Kentucky tourism continues to explode with more interest in the bourbon craft. It’s an industry that deserves the title “bourbon boom” because just as bottle sales have increased, so has an interest in tours and tastings at Kentucky’s bourbon distilleries. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail (both the official trail and the overall Kentucky experience) has a lot to offer visitors. Here is a complete guide to the top ten best distilleries to visit in Kentucky.

Check out my Ultimate Guide to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. (As a Kentuckian, I know a thing or two about bourbon.)

Planning a Distillery Trip

Be sure to plan your route and buy your tickets well in advance. Though there was once a time you could visit bourbon distilleries without much planning, the days of arriving to a distillery and signing up for a tour are pretty much over. All Kentucky bourbon distilleries now offer timed tickets that can be purchased on the distillery’s individual website.

Kentucky bourbon distilleries are in the greater Louisville, Frankfort, and Bardstown areas. If you take a self-guided tour of the region, be sure to plan your route with enough time between each tour – about 2.5 to 3 hours from your last tour start time to be safe.

Need a place to stay? I’ve written an entire guide to the best places to stay on the Bourbon Trail!

Types of Distillery Visits: Which is right for you?

All Kentucky Bourbon Distilleries offer a standard facility tour. These tours bring visitors through the bourbon-making process, going through fermentation facilities and barrel warehouses. All facility tours end with a tasting of the company’s bourbon products.

Most distilleries also offer some sort of behind-the-scenes, specialized tour options. Buffalo Trace, for example, offers a hard-hat tour. Where visitors get more access to the grain delivery and storage and warehouses the public can’t access. Oftentimes, these tours are premium experiences but are still at a reasonable price point.

If you aren’t interested in a distillery tour (or don’t have time), you can register for tasting experiences. You usually get to sample 3-4 products and the experience lasts about 30 minutes. It’s certainly not as in-depth as the tours, but you do get a glimpse of the company’s product.

Some Kentucky bourbon distilleries also have bars, restaurants, and even small museums. You can typically visit these without a reservation with the exception of Willet and the Bardstown Bourbon Company. Their restaurants typically require a reservation to get a table without an extended wait.

Best Distilleries to visit on the Bourbon Trail

With so many distilleries to choose from it can be challenging to know which ones to visit and which can be left for another time. I’ve spent years going to distilleries (and even was married at one!) and have visited all the major distilleries in Kentucky over the years. Though almost all the distilleries offer an excellent experience for bourbon enthusiasts, some tours are just better than others. Here’s my ranking of the top ten Kentucky bourbon distilleries worth visiting:

#10 Barton 1792

Located in historic Bardstown, Kentucky, Barton 1792 offers a free tour that’s well worth it. It’s a great stop to add while visiting some larger distilleries in the Bardstown area, too. With a smaller operation, Barton 1792 showcases the craft that’s in contrast to the larger operations in the Bardstown area.

#9 Heaven Hill

The Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience is really impressive. Completed in 2021, the center includes a free museum and beautiful Five Brother’s Bar overlooking their acreage. The standard “Magic of the Mash” tour cost $18 and includes a tasting of their products. The most impressive offering is the $40 “You Do Bourbon” tour that includes a unique tasking experience, where guests can choose their favorite bourbon and create a customized bottle to take home (for an additional fee).

#8 Wild Turkey

The Wild Turkey experience starts as basically a Matthew McConaughey tour. If you didn’t know Matthew McConaughey is the ambassador for Wild Turkey. But don’t worry, they’ll make certain you know it by the end of the tour. Most of the tour is voiced by McConaughey on the property. The best part of the Wild Turkey tour is the scenery. The distillery has a very industrial look right on the beautiful Kentucky River.

Tours are currently not available at Wild Turkey. They will reopen tours in late spring 2022.

#7 Willett

The best part about this small distillery is the restaurant. The cocktails are great, the food is great and the views are spectacular. With one of the cheaper tastings, Willett offers a 20-minute tasting experience for just $12. It’s a great way to experience their products in a short amount of time. I wouldn’t say the tasting is anything special but they let you try a variety of products through a “choose your own adventure” format.

#6 Jim Beam

The standard Jim Beam experience cost $22 and includes a tour of the facilities and even the opportunity to dip your own Knob Creek bottle (if you buy it). The best part of the Jim Beam tour is the tasting room, where instead of offering specific tasting options you can choose from any of the products through a token machine process. This allows you the opportunity to try rarer products most distilleries wouldn’t put on a tasting menu.

#5 Old Forester

Old Forester is the best Louisville tour you can take. Without a lot of space, Old Forester offers a start-to-finish bourbon process on site. It’s the perfect tour if you’re in the Louisville area. The standard tour is on the higher end ($32) but it includes a barrel charring experience, something unique you won’t find at most distilleries. Plus you will get best bourbon treat at the tasting; their bourbon modjeskas are to die for.

#4 Bardstown Bourbon Company

The most innovative bourbon distillery in Kentucky is Bardstown Bourbon Company. Bardstown Bourbon mainly makes products for other brands and tries new techniques regularly. The innovative components of their bourbon-making process transcends into the architecture and design of the main building, too. Be sure to eat at the Kitchen and Bar while at the distillery. Excellent menu of upscaled southern classics and some of the best cocktails.

#3 Marker’s Mark

One of the most iconic distilleries, Maker’s Mark’s $20 standard facility tour takes you throughout the property and yes, you can dip a bottle (if you buy it!). The facilities are impressive and expansive with the tour taking you to multiple buildings with specific purposes to the bourbon-making process. But be warned, it’s highly visited and a somewhat gimmicky tour compared to others. Still worth a visit though!

#2 Woodford Reserve

The most beautiful distillery to visit by far, Woodford has a lot of things going for it. With limestone structures and literally having to stop for barrels passing by, there are plenty of photo-ops available to you. The full tour is pricey ($32) compared to some counterparts but it is worth it. The tour brings you through the entire distillery and includes a tasting in the bourbon warehouse.

#1 Buffalo Trace

You cannot go wrong with Buffalo Trace’s standard bourbon tour. For one, it’s free. And the grounds are a National Historic Landmark, which makes the distillery use more traditional ways to create their bourbon. Plus, the grounds are incredibly beautiful. If you are lucky enough to receive Freddie Johnson as your tour guide, congrats! He is a third-generation Buffalo Trace employee with plenty of stories to share.

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