The history behind Castle and Key is so varied and interesting. we loved the area- botanical walk, creekside seating and interesting buildings. the Last Stop Tour was well worth the money with the samples and drink that came with it. the tour guide- Melinda- was awesome- just right everything- humor, information and personality! Also, the bourbon was very good! we enjoyed the rye , 7 year small batch of wheated. They also have gin and vodka and a great bar menu. read more

Great history of the site provided, great tour of the facility with history of how each product is produced and great products to enjoy.

What an educational experience with great tour guide and helpful staff. Loved the grounds and the speakeasy tasting room as well. We shared a flight from the bar and it was enjoyable. read more

Castle & Key Distillery - Bourbon tasting board - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Although the bourbon wasn't my favorite, the property and service is excellent! This bourbon is young and I think it just needs more time. It's not horrible, it's just the completion is super steep. Buffalo Trace and Woodford Reserve is just down the road. However, in terms of property, this place is gorgeous. Even if you aren't a bourbon drinker, you'd love this spot. I tried out a small flight of the recommend bourbons. I enjoyed them, but for the price, I'm not sure I'd invest. At least, not at this time. But don't rule them out, I think they have a good thing in the making. This old abandoned E.H. Taylor Distillery has some potential. I'd recommend you go to Buffalo Trace early to catch the special bottles, then maybe hit Woodford Reserve. After that, go enjoy the grounds and tour of the Castle & Key Distillery. Then, head down the road to The Stave restaurant. It's a great spot with some great food. read more

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We pulled up to a lovely location with absolutely gorgeous grounds to explore. It was quite cold out and we were a little surprised that their were no heaters or covered fire pits. The gift shop is huge, with adorable seasonal lighting, and lots to choose from. My friend and I have a slightly more alternative style, so it wasn't for us. But a great place in general to shop for most people. Unfortunately, the cocktails were wildly disappointing. And with this being a distillery and all, we just couldn't get past that. First we ordered an espresso martini. They poured it out of a keg over ice. Okay, sure. As long as it's good, that's fine. But my gosh! It was so syrupy. It really just tasted like kahlua over ice. Had no nuance. I actually couldn't take more than a sip. My friend also strongly disliked it, but she forced hers down (what a champ.) I actually went back and politely asked if I could just have gin and tonic instead. The bartender was very sweet and said no problem. And then, she poured a gin and tonic from the tap. I was shooketh. How is a gin distillery not pouring fresh gin and tonics? The cocktail was way better than the "espresso martini" but it was very sour and tasted mostly of citrus, but not fresh citrus, more like a really good sour mix. I could hardly taste the gin. I like gin! That's why I came here. So I found that odd. A great gin and tonic has a hint of citrus from a fresh lime slice or wedge, but the main flavors should be whatever botanicals you are featuring in your gin and the subtle bubbly bitter of tonic. Maybe this is how they make sure to provide great service to large crowds? I get that... but it just didn't hit the mark for us. read more

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The tour was very interesting. Our tour guide, Melinda was so interesting and very knowledgeable. The grounds were delightful. I wish we did not have anything planned for the afternoon. I would have stayed longer, just enjoying it all. The tasting room was quaint and fun. It made the tasting more relaxing and enjoyable. We did not have time to taste the food. We talked to others that said it was great. read more

Beautiful grounds, friendly staff, great tastings! Staff at Castle and Key were very knowledgeable on bourbon history and history of the property. Would like to meet the master distiller to get bottles signed. read more

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We first tried to visit in 2021 on a day the distillery was closed. When they visited the Dayton Art Institute Bourbon event, we chatted with them and decided to visit when we were planning to be in Louisville. I am glad we made it back (December 2025) and it will be a place we visit again. The tour was fantastic, we were able to see many aspects of the distillery and our guide was able to answer questions we had about the process and history of Castle & Key. Even though it was December, we took a stroll outside with fantastic Bloody Mary's from the bar. The waterside is pretty and the old truck was drawing a lot of attention for pictures. We purchased some of that spicy Bloody Mary mix and some other goodies from the gift shop. I cannot wait to visit again! read more

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Castle & Key is one of those places you truly have to see to believe. We signed up for The Distillery Experience, which turned out to be a fantastic tour of the historic 1800s castle--now filled with modern distilling equipment. It's an impressive blend of old and new. Our tour guide, originally from South Philadelphia, was excellent--and yes, our group gladly filled in the song lyrics when the moment arose. It made the tour even more fun. As great as the guide and the history were, I was really there for the bourbon. At the end of the tour, we sampled several of Castle & Key's offerings. Like most tastings I've attended, the toughest part was choosing a favorite--they were all solid. Afterward, we headed to the gift shop, where my wife once again found a handful of must-have items. Castle & Key is one distillery you do not want to skip. If you miss it, you miss a lot. read more

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Beautiful grounds and loved seeing the history in the gift shop and spring house. The tasting room is extremely small so we waited for it to clear out since we were visiting with a baby. Spirits were good but not my favorite. Parking was plenty just across the street. Of all the distilleries, this was by far one of the most interesting to see but not the most welcoming in terms of staff. The vodka was the winner here, I still wish I would have done the tasting before going into the gift shop because I would have gotten the vodka over the bourbon. read more

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People at home told us we HAD to come here while we're in town! I'm glad they did! It is an absolutely beautiful place. The buildings are old and not everything looks great. But the grounds! We walked the botanical trail and all around the place - except where we weren't allowed. It's very scenic. We didn't get drinks - the line was constantly long, plus we had a bit of a drive back to our hotel in the city. The only food came there came from food trucks. It took 45 minutes to get lunch. I wish there were other options. I'm not a fan of food trucks because they do take a long time and there were so many people trying to get some lunch. Other than the frustration of trying to get some food, it was very nice! read more

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What a wonderful place to experience in the heart of bourbon country! The staff was knowledgeable and super friendly. The bourbon, moonshine, and absinthe were world class. Highly recommend visiting this family owner distillery in the heat of bourbon country. read more

Castle & Key Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

In the area and were told we needed to go here as the grounds just along Glenn's Creek. Sure enough, the grounds are so pretty even with the dismal weather. The castle is what 1st grabs your attention. It's kind of crazy that it's here in kind of the middle of nowhere. We walk in to the store and you get to see all sorts of history. You can check out the old fire places(not too sure if it's even called this when it's that big? Looks like a couple furnaces to me.) Folks working here were super nice. There was a food truck but we weren't hungry. There's a bar. A nice bathroom. We made the mistake of not planning ahead for a tour so just wandered around the grounds that are very well maintained. Very relaxing atmosphere out here and we were betting that this place would be bustling during a warmer, nice day... Fall colors were pretty! read more

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We stopped here at the end of our day as part of the craft trail. Absolutely beautiful grounds and campus. We grabbed and drink and enjoyed a walk around. We didn't stay long as they were closing shop. On the way out we stopped by the gift store and it had very good quality products inside. Would definitely come back here again and do a tour. read more

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We love this place! It is absolutely beautiful, rustic old buildings, photogenic castle, waterfalls and botanical garden are quite lovely. The staff are friendly and engaging. The giftstore had all of the fares from the distillery, plus some Keeneland Racetrack clothing. They have a food truck and the small bar has refreshing mixed drinks and a charcuterie board for sale. The restrooms are very nice and there is a complementary iced water dispenser in the gift store which is a life saver on a super hot Kentucky day. This distillery is a nice place for a couple or a family outing as the kids will love the waterfalls, the picnic area and the lovely botanical garden. You are free to enjoy the property at no cost. There is a tasting room and you can reserve tickets for the distillery tour. This is a must see distillery, among the top most beautiful. read more

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The grounds and the old building are absolutely beautiful. The history of the place is really interesting and the tasting very fun. We had a great guide that was a retired school teacher and so she was wonderful at explaining and telling interesting stories Overall enjoyed it and would go back again. read more

Beautiful property, great tour from Meika. She gave us a wonderful in depth history of the property as well as the bourbon distillery. Gift shop had very unique and high end products. Areas outside to "just hang out & enjoy" was wonderful- give yourself some extra time between tours to enjoy the grounds. Overall a great experience. Having food for purchase would have made this an even more enjoyable day. read more

Castle & Key Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

This place is so cool! It's a little off the beaten track, but if you're in the area, I really recommend at least a stop here. My fiancée and I visited on a Saturday afternoon for a tour. We were running behind but still were greeted warmly and directed quickly to where our tour group had walked off to. Our tour guide was great. She was super friendly and obviously loved talking about the history of Castle and Key. She had worked there a while and knew everyone it seemed. We enjoyed listening to her. The grounds are incredible and learning the history of why things were designed the way they were added to the experience. Castle and Key is a modern business, but there is so much story to the grounds. How they have been able to rehabilitate the grounds is impressive, and I cannot wait to see how it grows in the future. Even if you just come here to visit, there is a little bar you can visit and they have food trucks regularly. If we lived close, we would definitely come here for the atmosphere. My only complaint was the bourbon itself. It is definitely not my favorite, and I found the gin a more enjoyable product. read more

We took a tour and it was very informative about the history of the property. The grounds are beautiful, and see and smelling the mash (smells like bread) was an awesome experience! Also, check out the gift shop. On the tour we tasted their bourbon, rye, along with a bourbon ball (Yum!), and a gin drink. Very much worth the cost of the tour. After our tour we enjoyed a picnic on the grounds, and would definitely recommend doing so, as well as touring the grounds. read more

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Bar Review Only! WOW! This smaller distillery is a must visit! My group was impressed with Castle & Key Distillery from start to finish. The distillery itself was tucked away and had an old world charm to it. The grounds are well kept and mix old building architecture with modern uses. We happened in on a Sunday to try some spirit flights and honestly wished we had had time to do a tour. I got the Whiskey Tasting which came with (3) samples. My fiancé got the gin tasting as well. The Small Batch Bourbon was some of the smoothest we tried on our trip! The Rise Gin was the favorite in the bunch as well. Flights and cocktails were very moderately priced and gift shop was fully stocked with items for purchase. All staff members we encountered had a smile on their face and were super accommodating. Make Castle & Key apart of your visit list! It is well worth it! read more

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We visited Castle and Key seeing it on a documentary and it did not disappoint. We were able to sign up for tour on the spot and it was busy. There we're releasing a 7 yr bourbon for the first time. Not knowing much about bourbon the tour was very informative and the grounds were beautiful. Many people appeared to out enjoying the afternoon. There was live music and two food trucks. Everyone we talked to, staff and patrons, were very friendly. If you are in the Lexington area and looking for a distillery to visit this would be a good choice. read more

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We were unable to get a reservation for a tour of Castle & Key, however it sounded so impressive we still wanted to see the grounds. We decided to see if there were any last minute openings and fortunately there were. The tour was very informative and our guide was so very enthusiastic and fun. He was marvelous for only being there about 6 months. The grounds and distillery was as good as we had expected. It doesn't matter if you enjoy bourbon or not, it was worth the visit. read more

This is probably my absolute favorite distillery to take family to. It's an amazing location, there is a nice garden walking trail, a great little bar, food trucks, and seating all around. You can walk along the creek, sip cocktails, and be part of bourbon history in Kentucky. And you can do it without paying for the tour itself I absolutely LOVE this place. read more

Gorgeous grounds and walking path-- nice flight of bourbon whiskey. Friendly and fast! read more

Castle & Key Distillery - Fun decor - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

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Many of the distilleries have gone to larger, impersonal, gift shops and tasting rooms. Castle and Key still has that magical feeling. Small distillery, but so quaint. The people are all so helpful and so nice. We were invited to shop, or head over to grab a cocktail and bring it back to shop. Which is what we did. The grounds here are beautiful. We did not take a tour as we were short on time. But we will be back. Thank you to Seb and Matt for making our visit special. read more

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Gorgeous distillery! This distillery sat unused for 40+ years. It is so impressive what they've done to bring it back to life. And I'm so thankful they did because the grounds are so beautiful. In addition to the tour, they have plenty of outdoor seating where you can drink their product and eat food from a food truck. It is really more than a tour...it's an overall experience. You'll find yourself spending hours here on a nice day. I'll be honest with you. The tour guide wasn't the best, the food from the food truck was marginal, and I don't love their bourbon, but all of that is simply overrun by the environment they've created out here. I'd put it up there with Maker's Mark for the beauty of the surroundings. But when you add to that the bar and outdoor areas to sit you have an incredible place to go and simply get away, I highly recommend. read more

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Beautiful distillery! We didn't do a tour, but loved the grounds, the gift shop and Husband loved his tasting of five of theirs. That way he knew which bottle to buy in the gift shop. Just be careful if you're going from place to place to not leave bourbon in a hot car for too long! read more

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The whole experience was great! Fun and informative tour, great tastings, and wonderful staff

This place is very different than most distilleries, and is as much a historical tour as a working distillery tour. Our guides, which included one of the distillers, were extremely knowledgeable about both the history of the distillery and the process of distilling. They are trying to rebuild a part of bourbon history, and after visiting, you want to help. Highly recommended. read more

What a great distillery. The history is fascinating and how the place got remodeled after decades of neglect. Beautiful grounds and so amazing that they use the original equipment. Loved all the merchandise being sold there. I highly recommend visiting this distillery. read more

Wow what a beautiful distillery! And rich with a lot of history. We recently heard of Castle and Key and fell in love with their bourbon. Having the chance to visit the distillery was amazing! read more

Castle & Key Distillery - This is the front of the castle - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Absolutely beautiful grounds and wonderful Tasting Room. Be sure to check out the gift shop even if you don't take a tour. read more

Castle & Key Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

While visiting the bourbon trail over the course of a week, my husband and I had been to a handful of distillery tours and experiences. Castle & Key was by far our favorite! The tour guide, Rich, was very knowledgeable and had a great way of presenting the history of the distillery. The premises at Castle & Key are just beautiful! And every staff member we encountered had a smile and friendly welcome. We highly recommend that you put this one on your list if you're in Kentucky. read more

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My favorite Distillery so far. The Grounds and Facility are amazingly cool, straight out of a 1930's era B/W film. Our Guide during Derby 151 week, Maggie, was also top-notch. Highly recommend. read more

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Went for a tasting today one of the most beautiful grounds and buildings in the distillery world. Kaleb did a great job and was very inactive with everyone. read more

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Their staff went above and beyond. There was a scheduling issue. We joined Rich for the tasting and then Chris gave us a tour. The grounds were beautiful and the history very interesting. Can't wait to come back again. Highly recommend this experience. The spirits are delicious and full Southern hospitality read more

Great tour led by Blake Taylor! Kept everyone engaged and it was a ton of fun! Best tour I've had yet! read more

Castle & Key Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Stopped by for a tasting and to check out this iconic distillery. The space is very cool as they refurbished some of the old machinery/buildings. The grounds are sprawled about in the area and they have some gorgeous architecture mixed along the forest/waterways. The staff was very friendly and we loved trying flights and cocktails before moving on. They also feature a lot of great clothing (Barbour), candles, bourbon and plants in their gift shop. Worth a visit! read more

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This is a beautiful facility/grounds, with plenty of peaceful places to walk through. The bar made me one of the best drinks of the trip, and I got to enjoy it with great friends. I told myself that, if I lived nearby, I would spend some afternoons at Castle & Key. read more

Castle & Key Distillery - Boiler Room - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

1) visibly awesome 2) the lady bartender was not very friendly. 3) Michy in the gift shop was unbelievably sweet, warm, and welcoming. 4) the bourbon and whiskey are mid. 5) overall very mid, but Michy is a star. read more