Our tour guide Matt does an excellent job. We also ate at the restaurant and that was a great experience also.

Our Golden Ticket Tour at Maker's Mark was nothing short of exceptional, and a huge part of that experience was our incredible tour guide, Laura. Without a doubt, she is the best tour guide we have ever had. From the moment the tour began, Laura's personality lit up the entire experience. She struck the perfect balance between being informative and entertaining, sharing the rich history and craftsmanship behind Maker's Mark while keeping everyone fully engaged. Her sense of humor and perfectly timed jokes made the day not only educational but genuinely fun and memorable. You can tell Laura truly loves what she does, and that passion comes through in every part of the tour. She made us feel welcomed, valued, and like we were part of something special. The Golden Ticket Tour is already a unique experience, but Laura elevated it to a whole different level. If you're planning a visit to Maker's Mark, we can't recommend this tour enough--and if you're lucky enough to have Laura as your guide, you're in for an unforgettable day! read more

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My friends and I visited Maker's Mark during our recent trip to Kentucky. The distillery is tucked away in the countryside, about an hour's drive from Louisville, but the trip is well worth it. We toured the grounds with a large group, and everything was immaculate. The tour itself was very informative and a great way to learn more about the bourbon-making process. After the tour, we participated in a tasting, which was a fun and educational experience. We then decided to eat at the Star Hill Provisions Café on the grounds. There was no wait, and we were seated right away. We ordered pizza, meat soup, lamb meatballs, and a chicken sandwich--all of which were fresh and delicious. Overall, we really enjoyed our visit to Maker's Mark and would absolutely come back again. read more

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First time ever touring a distillery after living in the area over a decade. I was blown away by the guided tour, our guide was Jackie and she was phenomenal! Truly so in depth, informative, fun and made us all feel so immersed in the area. The property was so beautiful and well tended. The aroma of the fermenting room can be strong for some but they do warn people and ask often if people are doing okay. I will also note there are some stairs but other ways to get around are available such as ramps. I will say I'm no bourbon drinker but the tasting was fun and I learned so much about the process and what it meant to the family. The Original Makers was my favorite though everyone else favored the 46 blend. At the end I had a fun time dipping my own bottle to commemorate the memory. read more

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Gorgeous grounds, knowledgeable tour guides, great whiskey tastings, and a fantastic restaurant. Makers Mark Distillery is one you wont want to miss!! read more

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I'm reviewing strictly the tour, more specifically The Oak Experience tour. If I added the gift shop or whisky in my review unfortunately it'd be down a star or two! Our tour started in the garden, the absolute perfect place to start any tour. It sort of didn't have a lot to do with the whisky but our tour guide, Amber (?) gave us the whole history of why it's there, sustainability factors, research and the environment, she was phenomenal! We then got in an off-road van and off we went into the forest! We learned about the lake, the care of the land around the lake but mostly the wood and what it takes to sustain the much needed oak. Along the way, we had tastings like we've never had, lakeside, in the forest and thieving in the rickhouse! The tour was absolutely amazing and unique, exactly what we needed after doing several while in town. I'm not a fan of the whisky and the gift shop is severely, I mean severely over priced, not just a little but a lot! All the staff we met along the way for the tours were fantastic, friendly and welcoming. The gift shop employees need to take lessons from them on how to treat their customers! Great experience for tours! read more

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Gorgeous grounds! Well worth the drive from Louisville! The bottle dipping experience made for a wonderful souvenir to take home. We didn't take a tour, but we wandered around the beautiful campus and did a flight tasting. Great experience all around! read more

Maker's Mark Distillery - bottle dipping - Tours Near Me - Loretto, Kentucky

Awesome distillery with beautiful grounds! I was there picking up my Ambassador bottles that were ready from my Ambassador barrel. The bar there is wonderful, with lots of Maker's bourbon choices. We ended up buying 4 bottles from my barrel, which we dipped, and two more that we bought resulting from our tasting. I highly recommend going here if you have the chance! We throughly enjoyed our visit! read more

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Great guides, grounds and tour. One of, if not the best distillery tours. They have a way of explaining and show people how to get the most taste out of their bourbon. Always a great experience. read more

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We had a great tour! Cheyenne is an excellent friendly and knowledgeable guide. I felt I learned a lot about the company. The grounds are beautiful and you get to see a lot on the classic tour. You get to taste for samples at the end of the tour and my husband loved dipping his own bottle in the red wax. I'd like that they have a small art collection in the visitor center and the glass exhibit was beautiful. I'd love to Chihulily glass. read more

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Tour was great! Well worth the trip to see and explore the area. Tour guide Laura was very enthusiastic and informative. I would recommend going to this one for sure! read more

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Our second time touring the property and actually the same tour, but it has been three years and this time we had Chad, who was awesome and knowledgeable. An overall great time, beautiful property, and some of my favorite whiskies made to date. Got a bit of history about the family an distillery, visited a number of sites and of course, finished it off with some great whiskey. At the end, we dunk a bottle to take home and headed over to their kitchen, which again was amazing. Food was on point, well priced as was the whiskey and a quaint location. I know the drive is a bit out there, but I promise it is worth trip. read more

Maker's Mark Distillery - Limestone cellar. - Tours Near Me - Loretto, Kentucky

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Far and away one of the best distillery tours I've been on . . . . and I've been on a few. I do have to say that the one Maker's Mark release i have had before this was not my favorite, but I'm so glad i went on this tour. First off, our tour guide, Chad, was the best. It seems like he started in production, and still keeps a hand in it, before becoming a guide. We saw a lot on the tour, and heard more Maker's Mark history than i can remember. I have a new appreciation for the brand and picked up two bottles that I'm looking forward to opening. I even got to dip the bottles in that famous red wax myself. (dip, turn, turn) Apparently they shut down production to clean in August, so we didn't see much activity . . . . but that just made fore a quieter tour. Finally, there was a temporary Chihuly glass exhibition on the grounds and in some of the buildings while i was there, which was pretty cool. In fact there was a lot or art ar Maker's Mark in general. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this tour. read more

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The distillery is tucked away in these beautiful rolling hills (not necessarily the greatest for people who get motion sick, but very much worth it). The staff is all so happy to be there, and with the size of the distillery, you would never believe only 70-80 employees used to do everything until a few years ago. Their restaurant, Star Hill Provisions, is amazing and any time you have to enjoy the cocktails is well worth it. We were lucky enough to do a Friends of Makers Mark tour and learn so much - Chet is so knowledgeable and definitely enjoys his job! Star Hill Farm is amazing - did you know there's an Appalachian breed of sheep that's short haired and delicious? Cause they do! read more

Maker's Mark Distillery - Tours Near Me - Loretto, Kentucky

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My experience at Marker's Mark was exceptional! Every aspect of the visitor experience is well thought out and top notch! Restaurant is a must stop as the food is delicious. Had a great day and will definitely be in for a second trip! read more

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Fabulous bourbon tour covering a very beautiful campus. There's lots to explore even outside of the tour stops that you can do on your own. There was a fair amount of walking but nothing too crazy. The tasting at the end offered four different bourbons. Don't forget to dip your own bottle in the gift shop! read more

Maker's Mark Distillery - Tours Near Me - Loretto, Kentucky

We didn't eat there, but the staff was wonderful and very helpful to us, even though we didn't arrive until 30 minutes before closing. The place is beautiful! As a fan of all Chiluly glass art fan I was amazed to find this in the middle of no where! It was great! read more

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Makers Mark is a beautiful property and the Ambassador barrell experience was fantastic. The food at the restaurant was delicious, and our tour guide Chris was great and very informative!! read more

Maker's is a classic stop on the bourbon trail! Gorgeous grounds with lots of history. We're bummed we didn't have time to do a full tour but we got to walk around, visit the gift shop, dip our own bottles (highly recommended!!!), and eat at their restaurant. Even if you don't have a lot of time, definitely add this as a stop. We enjoyed our food at the restaurant and got a tasting of some of their limited edition and distillery pick bottles! read more

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The sight of lambs frolicking on a green lawn greeted us as we entered the campus of the Maker's Mark distillery. Pure pastoral bliss, even if expertly designed and manicured, permeates the scene. (The irony of such a bucolic setting for the production of hard spirits was not lost on me, but I digress.) Whether by artifice or nature or a combination of the two, the setting-- buildings and landscaping alike--is beautiful. (The same cannot be said of MM's various other "facilities" in the region, that look like dystopian/Eastern bloc housing complexes.) All encountered staff were likewise pleasant and obviously well trained. The tour was comprehensive, culminating in a generous tasting. Our guide was personable and knowledgeable, though the KY party girl persona verged on overkill. Typical exit through the gift shop where guests can buy a $50 t-shirt or wax their own bottle of MM bourbon for the price of the bourbon and then some. On the day of our visit, the restaurant was closed for renovation; MM pivoted by selling pre-made sandwiches and salads from the bar. We ate on the adjacent porch overlooking the grounds. My salad was excellent, and the view...see the first paragraph of this review. Did they miss the mark on anything? The tour was a bit rushed. I would prefer a less comprehensive tour for more time to observe the actual workings of the distillery. Signature cocktails for $17 at said bar. That price seems high to me. Besides, day drinking makes me nappy. I passed. The bar also sold loaves of sourdough bread that purportedly used the same yeast used for MM's bourbon. We bought a loaf. It was under proofed and under baked. (See photo). Bad crumb make me grumpy. I wish I had passed. "When I read about the evils of drinking I gave up reading." ~ Henny Youngman. read more

Maker's Mark Distillery - Maker's Mark -- waxing on. - Tours Near Me - Loretto, Kentucky

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We went to see the Chihuly exhibits and arrived in the late afternoon, which is a perfect time to go. You can see them all in the daylight hours and stick around and see them at night and how they change when darkness hits. Staff was all very friendly and accommodating. The evening was reserved for Maker's Mark Ambassadors (which we both are) so it was great to be there when there wasn't a huge crowd (also the ticket prices were much cheaper!) Bonus: we got some neat pours and a welcome cocktail. Only downside was I wish there were more new pieces vs returning pieces from the previous exhibit there in 2017. If they do another Chihuly exhibit, I'll make sure to check before making the long drive as to how many pieces are new and how many are returning. Star Hill Farms restaurant, which I've heard good things about, was closed that evening, so that was disappointing as I've been wanting to try it. But there was a food truck on site. Overall a nice night. read more

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We just visited yesterday for our long awaited Ambassador golden ticket tour! Laura was our tour guide and she was nothing short of amazing! Prior to the tour after checking in we tried a cocktail in the bar behind the check in and I'm going to tell you the choices were all delicious sounding, but it was very cold and I had the Hot Dr. Pepper. It is seasonal, but it was absolutely delicious and warming and would be a great introduction to those who aren't sure they like bourbon. The buildings and grounds are beautiful and seeing the process and hearing about what goes into Maker's Mark was so interesting and explains so much. This was our second tour- the last being almost 7 years ago. This one was better than the first and included some fabulous tastings along the way. We of course ended up in the gift shop where we purchased bottles from our Ambassador barrel and dipped them ourselves- my husband purchased several other limited edition bottles he also dipped. I highly recommend joining the ambassador program- it is definitely worth the wait! Ask for Laura as your tour guide. She is a wealth of knowledge and humor and has family ties to Maker's Mark. I would also like to say everyone was pleasant and helpful- including the bus drivers who drove us from the gift shop and dropped us off right by our vehicle. There was snow and ice still on the ground and even though it was thawing and the pathways and parking lot were cleared, the trek from the gift shop with a box full of bottles was not something we wanted to try. Kudos to Maker's Mark and the staff. Cheers! read more

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Our tour was informative and entertaining. Matt, our tour guide,was fantastic. This history was very interesting. Overall it was a great experience. read more

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Type...our bourbon expert was Chad...stupid autocorrect...now i am just typing to get 85 char... read more

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I took the Ambassador tour and it was awesome. I have toured before, but the ambassador tour is a whole new experience. There are special tastings and different information than on a regular tour. Also our tour guide Laura was fantastic. She kept the tour lively and fun, but still provided great information. read more

We stopped in here around Covid times. You had to have a reservation for the tour, so we didn't do that. Instead, we chose to go drink a flight. They brought out full bottles for purchase and set them behind each flight glass. We had a good time sitting out on the covered porch tasting. Then we went in and purchased a bottle representing our trip and those times for us together: Somewhere in 2020. I'd go back here again. It was pretty awesome. read more

Maker's Mark Distillery - Tours Near Me - Loretto, Kentucky

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My wife and I stopped by the distillery on a whim and scored tickets to the Classic Maker's Mark Tour. We were drawn in because of the Dan Chihuly exhibit and were treated, not only to so some amazing art, delicious spirits, but also an intriguing education on the history of Maker's Mark. We learned so much and had a blast exploring the property, dipping our own bottles in wax and enjoying a beautiful day with excellent bourbon. Ask about the ambassador program. read more

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Maker's Mark was absolutely the most gorgeous distillery grounds. The Maker's Mark Tour was filled with fun facts and we saw everything from bottling production (with their signature red wax dip) to barreling to exquisite Chihuly art. At $26 per person for the tour was definitely worth it! Our tour guide was knowledgeable and his knowledge of the history of the brand was exceptional. A number of us dipped our own bottles in the wax at the end of the tour and that was a super fun experience I highly recommend. We had lunch onsite at Star Hill Provisions (see my review) and it was delicious! Maker's Mark is a must-stop! read more

What a fun place to go! We took their Whisky (not a typo) Creek Walking Tour, which highlighted a lot of the things the distillery is doing to close the cycle. For example, they have 7 different bee hive areas, with around 1.5 MILLION bees (plus or minus 100,000 - but who is counting). They have logs they seed with mushrooms for some of their products. Everything is set up to recycle - even the aluminum water bottles (which are reusable). The day started with a nice, refreshing drink, and there were three pours of Maker's Mark products beyond that on the tour. Each participant was provided with a glass on a neck lanyard which you turn in at the end for your pours. The end of the tour included a visit to the distillation column, and to the original wooden mash tanks. All very interesting and informative! The tour guide was very helpful, and the staff was pleasent. One tip: They book multiple tours at the same time, so make sure you don't do what I did and go to the wrong one. read more

Beautiful facility with friendly and knowledgeable staff. We didn't get there early enough for a tour, but we still had fun dipping our bottle in wax at the gift shop. I wish they had better hours for the tour and restaurant. Both close early in the day. My husband enjoyed his flight at the tasting bar. read more

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Did the Golden Ambassador Experience and had a ball. Learned a ton about bourbon and the Marker's Mark brand. Got to dip my own bottles in the signature red wax. We visited in early January and the grounds were beautiful....I would love to visit in the summer. Maker's is an interesting company with an interesting story. Have a ton of respect for how they manage the brand. Would definitely come back and try to combine with some Kentucky golf. read more

Maker's Mark Distillery - Dipping my ambassador bottles. - Tours Near Me - Loretto, Kentucky

The Tour was amazing! we had the best time exploring the campus and learning so much, I forget our tour guides name but he was great! However, it was the most expensive gift shop of all the distilleries we went to on our trip. Also, I personally did the dipping experience, and the staff was unfriendly and rude, left with a bad taste in my mouth. Worth the trip, but expect expensive gift shop, and don't be surprised if gift shop employees are rude. read more

Wow that road into the farm is rural, if you get car sick, take some Dramamine! We arrived 5 minutes late and the customer service team was so helpful and accommodating they were able to shift our reservation to the next time slot! Which actually was perfect because it allowed us time to visit the restroom and the cocktail bar before the tour. We met the resident cat - DO NOT TOUCH- but admire his handsome sleepy self while sipping the cider! This was our first visit and we loved the entire experience! From the beautiful views, modern art, rich history, knowledgeable guide Griffin (or Glenn?) and of course the yummy tasting! It was an excellent experience. read more

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I finally completed my Ambassador tour after a 7 year wait for my barrel to be perfected! It was one of the most enjoyable tours I have ever taken. Our tour guide Laura was so personable, knowledgeable, and entertaining. She was absolutely hilarious and everyone on the tour had a great time. We were able to try so many pours on our tour, including a pour from our own barrel. Going to the gift shop and dipping my own bottle is something I will never forget. This is one of the most unique tours on the Bourbon Trail. Can't wait to come back and try the bar in the main house and the restaurant. read more

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We loved the property and the gardens and the buildings. Such a cool old spot. Loved learning the history and our tour guide was amazing and very funny. We ate at the café, which was absolutely delicious and the bourbons of course were great. read more

Fabulous tour. Two friends, my husband, and I are in town visiting Louisville and doing bourbon tours - we did Peerless yesterday, which I enjoyed, and this was a lot bigger, but also great. When you arrive, there's a beautiful lobby with lots of artwork. They also have a cat, aptly named Whiskey Jean, who was sleeping in a little nook. Our tour was at 11am and it ends at the gift shop, where I was able to hand dip a bottle of Maker's that we bought... Pretty cool! The company has a beautiful campus, too, and the tour guide told us that the founder's wife specifically designed the campus knowing they'd probably want to give tours some day. If you do the tour, keep an eye out for the Chihuly glass ceiling near the end, too. They also have a cocktail lounge which is near the lobby, so we tried a few cocktails there. They also have a restaurant. This was my first time here, the 2nd time for my husband and the 4th and 5th times for our friends, if that gives any indication how nice the tour/campus is! I would definitely return for another tour in the future. read more

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The grounds and artwork/glass are stunning. The tour was informative and we had a fun guide. The guide sounded like a Southern Preacher in the way he joked around. The reason for three stars are two major bummers: Bummer #1: The uniqueness to Maker's Mark branding, as "Miss Margie" knew, is the dipping of the bottle necks in wax. We made advance reservations and this was not a unique tour. It was a tour that happens regularly yet, they could not time the assembly line so that we could see the dipping of the bottle necks. Seriously? We waited in the assembly line room for awhile for the workers to return, but they did not came back. Aren't they on a regular lunch schedule? If not, I don't think it would that be that difficult to coordinate the tours to see the dipping of the bottle necks. Bummer #2: They did not tell us that the restaurant was closed for a private event (they had our email address because we had to make advance reservations and sent a reminder for the tour). If you've toured the distilleries, you know there's very little food available around in the towns. We were hungry after the tour because it was lunchtime and it's not a good idea to keep drinking if you're not eating. They could've offered cheese and crackers for sale. Four Roses has a refrigerator where you can buy a few items. Gee, forethought. Because of this, we didn't feel that we wanted to sample cocktails (that sounded yummy) because we were way too hungry and on an empty stomach that's not a good idea. Their marketing and branding, seen all around, are right on. Not sure if this could also be called a museum with all the beautiful artwork and glass. The grounds are meticulous and very well landscaped. Extremely scenic. read more

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Maker's Mark is off the beaten path within the Bourbon Trail having narrow, winding roads get you to the distillery. But wow was I impressed by this tasting and tour! My family and I signed up for an early morning tasting and tour. The grounds itself were extremely well kept and featured many art pieces and sculpture pulling in an elevated atmosphere. Staff all around were extremely friendly and welcoming. The tour lasted an hour plus a 15 minute tasting. We ventured through every part of the distilling process: ingredients, process, equipment, label making, bottling, history, progression. Our tour guide was fabulous! We ended with a (4) spirit tasting of both common and exclusive spirits. We ended in the gift shop where one can safely dip their own bottle purchased. The tour and tasting was $26 per person but included fair wages for staff. Overall, I was highly impressed with our experience at Maker's Mark. It left me with a new found appreciation for the brand and some highly personal bottles to take home with me. Tip: Bottling and label production does not happen on Saturdays or Sundays if you are looking to book a weekend tour. read more

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One of the best bourbon tours I've been on. Very informative and beautiful grounds. It can be a bit challenging to get there as some of the roads are winding and tight. Definitely worth the trip. Great little bar behind the reception area to try a cocktail before your tour. Unfortunately didn't get a chance to try the restaurant. The tour was well paced and a lot of great information was shared. Got to finish it off by dipping a few bottles and enjoying a great sample of Maker's. read more

Maker's Mark Distillery - Tours Near Me - Loretto, Kentucky

Great tour and beautiful grounds. Highly recommend. $25 per person, one hour and 15 minute tour. Not too long or too short. The staff were all so warm and welcoming which made us feel good to be there. Generous tasting at the end didn't hurt either! Our tour guide Michelle was awesome. She was fun and funny and most impressed me when she used the word "whom" correctly!!! That was awesome and so rare anymore ;) We heard some others on our tour said the Maker's Mark tour was so much better than the one they took at 4 R***s. Wear comfy shoes and prepare to be on your feet. The walk from the parking lot is a good distance and then you are standing for the whole tour. We def recommend! read more