This distillery features bourbon finished in port wine barrels and rye whiskey finished in rum barrels. If you are still craving more bourbon, this restaurant is famous for their cocktails and bourbon and whiskey flights. 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. Wilderness Trail sits a bit farther away, in Danville. Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. HISTORIC: Talbott Tavern and Inn. We have not visited this distillery yet but have been drinking their bourbon for quite some time. 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. From Bardstown it is a 45 minute drive. This is a beautiful property with a lot of tour and tasting options. And you definitely should try the Bourbon Cream. UPSCALE: 21c Museum Hotel. Jack Frys and the Brown Hotel Lobby Bar are also great options. 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. 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. It's a great destination on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour, which focuses on smaller and more inventive distillers. The weather is pleasant and bourbon is in full production. 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. Bourbon is an American whiskey distilled mostly from corn. It's located next to a field full of giant rickhouses, which is what the building where barrels of bourbon age are called. For more restaurant recommendations, check out our article Best Eats in Louisville. Also, consider how the map will be folded. On the third day, watch the horse races at Churchill Downs. For information on how to plan your visit, dont miss ourKentucky Bourbon Trail Itinerary. Plus, there is more to see and do in this part of Kentucky, with scenic drives, great towns to visit, and restaurants to try. Next up is the Buffalo Trace 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. Printing a map gives you an image that can be used to guide your instructions. Dine on Central American food prepared by the chef who grew up on the Yucatan Peninsula. Cheers, Julie, Your email address will not be published. But how big should the maps be? Sleep in Louisville. Thanks! 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. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 7 Days: This is our day by day itinerary listed above, in the same order, with suggestions on where to stay. Tonight, sleep in Louisville, Bardstown, or Lexington. 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. 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. If you plan to take distillery tours, you will need to visit the website anyway, in order to make your reservations. On this tour, you visit micro-distilleries and this takes an additional week to visit all of these distilleries. One of these is the very famous Buffalo Trace Distillery (which we include on this itinerary). 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). This is a great spot for lunch or dinner while touring the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. It's the same for maps that are large: they can take up nearly 50% of the screen. The distilleries are grouped together in four general areas. To ensure you benefit from our products Contact us for more details. To tour the Kentucky Bourbon Trail you have two options: self-drive the bourbon trail or join a tour group. Are you? Theres something here for everyone. Bourbon has a wonderful aroma and the rickhouse is the best place tosmell it. This map was created by a user. It smells like you are at a bakery, only they are baking slightly sour bread. How you do it is completely up to you. And , even then, their maps are already obsolete before they even hit the plotter. 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. 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. You could easily spend an hour or two here, sampling their beers and boozes and chatting with the owners. However, with various sizes for printing come a variety of new variables. Due to vivid -19? The food is delicious!! 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). MIDRANGE: Homewood Suites. While you are in the area, consider a tour at Buffalo Trace, adding on a visit to Bulleit in Shelbyville, or lunch or dinner in Lexington. All rights reserved. Tour the distillery, see the hundreds of barrels inside of the rickhouses, and maybe meet legendary Jimmy Russell while you are here. 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 tour guides are very knowledgable and encourage questions. Next, work off that bourbon tasting with a quick visit to the Louisville Slugger Museum, to see where professional baseball bats are made. 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. Many places offer tastings without a tour. This Bulleit facility offers a handful of different tours, tastings and cocktail classes. Once you get to Shepherdsville, visit the Jim Beam Distillery. It is not the actual log cabin of Abraham Lincolns birthplace. Santa Claus is a small town filled with Christmas-themed hotels, shops, restaurants, and even an amusement park. We felt thatit was just enough to give us a taste but not so much that it impaired Tims driving. It has received accolades from Conde Nast Traveler, Southern Living, and Travel & Leisure. The mash always looks the same but the horse farms have different aspects to showcase at different times of the year. Just spent two nights in Bardstown and took the cocktail class which was awesome. It must be distilled from at least 51% corn. Even if there is a sober one among the group, it can be a good idea to arrange a local driver for navigating the winding country roads. ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. For a lesson on the wild and crazy tales of the Prohibition Era, book a tour at Prohibition Craft Spirits. For lunch and/or dinner, we recommend Kitchen& Bar, the restaurant at Bardstown Bourbon. They also offer seasonal classes and tours, so make sure you check their website to see what they are offering during your visit. If you want to tour the distilleries without the crowds, visit Kentucky from the end of November through March. On Google Chrome, go to Bookmarks -> Bookmark This Tab and then this post will be saved in your bookmarks. You know you are at a distillery when you see these prison-style buildings. Built in 2017 and open to visitors in 2019, this brand-new distillery features modern, state-of-the-art technology. We offer a real-time comprehensive list of all the distilleries from start up farm distillery to craft distillery to large pre-Prohibition distillery. Cheers, Julie. It is not the actual log cabin of Abraham Lincolns birthplace. Its located right around the corner from 21c Museum Hotel, so you can walk to many sights in downtown Louisville. 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. Lexington Brewing Company offers a wide variety of tours as well as a mixology class. The red markers are the seventeen distilleries on the trail. Yes! This is the biggest driving day on this Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary. Its good to know that classes about cocktails can be taken during a bourbon tour. Free Printable US Map With States Labeled, Washington State Map With Cities and Counties. Dinner: Mayan Caf. After that, check out the Maker's Mark Distillery. This is a great place to start your visit to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Why not? How far in advance would you recommend booking tours, or are walk-ins generally accepted at most of the distilleries? Renting a car gives you the most freedom to explore, but it's not necessary. Green River sits out in Owensboro, almost a two-hour drive from Louisville. Cameron is a freelance writer and editor working in travel publishing for the past 10 years. A memorial now stands at his birthplace. Morning: Rabbit Hole. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The bourbon and whiskey at Green River spend less time in the barrel than at most distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. 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 can also inquire for a quote with our team of cartographers. Whether you're a bourbon snob, or you just like drinking, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a must-visit. 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). KENTUCKY BOURBON TRAIL: Pick out which distilleries to visit in our article Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Enjoy like a true Kentuckian: Responsibly. We chose the self-driving option. There are tours and special events at both facilities year round. If you are planning a week-long trip, then I recommend in staying in two to three places. Hours vary by day of the week, with more tour times on Fridays and Saturdays. On this tour you visit micro-distilleries, tour historic sights andtowns in Kentucky, and stay in historic bed and breakfast accommodations. You also get to see the bottling line in action. 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. It is a very fun thing to do and it was one of our highlights on our first trip to Kentucky. We have visited the Kentucky Bourbon Trail twice. 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. We were thinking of going the week before Memorial Day weekend and staying through the weekend. Hotel Tango Distillery. Pdf Printable Kentucky Bourbon Trail Map - We offer flattened and free TIFF file formats of our maps in CMYK color and high resolution. We are wine drinkers. Grab a bottle or some bourbon balls in the gift shop afterwards! Wild Turkey. Heaven Hill is one of the biggest bourbon distilleries, producing Evan Williams and Elijah Craig. Most tours cost $10 to $15 (including tastings), and are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bourbon tourism is skyrocketing, with nearly 2 million visitors from all 50 states and . Also, remember that the quality of maps is unbeatable! Take a specialized tour of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. In addition, for a fee we can also make the maps in specialized file formats. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 3 Days: Follow days #1 and #2. You take a tour, learn about the art and science behind the distilling of bourbon, and end with a tasting. Bardstown Bourbon. In no particular order, the three distilleries to visit in Bardstown are Lux Row, Bardstown Bourbon, and Heaven Hill. Angels Envy puts a twist on whiskey distilling. Monday through Friday, tours are offered at the Kentucky Cooperage (1 pm is the latest tour time). The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a collection of eighteen bourbon distilleries located in and around Louisville. Spring is a nice time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Unfortunately, I do not have any private drivers to recommend. Morning: Evan Williams Experience. Their signature tour is a one-hour tour of the distillery. 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. During this one-hour class, we mixed two cocktails: the Kentucky Mule and the Sazerac. Creating a snapshot image is easy since all dimensions are measured in pixels. We saw their vans everywhere! This is Louisvilles landmark hotel. Inside of the memorial is a symbolic log cabin, a historic replica of the one that Abraham Lincoln first lived in. Fantastic article! By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Races at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington take place in October and April, and at Churchill Downs in Louisville in November, May, and June . Many people state that the Buffalo Trace tour is their favorite in Kentucky. Morning: Makers Mark. One of our favorite parts of the tour was a visit to the rickhouse. This is a great place to visit to counterbalance the bigger distilleries along the Bourbon Trail. If you pay extra, we can also produce these maps in specialist file formats. If you move fast, you have enough time to visit both in the afternoon. If you stay until Memorial Day weekend, expect big crowds that weekend because of the holiday. 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. Your email address will not be published. Is there a fee to visit the distilleries? Some distilleries are closed on Mondays. 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. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations? Also in the area is the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln. Angels Envy. 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. This will minimize your driving and let you stay in the small towns in Kentucky. It is open daily except for major holidays. Looking to plan trip in mid June 2020, I recommend checking the official websites of the distilleries to see if they are open. Cheers, Julie. The weather is nice and all of the distilleries should be in operation. Be sure to click the map to visit www.kybourbontrail.com to plan your trips and get detailed directions to all of the distilleries along the Bourbon Trail! Dinner: Proof on Main. Rooms are modern and trendy and there is an onsite restaurant. 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. Seeing as this is the only "bourbon tour" in Louisville proper, it's worth the stop. 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). Your timing depends on which experiences you choose to have at each distillery. 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. 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. Many offer tours and a few are very near to the popular distilleries! The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a collection of bourbon whiskey distilleries located in Kentucky. 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. They offer a comprehensive tour of their facility, including a look into how their bourbon is bottled. We started at Wild Turkey and were the only ones on their 9 am tour. For the most part, the distilleries are located in and around Louisville, Lexington, and Bardstown. We recommend staying in Louisville. We opted to take the 30 minute Unlocking the Senses tasting, where we sampled four Bulleit whiskeys. We took the Shaken & Stirred class at Bardstown Bourbon and it was our favorite experience on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. 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. This is one of our favorite restaurants in Louisville. Why not? We both acquired a taste for bourbon on our long weekend in Kentucky. Day after day, distillery tours can get to be monotonous. At Lux Row, the first few rows of the rickhouse are removed, forming a small lobby. Standing here, you get to appreciate just how many barrels sit on the shelves of a rickhouse. If you have plans to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail during this time, make sure you make your reservations in advance. These five rules are: Bourbon contains at least 51% corn with different proportions of wheat, malted barley, or rye. Over in Bardstown, there's Willett Distillery. Her work has been featured in Washington Post Travel and Publisher's Weekly. 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. A beautiful time of year, however, is mid-September to late-October. For more ideas of what to do in Louisville, read our article about the best things to do in Louisville. Tim and I stayed here on our most recent visit to Louisville and we had a very nice experience here. Here in Kentucky, we do things at our own pace and you should, too. Make sure you do this Tuesday through Saturday before 5 pm, when the cooperage and the bottling line are in operation. Here are four highly rated hotels in Louisville. Map of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Below is a map of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. All standard one-hour tours are roughly the samea tour of the facility ending with a tasting. If you want to do some non-Bourbon activities while road tripping around Kentucky, here are some ideas for you. Roadtrippers helps you find the most epic destinations and detoursfrom roadside attractions to natural wonders and beyond. Even the most enthusiastic bourbon-lover can't just barrel through and sample bourbon at 9 places all in a rush. They like to talk about their mash bill and their yeast strains that they use. It smells wonderful and it kind of made me hungry! The process of creating a map to print is slightly more complicated than creating an image that is static. Afternoon: Take a tour at Old Forester Distillery. Also, they have a cafe if you're looking for a place to grab food while on the trail. MIDRANGE: Homewood Suites. Visit Your Favorite Distillery. This was our all-around best tour experience. They were one of only three bourbon distilleries that were allowed to operate during Prohibition, producing medicinal bourbon. Many of these distilleries are historic and their story is fascinating.