Created in Bourbon County in the 1700s, bourbon has been a staple of Kentucky culture since the region was first settled. Bourbon tourism is an important industry in the state, and visitors come from all over the country each year. Distillery tours are often a fun, affordable activity to take advantage of wherever you’re visiting, but you’ll find a special pride among distillers in Kentucky. If you don’t have time to traverse the entirety of the Bourbon Trail, consider stopping by one of these famous distilleries for a fun and interactive experience.
Maker’s Mark
It’s easy to spot Maker’s Mark’s signature red wax-dipped look. You can find the Maker’s Mark distillery in Loretto, a bit of a drive outside Louisville. Regular tours are 9:30 a.m.–3:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and only $9 for both the tour and the bourbon tasting. They also offer a Beyond the Mark tour, a more exclusive and longer experience that includes access to areas not seen on the regular tour, as well as your own set of wax-dipped glasses. This tour requires reservations and is $35.
Jim Beam Stillhouse, Shepherdsville © Brandinlucas15 | Dreamstime
Jim Beam
The Jim Beam American Stillhouse conducts normal distillery tours which include a look around the entire process and a tasting, but they also offer so much more. You’ll find special events occurring all year -ound at Jim Beam. One of their highlighted events is the Behind the Beam VIP Tour that takes place once every month or so, and includes a tour led by a master distiller and member of the Beam family, a bourbon culinary experience and commemorative bottle.
Evan Williams
The only official Bourbon Trail stop actually located within Louisville, the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience boasts a central location much more convenient than most Kentucky distilleries. Also unlike some of the other distilleries, the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience was opened specifically with visitors in mind, rather than being an operating distillery that just happens to also give tours and host events. Stop by for a historical tour and a tasting inside their old-fashioned saloon.
Woodford Reserve Distillery, Shoreacres © Paul Roseph | Flickr
Woodford Reserve
Woodford Reserve is not only the oldest distillery in Kentucky, but it’s also the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby. Located outside of Lexington, Woodford offers several different tours to strike your fancy. Their Corn to Cork tour gives visitors an education in the five sources of the distinct bourbon flavor — grain, water, fermentation, distillation and maturation. The National Landmark Tour focuses more on the history of the distillery itself and its impact on the community, and less on the actual bourbon. Reservations are required for both.
Four Roses
Four Roses actually has two locations you can visit — their distillery and their bottling facility, but if you visit the two within 60 days of one another, you’ll get your bottling facility tour at no extra cost. Their bottling facility and warehouse is actually the only to use a single-story warehouse, in order to ensure their bourbon has a more consistent taste, texture and smell.
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