you can walk to many of the sights and distilleries on Whiskey Row. Whether you just have a few days or an entire week, we have some great ideas for how you can plan your time. Copyright 2023 Kentucky Distillers Association. Kentucky Bourbon is perfectly aged. Rooms are modern and trendy and there is an onsite restaurant. Plus, everyone who visits gets a mini souvenir Louisville Slugger for themselves! It has received accolades from Conde Nast Traveler, Southern Living, and Travel & Leisure. Next, hit up Wild Turkey Distillery, which has been crafting Kentucky bourbon since 1869. There are four major regions of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Take a Tour of Makers Mark. Very interested in a 3 day trip. Due to vivid -19? Spend one day visiting the four distilleries near Lexington: Four Roses, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve, and Town Branch. There are many distilleries you can visit in Kentucky that are not part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. In this article, learn how to plan your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary, with suggestions on where to stay and what else to add in as you tour the trail. Here's a sample itinerary to follow for your visit. We felt thatit was just enough to give us a taste but not so much that it impaired Tims driving. 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. Her work has been featured in Washington Post Travel and Publisher's Weekly. Inside of the memorial is a symbolic log cabin, a historic replica of the one that Abraham Lincoln first lived in. We opted to take the 30 minute Unlocking the Senses tasting, where we sampled four Bulleit whiskeys. 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. Santa Claus is a small town filled with Christmas-themed hotels, shops, restaurants, and even an amusement park. If you want a hotel with an awesome location and one that gets great reviews, the Homewood Suites is one to consider. Again, thanks for the great article! If time allows, consider the areas other great export: thoroughbred horses. Bourbon Capital BBQ Challenge. 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. Note: This post contains affiliate links. To maximize value, do not get too big or small. It's located next to a field full of giant rickhouses, which is what the building where barrels of bourbon age are called. The distilleries are grouped together in four general areas. Whether you're a bourbon snob, or you just like drinking, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a must-visit. Here's how. Coalition Whiskey. Ride sharing services are abundant in the area, and there are many guided tour options as well. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. It's a great destination on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour, which focuses on smaller and more inventive distillers. 1280 Veterans Memorial Hwy, Lebanon, KY, US. Races at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington take place in October and April, and at Churchill Downs in Louisville in November, May, and June . If you have specific non-KBT distilleries in mind I recommend checking their websites for pricing information.
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