Had a great visit at Whiskey Thief. I drove down the long gravel driveway past rolling hilly fields to 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. read more

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Absolutely the way to close out a bourbon tour. 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. read more

Whiskey Thief Distilling - Char sinks to the bottom but it has a nice chew if you dare. - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Though it was extremely hot outside, I enjoyed taking the tour with my husband and friends. I'm not a bourbon drinker but it was cool hearing about the process from our tour guide. The grounds are beautiful and they even had a few cute little goats roaming around. The staff is super friendly and engaging. They don't serve food here but did supply small bags of pretzels. They also served bourbon slushes which one of my friends LOVED. read more

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Beautiful place. Great little craft distillery outside of Frankfort. Single batch production... no mixing, no blending, no filtering. Very fine stuff but that's my palette. Great hitting 5 barrels all different mash bill. A must if you're in the area! read more

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My partner and I visited with some friends and really enjoyed the tour of the distillery and the tasting straight from the barrel! We didn't need to make reservations for the tour beforehand unlike most of the big distilleries which was a nice change. Excellent atmosphere - lawn games at the back with picnic tables and a little food truck area. Pet friendly! Would definitely go back read more

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Huge fan of the vibe at whiskey thief. Staff was awesome and you can "thief" I.e. pour your own bottle of bourbon. Great hang and they have goats. If you're an animal lover the goats will let you pet them. If you stink they won't. Absolutely worth a stop. I want to be there on a fall night. read more

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I didn't have any food but the whiskey was ok. Service wasn't as good as other Distillerys in the area. It's a smaller place so know that going in. The ambience is whiskey. read more

Whiskey Thief Distilling - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Whiskey Thief Distilling Co. is a must-stop if you're in bourbon country. The distillery experience is top-notch--we did the tour and tasting and loved the unique "thieve your own bottle" straight from the barrel. It doesn't get more authentic than that. The staff is incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, and you can tell they really care about what they're doing. The whole property adds to the charm--beautiful views, a relaxed atmosphere, and even some animals wandering around that make it feel like a true Kentucky experience. As a Harvest Hosts location, it's one of the best we've stayed at. Plenty of space, peaceful setting, and just an all-around great place to spend the night after enjoying some bourbon. Highly recommend whether you're stopping in for a tasting or staying overnight--you won't be disappointed. read more

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Great vibe. Lovely outdoor space. Neat tasting experience. Did half the tour cause our kids were too impatient to do the full tour. But they like the orange soda. We were on a tight timeframe but hopefully we could come back sometime. read more

The dog friendliness was the first thing that caught our attention since we were traveling with a pup. We did the tour and got to sample 5 different barrels. Their staff was very friendly and welcoming. The distillery (unofficial) mascot (ranger the dog) welcomed our pup as well! The Bourbon is very different from anything I have had. Much more flavorful. We ended up purchasing a 375mL bottle that we filled ourselves! Probably a new favorite of ours. We'll be back! read more

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What an incredible and unique concept in bourbon country. The tasting room is a casual fun atmosphere filled with barrels. They have no full bottles so you taste directly from the barrel and if you find one you like as I did, you get to fill it yourself from the barrel. Each barrel is different and no barrel will be available twice so once it's gone it's gone which means you get a unique product every time you go. The staff was wonderful and knowledgeable and helpful when filling your bottle. Definitely a must visit! read more

Whiskey Thief Distilling - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

On August 6, a group of us at the suggestion of one of our friends who's called the Bourbon pirate in TikTok recommended that we visit whiskey thief during our brief bourbon trail experience. It was incredible to be able to see whiskey thief's operations and to be able to open up a barrel, and then to be able to draw my own bottle of whiskey straight from the barrel, using a whiskey thief. their hospitality and they're friendliness was phenomenal. The little food truck wagon behind the building had awesome food and I have to say hats off and many many many thanks to Hannah from whiskey thief on her friendliness, her knowledge of whiskey and of whiskey thief distillery. Thank you Hannah. Next time I visit the Bourbon Trail again all the way from Texas. I will stop in at whiskey thief to have that same experience that I did. read more

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Went to whisky Thief Distillery over the weekend. We took the full tour, which I did learn a little more about bourbon. The tastings are quite generous and the bourbon is unfiltered and straight from the barrel. They had a very good food truck, cocktails and music. A nice afternoon. read more

Whiskey Thief Distilling - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

On the way back to Ohio we saw a sign on the freeway for this distiller and we decided to make a side trip and head on over. Its located on the most beautiful farm. We made our way back to the distillery. The still is gorgeous. The staff nice. Very dog friendly place (which was good as we came with a dog). The gift shop is cute. Lots of products to choose from. We purchased some gin... which is surprising as the name is whiskey thief but we preferred their gin- lol. The bourbon they make is delicious. However they run between 130-170 bucks. So we chose gin $99. Still, wowzers. Guess we got caught up in a moment as I don't think any alcohol is worth that price. Lol. Staff was the best staff we have run into in months. Knowledgeable, fun and kind. We enjoyed our short stay. read more

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This was one of the more unique experiences on the bourbon trail. We went in not knowing what to expect on a. Tasting and to our surprise we got a keepsake taster and got to taste from 5 barrels direct all the whiskeys were good with 3 out of the 5 being options for us to bottle. You are able to fill your own bottle of whiskey from any of the barrels which was definitely an experience. Compared to other distilleries, I thought the pricing was definitely worth it for the bottle. The tasting on the other hand was a little overpriced but for us it was still very worth it and one of our favorite distilleries all weekend. Lastly, the Photo Booth was a nice touch and made the experience that much more enjoyable! Overall, I would recommend any and everyone to check out Whiskey Thief if you are looking for a unique experience on the trail. Please note, I did not take a tour so I'm not sure what that would be like. It is included with your tasting admission. read more

Came here during my bachelor party this last weekend. Great craft bourbon maker. Vibes were legit. We all said if we lived in the area we would party here every weekend. Also, our tour guide was hella cute. read more

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We took a scenic drive through farms and fields on our way to the Uncut & Unfiltered Experience at Whiskey Thief Distilling Co.. Dave & Ranger were our tour guides who did a good job of telling the origin story of this operation and sharing their beliefs on whiskey production. Dave, who seemed like a nice, whiskey loving guy, was happy to entertain questions which I recommend coming prepared with, as the talking part of the tour seemed more suited for those that prefer brevity. We moved into the thieving area which felt cozy despite the large barn style of the edifice. We learned a little about what made each labeled barrel in front of us and were provided samples in a commemorative glass that the staff thieved. I'm glad we enjoyed what we tasted as we ended up purchasing a bottle to take home that we got to thieve ourselves directly from the barrel. At the time you could only get this whiskey at the source. The grounds were well utilized and helped to curate the experience. We enjoyed the drive in, the picnic like feel on the patio, flora as far as you can see and the transparency of it all as we tasted whiskey straight from the barrel in the middle of their operation. I cannot comment on the food truck. As we were the first tour of the day we didn't have an issue with parking but closer to the time we left the logistics of the general in/out of guests and parking had degraded. Be aware the restrooms may not meet everyone's needs. We don't regret going and recommend it for those seeking something relaxed and smaller scale after having done some of the bigger more organized tours. Don't forget to tip Ranger with pets. (Ranger is the dog). read more

This was definitely the most interesting and unique of the distilleries I visited this trip. When i pulled i it reninded me of where i grew up . . . . cornfields all around. It definitely looked and felt like a farm. I was there on a Thursday morning so there was only one other personon the tour. Actually I was late for my tour time, called and got on the next one, so the other guy would have gotten a personal tour on his own if i had remembered how time zones worked. (Tip to remember if traveling east.) Our tour guide was excellent! Casey, Carrie, mabe something close to that . . . . maybe that's not even close. (I really should be more present.) I was a little early (tecnically a little late) so i had 2 of my 5 tastes befote the tour. These were also the two i ended up purchasing a bottle of. One was the wheated and the other the highest proof. Bothe were excellent. Since they were thieved right from the barrel there was a little char in the tasting glass, which you get to keep. (Take notes other distileries. Only one other has done this.) The char in the glass was so cool! The tour was confined to the one building, but being a small(ish) operation it made sense. You could buy the bourbon there but the gift shop was nearer to the entrance (which was convenient sine i came back, deciding i wanted a few staves for a project I'll most likely never get to. But my Jeep smelled nice and toasty for the remainder of the drive. Back to the tour. I learned a lot. I really enjour the history of owners and name changes, especialy how the origional name eventoualy came back just by adding the word "distilling". Apparently that makes all the difference in the eyes of the law. After the tour I had my other 3 tastes and asked our guide to full my bottles. Sure, i could have done it, but wasted the picture to post. If you try something you like, bear in mind that it's not in a store near you, and they seem to like it that way, so be sure to take some with you. I would say most of my distillery stops will be "one and done", even the places i really enjoyed, but I'll be stopping her again if I'm passing through this way again. Did i mention the food truck/stand? Definitely worth sticking around an extra half hour for. read more

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Different than most distilleries,straight from the barrel tasting .relaxed environment and knowledgeable staff.Goats ,black cat and bourbon slushy all wonderful.it was a really hot day a cooler day would have been perfect. No food read more

Whiskey Thief Distilling - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

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Whiskey thief might be my new favorite distillery! Our guide had a good sense of humor and was also very knowledgeable. Forget his name but he had a nostalgic handlebar mustache The tour was the perfect amount of information and tasting. I liked how we were able to taste the 5 barrels in our own timing. The live music and food truck was a great surprise. read more

Whiskey Thief Distilling - Rick house - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

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As a self-proclaimed bourbon snob, Whiskey Thief has been on my radar for quite some time -- and I finally had the chance to visit their distillery. What makes Whiskey Thief truly special is their approach: no blending, no guaranteed flavor profile, and no two barrels alike. Every offering is a single-barrel bourbon -- one of a kind. For me, that's part of the fun. One of the best things about bourbon is discovering something new, and Whiskey Thief guarantees that with every pour. Now, while the bourbon and overall experience were excellent, I do have a few thoughts on the traffic flow and guest logistics that could make visits even better. When you drive onto the property, you'll pass the gift shop and look down to your left to see the main facilities. From there, you can already spot the crowd and the cars surrounding the area. We drove down the hill and were lucky enough to find a good parking spot. Once parked, we made our way through the crowd at the front of the barn and found the check-in station. After checking in, we waited for our tasting time. The current setup keeps everyone gathered near the barn entrance, which makes it tricky to navigate between the tasting area, the outdoor seating, and the food truck -- especially when it's busy. When our tasting time arrived, our excellent guide David gathered the group and led us to the rickhouse. He was informative, entertaining, and clearly passionate about bourbon. The tasting itself was fantastic -- we sampled a variety of barrels, each one distinct and full of character. It really showcased the uniqueness of their single-barrel philosophy. After returning to the main barn, the crowds had grown significantly. We enjoyed trying a few more samples, but it became increasingly difficult to move around. As we headed to our car, we noticed a full-size bus arriving -- and that's when the fun really began. By that point, there were already three buses in the parking area, two of which were trying to leave as the new one was coming in. What followed was a bit of a traffic circus: buses jockeying for position, cars attempting multi-point turns, and others pulling off into the grass just to get out of the way. We decided to wait it out until the congestion cleared. Before leaving, we stopped at the gift shop -- which had plenty of "must-have" bourbon treasures -- and wrapped up our visit on a high note. A few suggestions that could help improve the guest experience: Station an employee near the gift shop to monitor and manage traffic flow. From that vantage point, they can see when the lower area gets congested and pause additional vehicles from driving down until space clears. Create a looped exit route so that cars and buses can enter and exit in one direction. This would prevent the gridlock that happens when vehicles meet head-on. Relocate the tour meeting area away from the front of the barn. The crowd bottlenecks there, making it hard for guests to move between the tasting area, food truck, and seating. Overall, I truly enjoyed visiting Whiskey Thief. The concept is brilliant, the staff is passionate, and the bourbon is excellent -- bold, unique, and full of surprises. Once the logistical flow of cars and people is refined, it'll be an even smoother and more enjoyable experience. Highly recommend for any bourbon lover looking for something different read more

Whiskey Thief is absolutely amazing place. I toured multiple distilleries on the Bourbon Trail and this was by far the best experience! read more

Whiskey Thief Distilling - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

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An absolutely delightful hidden gem! Great vibe, incredible experience. Tasting bourbon drawn right out of the the barrels. A classic tail bar and food truck options made this a welcome surprise on a Saturday afternoon. There happened to be live music while we were there. The bourbon is good. Definitely worth putting thing on your bourbon trail itinerary. For us locals, it's a great choice to take friends and guests to. read more

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Hands down one of the best small distilleries we have been to over the years. We were trying to find new to us small distilleries to visit this trip and we did find the one!! We visited just a few days ago and they had two anniversary barrels out to sample and thieve your own bottle from. The vibe of the place was awesome!! So friendly and the owner Walter was there and he even signed our bottles! The bourbon is amazing and the fact that you bottle your own and can only buy it there is something special. The pet goats were hilarious and added to the atmosphere. Definitely put this one on your list to see and sample and buy!! The staff was so friendly and welcoming and they had live music and a fire going and since it was on Halloween they had donuts out as well. So glad we were able to visit. read more

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I had the chance to visit WTD on Good Friday. I expected a small space with maybe a tasting or two of bourbon that was good,but not expectional. What I found was a group of enthusiastic men and women who truly loved their product and were extremely knowledgeable about what it means to be successful in a very saturated Kentucky bourbon industry. First, I loved their tour. It was quick, it didn't require a ton of history and repetative facts about bourbon that are often very cookie-cutter. It was very much about their business, how they evolved and where they are at now. The tour itself was less than 10 minutes, which was an amazing record! Immediately after the tour, we went right into the tasting experience... The Tasting. To say I was a fan is an understatement. Was all 5 of the bourbon/whisky I tasted exceptional? No. However - the experience of having tastings straight from the barrel is something not a lot of places do unless you pay extra money, and this was something built into the tour itself. I loved getting to be part of that. I also really enjoyed that as an add-on YOU could be the one doing the thieving from the barrel and filling up your own bottle to take home. All in all,this was an incredible experience- one that I will definitely do again if I get the opportunity. read more

Vic: I want to say thank u, thank u. Thank u for an amazing day, experience, and time we had with wonderful time. You provided excellent personal service for us, and we're grateful for you being you and helping us with everything. Even when the lunch spot that was planned was closed Vic was able yo adjust the plan and get us to a local staple BBQ place which was good and still kept us on time for the rest of the day. Amber and Bob, You guys have a great treasure with Vic. He is truly an inspiration and genuinely caring... We had an amazing time, and yes.Whiskey Thief was the perfect ending for our tour, we'll be back next year. read more

Whiskey Thief Distilling - Trying a new Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

Terrific old school distillery in a lovely country setting. Tastings are right in the distillery barn, siphoned directly from the barrel. Interesting how different the exact same mash bill can taste from the barrel it is aged in. Super nice and informative staff, worth a visit. read more

Whiskey Thief went out of their way to make our Special day, Getting Married, an exceptional delight! It is a small, single barrel experience that gives you many options to choose from on their Whiskey. When we were there, we had a choice of 6 different selections, and I got 3 bottles of exceptional Whiskey. Everyone from the owner, Walter, to Mike the manager, to the 4 other assistants where amazing to work with, taste whiskey, and make our day something to really remember. I would HIGHLY recomend this place, especially after all the big time tours, this smaller batch place is AMAZING!!! I look forward to working with them to get a barrel when it comes time for me to retire!!! read more

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Average experience and I really cannot support the porta potties. Please updgrade to a portable trailer at minimum. Need somewhere to wash your hands. Generally OK but tour was really lacking. Its all about filling your own bottle and they are liberal with the tastes. read more

Totally cool experience. Once you've seen the whiskey making process you've seen them all, it would seem. But this experience is one of a kind. Super knowledgeable staff. Up close tour of how they make and distill and aged. Getting to sample/taste all of the different mash builds and various different barrel options. Like putting in the "whiskey thief" device into the barrel hence the name of this place. This means it includes barrel char totally unfiltered. You can bottle your own and use the "Whiskey Thief" yourself. Really a fun and educational experience read more

Whiskey Thief Distilling - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

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We had an Amazing distillery tour. Warm friendly staff. This was one of the best distillery's we have been to. High recommended read more

Whiskey Thief Distilling - Distilleries Near Me - Frankfort, Kentucky

We had an absolute fantastic time. David, our tour guide was the best. If I could give 15stars I would. The atmosphere was the best. Laid back. Comfortable. The bourbon was awesome. Uncut. Unfiltered. How it should be. Being able to thief my own bottle was another great part of the experience. read more

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I don't know who has rated this place in prior reviews. Overrated and horrible experience. Our guide was some old hippie dude, which is fine, but all he could talk about was getting wasted on whiskey and/or vodka. This appealed to the bachelor party group in our tour and another attendee who knew nothing about whiskeys or bourbon. The "getting wasted" lecture went on for about 30 min in front of the barrel barn as the rest of us in the tour group stood there awkwardly not knowing how to act or what to say. The rest of the group was quiet and had that "what have we gotten ourselves into" look. Which led to boredom. My wife and I left when the hippie guide indicated it was time to go taste. We did an Irish goodbye and couldn't get to our car fast enough. I wouldn't have cared if the whiskey tuned me into a god, it wasn't worth listening to old hippie continue to promote getting wasted. I don't remember if I pre-paid for this tour, but leaving was better than staying. My summary: this is a stop for the 22-32 yr olds who don't know anything about whiskey or bourbon. This is a "just drink and get sloshed" distillery. If any of the other reviews were not in this age range, they don't know anything about whiskeys or bourbon. My other observation, there were TONS of tour buses there, which means, the tours were taking people to low end places where whiskey/bourbon knowledge is not a criteria, meaning not educated or serious about quality or taste. Use number of tour buses in the parking lot as a measure of how serious the distillery is relative to their audience. Buses full of bachelor parties, guys weekend or guys golf weekend = not serious or educated drinkers. Speaking of parking lot, there was haphazard parking either in the grass or wherever you could find a spot. TAKE THIS IFF YOUR LIST! AVOID AT ALL COST!! read more

Started our day with an early morning tour and tasting. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable providing a great low-key, hands on experience. If the weather had been less humid, we would have hung out even longer enjoying the relaxed atmosphere, scenery, and amenities. A must stop for a straight forward, no frills bourbon experience with a great group of people. read more

Love that this property allows dogs. We had ours with us so that was the main reason we stopped. There is a gift shop when you enter the property. Once you follow the long driveway you will find the tasting room. The driveway accommodates 1 car comfortably so look ahead before proceeding down the road. We checked in for our tour and were given the option to tour or go straight to the tasting since they are the same price.  Due to time constraints we chose the tasting. There are 5 barrels that samples are served directly out of but besides a board with mash bills there was no additional information given which was a little disappointing. The experience was unique and the property was very enjoyable. read more

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We have been to many of the distilleries along the bourbon trail and this one was one of our favs. Nestled right on a working cattle farm, this distillery is unique. Our tour guide was super knowledgable, along with his dog Ranger. The bourbon here is amazing!! Such good juice. The tasting was super chill, with chairs and tables to just relax and enjoy. Then you can bottle your own at with a whiskey thief at the end. Super cool experience, loved it! read more

I'm going to be brutally honest here. Do not go on a Saturday. It's so crowded you can hardly get to the tasting area to get your samples. There will be no where to sit and enjoy the music and atmosphere. Parking will be hard at best. We walked in and had no idea what to do as there was no one welcoming us. Our tour started late. The tour consisted of standing in front of the Rick house and listening to our tour guide David talk down another distillery. The hi-lite was Ranger walking over for pets. The goats were caged the whole time so we didn't get to interact with them. We also didn't try the food because once again, no where to sit and enjoy. That being said, we will give them another chance because we want to see and hear all the things when it's not so packed and will request a different tour guide. The lady at the gift shop was wonderful. I forgot to get her name. She answered the questions I would normally ask the tour guide. Didn't go home with any bourbon this round as we didn't fight our way to get a taste of all of them. Did take home a bottle of their Pecan Pie Foggy Dog that we tasted at the gift shop.(peep one of my dogs with the foggy dog) Hopefully our next experience will be so much better. read more

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Good whiskey and neat experience!! We liked the high octane whiskeys even though that's not normally our top choice. read more

If you're doing the bourbon trail and don't stop at The Whiskey Thief, did you even bourbon? For just $35, it's all-you-can-sip no judgment, no tiny pours, just good times and great whiskey. Pro tip: start with the rye... and maybe end with the rye. It's that good. Your liver might not thank you, but your taste buds sure will. read more

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What a cool tasting experience! Directly right out of the barrel into my glass. I enjoyed one particular barrel so much that I did purchase a bottle of it to take home. I'll be back for more when I'm in town! Highly recommend! read more