TRAVEL INSPIRATION: Here are 30great travel booksand a list of the best travelmovies to feed your wanderlust. They also offer seasonal classes and tours, so make sure you check their website to see what they are offering during your visit. Generally, the default size of the map can be 8.5 By 11 inches. Prior to touring the Bourbon Trail, Tim and I were not whiskey drinkers. 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. Stillwagon Distillery. The tour guides are very knowledgable and encourage questions. A combination of ideal weather, limestone water sources, and a long history of the craft make Central Kentucky the bourbon capital of the world. Day 1 and 2 for sure then a day on the road. Also, consider how the map will be folded. 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. They have 10 different varieties of bourbon, and a really unusual, Spanish-style building that houses the distillery. I give links to each distillery in these daily itineraries. Most people stay in Louisville, Lexington, or Bardstown. You can take a tour and get a stamp in your passport at either location. Most tours teach you the same process about bourbon distilling, with a few differences at each distillery. Pick your favorites and group them together to form your itinerary, whether you have 2, 3, or more days. Cheers, Julie, Your email address will not be published. Buffalo Trace is the oldest continuously operating distillery in America. This hotels onsite restaurant, Proof on Main, is one of Louisvilles best restaurants and bars. Visit the final two distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, plus one notable bourbon distillery that is not part of the official trail, Buffalo Trace. The 1 hour Discovery Tour ends with a tasting at their bar on the second floor. We started at Wild Turkey and were the only ones on their 9 am tour. A memorial now stands at his birthplace. Angels Envy puts a twist on whiskey distilling. Just look for the giant, golden David statue out front and you know that you are in the right place. More Information for Your Trip to Louisville. This grain mixture is referred to as the mash bill. Its a step back in time where you learn about the history of Kentucky. While you are in the area, consider a visit to the Kentucky Cooperage, where the barrels are made for the storing and aging of bourbon. In one day, it is possible to do three to four tours and/or tastings. The worst time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, according to the guides that we spoke to, is during the summer months. If you want the map twice as wide you can select extra large. The blue markers are restaurant recommendations, Buffalo Trace Distillery, and other notable experiences to add into your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary. 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. If you move fast, you have enough time to visit both in the afternoon. It depends on the time of year that you are visiting, and whether or not you been touring over the weekend. This is the biggest driving day on this Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary. There are eighteen distilleries on the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Everything from five-star restaurants to delicious sandwich stands can be found in the small towns along the way between distilleries. Whether you have two days or a week, there is plenty here to keep you busy. Take a Mixology Class. They must be designed to work with a standard printing press. Kentucky Bourbon Distilleries - Bourbon Obsessed List of Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Best Time to Visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Tips, Tricks, and Advice for Touring the Bourbon Trail, check out our post about the best distilleries. And the smell is amazing! They like to talk about their mash bill and their yeast strains that they use. Most of this day is walkable. Bourbon is booming right now and so is tourism in Kentucky. To tour the Kentucky Bourbon Trail you have two options: self-drive the bourbon trail or join a tour group. All other times of year, making reservations is advised but might not be absolutely necessary. Visit the distillerys website for up-to-date pricing. Copyright 2023 Kentucky Distillers Association. The weather is nice and all of the distilleries should be in operation. Visiting these distilleries is similar to visiting a winery. It's no secret that all American states can legally produce bourbon, but Kentucky is the spirit's undisputed . Take a late afternoon or early evening tour of Michters Distillery. Andrew Jackson, Henry Harrison, and King Louis Phillippe have all stayed here. There are many distilleries you can visit in Kentucky that are not part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. If you have any questions about how to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, let us know in the comment section below. MAMMOTH CAVE: Mammoth Cave is a national park in Kentucky and it makes a great day trip from Louisville and Nashville. 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 also select Print from your web browsers menu (the web browser menu typically looks like 3 dots in either the horizontal or vertical position). 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. Your email address will not be published. There is a lot of history here. What Is The Best Way To Print An Un-Cost Map? If you dont want to take a cocktail class, Bardstown Bourbon also offers a one hour tour that starts with a tasting and ends with tasting straight out of the bourbon barrel. Old Forester offers a tour with the president of the company (a few times per year). If you are really short on time, you can simply visit the gift shop, get your passport stamped, and do a little shopping. 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. As one of the largest sellers of bourbon in the world, their tour seems to reflect that in having one of the more interactive tours. Holiday Inn Express and Suites Downtown Louisville. You can also spend a few days in Nashville or visit nearby New River Gorge National Park. To take a tour at all eighteen distilleries you will need a minimum of five days, but six to seven days is ideal. Many places offer tastings without a tour. 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. LUXURY:The Brown Hotel. Some distilleries are closed on Mondays. Say goodbye to Louisville and head south to Bardstown. Also known as the Independent Stave Company, this is where the barrels are constructed for many of the bourbon distilleries in Kentucky. Mint Julep is the most popular tour company in Kentucky that offers tours to the distilleries. There are some other very cool things to do in this part of Kentucky and I didnt want to leave those out. If you stay until Memorial Day weekend, expect big crowds that weekend because of the holiday. 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. From Lexington head over to Danville, Kentucky and visit Wilderness Trace Distillery. Even if you dont plan on staying here, a drink in the Lobby Bar is a must-do while in Louisville. 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. Sleep in Louisville. In 2016, we were able to show up and do a lot of tastings. But there is more to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail than just distillery tours and bourbon tastings. 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. My father, who is a Bourbon man, will be celebrating his birthday next month and I thought of taking him on a Bourbon tour. Theres something here for everyone. Free Printable US Map With States Labeled, Washington State Map With Cities and Counties. This is one of our favorite restaurants in Louisville. For information on how to plan your visit, dont miss our Guide to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. This is Louisvilles landmark hotel. HISTORIC: Talbott Tavern and Inn. Kentucky Bourbon Trail Has A New Passport, Field Guide Available For Abraham Lincoln was born in a one room log cabin in Hodgenville, Kentucky in 1809. What distinguishes one bourbon from another is the mash bill, the strain of yeast used by each distillery (some strains dating back decades), and how long the whiskey ages in the oak barrels. Chuckanut Bay 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). For more great things to do in Louisville, read our post 12 Best Things to do in Louisville. Green River is the outlier, located almost two hours west of Louisville, in a small town named Owensboro. Follow day #4 and #5, sleeping in either Bardstown or Louisville. Renting a car was cheap, driving between the distilleries was easy (and gorgeous), and we could make our own schedule. Julie Last updated: December 16, 2022 United States 13 Comments. We have visited the Kentucky Bourbon Trail twice. You can bookmark this post on your browser. 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. This hotel also gets great reviews and has an excellent location. The distilleries of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail are deeply rooted in history, many beginning operations in the 18th or 19th centuries that are still operated by the same families generations later. 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. We opted to take the 30 minute Unlocking the Senses tasting, where we sampled four Bulleit whiskeys. Is May a good month to do the Bourbon Trail? Ride sharing services are abundant in the area, and there are many guided tour options as well. On this tour you visit micro-distilleries, tour historic sights andtowns in Kentucky, and stay in historic bed and breakfast accommodations. They have a good beer selection, excellent pulled pork, tasty baked beans and a variety of BBQ sauces. Rather than paying the fee to join the Kentucky Distillers Association, they prefer to offer free tours and tastings to their visitors. Louisville, Bardstown, and Lexington make a great home base for this day (and day number 7 below). Plus, everyone who visits gets a mini souvenir Louisville Slugger for themselves! 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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. 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. You will also notice that on some days I have included more than just distillery tours. One of these is the very famous Buffalo Trace Distillery (which we include on this itinerary). Pdf Printable Kentucky Bourbon Trail Map - We offer flattened and free TIFF file formats of our maps in CMYK color and high resolution. The final distillery is back up near Louisville: The Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience. Distilleries to visit along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. It takes five days to complete this tour. This map was created by a user. These are the rickhouses at Heaven Hill. It's a National Historic Landmark, but it's also gorgeously maintained, and set in a dreamlike corner of the Bourbon Trail. The Definitive Bourbon Trail Road Trip (Three Days) Children under 21 are welcome on tours, for free or at a discounted cost (and no sampling whiskey for them, of course). If you have concerns then consider alternating driving/tastings with another person in your party, have a designated driver, or take a tour. Woodford Reserve has a historic, upscale feel to it. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Your email address will not be published. You can also inquire for a quote with our team of cartographers. The blue markers are restaurant recommendations, Buffalo Trace Distillery, and other notable experiences to add into your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary. Distilling Company Tennessee | DISCUS, Hand Sanitizer 802 Royal Avenue, Memphis, Tennessee 38107 Beechtree Distillery 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). What Size Of Paper Do You Print Your Maps On? and cannot participate in the Passport program. LUXURY: The Brown Hotel. All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. After a hearty breakfast of biscuits, its time to hit the trail! The Kentucky Bourbon Trail began in 1999 as a way to bring tourism to Kentucky. On the other hand, you may want to sit back, enjoy the ride, and join a tour. Their signature tour is a one-hour tour of the distillery. Makers Mark is a must-visit on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Jim Beam. If you are short on time, or have no desire to visit all eighteen distilleries, here is a short list of the top experiences to have on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. In 2019, it was much busier and had we not scheduled everything in advance, we would have missed out on a lot of tours. In order to see all four, you should be at the first distillery at opening time. As you tour more distilleries, you can pick out the differences between the bourbons. It was delightfully quiet, with small tour groups. This inn has been welcoming guests since 1779. Partners & Sponsors Optional Detour: Abraham Lincoln Birthplace. If you have three days in Louisville, follow our day #1 and day #2 itineraries above. It's a great destination on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour, which focuses on smaller and more inventive distillers. 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. 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 We were thinking of going the week before Memorial Day weekend and staying through the weekend. 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. Its a short walk to the Mayan Caf. Aging must take place in a new, charred oak barrel. 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. If you are doing this over a long weekend, plan on spending one day in each area. How can I safe it to find once again? Use it to customize your trail experience. How you do it is completely up to you. Most distilleries offer free or discounted tours for military personnel. If you want to tour all eighteen distilleries, you need a minimum of seven days. For most people, a combination of tours and tastings is the perfect way to sample the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Check the hours of operation for each distillery before your visit. With driving times averaging about twenty minutes between distilleries, most people can fit in three tours per day (in some distilleries, tours are only offered on the hour). These include Willett, Pogue, Boone County, Neeley Family Distillery, Kentucky Peerless, Kentucky Artisan and many others. Did you know: If you use the Roadtrippers mobile app, your trips will instantly auto-sync over Ready for navigation and good times! Its located right around the corner from 21c Museum Hotel, so you can walk to many sights in downtown Louisville. Its centrally located, so you can walk to many of the sights and distilleries on Whiskey Row. To get here, drive or use Uber. $20 is the average price for a tour. Tennessee Distillery Trail Map - Distillery Trail For weekends, I would recommend scheduling your tours in advance, any time of the year. Yes, you can push CTRL+P and that will bring up the printer dialog box. After touring Old Forester, its a short walk to Angels Envy. This Bulleit facility offers a handful of different tours, tastings and cocktail classes. We loved everything we tasted on this tour (as did many other people we spoke to who were also touring the trail). After that, check out the Maker's Mark Distillery. Republishing this articleand/orany of its contents (text, photography, etc. Cheers, Julie. Get suggestions on how to plan your trip, whether you just have a few days, a long weekend, or an entire week. Kentucky Bourbon Trail Guide: What To Know and Distilleries to Visit If you collect stamps from each distillery you can redeem your passport for a Kentucky Bourbon Trail tasting glass. Wild Turkey produces one of the most popular bourbons in the US and one of the best-selling bourbons in the world. 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). The tastings do get spread out over the day, but they are also right before you hop in the car to get to the next distillery, so know your limits. Why not? Also, remember that the quality of maps is unbeatable! Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. It does require more ink than printing text. We have been twice, the same weekend both times (the weekend before Thanksgiving). This is the busiest time on the trail and tours can sell out. All distilleries are legally limited to how much bourbon you can drink while on a tour. So, its nice to break up distillery visits with other experiences. This is a great place to visit to counterbalance the bigger distilleries along the Bourbon Trail. Many offer tours and a few are very near to the popular distilleries! A Few Facts about the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Getting to know more about liquor will probably help us know the right pairings to get when we eat at restaurants. In order to ensure that you benefit from our products we invite you to contact us for more information. All rights reserved. Choose the size you would like to print and click OK. After that, select your print quality. There are five rules that distinguish bourbon from all other whiskeys. For more information on these tours and experience, read our article about the distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. For more information on these tours and experience, read our article, More Information for Your Trip to Kentucky. 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. Take the first tour of the day to give yourself enough time to get to Green River. Its centrally located, so you can walk to many of the sights and distilleries on Whiskey Row. We took the Shaken & Stirred class at Bardstown Bourbon and it was our favorite experience on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Please enjoy like a true Kentuckian Responsibly. Best Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. You take a tour, learn about the art and science behind the distilling of bourbon, and end with a tasting. It's located next to a field full of giant rickhouses, which is what the building where barrels of bourbon age are called. 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. It is also possible to save the map in a PDF format. 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. 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. We chose the self-driving option. Plus, its easy to find. Note: Due to COVID-19, distillery tours may be cancelled or offered on a reduced schedule. 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 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. Artsy, unique, contemporarythis is another top pick in Louisville. The distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail are open year round. You do not have to take a tour at each distillery. Tarpon Springs Distillery. You know you are at a distillery when you see these prison-style buildings. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 4 Days: Follow days #1 and #2. The Old Talbott Tavern, located in Bardstown, is also a great pick. Coalition Whiskey. How to Experience the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Day 2: Louisville to Lexington: Clermont, Shelbyville, and Loretto, Day 3: Lexington, Frankfort, Versailles, and Lawrenceburg. It's worth it to buy a bottle here, because you get to dip the top in the iconic red wax yourself! Some distilleries are closed Sunday, Monday or Tuesday. For tour information, visit the Wilderness trail website. Yes! 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. Inside of the memorial is a symbolic log cabin, a historic replica of the one that Abraham Lincoln first lived in. It is not the actual log cabin of Abraham Lincolns birthplace. Note: This post contains affiliate links. The red markers are the seventeen distilleries on the trail. For most people, a mix of tours and tastings is the best way to experience the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. At your first distillery, pick up a Kentucky Bourbon Trail Passport. Many people state that the Buffalo Trace tour is their favorite in Kentucky. They give a really thorough background on the drink and Louisville's history with it (and yes, it ends with a tasting). They give a really thorough background on the drink and Louisville's history with it . Kentucky Bourbon Trail Field Guide - Your passport to the true home of