After seeing all the rave reviews for this distillery, we decided to schedule a late-afternoon…read moretour, and I'm so glad we did! The property itself is absolutely beautiful, and our tour guide, Cristy, was incredibly knowledgeable and informative. Before we got started, she made sure to go over important safety tips, which I really appreciated. I will say, out of all the distillery tours I've been on, this one was definitely the most challenging physically. If you're bringing older adults or anyone with limited mobility, just keep in mind that there are some tight spaces, steps, and stairs throughout the tour. At the end of the tour, we were led into a speakeasy-style tasting room, which was such a neat atmosphere! Our tasting included several samples, chocolate, and an Old Fashioned. After the tasting, we were taken through to the gift shop, which had some unique souvenirs. We decided to grab a few drinks at the bar and hang out for a bit before heading out. Surprisingly, Cristy was there to greet us again and even gave us some great drink recommendations! Overall, we definitely recommend the experience! Just be mindful of the physical demands of the tour if you or someone in your group has limited mobility.

This place is way too big and touristy for a memorable tasting experience if that's your goal…read more However, the buildings are significant historically and architecturally so it's worth a visit. So big in fact that the parking lot is across the street. It was very crowded. I parked and walked over to explore the extensive grounds. Many of the buildings are old, the castle dating from 1887, with distilling at the location since 1819, with an 18 year break from the start of Prohibition, and an even longer break from 1972-2016. The site deteriorated greatly during this time until the Old Taylor site was restored and became Castle&Key. The castle and several other buildings are now fully restored, with the castle serving as the main visitor area. Inside the castle it was bustling with tourists so I left after a short wander. There are at least three places to sample spirits here: inside the castle building, in a covered bar patio outside, and a tiny stand-up bar in the patio in front of the castle. That's where I went. I chose two 1/2-ounce pours from the 10 available (bourbons, ryes, gins, and a vodka) for a reasonable $4 each and sat at a nearby table. The Restoration Rye and the standard Small Batch Bourbon were both decent but I wasn't motivated to buy a bottle. There's no cell service here but they supposedly have wifi. However it wasn't working and nobody I asked seemed to know why or for how long. Unacceptable for such a large, touristy place. As I said, the main draw is the buildings and the history behind this place. The site was striking architecturally, the old buildings of various types, from the vine-covered stone castle, metal industrial buildings with pipes running overhead, and an old rusting water tower probably no longer used, with any new buildings thoughtfully placed so as not to detract from the historical ones. And the grounds themselves were very pretty, flowers lining the walkways, some formal gardens, a rushing river overflowing a dam forming one boundary opposite the road side. Walk up the road a bit and you'll discover even more ruins. Not part of Castle&Key anymore but part of the original Old Taylor site as well. I love old ruins and found these striking. And just past these ruins is another distillery, Glenn's Creek. Check it out too but beware: it's a very different experience and may not appeal to everyone.

Wild Turkey was an incredible stop on our bourbon trip--and it happens to be Jeff's favorite…read moredistillery, so expectations were pretty high going in. It absolutely delivered. Our tour guide was excellent: knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly proud of the history behind the distillery. The views are incredible too, especially overlooking the river and the old railroad bridge. Watching people bungee jump from the bridge added a pretty unforgettable moment to the day. We did the regular tour and then paid extra for the Russell's Reserve tasting, and that was well worth it. The tasting really took the experience up a level and gave us a much better appreciation for the Russell's lineup and the craftsmanship behind it. Between the history, the scenery, the hospitality, and the bourbon, Wild Turkey was one of the standout stops of the trip. If you're visiting bourbon country, don't skip it--and if you have the chance, add the Russell's tasting.

This distillery was at the top of our list from the very beginning, and thankfully, it did not…read moredisappoint! First of all, I absolutely loved the staff. One of the employees jokingly gave my spouse and another guest on our tour a hard time about wearing hats from other distilleries. She playfully encouraged them to get new hats, and we all found it hilarious (and my spouse purchased a new one - without pressure). It was a small interaction, but it really set the tone for how welcoming and fun the staff was. We did the production tour with our guide, Josh, who was by far my favorite tour guide of our entire trip. He made the tour fun, interactive, and engaging from beginning to end. He had such a great personality and was incredibly relatable. Honestly, if I could have brought Josh along for the rest of our trip, I would have had him narrate all of our other tours! Once we entered the tasting room, we were blown away by how beautiful it was. We were given four bourbon and rye samples, and they were all fantastic. Needless to say, Wild Turkey Distillery quickly stayed to the top of our list and became one of our favorite stops of the trip. I would absolutely recommend taking a tour here. And if you can, ask for Josh--you're in for a fun, interactive, and memorable experience!

Spectacle for Senses tasting was a total disappointment . Would recommend a different tour.read more

Woodford was the last distillery we visited during our bourbon tour vacation, and needless to say,…read moreit did not disappoint! The property is absolutely beautiful, and you immediately get a sense of luxury as soon as you walk into the check-in area. Before our tour, we ordered two drinks, and both were delicious. Our tour guide, Sydney, was fantastic--she was knowledgeable, informative, and very relatable. When we reached the tasting room, she guided us through each sample and shared some great insights along the way. The gift shop had a great selection of souvenirs, and we loved that there was also another bar where we could order additional cocktails, along with a few small snack options. Overall, Woodford quickly became one of our favorite stops on the tour. We highly recommend visiting if you're in the area--and definitely make a reservation in advance!

I absolutely love this distillery! Friendly staff and fantastic bourbon selection at great prices…read more They do a Daily Drop of hard to find bourbons which is why people start lining up early in morning. They open at 9am and offer free tours as long as you reserve online. The gift shop is huge and some of the bourbons are limited to one or two per person. Since many of the bourbons are not available in my area,this is a must stop when in the Louisville area.

If I could summarize my experience in one word, it would be Disappointed…read more The Buffalo Trace tour and tasting was at the top of my Bourbon Trail list. My family had visited in 2017 and 2023 and raved about it, so I had high expectations. Unfortunately, after visiting five distilleries during our trip, this was one of my least favorite experiences. To start with the positives: the tours are free, which is generous, and the drinks at the bar are reasonably priced. Our guide, Tony, was knowledgeable and friendly when answering questions. However, the tour itself felt underwhelming and lacked depth. We never went inside the actual production areas, learned much about the grains or bourbon-making process, or experienced the sights and aromas I expected from a distillery tour. Even my spouse, felt the tour was somewhat scattered and lacking in detail. The tasting was even more disappointing. The tasting room was simply a room where everyone stood, and there was very little that felt special or memorable. We were given vodka samples, which felt out of place on a Bourbon Trail tour, and the bourbon selections themselves didn't feel particularly unique. Water wasn't provided at the tasting stations either; we had to walk over to a dispenser and use tiny paper cups. Most surprising of all, the tastings were served in clear plastic cups. After each pour, our guide mentioned how much the bottle cost in the gift shop, which made the presentation feel even more underwhelming. We were even told we could take the plastic tasting cups home as souvenirs. I understand that the tour is free, but Buffalo Trace is a major distillery with a huge reputation, so I expected a more polished and immersive experience. Between the lack of access to the production areas, standing throughout the tasting, limited variety, lack of readily available water, and plastic tasting cups, the overall experience felt much cheaper than I anticipated. The lemonade from the outdoor bar was actually very good and reasonably priced, so that was a bright spot. Unfortunately, overall, Buffalo Trace was one of my least favorite distillery tours and tastings of the trip.

Highly recommend this tour. The bourbon was good, the experience was great, and everyone was very…read morefriendly. One thing we enjoyed was the tasting (2 different bourbons) at the beginning, then you take your tasting glass with you for the tour. Later, we got another bourbon (Blue Corn which was great), and the Blue Dog "moonshine". The glass was ours to take home as well.

Visited the distillery for a sips and yoga event. They hosted a lovely event! Loved it. The space…read morewas gorgeous and not far from Lexington at all! It's a neat place to check out next time you want to explore - or check their Facebook for updates on events!

One of the most beautiful and welcoming distilleries I visited during my Kentucky Bourbon Tour…read more From the architecture and interactive history throughout the gift shop to the warm welcome we received at check-in, every detail added to the overall experience. One of my favorite touches was the use of headsets during the tour, which made it much easier to hear and follow the tour guide, even within the distillery. Speaking of the distillery itself, it was by far one of the hottest I've ever experienced--essentially like stepping into a sauna! I strongly recommend bringing water with you, especially if you're visiting on a warm day. The distillery also had some of the strongest, yet delightful, aromas I encountered on my bourbon tour. Once the tour concluded, we were led into a comfortable, air-conditioned tasting room where we sampled 4 bourbons. Our tour guide also did a great job explaining how to properly taste and sip bourbon, which made the tasting experience even more enjoyable. Overall, this was one of my favorite stops on the tour, and I would definitely recommend visiting this distillery!

We came back to Four Roses for a second visit because some of our friends had never been, and it…read morewas just as enjoyable as we remembered. Even though some of the buildings were under construction during the summer, the experience was still excellent. Our tour guide did a great job sharing the history of the distillery and explaining the different bourbon flavor profiles during the tasting. He made everything easy to understand, whether you were new to bourbon or had done a few distillery tours before. One of my favorite parts was the welcome cocktail at the beginning--it was really tasty and a fun way to kick off the tour. The tasting itself was well done, and the staff throughout the distillery were friendly and welcoming. The gift shop is also worth checking out. It's one of the larger ones we've visited, with lots of bourbon, merchandise, and unique goodies to browse. Overall, another great experience, and I'd definitely recommend stopping here if you're touring the Bourbon Trail.

Sophia in the tasting room was Excellent! Kudos Cynthia!…read more We love Cynthia and what she has created at Equus Run Vineyards. We are already planning our next trip there. Larry

We visited Equus Run while spending the weekend in Frankfort. Will was our tour guide and was…read moreamazing - so knowledgeable and passionate about wines and the wine making process! He even let us try a Concord grape right off the vine! The grounds are beautiful. After our tour and tasting, we sat on the porch for the live music and shared a charcuterie board. The wines tended to be a little sweet for my taste but that didn't impact my experience - we got to sample 6 of the wines (our choice) and I did enjoy the Equestrian Chardonnay. It was a wonderful was to spend the afternoon!

Great experience, with everything. Dave was our Tasting Guide.... wow , great job explaining the…read moredifferent bottle's for the tasting. Most we liked, The High Rye was not our favorite. So we bought others. And I bought their J Mattingly bourbon barrel top with Bourbon 30 on it. The top will be very nice on my home bar wall !!! Then to our surprise, Jeff Mattingly was on the premises and we got to meet him. He is the 6th Generation and talking to him was soooooo cool. We took pictures and I asked him to sign the back of my barrel top.... He DID !!! Very glad he took the time. Thank you.

Rick was out Bourbon tasting host and he was fantastic! Great experience all around and the…read moreBourbon was amazing! Love the respect for our military as well....

Must stop to eat. Doesn't look like much and is hidden a bit, close to 3 distillery tours…read more Tons tons of bourbon, but good solid food, kitchen open to watch how they pump out some tasty food, had the bologna sandwich with a spicy stone ground mustard. Side wax one the best corn bread muffins I've had in while. Nice selection of local beers. Friendly and fast staff, kitchen was fast at pushing out some good meats and comfort food. Small inside dining, packed in, but still nice, outdoor patio with bags area, tuck away but worth the trip.

When you're traveling the Bourbon Trail in this area, finding a place to eat between distillery…read moretours can be surprisingly difficult. Luckily, we came across this restaurant and were able to make a reservation for lunch between our tours. I definitely recommend making a reservation in advance, as dining area is limited. The service was quick. We ordered a burger and a chicken sandwich. My spouse was happy with the burger, but unfortunately, my chicken sandwich was a bit too toasted. My first bite was mostly fried breading, and the chicken itself was quite thin and didn't feel as substantial as it should have been. That said, this isn't necessarily a five-star dining destination, but it was a convenient option when we needed somewhere to grab lunch between distillery visits. I would recommend it primarily for the convenience, especially if you're spending the day touring the Bourbon Trail.