However, if you like the idea of getting outside of the city, Bardstown also makes a nice option. This hotels onsite restaurant, Proof on Main, is one of Louisvilles best restaurants and bars. The distilling of bourbon began in Kentucky in the 1700s in Bourbon County. In 2016, we were able to show up and do a lot of tastings. Afternoon: Louisville Slugger Museum and/or the Muhammed Ali Center. With more time, you can make the drive out to Owensboro and visit Green River Distilling Company or drive to Danville and visit Wilderness Trail. This distillery is located in Shively, very close to downtown Louisville. Several distilleries now offer cocktail or mixology classes. Click OK to confirm. In 2008, it was Historic Hotels of Americas top pick. The samples were pretty small, but it's straight bourbon, so you're probably gonna feel pretty good afterward. 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 lunch and/or dinner, we recommend Kitchen& Bar, the restaurant at Bardstown Bourbon. All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. You also get to see the bottling line in action. The busiest time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is from August through mid-November. 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. Also, remember that the quality of maps is unbeatable! Today, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a collection of 18 major bourbon whiskey distilleries (Heritage Distilleries) and 23 smaller and newer microdistilleries (Craft Distilleries) that will give you the ultimate experience of learning all about Kentucky bourbon: its history, technology, craftsmanship, and artistry. We recommend staying in Louisville. 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). To tour the Kentucky Bourbon Trail you have two options: self-drive the bourbon trail or join a tour group. Hours vary by day of the week, with more tour times on Fridays and Saturdays. Your email address will not be published. Holiday Inn Express and Suites Downtown Louisville. Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Bourbon Trail and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour are trademarks of the Kentucky Distillers Association. Many places offer tastings without a tour. Kentucky Bourbon Trail: The Ultimate Guide - Earth Trekkers One of our favorite parts of the tour was a visit to the rickhouse. They must be designed to work with a standard printing press. Map | Kentucky Bourbon Trail To tour the Kentucky Bourbon Trail you have two options: self-drive the bourbon trail or join a tour group. Even the most enthusiastic bourbon-lover can't just barrel through and sample bourbon at 9 places all in a rush. To read about our favorite bourbon distillery, read this post. MAMMOTH CAVE: Mammoth Cave is a national park in Kentucky and it makes a great day trip from Louisville and Nashville. If you want to stay in a historical, luxurious hotel in Louisville, your hotel search can end right here. Summer and autumn are busy months to visit the Bourbon Trail, so I also recommend booking your tours in advance at these times, even on weekdays. You will drive through scenic bluegrass Kentucky, with horse farms as far as the eye can see. You know you are at a distillery when you see these prison-style buildings. Tim and I stayed here on our most recent visit to Louisville and we had a very nice experience here. If you have specific non-KBT distilleries in mind I recommend checking their websites for pricing information. Bourbon has a wonderful aroma and the rickhouse is the best place tosmell it. The typical size is Letter to North America and DIN A4 for the rest of the world. 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. Monday through Friday, tours are offered at the Kentucky Cooperage (1 pm is the latest tour time). Sleep in Louisville. 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. Founding Fathers Distillery. All content and photography shall not be reproduced without written permission from the Kentucky Distillers Association. Some of these yeast strains have been used for decades at each distillery. Take the evening to explore downtown Lexington. 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). This will minimize your driving and let you stay in the small towns in Kentucky. Dine on Central American food prepared by the chef who grew up on the Yucatan Peninsula. 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! This grain mixture is referred to as the mash bill. MIDRANGE: Staybridge Suites Lexington. If you want to tour all eighteen distilleries, you need a minimum of seven days. We opted to take the 30 minute Unlocking the Senses tasting, where we sampled four Bulleit whiskeys. Here are four highly rated hotels in Louisville. The Definitive Bourbon Trail Road Trip (Three Days) How you do it is completely up to you. Dinner: Proof on Main. However, note that the map will display an uninspiring look, since it will be used only for only one printing session. One of these is the very famous Buffalo Trace (skip ahead to Buffalo Trace). Sleep in Louisville. Bourbon Country Map Use this interactive map of Kentucky to plan your visit by finding nearby attractions, hotels, shopping, and restaurants. It's a National Historic Landmark, but it's also gorgeously maintained, and set in a dreamlike corner of the Bourbon Trail. 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. In addition, for a fee we can also make the maps in specialized file formats. MIDRANGE: Homewood Suites. Printable Bourbon Trail Map- We offer flattened and free TIFF file formats of our maps in CMYK color and high resolution. There are eighteen distilleries on the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Starting off in Louisville, visit the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. Inside of the memorial is a symbolic log cabin, a historic replica of the one that Abraham Lincoln first lived in. But map makers don't want to let that stop them from building trails. However, people under the age of 21 are not permitted to do a tasting (of course!) In Louisville, stay downtown at the Brown Hotel, a city landmark full of history and romance. For more information on these tours and experience, read our article about the distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. We have visited the Kentucky Bourbon Trail twice. Then head to The Woodford Reserve Distillery. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour is organized into four regionsplease toggle through the drop down menu for official groupings. You can search by name, state, spirit, amenity or simply click on the map to discover distilleries you never knew existed! Creating a snapshot image is easy since all dimensions are measured in pixels. If you move fast, you have enough time to visit both in the afternoon. Is there a fee to visit the distilleries? 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. Tours last approximately one hour, ending with a tasting. It is open daily except for major holidays. On this tour, you visit micro-distilleries and this takes an additional week to visit all of these distilleries. 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. 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. Currently, there are eighteen bourbon labels that are a part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. To maximize value, do not get too big or small. Printable Bourbon Trail Map | Ruby Printable Map BUDGET: Glo Best Western Lexington. Next, hit up Wild Turkey Distillery, which has been crafting Kentucky bourbon since 1869. 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. Rooms are modern and trendy and there is an onsite restaurant. Take a Mixology Class. All bourbons are whiskey but not all whiskeys are bourbon. It was educational, lots of fun, and a great way to tour another distillery without taking a tour. And many distilleries offer longer, behind the scenes tours for a more detailed look at the distilling process. If you have any questions about how to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, let us know in the comment section below. On the other hand, you may want to sit back, enjoy the ride, and join a tour. The Major Kentucky Distilleries and the Bourbon Brands They Produce, Mapped. 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). The 1 hour Discovery Tour ends with a tasting at their bar on the second floor. 528 W Main St Louisville, Kentucky (502) 272-2623. Since it's the largest maker of Kentucky bourbon, you'll get a different view: that of a larger-scale operation. Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays are the days that distilleries are most likely to close their doors to tour groups, but this varies from distillery to distillery. 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. Do you have any suggestions or recommendations? However, with various sizes for printing come a variety of new variables. Republishing this articleand/orany of its contents (text, photography, etc. 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. This is one of our favorite restaurants in Louisville. It is even rumored to be haunted by the ghost of Jesse James. There are tours and special events at both facilities year round. This is a great place to visit to counterbalance the bigger distilleries along the Bourbon Trail. If you have hotel reserved, the staff might be able to make some recommendations for you. Its a short walk to the Mayan Caf. Rather than paying the fee to join the Kentucky Distillers Association, they prefer to offer free tours and tastings to their visitors. Next up is the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Where will your trip lead you? For more information, visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail website. 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. BUDGET: Holiday Inn Express and Suites Downtown Louisville. Learn how to create your own. Bulleit Distilling Company. However, there are few places to visit out this way, if you are interested. Most people stay in Louisville, Lexington, or Bardstown. 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. 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. Trail builders, on the other hand prefer to be in the woods in order to use chainsaws to make their trails. Bardstown Bourbon. Nope. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail, a collection of eighteen bourbon distilleries, is drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. Check the hours of operation for each distillery before your visit. Take a specialized tour of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. On the third day, watch the horse races at Churchill Downs. They give a really thorough background on the drink and Louisville's history with it (and yes, it ends with a tasting). MAMMOTH CAVE: Mammoth Cave is a national park in Kentucky and it makes a great day trip from Louisville and Nashville. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a collection of bourbon whiskey distilleries located in Kentucky. Yes, May should be a very nice month for the Bourbon Trail. For more ideas of what to do in Louisville, read our article about the best things to do in Louisville. The distilleries are grouped together in four general areas. These include Willett, Pogue, Boone County, Neeley Family Distillery, Kentucky Peerless, Kentucky Artisan and many others. 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. Tours are offered Monday through Friday; they do not offer tours on weekends. For more information on these tours and experience, read our article, More Information for Your Trip to Kentucky. 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. Similar to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the Craft Tour takes bourbon touring and tasting to the next level. And you definitely should try the Bourbon Cream. The bourbon and whiskey at Green River spend less time in the barrel than at most distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. If you have plans to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail during this time, make sure you make your reservations in advance. Please enjoy like a true Kentuckian Responsibly. There are 37 distilleries total, but whether you tackle them all is entirely up to you! Specialty tours cost more. If you want the map twice as wide you can select extra large. Note: Due to COVID-19, distillery tours may be cancelled or offered on a reduced schedule. Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 5 Days: Follow our Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary for four days, and add on day #6 (Woodford Reserve, Wild Turkey, and Four Roses). Its a step back in time where you learn about the history of Kentucky. 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. This is a beautiful property with a lot of tour and tasting options. Lexington Brewing Company. PRO TRAVEL TIP: When planning your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary, check the distilleries websites for updated hours and tour availability. Each distillery has a gift shop selling bourbon and related souvenirs. We are wine drinkers. 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. This is a beautiful distillery. But there is more to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail than just distillery tours and bourbon tastings. If you want to print a different dimension, choose an alternative size from the drop-down list , then alter the size of the page. They also operate a bed and breakfast. To take a tour at all eighteen distilleries you will need a minimum of five days, but six to seven days is ideal. Take the first tour of the day to give yourself enough time to get to Green River. Distillery Trail is the place to start your distillery tour experience. The rickhouse is where the barrels are stored. You take a tour, learn about the art and science behind the distilling of bourbon, and end with a tasting. Renting a car gives you the most freedom to explore, but it's not necessary. Built in 2017 and open to visitors in 2019, this brand-new distillery features modern, state-of-the-art technology. Generally, the default size of the map can be 8.5 By 11 inches. There is also the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour. For information on how to plan your visit, dont miss our Guide to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. It is not the actual log cabin of Abraham Lincolns birthplace. Plus, everyone who visits gets a mini souvenir Louisville Slugger for themselves! Custom-printed maps are perfect for parks departments, companies, and recreational complexes. If you are looking for a highly rated hotel and dont want to spend a lot of money, this is a great option. 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. This map was created by a user. Prior guests rave about cleanliness, comfort, and location. Take a late afternoon or early evening tour of Michters Distillery. 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. Anything you plan or save automagically syncs with the apps, ready for you to hit the road! 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. TRAVEL INSPIRATION: Here are 30great travel booksand a list of the best travelmovies to feed your wanderlust. A beautiful time of year, however, is mid-September to late-October. Most tours cost $10 to $15 (including tastings), and are open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. To ensure you benefit from our products Contact us for more details. For more suggestions on how to plan your time, dont miss our Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Confirm that youre over 21 years of age. You have the choice to head southeast out of Louisville to explore the Jim Beam facilities. The tour guides are very knowledgable and encourage questions. Starting off in Louisville, visit the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. Its centrally located, so you can walk to many of the sights and distilleries on Whiskey Row. For the most part, the distilleries are located in and around Louisville, Lexington, and Bardstown. The worst time to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, according to the guides that we spoke to, is during the summer months. Sleep in Louisville. In the Bourbon District, you're never more than 5 minutes away from the next attraction, so planning that group tour or birthday celebration just got a lot easier. Tours typically run every hour, and its usually best to reserve online ahead of time. For more distillery rules and Kentucky Liquor laws, check out Kentucky Liquor Laws and The Bourbon Trail. If you are planning a week-long trip, then I recommend in staying in two to three places. In this guide, learn how to plan a trip around the world. Maps & Downloads - Tennessee Whiskey Trail Official Site The Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour is a collection of small and/or new (er) distilleries assembled by the Kentucky Distillers' Association. Also known as the Independent Stave Company, this is where the barrels are constructed for many of the bourbon distilleries in Kentucky. Distilleries | Kentucky Bourbon Trail Kentucky Bourbon Trail Guide: What To Know and Distilleries to Visit 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 you have an interest in Abraham Lincoln or American history, this is a worthwhile visit. We chose the self-driving option. You'll avoid most crowds, enjoy off-season hotel prices, and the scenery along Kentucky's rural roads is unsurpassed in autumn. The final distillery is back up near Louisville: The Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience. Say goodbye to Louisville and head south to Bardstown. 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. It has received accolades from Conde Nast Traveler, Southern Living, and Travel & Leisure. 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. Some printers from the past might require you to connect to your computer before printing. Santa Claus is a small town filled with Christmas-themed hotels, shops, restaurants, and even an amusement park. 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 must be distilled from at least 51% corn. Free Printable US Map With States Labeled, Washington State Map With Cities and Counties. It's one of the biggest in Bardstown, which is certainly worth seeing. 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. Old Forester is the only bourbon to be continually sold by the same company before, during, and after prohibition. In order to save paper, set all the borders to 0.3. Plus, there is more to see and do in this part of Kentucky, with scenic drives, great towns to visit, and restaurants to try. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. After a hearty breakfast of biscuits, its time to hit the trail! During this one-hour class, we mixed two cocktails: the Kentucky Mule and the Sazerac. 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. From Bardstown it is a 45 minute drive. Trust me!!! 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). Morning: Evan Williams Experience. 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. There are many distilleries you can visit in Kentucky that are not part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Jack Frys and the Brown Hotel Lobby Bar are also great options. It is not the actual log cabin of Abraham Lincolns birthplace. The Old Nelson County Jail housed prisoners from 1797 until 1987. Races at Keeneland Race Course in Lexington take place in October and April, and at Churchill Downs in Louisville in November, May, and June . For tour information, visit the Wilderness trail website. Kentucky Bourbon Trail: The Complete Guide - TripSavvy Angels Envy offers several different tours. We visited both but prefer the American Stillhouse. There are eighteen distilleries on the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Lunch: Doc Crows Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar or Troll Pub under the Bridge. During our visit this ranged from $5 to $20 per person depending on the distillery and the type of tour you choose to take. Kentucky's Bourbon Trail now consists of 18 whiskey distilleries. Everything from five-star restaurants to delicious sandwich stands can be found in the small towns along the way between distilleries. Many people state that the Buffalo Trace tour is their favorite in Kentucky. This tour does the best job explaining the history of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Check the Churchill Downs website for the race schedule before you go. Browse by category to find what you're looking for, or select icons displayed on the map for detailed information. Why not? There is even an art museum located inside of the hotel. Visiting these distilleries is similar to visiting a winery. Copyright 2023 Kentucky Distillers Association. You can also spend a few days in Nashville or visit nearby New River Gorge National Park. Our website uses cookies. NEARBY DESTINATIONS: Asheville, North Carolina makes a great weekend destination. Abraham Lincoln was born in a one room log cabin in Hodgenville, Kentucky in 1809. If you are looking for a large-format map, you should buy an printer that is large-format. 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. Cheers, Julie, Your email address will not be published. NASHVILLE: For recommendations on what to do in Nashville, check out our articles Best Things to Do in Nashville and Best Eats in Nashville. Afternoon: Take a tour at Old Forester Distillery. For dinner, opt for classic and refined, or hip and casual. Cheers, Julie. 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. Looking to plan trip in mid June 2020, I recommend checking the official websites of the distilleries to see if they are open. Get our travel tips Delivered to your inbox. It has received accolades from Conde Nast Traveler, Southern Living, and Travel & Leisure. From beautiful fall foliage, to pumpkin patches and farm cider, this is the best time to experience the Bourbon Trail. Tours last one hour and end with a tasting. MIDRANGE: Homewood Suites. Uber and Lyft are also all good choices, and if you've managed to stay sober, biking can also be a fun option. 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. For a lesson on the wild and crazy tales of the Prohibition Era, book a tour at Prohibition Craft Spirits. 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. Its good to know that classes about cocktails can be taken during a bourbon tour. Visit the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail website here. 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. This ultra-modern distillery is located in Nulu (New Louisville). Northern Route New Riff Second Sight Old Pogue Boone County Neeley Family Western Route Boundary Oak Casey Jones MB Roland Dueling Grounds Central Route Kentucky Artisan Kentucky Peerless Jeptha Creed Willett Preservation Bluegrass Route It is a National Historic Landmark property and they offer several different tours depending on your level of interest. Unfortunately, I do not have any private drivers to recommend. Carry it with you, and allow it to guide you to adventures unknown. Is May a good month to do the Bourbon Trail? Cheers, Julie. Yes! HISTORIC: Talbott Tavern and Inn. Learn how to create your own. About this Kentucky Bourbon Trail Itinerary, For more restaurant recommendations, check out our article, For more ideas of what to do in Louisville, read our article about.
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