This was our favorite tour for several reasons. Jack Frys and the Brown Hotel Lobby Bar are also great options. Bring your military ID, if you have one. Youll need a designated driver along the trail, as youll be sipping and tasting whiskeys. This is a great resource for getting an in-depth history of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail as well as additional information to help plan your trip. All three of these cities have great hotel and restaurant options with easy access to the Bourbon Trail. Save to your device to access at a later date. If you have specific non-KBT distilleries in mind I recommend checking their websites for pricing information. For more information, visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail website. 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. If you have plans to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail during this time, make sure you make your reservations in advance. Follow day #4 and #5, sleeping in either Bardstown or Louisville. It's a National Historic Landmark, but it's also gorgeously maintained, and set in a dreamlike corner of the Bourbon Trail. Generally, the default size of the map can be 8.5 By 11 inches. 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. 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. 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. Artsy, unique, contemporarythis is another top pick in Louisville. Pdf Printable Kentucky Bourbon Trail Map - We offer flattened and free TIFF file formats of our maps in CMYK color and high resolution. Angels Envy offers several different tours. By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. It's no secret that all American states can legally produce bourbon, but Kentucky is the spirit's undisputed . KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL: Pick out which distilleries to visit in our article Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. For the most part, the distilleries are located in and around Louisville, Lexington, and Bardstown. If you want the map twice as wide you can select extra large. Next, work off that bourbon tasting with a quick visit to the Louisville Slugger Museum, to see where professional baseball bats are made. Definitely book tours at your must-see distilleries in advance, regardless of the time of year, and if you plan to do a special tour, such as a cocktail class or behind the scenes tour. For more information on these tours and experience, read our article, More Information for Your Trip to Kentucky. Louisville and the rest of the bourbon trail are located in the Eastern Time Zone. The Old Talbott Tavern, located in Bardstown, is also a great pick. Touring the Bourbon Trail gives visitors an up-close look at how bourbon is distilled, the history behind the crafting of bourbon, and the art behind the perfect bourbon tasting. Also, remember that the quality of maps is unbeatable! Lunch: Doc Crows Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar or Troll Pub under the Bridge. If you plan to take distillery tours, you will need to visit the website anyway, in order to make your reservations. They give a really thorough background on the drink and Louisville's history with it . 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. A memorial now stands at his birthplace. 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). 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. Just look for the giant, golden David statue out front and you know that you are in the right place. Optional Detour: Abraham Lincoln Birthplace. A Few Facts about the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Your email address will not be published. Sleep in Louisville. Choose the size you would like to print and click OK. After that, select your print quality. Monday through Friday, tours are offered at the Kentucky Cooperage (1 pm is the latest tour time). For more information on these tours and experience, read our article about the distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. On this immersive tour, travel back in time to 1783, when bourbon distilling got its start. In 2008, it was Historic Hotels of Americas top pick. How can I safe it to find once again? If you want to tour the distilleries without the crowds, visit Kentucky from the end of November through March. Confirm that youre over 21 years of age. The historic grounds are beautiful to visit, the history behind Makers Mark is intriguing, and at the end of the tour you get to hand dip a bottle in red wax. After that, check out the Maker's Mark Distillery. It is a National Historic Landmark property and they offer several different tours depending on your level of interest. 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). Cheers, Julie. 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. Evening: Michters Distillery. When the printout is completed then you can save it as PDF. On this tour, you visit micro-distilleries and this takes an additional week to visit all of these distilleries. Below is a map of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Bourbon is an American whiskey distilled mostly from corn. For more distillery rules and Kentucky Liquor laws, check out Kentucky Liquor Laws and The Bourbon Trail. However, the spirits are further refined with their patented TerrePURE process. It gets to be repetitive. This grain mixture is referred to as the mash bill. In 1999, the Kentucky Distillers' Association formed the Kentucky Bourbon Trail tour to give visitors a firsthand look at the art and science of crafting Bourbon, and to educate them about the rich history and proud tradition of Kentucky's signature spirit. Over in Bardstown, there's Willett Distillery. A beautiful time of year, however, is mid-September to late-October. Use it to customize your trail experience. 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. On Google Chrome, go to Bookmarks -> Bookmark This Tab and then this post will be saved in your bookmarks. 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. These newer operations often restore the beautiful, historical properties of Kentuckys original stillscenturies-old distilleries that either never reopened after prohibition or closed for other reasons. Visit Your Favorite Distillery. The memorial is free to visit. It is a very fun thing to do and it was one of our highlights on our first trip to Kentucky. Buffalo Trace. Sleep in Louisville. At your first distillery, pick up a Kentucky Bourbon Trail Passport. Are children allowed on the tours? It is open daily except for major holidays. However, there are few places to visit out this way, if you are interested. Where will your trip lead you? Thanks! Founding Fathers Distillery. They offer a comprehensive tour of their facility, including a look into how their bourbon is bottled. Many of these distilleries are historic and their story is fascinating. 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! Kentucky Cooperage. Take a specialized tour of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. After touring Old Forester, its a short walk to Angels Envy. 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. For more suggestions on how to plan your time, dont miss our Kentucky Bourbon Trail. We offer a real-time comprehensive list of all the distilleries from start up farm distillery to craft distillery to large pre-Prohibition distillery. 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. 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. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour is organized into four regionsplease toggle through the drop down menu for official groupings. Your email address will not be published. Cameron is a freelance writer and editor working in travel publishing for the past 10 years. All standard one-hour tours are roughly the samea tour of the facility ending with a tasting. Each of these bourbon distilleries must be a member of the Kentucky Distillers Association, which requires paying a fee. All of the distilleries are listed inside, with space for your own notes and a stamp from each distillery. 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. Both times we visited the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, it was the weekend before Thanksgiving. The red markers are the seventeen distilleries on the trail. They have a few iconic bourbon brands that are produced here: Buffalo Trace, Blanton's (with the little horse on top of the round bottle), and Eagle Rare. After a hearty breakfast of biscuits, its time to hit the trail! From Lexington head over to Danville, Kentucky and visit Wilderness Trace Distillery. Map of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Below is a map of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The Field Guide is your passport to exploring the people and the places behind the Bourbon. 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. George Washington's Distillery and Gristmill. For pricing for each distillery, take a look at our best distilleries post. It smells like you are at a bakery, only they are baking slightly sour bread. For most people, a mix of tours and tastings is the best way to experience the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. There are eighteen distilleries on the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail. There is even an art museum located inside of the hotel. Starting off in Louisville, visit the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. Here, you'll enjoy rolling hills as far as the eye can see. Nearest Green Distillery. Fantastic article! Required fields are marked *. Lunch: Walk, drive or Uber to the Mussel & Burger Bar, another one of our favorite restaurants in Louisville. PRO TRAVEL TIP: When planning your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary, check the distilleries websites for updated hours and tour availability. Lexington or Louisville arent the only places to eat well in bourbon country. 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. Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Partners & Sponsors Bulleit Distilling Company. 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. 526 Happy Hollow Road, Shepherdsville, KY, US. By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. 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. Tours typically run every hour, and its usually best to reserve online ahead of time. Bourbon can be brewed anywhere in the United States, although 95% of bourbon is currently distilled in Kentucky. For more ideas of what to do in Louisville, read our article about the best things to do in Louisville. UPSCALE: 21c Museum Hotel. On the tours, learn how bourbon is produced, hear about the history of the distillery, and end with a bourbon tasting. Coalition Whiskey. You can elect to skip the tour and just do a tasting instead. For lunch and/or dinner, we recommend Kitchen& Bar, the restaurant at Bardstown Bourbon. Abraham Lincoln was born in a one room log cabin in Hodgenville, Kentucky in 1809. Uber and Lyft are also all good choices, and if you've managed to stay sober, biking can also be a fun option. Cheers, Julie. HISTORIC: Talbott Tavern and Inn. To tour the Kentucky Bourbon Trail you have two options: self-drive the bourbon trail or join a tour group. I recommend visiting the official website of the distilleries for hours and tour information. And dont miss our post about all eighteen distilleries, the Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. LUXURY:The Brown Hotel. Best Distilleries to Visit on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Kentucky Bourbon Trail Itinerary Suggestions for 1 Day to 1 Week, 12 Best Things to do in Louisville, Kentucky, Louisville Restaurants: Best Eats in Town. Being on our own, we could choose which distilleries to tour and which ones to just do a tasting. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a collection of eighteen whiskey distilleries. A 24" x 18" layout will fold more efficiently than the 22" x 20" layout for example. This itinerary is organized into seven different daily itineraries. Many people state that the Buffalo Trace tour is their favorite in Kentucky. Local Chef Ouita Michel is at the forefront of Bourbon Trail gourmet dining, with top-notch restaurants in Midway, Versailles, and Lexington. Today, bourbons popularity is at an all-time high, and in the past 20 years or so, many new distilleries have popped up among old favorites. In order to save paper, set all the borders to 0.3. Prior guests rave about cleanliness, comfort, and location. LUXURY: The Brown Hotel. It is possible to print maps by choosing the print option in your printer menu. From beautiful fall foliage, to pumpkin patches and farm cider, this is the best time to experience the Bourbon Trail. The typical size is Letter to North America and DIN A4 for the rest of the world. Check out this map of the KY Bourbon Trail. If you stay until Memorial Day weekend, expect big crowds that weekend because of the holiday. Your email address will not be published. All other times of year, making reservations is advised but might not be absolutely necessary. Each of these bourbon distilleries must be a member of the Kentucky Distillers Association, which requires paying a fee. But many distilleries offer special tours. The Angels Envy tour features a tasting of their Rye whiskey straight from the barrel. 528 W Main St Louisville, Kentucky (502) 272-2623. Next, hit up Wild Turkey Distillery, which has been crafting Kentucky bourbon since 1869. Any advice you have on this front would be greatly appreciated, since Ive heard mixed answers. Also, take some time to enjoy the bucolic setting of this distillery. Check the Churchill Downs website for the race schedule before you go. There are 37 distilleries total, but whether you tackle them all is entirely up to you! We both acquired a taste for bourbon on our long weekend in Kentucky. The tour gives a fabulous insight to the making of bourbon, the property is gorgeous, the history behind Makers Mark is intriguing, and the bourbon is delicious. Make sure to stop for a drink at the Bluegrass Tavern, a Lexington classic that boasts the largest bourbon collection in the state. LOUISVILLE: Plan your visit to Louisville with our articles about the Best Things to Do in Louisville and Best Places to Eat in Louisville. You do not have to take a tour at each distillery. Woodford Reserve has a historic, upscale feel to it. 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. Take a Tour of Makers Mark. We were thinking of going the week before Memorial Day weekend and staying through the weekend. KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL: Pick out which distilleries to visit in our article Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Sleep in Louisville. The busiest time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is from August through mid-November. Roadtrippers helps you find the most epic destinations and detoursfrom roadside attractions to natural wonders and beyond. You can take a tour and get a stamp in your passport at either location. Also, consider how the map will be folded. NASHVILLE: For recommendations on what to do in Nashville, check out our articles Best Things to Do in Nashville and Best Eats in Nashville. Note: This post contains affiliate links. And we highly recommend lunch at the Old Talbott Tavern in Bardstown. In addition, for a fee we can also make the maps in specialized file formats. You can also spend a few days in Nashville or visit nearby New River Gorge National Park. This is a beautiful property with a lot of tour and tasting options. On this tour you visit micro-distilleries, tour historic sights andtowns in Kentucky, and stay in historic bed and breakfast accommodations. For dinner, opt for classic and refined, or hip and casual. 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. They also operate a bed and breakfast. During these tastings, you still get to learn about the history of the distillery and what sets it apart from the others. It has received accolades from Conde Nast Traveler, Southern Living, and Travel & Leisure. It's a great destination on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour, which focuses on smaller and more inventive distillers. 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). Distillery Trail is the place to start your distillery tour experience. Note: Due to COVID-19, distillery tours may be cancelled or offered on a reduced schedule. Here's a sample itinerary to follow for your visit. Get suggestions on how to plan your trip, whether you just have a few days, a long weekend, or an entire week. PRO TRAVEL TIP: Most distilleries do not offer tours seven days a week. The samples were pretty small, but it's straight bourbon, so you're probably gonna feel pretty good afterward. Take your pick from day #4 (the Best of Bardstown), day #5 (Makers Mark and the Kentucky Cooperage), or day #6 (Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey, Four Roses, and maybe Wilderness Trail). It depends on the time of year that you are visiting, and whether or not you been touring over the weekend. Most tours cost $10 to $15 (including tastings), and are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Download the TN Whiskey Trail brochure in PDF format. 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 bourbon and whiskey at Green River spend less time in the barrel than at most distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Wild Turkey produces one of the most popular bourbons in the US and one of the best-selling bourbons in the world. The distilleries are grouped together in four general areas. It was educational, lots of fun, and a great way to tour another distillery without taking a tour. This is a beautiful distillery. Tour the distillery, see the hundreds of barrels inside of the rickhouses, and maybe meet legendary Jimmy Russell while you are here. The food is delicious!! These distilleries are located within 110 miles of Louisville, mostly clustered between Louisville and Lexington. In this guide, learn how to plan a trip around the world. The rickhouse is where the barrels are stored. Luckily, there's lots to do (and eat) in Kentucky while traveling from distillery to distillery (or rather, from sample of bourbon to sample of bourbon). This inn has been welcoming guests since 1779. 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. To get here, drive or use Uber. Is May a good month to do the Bourbon Trail? They have a good beer selection, excellent pulled pork, tasty baked beans and a variety of BBQ sauces. Artsy, unique, contemporarythis is another top pick in Louisville. Most tours teach you the same process about bourbon distilling, with a few differences at each distillery. Holiday Inn Express and Suites Downtown Louisville. 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. Old Forester Discovery Tour. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 1 Day: Follow day #1, where you get a great overview of the distilling process and get to visit three distilleries in Louisville. Thank you for explaining that a bourbon trail tour will encompass a history of how the liquor was made. This day includes three must-visit distilleries on Whiskey Row with suggestions for Louisvilles best eats. Near the end of this article, I will give you suggestions on how to group these days together in order to have the best experience. 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. The tour guides are very knowledgable and encourage questions. We chose the self-driving option. In Louisville, stay downtown at the Brown Hotel, a city landmark full of history and romance. The tour includes a walk through their cooperage, where you get to see how the barrels are made. Our favorite experience on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail was the cocktail class at Bardstown Bourbon. Distilleries to visit along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. One of these is the very famous Buffalo Trace Distillery (which we include on this itinerary). Inside of the memorial is a symbolic log cabin, a historic replica of the one that Abraham Lincoln first lived in. Some have limited to no hours on certain days and hours can change based on the season. 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. How far in advance would you recommend booking tours, or are walk-ins generally accepted at most of the distilleries? Getting to know more about liquor will probably help us know the right pairings to get when we eat at restaurants. Lux Row. 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 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. This hotel also gets great reviews and has an excellent location. 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. When you make a purchase using one of these affiliate links, we get paid a small commission at no extra cost to you. This is one of our favorite restaurants in Louisville. Plus, its easy to find. Partners & Sponsors 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. Its a short walk to the Mayan Caf. Makers Mark is a must-visit on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. 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. Green River is the outlier, located almost two hours west of Louisville, in a small town named Owensboro. 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. Then visit the Town Branch Distillery from Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company, and maybe cut all that booze with a beer or two as well! Most people stay in Louisville, Lexington, or Bardstown. Tim and I stayed here on our most recent visit to Louisville and we had a very nice experience here. There are six distilleries in Louisville (seven if you count the Jim Beam Urban Stillhouse), five located in and around Lexington, one in Danville, five in and around Bardstown, and one in Owensboro. It was delightfully quiet, with small tour groups. This distillery is so new that their bourbon is still aging, although they do have other liquor you can sample when you visit, like rum aged in old bourbon bottles and unfiltered vodka. And you definitely should try the Bourbon Cream. However, with various sizes for printing come a variety of new variables. Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. Bourbon is booming right now and so is tourism in Kentucky. This Bulleit facility offers a handful of different tours, tastings and cocktail classes. Whether you just have a few days or an entire week, we have some great ideas for how you can plan your time. At the end of this article, we list specific hotel and B&B recommendations for Louisville, Bardstown, and Lexington. 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 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. Spend one day visiting the four distilleries near Lexington: Four Roses, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve, and Town Branch. You won't be able to fully appreciate every sip if you don't take a break to clear your mind and your palate! Do you need a reservation? 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. By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Trail builders, on the other hand prefer to be in the woods in order to use chainsaws to make their trails. Her work has been featured in Washington Post Travel and Publisher's Weekly. Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Bourbon Trail and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour are trademarks of the Kentucky Distillers Association. 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. Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey and Four Roses are clustered together near Lexington. But they see map making as a necessary problem, one which requires a significant amount of time and money. Also in the area is the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 4 Days: Follow days #1 and #2. Everything from five-star restaurants to delicious sandwich stands can be found in the small towns along the way between distilleries. Many offer tours and a few are very near to the popular distilleries! 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. Spend the day visiting two big names in bourbon and a tour of a cooperage. Also, they have a cafe if you're looking for a place to grab food while on the trail. Louisville is the most logical choice, with its relatively central location, abundance of hotels and restaurants, and easy access to the airport. For most people, a combination of tours and tastings is the perfect way to sample the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
Susan Johnson Obituary,
Cms Quality Measures 2022,
Nordic Throw Knitting Pattern,
How Do I Get Emergency Housing Assistance In Iowa?,
Micro Wedding Columbus Ohio,
Articles P