One of the best distillery visits ever. Don't be put off by all the kitchy Australian-themed decor,…read morelike the kangaroo statue in front (selfie op), the koalas on the gin bottles, and the attempt at an Australian accent by the non-Australian bartender. (The owner is Australian but not the bartender.) You get used to it. There were a few preselected tasting flights offered. I don't know if the customer can choose their own selection but I wouldn't be surprised. They seemed pretty accommodating, letting me sample a couple of gins for free (but this was after I spent over $150 on bourbons). The bartender gave me so much info (tasting notes, history, etc.) before I even decided on my flight. I was really intrigued by the gins but I was in Kentucky for whiskey so I got the premium flight that features their higher end bourbon and whiskey offerings. Pretty expensive at $30 but it was 5 1/2-ounce pours so that's a lot of product. After getting my flight I took it to one of the tables to relax, sipping and comparing, reading my book, and enjoying the ambience. Such a pretty, colorful interior, the metal building spruced up with natural wooden tables, neon signs, and the large bar area with its dark purple walls, granite countertop and artfully illuminated bottles. The music soundtrack was great, eclectic and varied. A sign said scan the QRC for the soundtrack, so it's apparent they put some real thought into it. During the 1/2 hour or so I was there I was visited by no less than 3 staff members plus my original bartender, asking how I liked the bourbons, etc. Not just to be polite. They all asked probing questions: which one is my favorite, what do I taste, how do they compare, etc. All this attention was surprising (too many staff on a slow day?) but welcome, and forced me to contemplate what I was drinking more carefully. I liked everything and couldn't decide on one so I ended up with two 375ml bottles. One was the Cigar Lounge, 9 years, finished in barrels used for Cognac, Amburana, Jaca, Madeira, and Maple. One of the visiting staff suggested I take it into the humidor and try it again because it "really changes it." I'm not a cigar smoker but the wood-lined, walk-in humidor was pleasantly aromatic and I guess it did change the taste of the whisky, not that it needed any improvement. After finishing my flight it was time to eat. There's a resident food truck on premises (Billibong Provisions) selling Australian meat pies and not much else. I moved to the outside seating area and got a chicken/vegetable. It was very good with a flaky buttery crust and ample filling. And the iced coffee I had with it was excellent too. I was really intrigued by their gins. They offer 5 kinds, all made with different blends of Australian herbs. Each label featuring a cartoon koala engaged in different leisure activities (at a bbq grill, on a surfboard, chilling in a hammock, etc.) Having consumed over 2 ounces of spirits I couldn't do another flight though I really wanted to. But the bartender gave me two micro-pours for free. (She would have kept going but I reluctantly stopped her.) One was the RBF (Resting Beach Face), made with salt bush, oyster shell, sea parsley, and Tasmanian peaberry. Yummy. All the descriptions were so intriguing. Wish I could have tried them all.

Larrikin Distillery has become a regular stop for us anytime we're in the area, and for good…read morereason. The bourbon is excellent, but somehow the hospitality manages to be even better. It's Australian-themed, veteran-owned, and has exactly the kind of atmosphere that makes you walk in planning to have one drink and leave wondering how you became emotionally attached to a distillery. The whiskey is seriously good, the people make you feel like an old friend, and there's always a reason to come back (plus they often have their dogs representing- BONUS). If you like great bourbon, great conversation, and a place with actual personality, Larrikin is absolutely worth the stop. Fair warning though folks, one visit may result in a permanent addition to your bourbon travel itinerary.

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!

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.

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!

We had a wonderful stop at Bulleit Distilling Co. Visitor Experience on our way home from…read moreFrankfort! The atmosphere was warm, welcoming, and the perfect place to relax and enjoy some great bourbon. What really stood out was the kindness of the staff. Our bar waitress went above and beyond by making sure our young boys felt included, even sharing a special drink with them so they could be part of the experience. That thoughtful gesture meant so much to our family. We love the beautiful setting, friendly service, and convenient location right along our route home. This will definitely be a regular stop for us whenever we're passing through the area! Cheers to a team that truly knows how to make guests feel welcome.

My partner in crime came in town and said let's go to Bulleit Distilling. I'm ashamed to say I…read morehad no idea what he was talking about. I'm not a drinker so there's that...however, I'm glad I tagged along because the place is pretty cool even if you don't partake in the "spirits". The atmosphere is beautiful. I was really impressed. The bartender where he got the tasting was so nice and patient with us. I did order a mocktail which was SO good! I did have a little sip which wasn't horrible. They have really cool outdoor seating and live music which I would love to try out. Overall I'm glad we stopped in. It was a fun experience.

Had a great visit at Whiskey Thief. I drove down the long gravel driveway past rolling hilly fields…read moreto the large barn structure, large sliding doors open front and back. I entered. A huge Big Ass fan (that's its real name!) helping to cool the space and adding much noise. The greeter at the entrance welcomed me and gave a brief introduction to what they're about here and I walked over to the tasting area, where the whiskies are served directly from the 5 open barrels using the siphoning device known as a "whiskey thief"; hence the business's name. All corn is grown right at the farm and the rye is from Minnesota. The tasting experience is very informal: just walk up to the barrels, tell them which one you want, then either hang around and talk to them or wander around and sip. Take all the time you need. Pretzels were provided as a "palette cleanser". Also some truffles were offered for pairing with the whisky but in my opinion that just confuses the experience. Although they were very good truffles. Tasting directly from barrels is a different experience. The whiskey is unfiltered and the glasses contained floating black specks, carbon from the charred barrels. This doesn't affect the taste. The pours were generous and I was already feeling mellow after 4 when it was time for my tour. It really wasn't much of one, just a brief walk around the distilling area over the catwalks accessing the equipment including the tanks where I could directly peer into fermenting grain ooze. (Sure glad I didn't drop my camera down into it. What then?) 7 people were on the tour, all men. Only I asked questions; the rest were silent. Curious. Who knows what they were thinking. After the tour I went back to the tasting area and got my 5th sample. I Iiked everything I tried. I knew I wanted to buy a bottle but couldn't decide so I ended up buying 2 375ml bottles. This is an experience in itself, as all bottles are filled by the customer, using the whiskey thief device, from the very barrel that was just sampled. What you see (and taste) is literally what you get! Last but certainly not least: Some food, another drink, and some music. This happens on the outside back patio. There are several tables with umbrellas, an outside bar, and a food truck. Burgers, nachos, cheese fries, and more. I had some truffle fries, crispy, with skins on, and subtle with the truffle flavor; top notch. And a Manhattan, made with one of their bourbons of course, served in real glass and with an excellent Luxardo cherry. I nursed this very strong drink and read my book a long time (close to 2 hours) because the music and ambience were so special. "Lil' Jimmy Ritchie" put on an excellent show, singing high energy country songs and accompanying himself with spectacular guitar playing, lots of fast picking not just strumming. During his break he made rounds of the patio, saying hello to everyone there. Lil' Jimmy in his cowboy hat, enduring toothy smile, with the backdrop of pasture and an aging barn behind, struck me as the quintessential country music experience.

Absolutely the way to close out a bourbon tour…read more With all the pomp and production you can see from the big boys this place is worthy of your time. Barrels tapped on the barn floor. Whiskey Thief hand pulls straight into your tasting glass or bottle. Live music in the background and a fabulous backyard to sit and sip or chill with a bourbon slooshie as the sun set over KY was the perfect end to our day of touring and tasting. We toured some big guys and this place had a level of authenticity that they left behind years ago. Our host, our guide, and our barreltenders were all knowledgeable about the craft. Almost don't want to say more - keep it secret, keep it safe.

This was my first time at Buffalo Trace. It was a spontaneous visit while driving through the area…read moreon my way West. It was a Saturday so likely the busiest day of the week. There was a long line of cars backed up into the street to get in and park. I'm not on a set timetable so I waited. I ended up getting one of the last spots in their overflow parking lot. I then waited in a line for about 45 minutes to get the wristband that allowed me to get inside the grounds. Luckily the weather was nice for that wait and I enjoyed the sun. Then there was a short line of about 10 minutes for the tasting sessions. From there on out, no lines except for the checkout line in the gift shop. This brand has a very loyal following. Of the whiskey varieties, bourbon is my favorite as there are many variations and complexities in each bottle I enjoyed the tasting session which are well organized and small groups. We sampled 3 varieties and finished with a bourbon ball made by a local candy company. The tasting took about 20 minutes then I was free to explore the large grounds. Buffalo Trace has a beautiful working campus with lots of great photo ops and interesting buildings. Old and new mixed. The grounds are manicured and There's also lots of staff around to help with questions and directions. I ended up buying several bottles of their products including the self branded Bourbon Lemonade (currently only available at this site), Bourbon Cream, and semi-rare limited bottle of aged single barrel bourbon. There are lots of Buffalo Trace branded merch throughout the huge gift store. These guys know what they're doing when marketing their name. Every employee I encountered was super polite and helpful. This distillery is a nice local and national treasure. I would love to return one day when in the Frankfort area.

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.

This is a must stop. Everything scratch made. Pimento cheese and beer cheese are a must try. Great…read moreflavors and fun atmosphere.

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.

Tour guide Laura is the absolute best and made my ambassador experience top tier. Her positive…read moreenergy and knowledge is unmatched. The distillery grounds are well manicured and all of the staff is personable. This was my second visit after 3 years in 2023 and the progress on the grounds is beautiful. Early morning tours are a must so you can take in everything before the crowds come.

Hoping to learn a little of the process of making bourbon. I got that and much more. I came away…read morewith a greater appreciation for Makers Mark. The campus was a wonderful place to visit. I look forward to a return visit. If I could get Jim as a guide again that would be spectacular! Makers set the standard for tours of distilleryes.

We were in Kentucky for a Midwest/Southern reunion with friends after flying in from San Diego, and…read morevisiting the bourbon distilleries around Bardstown was one of the highlights of the trip. Out of all of them, Willett ended up being our favorite. We had Michael as our tour guide, and he was fantastic. The tour felt a little different from the others because we got to taste different bourbons throughout the tour instead of all at once at the end. Michael was gregarious, funny, and a great storyteller. He kept everyone engaged while sharing the history of the distillery, the bourbon-making process, and plenty of entertaining stories along the way. One of my favorite parts was seeing all of the photos of the distillery cats at the beginning of the tour. As cat lovers, we absolutely loved that. This distillery has clearly been blessed by some very cute feline employees! We enjoyed tasting the different bourbons, and while the gift shop wasn't huge, it had some really unique items. We even brought home a catnip toy for our two kitties. If you're visiting the Bardstown area, I highly recommend adding Willett to your list. It was easily our favorite distillery experience of the trip.

My group was fortunate enough to get last minute spots on a tour at noon. Micheal, our tour guide…read morewas excellent. He made the tour fun for non-bourbon folks. I was pleasantly surprised by the bourbon's and left with a couple bottles. It was best tour of the week.