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16 Must-visit Kentucky Distilleries

These Kentucky distilleries offer tours, tastings, and more for the ultimate trip through Bourbon Country.

Elizabeth Rhodes is a special projects editor at Travel + Leisure , covering everything from luxury hotels to theme parks to must-pack travel products. Originally from South Carolina, Elizabeth moved to New York City from London, where she started her career as a travel blogger and writer.

Most of the world's bourbon comes from Kentucky. All of the big bourbon names are here: Jim Beam, Woodford Reserve, Maker's Mark, Wild Turkey. The state's natural environment and weather are perfect for growing corn, an essential ingredient in bourbon, and distilling, so when spirit-savvy European immigrants settled in Kentucky in the 1700s, it was a match made in whiskey heaven.

Now, hundreds of years later, people can visit the state to experience the top Kentucky distilleries — some which have been crafting spirits for generations — including those along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail , a route with 42 distilleries offering tastings and tours.

Kentucky distillery tours, tastings, and experiences show visitors how spirits are made. Tour-goers walk away with a better grasp on the process, a more refined palate, and probably a few bottles to take home. Those looking for a well-rounded whiskey experience should start their journey at the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Welcome Center in Louisville. Here, visitors can learn more about bourbon history and plot their distillery stops.

Make Louisville your home base for a multiday trip along the trail — the city is home to its own Urban Bourbon Trail . The bars on it serve at least 60 kinds of bourbon and have trained staff who can answer questions, so you're sure to leave Kentucky with a new appreciation for the brown spirit.

Here are 16 Kentucky distilleries all bourbon fans should visit — and don't worry, some even offer gin or vodka for those hoping for variety.

Wild Turkey, Lawrenceburg

With an award-winning visitor center designed with the traditional silhouette of a Kentucky tobacco barn, a tasting room that looks out over the Kentucky River, and a gift shop selling souvenirs and Wild Turkey bourbon (of course), this is the perfect place to learn how the famous brand's spirits are made. You might even spot Hall of Fame distillers Jimmy and Eddie Russell hard at work.

Bulleit Distilling Co., Shelbyville

Bulleit Distilling Co. opened its distillery to visitors in 2017, making it a relatively new addition to the Kentucky distillery scene, but the bourbon made here is based on family tradition dating back to the 1800s. A "high-rye recipe" sets the spirit apart from others in Kentucky Bourbon Country. Stop at the Shelbyville distillery to give it a taste and learn about the brand's history through an interactive, multisensory experience.

James B. Beam Distilling Co., Clermont

Jim Beam is one of the most recognizable names in Kentucky bourbon, which makes the James B. Beam Distilling Co. a must-experience for many. The distillery is located in Clermont, where the first Jim Beam was distilled in the late 18th century. Guests can take a tour, dine on Kentucky burgoo and hot honey fried chicken in The Kitchen Table Restaurant, and sample its signature cocktails at the bar.

Maker's Mark Distillery, Loretto

An iconic brand known for its red wax-dipped bottles, the Maker's Mark Distillery in Loretto is a National Historic Landmark. It also claims to be the largest distillery in the world and the first in Kentucky's Bourbon Country. On tours, guests can learn about the history of the brand, dating back to the 1950s, its makers, and its centuries-old recipe. You can even Make Your Mark by hand-dipping a bottle to take home in the classic red wax at the DIY dipping station.

Woodford Reserve Distillery, Versailles

Visit Woodford Reserve's historic distillery in Versailles for tours and tastings in a beautiful pastoral environment speckled with pre-Prohibition warehouses and made serene by trickling Glenn’s Creek. Another National Historic Landmark, the distillery is where Woodford Reserve says the "art of making fine bourbon first took place" in 1812.

Buffalo Trace Distillery, Frankfort

This family-owned distillery has traditions dating back to the late 1700s. Now a National Historic Landmark, Buffalo Trace Distillery welcomes whiskey drinkers to sip and learn about the history of bourbon production on a tour. It's not all about the brown beverage here, either: Buffalo Trace also makes some tasty vodkas and refreshing sodas.

Four Roses Distillery, Lawrenceburg

Take a tour or enjoy a guided tasting at this Lawrenceburg distillery . Built in 1910, the unique Spanish mission-style facility is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, so you can enjoy a history lesson while learning about Four Roses' unique recipes. After your tour, you can sit down with a seasonal cocktail at Bar 1888 (fun fact: 1888 was the year "Four Roses" became trademarked).

Angel's Envy Distillery, Louisville

Located on Louisville's Whiskey Row, this distillery offers unique tours and tasting experiences. The Bottle Your Own Single Barrel option, for example, gives visitors the chance to bring home a bottle they filled themselves. Besides tours, you can also take courses here, including a fun Manhattan or rye cocktail-making class that puts you behind the bar.

Castle & Key Distillery, Frankfort

Often regarded as one of the best distilleries in the country, Castle & Key offers tours and tastings in the Old Taylor Distillery in Frankfort. The Castle itself stands as the main attraction, but the grounds also include a sunken garden and beautiful springhouse. Exploring the property is as fun as tasting the bourbon in a cocktail from Counter 17. And if you tire of bourbon (hey, it happens), then try a Castle & Key-distilled gin or vodka instead.

Bardstown Bourbon Company, Bardstown

This innovative distillery , located on 100 acres in a small town south of Louisville, offers experiences ranging from blind tastings and blending demonstrations to food pairings and mixology classes. There's also an on-site restaurant with boozy milkshakes, poutine, chicharrónes, and bourbon-spiked bread pudding.

Green River Distilling Co., Owensboro

Learn how whiskey goes from grain to barrel, partake in a custom called barrel "thieving" (tasting bourbon straight from the barrel), or sit with the experts at Green River Distilling Co. while you sip. The distillery is in Owensboro, just across the Ohio River from Indiana. Without a tour, you'll still have a great experience sampling a flight at the cocktail lounge.

Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience, Bardstown

Founded in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains more than a million barrels aging in 60 warehouses across Kentucky for a portfolio of brands. Go for a tour at Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience, in the maker's birthplace of Bardstown, for a behind-the-scenes look at its production process, stroll through the on-site museum, and enjoy a tasting at the Five Brothers Bar.

James E. Pepper Distillery, Lexington

Named for the Kentucky colonel and third-generation distiller who advocated for his family's whiskey recipe in the 1800s, the James E. Pepper Distillery reopened in 2018 after being dormant for half a century. Now at the heart of the Lexington Distillery District, it welcomes bourbon lovers in for tastings and a casual history lesson on the distillery, the family, its ties to horse racing, and how the American Revolution played a role in Pepper-made bourbon.

Limestone Branch Distillery, Lebanon

Keeping family bourbon and moonshine recipes alive for more than 200 years, Limestone Branch is run by a couple of seventh-generation distillers. The Lebanon location is a tranquil place to visit for an old-fashioned tour and a cocktail of the highest quality from the Minor's Lounge on site. It's particularly worthwhile if you also have an interest in gin, as the clear spirit is produced here, too.

Old Forester Distilling Co., Louisville

Take a tour of Old Forester 's Whiskey Row facility to learn how the 1870-founded brand ferments, distills, matures, and bottles its bourbon. Per usual, each tour ends with a tasting. However, if you miss out — this place gets busy and books tours months in advance — you'll still walk away with a higher whiskey IQ after trying the bourbon varieties at George's Bar.

Kentucky Peerless Distilling Company, Louisville

Housed in a former tobacco warehouse at the end of Whiskey Row in downtown Louisville, Kentucky Peerless is really into making rye whiskey, but it also does bourbon. A visit to the distillery can be enhanced by a guided tasting, distillery tour, or private VIP Heritage Experience. A bonus to your visit: meeting the distillery cat, aptly named Rye.

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Kentucky Crafted Bourbon Trail Tours

The purpose of fun is to have some, so come join us on a kentucky bourbon trail tour.

Mint Julep Experiences has been providing top-notch luxury bourbon trail tours in Bourbon Country for more than 12 years. As the leading tour company for the Kentucky Bourbon Trail ®, we  have given thousands of public and custom tours for tourists and locals alike. Mint Julep takes care of every detail and caters to every need, to create one-of-a-kind bourbon tours.

Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Tours

Mint Julep Experiences will help you learn the art, history and craftsmanship of America’s Native Spirit as you travel through Bourbon Country for guided distillery tours and tastings! We’ll also make a stop for a local lunch along the way.

Custom Bourbon Tours

You’ll work with one of our Kentucky Bourbon Trail® experts to customize your day based on your group’s size, interests and other requests. We’ve tailored tours for all occasions — from birthday celebrations and corporate luncheons to bachelor parties.

Mint Julep Experiences plans the entire adventure, start to finish, so you can relax and leave the rest to us. Offering premium bourbon trail bus transportation, we enrich the experience with knowledgeable drivers, enthusiastic guides and clean and comfortable vehicles.

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Our Elevated Experience packages are one-of-a-kind Kentucky bourbon trip, exclusive experiences with some of our best partners. Click below to find out what we have to offer.

Best of Bourbon Country

From name brands to small batch craft, bourbon distilleries are making a splash throughout the Commonwealth! More than 1 million visitors travel to Kentucky each year for the ultimate bourbon experience, and many choose Mint Julep Experiences for all their Kentucky bourbon tour needs.

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Tour Bourbon Country’s dozens of bourbon distilleries big and small, old and new, traditional and innovative. Mint Julep Experiences’ Bourbon Trail Tours give you an immersive experience with Kentucky’s best bourbon distilleries along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and beyond. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail® began in 1999 and has since entertained more than 2.5 million guests, expanding year after year.

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Start Planning Your Kentucky Bourbon Distillery Tour

Let’s start planning your ultimate Kentucky bourbon distillery tour today! We offer a variety of public tours as well as custom-made experiences that are tailored to your every bourbon desire.

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VISIT WILDERNESS TRAIL DISTILLERY

Wilderness Trail’s Visitor Center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. We offer an hour-long tour six times a day with tasting at the tour’s conclusion. To get inspired to visit, watch our video . Go here to make a tour reservation.

COMMITMENT TO THE TRADITION

We have a pioneering spirit here at Wilderness Trail Distillery, just like the settlers who followed the path Daniel Boone blazed into Central Kentucky. In keeping with our location in the birthplace of Kentucky, we like blending old traditions with the science of making Bourbon and other fine spirits. After years of working with distilleries around the world to provide advice and fermentation products, we launched our premium craft distillery in 2012 with a focus on making the highest quality Bourbon, Rye Whiskey and Vodka. Our founders Shane Baker and Pat Heist are fermentation experts with more than 20 years of experience in the production of alcohol and some of the best brands on the market today. Our specialty is making unique spirits from locally-grown grains to ensure quality, and adding a healthy dose of science in the process. Come see what we mean by visiting Wilderness Trail Distillery.

We Love Our Spirits

We’re happy that people are enjoying our Small Batch, Bottled in Bond, Kentucky Straight Bourbon with a wheated mashbill, high-rye mashbill or rye whiskey. Blüe Heron Vodka also continues to be a big hit. We want to share more details about our releases, distribution and events. We also want to hear from people who enjoy Wilderness Trail. So, please share your adventures. Please tag us with #whattrailareyouon. Sharing news is part of being a Family. So first sign up as a Family Tree member and we will keep you updated on releases and other Wilderness Trail Distillery events and offers.

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Wilderness Trail Distillery’s products are handcrafted with precision focusing solely on a unique sweet mash process and producing consistent great tasting award winning spirits.

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Discover the Best Bourbon Trail Tours in Kentucky

Travel Guides

Explore the unique world of bourbon with these top 13 Kentucky bourbon trail tours. Sip on your favorites and discover Kentucky's distilleries.

Ready to sip your way through the best bourbon trail tours in Kentucky? This in-depth bourbon distillery tour guide will take you through 13 of the best Kentucky bourbon distillery tours like Maker’s Mark, Woodford Reserve, Old Forester, Evan Williams, Buffalo Trace, Jim Beam, & many more.

Each distillery offers a unique experience, from the tour of the distillery to the tasting room. With this in-depth bourbon distillery tour guide, you can easily plan your trip and choose the best bourbon trail tours in Kentucky to suit your taste and preferences. Get ready to discover the rich history and distinct flavors of Kentucky’s signature drink!

3 Tips for Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail

1. When you are planning, ask yourself: What is my favorite bourbon brand (or the one I’d like to know more about)?

Once you settle on those favorites, see what other distilleries are located nearby that you might enjoy touring and tasting then reserve those to fill in the rest of the day.

2. RESERVE IN ADVANCE.

As soon as you know that you’re taking this trip, start reserving bourbon distillery tours immediately . The best tours book up fast, particularly on the weekends. On my most recent trip in July of 2023, I had to adjust my trip to a day earlier because so many of the tours I wanted to take were already booked.

That being said, if there’s a distillery tour you would like to take that’s located on “Whiskey Row” in downtown Louisville but you can’t book it online, my advice is to go in person and talk to one of the guides at the reservation desk. They might not be able to get you in on a specialty tour, but they can typically get you a space on the regular tour.

*Also note that most distilleries in July (and for some in December as well) close their fermentation facilities for maintenance, meaning you won’t be able to tour those areas.

3. Base yourself in Louisville in a hotel on or near Whiskey Row.

From here, you can easily walk or Uber / Lyft to 4+ amazing distilleries, which is a great option if the time on your trip is limited. I most recently stayed at Hotel Distil on Whiskey Row, and I would gladly stay there again. It’s an ideal location for walking to all major downtown attractions and distilleries. Plus the Hotel Distil also houses one of Louisville’s best restaurants, Repeal .

Regional Guide to Kentucky’s Distilleries

The Kentucky Bourbon distilleries listed below are grouped within each region and then ranked for their tour and bourbon quality.  The majority of Kentucky’s distilleries are spread throughout the regions of:

• Loretto, Clermont, & Bardstown
• Versailles, Lawrenceburg, & Franklin

Due to the distance between these regions and potentially conflicting tour times, it might be difficult to tour 2 to 3 of your favorite bourbon distilleries in one day. So here are my top three tips for planning your bourbon trail trip.

Now, time to talk about Kentucky’s distilleries…

13 Best Bourbon Trail Tours

Table of Contents

Region: louisville bourbon distilleries, “whiskey row”, evan williams experience.

“Civilization begins with distillation.” William Faulkner

The  Evan Williams Experience  is located in downtown Louisville on historic “Whiskey Row.”

The seamless tour features state-of-the-art films and interactive elements to relay the history of Evan Williams and the art of distilling bourbon. All tours conclude with a bourbon tasting in one of the upstairs rooms on the recreated street of “Whiskey Row.”

One tasting room is a “speakeasy” that once stood on that site with Prohibition-era replica tables where the bourbon could be hidden inside. An easy lift on the tabletop in front of you reveals the inner compartment that contains pre-filled bourbon glasses.

Although it’s one of the lower-priced bourbons, Evan Williams  is remarkably good in its flavor profile, smoothness, and complexity, and Evan Williams Single Barrel is excellent. Whenever I’ve done a blind bourbon-tasting flight, their Single Barrel always ranks in my top 3.

General Tour Information

•  Traditional Tour & Tasting: $18

Evan Williams offers several more extensive tours as well as seasonal tasting experiences, so check their website for the most recent offerings.

Old Forester Distillery

“Always carry a flagon of whisky in case of snakebite, and furthermore, always carry a small snake.” – W.C. Fields

The Old Forester Distillery Tour & Visitor Center opened on “Whiskey Row” in the summer of 2018. Although it’s a relative newcomer to Louisville’s historic downtown district, Old Forester is the only bourbon continuously sold by the same company before, during, and after Prohibition.

But that’s not the bourbon’s only claim to historic fame. In 1870, George Garvin Brown ensured his bourbon’s consistent quality by becoming the first distiller to sell the bourbon in a sealed glass bottle.

The general tour is a top-quality experience with one of the most memorable aspects being that you can see the meticulous barrel-making process first-hand.

It’s one thing to look at a charred American white oak barrel stave, but it’s something else to see (and feel the heat) of that charring in person.

The Old Forester Distillery tour ends as most tours do in a private room with four bourbons to taste.

Paired with the tasting is Old Forester’s chocolate-dipped bourbon modjeskas, which are marshmallows wrapped in caramel and then dipped in bourbon dark chocolate, topped off with smoked sea salt. If you love them, you can buy a bag in the gift shop which is filled with loads of other great gifts.

If you’re in a hurry and can’t find the time to tour Old Forester, you can pay a visit to George’s Bar which is a cozy cocktail lounge offering cocktails and flights in the visitor center.

• Old Forester Tour: $32
• Nothing Better In The Market Tour: $70

Angel’s Envy Distillery Tour

“I wish to live to 150 years old, but the day I die, I wish it to be with a cigarette in one hand and a glass of whiskey in the other.” – Ava Gardner

While I prefer both the Evan Williams Experience and Old Forester Distillery tours over this one, Angel’s Envy is still well worth the visit. The gift shop is large and well-stocked, and the facility is interesting to tour.

The standard tour is exactly that, “standard,” with not a lot of extras to experience, but you will learn the intricate process of making bourbon and why all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon.

What makes Angel’s Envy a standout from other bourbons and ryes on the Bourbon Trail is their emphasis on “finishing” the bourbon.

In addition to meeting the bourbon standard aging process (a minimum of two years in a new charred American oak barrel), Angel’s Envy then places its bourbon in port barrels and its rye in rum barrels to finish, lending each one a more distinctive flavor profile which you’ll explore during the tasting at the end of the tour.

500 E Main St, Louisville, KY 40202

• The Signature Tour: $25
• Private Select Tour: $45

Angel’s Envy offers several experiences and classes, so check their website for the most up-to-date offerings.

Michter’s Distillery

“Happiness is having a rare steak, a bottle of whisky, and a dog to eat the rare steak.” – Johnny Carson

Also located on Louisville’s historic “Whiskey Row,” Michter’s Distillery is a great option for those who prefer a tour that doesn’t involve a lot of walking, given that the entire tour takes place in one large room.

Situated across the street from the iconic Louisville Slugger Museum , Michter’s is a smaller facility with limited space, but the tasting is where the tour shines. The guide places an emphasis on tasting notes and the role that smell plays in how we perceive flavors.

801 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202

• The Discovery Tour: $25
• The Founder’s Tour: $50
• The Legacy Tour: $100

The 2nd floor features The Bar at Fort Nelson which is a relaxed space filled with leather club chairs where you can enjoy classic and creative cocktails. Click here for more information on the Bar at Fort Nelson.

Stitzel-Weller Distillery Tour

“It is true that whisky improves with age. The older I get, the more I like it.” Robert Black

The Stitzel-Weller Distillery is only a 20-minute drive from downtown Louisville, making it one of the most convenient and historic outlying distillery stops along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Originally opened on Derby Day in 1935 and reopened to the public in 2014, the Stitzel-Weller Distillery is one of the true cathedrals of the American whiskey industry. 

Bulleit Bourbon (and their Rye) has long been one of my favorite Kentucky bourbons. It’s hard to miss that orange label, tilted just slightly as it curves around the lower half of the bottle. 

In the past few years, I’ve enjoyed the Stitzel-Weller standard tour which guides you around the historic property and buildings, ending with a tasting of these four bourbons in a private tasting room:

• Bulleit Bourbon
• Bulleit 10 Year
• I.W. Harper
• Blade and Bow

Most recently, I booked their new progressive walking tour which combines the tasting with the tour. I really enjoyed this different take on the standard tour where periodically you pause, pull out the provided glass cairn (which is yours to keep as part of the tour), and sip the various bourbons and whiskeys offered along the way. The setting is also picturesque as you stroll from building to building.

3860 Fitzgerald Road, Louisville, KY 40216

• The Stitzel-Weller Experience: $25
• Progressive Walking Tour & Taste: $65

Stitzel-Weller offers a variety of additional classes and experiences, so check their website for the most up-to-date offerings.

Stitzel-Weller is also home to the Garden & Gun Club, located on the 2nd floor of their visitor’s center. Here you can rest your feet while enjoying a light bite and one of their curated cocktails. Click here for the Garden & Gun Club.

Region: Loretto, Clermont, & Bardstown

Maker’s mark distillery.

“Nothing is so musical as the sound of pouring bourbon for the first drink on a Sunday morning. Not Bach or Schubert or any of those masters.” Carson McCullers

The road to  Maker’s Mark bourbon distillery in Loretto, KY, can be a little confusing. On my first visit here, the route guidance told me that I had arrived, and there was nothing but fields, barns, and a small house or two scattered about. 

To avoid potential confusion and arrive in time for your tour, Maker’s Mark provides these instructions for getting to their distillery from Louisville:

Star Hill Farm is located at 3350 Burks Spring Rd., Loretto, KY, 40037. From Louisville: Driving time: Approximately 1 hour, 30 minutes. 

• Take I-65 South from Louisville to exit #112, Clermont/Bernheim Forest exit. At ramp turn left onto Hwy. 245 South to Bardstown. 

• Take Hwy. 245 to intersection of Hwy. 62, turning right, and continue on Hwy. 62 east for approx. 2 miles. Hwy. 62 runs into Hwy. 150 where you will turn left and continue approx. 2 miles and drive past My Old Kentucky Home State Park. 

• At intersection of Hwy. 150 and 49, turn right onto Hwy. 49 South and follow the brown historical landmark signs to Holy Cross, which will direct you to go left onto Hwy. 49. 

• Follow Hwy. 49 where you will turn left onto Hwy. 52 East into Loretto. Continue on through Loretto. 

• Turn left onto Bill Samuels Jr. Rd. and historic Maker’s Mark® Distillery is straight ahead. 

Regardless of which tour you reserve (they offer a wide variety and actively update them), you’re in for a great experience. Plus, Maker’s Mark is just a beautiful place. The grounds, house, and distillery buildings are picture-perfect. 

At the end of each tour, you’ll have an opportunity to taste a selection of their bourbon.  

I’ve had the opportunity to experience 2 of Maker’s Mark Distillery Tours, and if you only have time to tour one of Kentucky’s distilleries, make it this one. It was the hands-down favorite (on currently my 3rd trip) along the Bourbon Trail. 

General Distillery Tour Bourbon Tasting 

• Maker’s White (which is basically moonshine or “white dog”)
• Regular Maker’s Mark (the kind you can buy anywhere)
• Maker’s 46 (which is made by inserting seasoned French Oak staves into the bourbon barrels to add additional rich flavor)
• Maker’s Cask Strength (bourbon derived from a single barrel and my favorite of the 4).

After the tasting, you’re given a decadent bourbon chocolate to savor before you walk under the Chihuly glass ceiling of the hallway to the Maker’s Mark gift shop. 

If you like, you can dip your own bottle of Maker’s Mark in their iconic red wax or buy an exclusive bottle of the Maker’s Private Select.

The distillery address is technically: 3350 Burks Spring Road, Loretto, KY 40037.

GPS will try to take you to the Business Office, but the Historic Distillery is more directly accessed using Bill Samuels Jr Road.    

• General Distillery Tour: $ 24
• Behind the Bourbon: $65

Be sure to check the Maker’s Mark website for the most up-to-date tours and experiences.

James B. Beam Distilling Co. (Jim Beam)

“I have never in my life seen a Kentuckian who didn’t have a gun, a pack of cards, and a jug of whiskey.” – Andrew Jackson

It doesn’t get much more iconic than Jim Beam bourbon . With its instantly recognizable name and its best-selling brands including Booker’s, Knob Creek, Basil Hayden, Old Grandad, and, of course, Jim Beam, the distillery is an impressive one to visit.

Located 30 minutes from Louisville by car, it’s an accessible bourbon trail distillery to visit if you don’t want to drive too far afield. Due to the fermentation tanks, rickhouses, and bottling facility being situated fairly far apart, this tour involves riding a large comfortable bus to a couple of the locations, but it’s a quick trip each time.

Quite a lot of thought has been put into the design and aesthetics of the tour experience, with the first building of the tour featuring an indoor waterfall illustrating Kentucky’s natural limestone filtration which makes the whiskey taste better.

Towards the end of the distillery tour, you’ll walk the Knob Creek bottling line where you can hand pick and purchase a Single Barrel bottle and customize the warm wax seal with your thumbprint.

Finally, you return to the Visitor’s Center where you’ll be able to taste four of their most popular bourbons before being set loose in their two-story gift shop.

I really enjoyed this tour, and I would happily do it again. Due to the popularity of this bourbon brand, I feel it’s a great place to start, but the tours fill up fast.

568 Happy Hollow Rd. Clermont, KY 40110

• Bourbon The Beam Way – Distillery Tour & Tasting: $28

Jim Beam Distillery offers several more tasting options and experiences that you can book, so check the website for the most up-to-date listings.

Another great feature of Jim Beam Distillery is their onsite restaurant, The Kitchen Table. Here you can order appetizers, salads, burgers, pizzas, brisket, fried chicken, and even dessert. The large cocktail bar in the center shakes and stirs up some great bourbon cocktails, or just order your favorite bourbon to sip neat.

If you’d like to make a reservation for The Kitchen Table, it’s available on Resy.

Willett Distillery

“There is no bad whiskey. There are only some whiskeys that aren’t as good as others.” Raymond Chandler

Located about 30 minutes from Maker’s Mark is the  Willett Distillery , perched on top of a hill overlooking the green valleys of Bardstown, KY.

One of the most recognizable aspects of Willett bourbon is their striking pot still bottle design.

This rustic family-owned distillery is beautiful and well-maintained from its photo-filled visitor waiting area to the final tasting room.

Because Willett Distillery functions on a smaller scale, only 1 tour experience is offered at this time, so if touring Willett Distillery is at the top of your wishlist, reserve early. They accept bookings 90 days in advance.

1869 Loretto Road, Bardstown, KY 40004.

• Distillery Production Tour with Tasting: $25

Willett Distillery also features “The Bar at Willett” where you can order up-scale small plates alongside classic and inventive cocktails. Reservations are required, so click this link if you’re interested in reserving The Bar at Willett.

Heaven Hill Distillery

“Whiskey is liquid sunshine” George Bernard Shaw

An official member of Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail, Heaven Hill Distillery is also located in Bardstown near the Willett Distillery. 

While their gift shop and visitor center are top-notch with self-guided exhibits and an informative film in their 1935 Distillery Theatre, the actual general tour is not that exciting or enticing, especially when compared to the quality of tours offered by Maker’s Mark & Jim Beam. 

Heaven Hill might not be a familiar name to you, but most likely, you’ve heard of some of their bourbon brands:

• Rittenhouse Rye
• Elijah Craig
• Evan Williams

While the website calls it a bourbon trail “tour,” it’s actually an informed tasting inside a room with a guide. You won’t be walking through rickhouses or seeing yellow bubbling mash unless you pay more for their “Bottled & Bond Tour & Tasting” for $35.

If you’re looking to sample more varieties of bourbon while giving your feet a rest from touring distilleries, or if you’re looking for a more “indoor” experience, Heaven Hill is a great option. 

1311 Gilkey Run, Rd, Bardstown, KY 40004

• Magic of the Mashbill: $18
• Whiskey Connoisseur Experience: $25
• Bottled-in-Bond Tour and Tasting: $35

Heaven Hill also offers a bar experience on the 2nd floor of the visitor’s center called Five Brothers Bar which features bourbon flights and cocktails.

Dining Tip: Eat Lunch in Historic Bardstown

In between touring the many Kentucky distilleries along the bourbon trail, you’re going to want some lunch or dinner, and Bardstown has a lot to offer. 

Perfect for lunch or dinner,  Talbott Tavern , built in 1779, is a site steeped in history.

“The Talbott Tavern is a uniquely well-crafted early American stone building and as a young boy Abraham Lincoln and his family stayed here. .. There are noticeable bullet holes in the now faded paintings where legend Jesse James shot them.” | Dry Stone Masonry Institute of America

In keeping with the theme of the bourbon trail, Talbott Tavern offers a customized flight where you choose your tasting made up of the wide variety of bourbon and rye they serve sourced from the surrounding distilleries. 

Another great option is the Scout & Scholar Brewing Company offering classic pub food and plenty of beer on tap if you’re looking for a break from all that bourbon. But if you’re not, they also offer Private Select Bourbon flights to expand your tasting profile.

Region: Versailles, Lawrenceburg, Franklin

Woodford reserve distillery.

“A good gulp of hot whiskey at bedtime—it’s not very scientific, but it helps.” Alexander Fleming (Inventor of Penicillin)

The Woodford Reserve tour is charming in every aspect—from the old barrel railway used to move the freshly filled barrels to the rickhouse to the on-site bottling facility and visitor/tasting center. This tour was one of the most memorable I have ever been on over the years I’ve been touring Kentucky’s distilleries along the bourbon trail.

The Woodford tour ends, as all do, with the bourbon tasting. The tasting room is located on the other side of the fireplace wall of the visitor center, with a rectangular bar facing the fire. The guide stands in the middle, offering tasting note tips.

We were able to taste the  regular Woodford Reserve  and the Cask Strength  (or dessert bourbon as they call it) combined with a chocolate bourbon truffle. 

7785 McCracken Pike, Versailles, KY 40383

• Woodford Reserve’s Path To Flavor Tour: $32

Woodford Reserve offers several additional tours and specialty experiences, so click the link below to see their current offerings.

Four Roses Distillery

“Whiskey, like a beautiful woman, demands appreciation.” Haruki Murakami

Situated on top of a breezy hill is the most romantic of the Kentucky distilleries along the Bourbon Trail:  Four Roses .

Established in 1888 originally on “Whiskey Row” by Paul Jones, a Louisville businessman, the Four Roses label is rooted in the story of his proposal to a Southern belle named Mary. After courting her for a number of years, Jones asked Mary to respond to his “final” marriage proposal by wearing a corsage of four red roses to a cotillion dance.  This time she accepted and entered the ballroom wearing the corsage.

While Four Roses bourbon is smooth and the distillery, with its Spanish Mission style architecture, has a unique and interesting story from 1888 to the present, the tour itself can still use some work. It’s more of a “Cliff’s Notes” brief summary version of how they make their bourbon.

Their bottling facility is located at a different location as well, so that element of the process can’t be witnessed on-site. If you have the time, you can take your distillery tour ticket stub and visit the bottling facility for free if you’re interested.

You will be given four bourbons to taste:  The Standard Yellow Lable Four Roses, The Small Batch, Single Barrel, and The Cask Strength.

Before or after your tour, browse the large gift shop fittingly accented throughout with roses or you can enjoy a cocktail or bourbon tasting in Bar 1888.

1224 Bonds Mill Road, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342

• Distillery Legacy Tour: $22

Four Roses Distillery offers several additional tasting experiences as well as seasonal offerings, so check their website for the most up-to-date tours.

Buffalo Trace Distillery

“Too much of anything is bad, but too much good whiskey is barely enough.” Mark Twain

Buffalo Trace Distillery is a juggernaut in the world of bourbon.

Consider the brands they make; in addition to the standard Buffalo Trace Bourbon, they are also responsible for crafting Eagle Rare, Blanton’s (John Wick’s bourbon of choice), Pappy Van Winkle, E.H. Taylor, Stagg, Sazerac Rye, and Weller to name a few.   

What sets Buffalo Trace Distillery even further apart from the competition is that they never charge for their tours. They are always complementary. That being said, you still have to reserve in advance, particularly if you want to go on a specialty experience like: The Buffalo Trace Hard Hat Tour .

Even if you’re not overly into bourbon, the grounds are beautiful, not to mention they have one of the largest and most interesting gift shops of the distilleries along the bourbon trail. The tours are also highly detailed and informative.

That being said, the bourbon tasting experience at the end of the tour leaves a little to be desired. Due to limited quantities, Buffalo Trace only offers a few brands for tasting and purchasing in the Visitor Center. 

113 Great Buffalo Trace, Franklin County, Frankfort, KY 40601

• All Buffalo Trace tours are complimentary including tours for large groups or tours that require reservations.
• The Trace Tour
• The Hard Hat Tour
• The Expansion Tour
• Old Taylor Tour

Additional Tours are available focusing on the gardens and historic landmarks, so check their website for current offerings.

Wild Turkey Distillery

“There’s no app for a bourbon buzz on a warm day in a cool, dark bar. The world will always want a drink.” Gillian Flynn

The  Wild Turkey Tour  is as industrial as it gets. Not that it makes the tour less interesting, but I prefer the smaller distilleries along the Bourbon Trail as opposed to the mass conglomerate operations. 

The tour lasts about one hour, and you get to see where they make the bourbon as well as where they bottle the various vodka brands that they own. An impressive operation, to say the least. 

The Visitor Center is a fun place to look around and learn a bit more about the history of the distillery location and the origin of the name. Currently, Wild Turkey is closed to visitors and tours as they refresh the visitor’s center, so I’m looking forward to see what updates they have in store.

1417 Versailles Rd, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342

Final Thoughts

“My own experience has been that the tools I need for my trade are paper, tobacco, food, and a little whisky.” William Faulkner

Every year, I look forward to visiting more distilleries along Kentucky’s bourbon trail so check back for updates.

The next two bourbon trail distilleries on my hit list include:

• Bulleit Distilling Company Visitor Experience
• Castle & Key Distillery

While I did a tour and tasting of Bulleit when it was located at the Stitzel-Weller facility, I have yet to visit their new Visitor Center experience that opened in 2019 in Shelbyville, KY. Click here for more information.

And finally, the distillery that is currently intriguing me the most is Castle & Key, which I saw from a distance when I was driving to Lexington. It actually looks like a castle, and in addition to their distillery and grounds tours, they offer a rotating calendar of events. Click here for more information.

Everyone’s taste is unique and preferences differ, but hopefully, this guide helps you discover your go-to bourbon as you forge your own path along Kentucky’s bourbon trail.

If you’re planning on staying in Louisville, then be sure to check out the Go-To Louisville KY Guide for Best Hotels, Attractions, & Dining .

Leave a Comment

7 thoughts on “discover the best bourbon trail tours in kentucky”.

You’re welcome, and I’m glad you found the information helpful. Enjoy your trip this summer!

Thank you for posting all of the information with tour prices and your opinion. I am looking forward to visiting Kentucky this summer 2023.

Hi Terri, I would recommend checking out the Pegasus Kentucky Bourbon Trail Tour Packages. They are rated really well and offer several packages to choose from with a driver to take you to the distillery region of your choice for the tours. My personal favorite region is the South / Bardstown Distilleries which includes Maker’s Mark (my favorite tour).

https://www.takepegasusdistilled.com/distillery-packages

Hope this helps!

I want to find a package tour that goes to several distilleries/breweries, one inclusive price, and transportation. Is there such a thing?

I would recommend checking out the Pegasus Kentucky Bourbon Trail Tour Packages. They are rated really well and offer several packages to choose from with a driver to take you to the distillery region of your choice for the tours. My personal favorite region is the South / Bardstown Distilleries which includes Maker’s Mark (my favorite tour).

Here is the link: https://www.takepegasusdistilled.com/distillery-packages

If you’re staying in Louisville, The Brown Hotel is my favorite, but there are lots of great hotels along 3rd street between W Broadway and the Riverwalk which put you right in the middle of Louisville’s downtown scene where you can walk to restaurants and other attractions.

Hope these suggestions help, and I hope you have a great trip!

Want to schedule a tour for three and set up a driver to visit 2 top rated distillery’s Also will need accommodations for 2 nites. .any suggestions.

Thanks! Glad you enjoyed the post. I’ll be sure to check out your site as well!

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Get Your Shine On! Explore Kentucky’s Moonshine Trail

Get your shine on! Experience Kentucky’s distilling past and present on the Moonshine Trail ! From small distilleries keeping the old-age tradition of moonshining alive to museums, natural wonders, and more, this trail celebrates Kentucky’s untamed spirit!

Barrel House Distilling Co.

Located in Lexington, Barrel House Distilling Co. crafts locally sourced, small-batch spirits with a dash of innovation and a whole lot of creativity. Enjoy a behind-the-scenes look at the distilling process on a tour and tasting. Here, you’ll see the grand copper pot stills where they craft batches of ‘shine, their award-winning Pure Blue Vodka, bourbon and even rum! Afterward, sample spirits in the tasting room and stop by the gift shop for souvenirs, like rum caramel and bourbon pecans!

Regeneration Distilling Co.

Immerse yourself in a farm-to-bottle experience at Regeneration Distilling Co. ! Dedicated to crafting spirits from locally grown ingredients on Mt. Folly Farm, this distillery is housed in the revitalized Old Williams Factory (the oldest building in Winchester). Take a tour of the only Class B distillery in Clark County and see the 100-gallon pot still in action. Witness the creation of moonshine, bourbon and whiskey. And, of course, sample the subtly sweet and earthy Sweet Potato Moonshine.

Kentucky Mountain Moonshine

If you’re looking for authentic, one-of-a-kind moonshine, visit Kentucky Mountain Moonshine . Located in the rural town of Ravenna against the backdrop of the Appalachian Mountains, this family-owned and operated distillery serves up 100% corn moonshine. Schedule a tour and meet owner Howard for a masterclass on the distilling process. Sample the signature moonshine flavors like Smokey Apple Pie, Vanilla Bean or Cranberry and be sure to take a bottle home with you, like the original Clear.

Kentucky Mist Distillery

With a history tracing back to Prohibition and the days of distilling corn into bootleg moonshine, Kentucky Mist Distillery in Eastern Kentucky infuses over 70 years of experience into its quality spirits. Opened by the grandson of famous moonshiner Little Henry Holbrook, this unique distillery crafts bold flavors of moonshine, vodka, and whiskey. Stop in for a tasting of several flavors or sip on their back-to-back award-winning Ole Henry.

Pauley Hollow Distillery

Known as the first legal distillery in Pike County, Pauley Hollow Distillery crafts moonshine, bourbon and rye whiskey using water from a hand-dug 100-year-old spring-fed well. Take a tour and learn how this family run operation makes its pure and smooth moonshine. Put some hair on your chest with a swig of the sweet and spicy Fuel of the Feud, a triple-distilled moonshine named after the famous Hatfield-McCoy Brawl and made from the McCoy well. Or, sample spirits like Papa Nick’s Apple Brandy.

Backwoods Moonshine Museum

Discover the captivating history and methods of moonshine making at the Backwoods Moonshine Museum in Beattyville. Housed in a log cabin, this unique museum highlights the lives of moonshiners. Explore exhibits featuring vintage moonshine stills, local folk art and other moonshine-related artifacts. Meet the Beattyville Hillbillies, featured on the Discovery Channel’s Moonshiners, and learn more about moonshining history. Visit the local liquor store for a bottle of their huckleberry ‘shine!

Mt. Folly Farm

Tour this family-owned regenerative farm, which supplies corn, wheat, rye and blackberries to distilleries like Regeneration Distilling Co. and other local businesses in Winchester. With a passion for sustainable agriculture, this charming farm specializes in non-GMO and certified organic beef cattle, grains and oilseeds. Check out the 1790s pioneer farmhouse on the property, learn about the inner workings of farm life, or stay for a weekend in the property’s historically preserved cabin.

Loretta Lynn’s Birthplace – Butcher Hollow  

As you traverse the Moonshine Trail, take a detour to Butcher Hollow in Van Lear (or Holler, if you’re a local), an old coal mining community and the birthplace of country crooner Loretta Lynn. Visit Loretta’s childhood home, the famed “cabin on a hill,” and drop into the historic Webb’s Grocery to see a collection of memorabilia from her life (and take home a t-shirt to commemorate your trip)! Nearby, visit the Country Music Highway Museum and Loretta Lynn’s Ranch.

Moonshiners Arch

Nestled in the heart of the Daniel Boone National Forest, the Moonshiner’s Arch is a natural rock formation that was once a popular spot for illegal moonshine distilling. Hike from Livingston along the Sheltowee Trace National Recreation Trail. Along the way, take in the stunning sights of the Appalachian Mountains as you trek through the breathtaking Kentucky wilderness. Don’t forget to snap an Instagram-worthy selfie at the arch to get your stamp at a neighboring trail stop!

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Distilleries & Moonshine of The Kentucky Wildlands

The traditional charcoal filtered distilling methods, processes and authentic recipes that have been passed down over time and generations are alive and well in the rich Appalachian distilling culture of The Kentucky Wildlands today.

Trace historic scenic routes once scouted and used by original moonshiners and bootleggers in The Kentucky Wildlands at the Moonshiner’s Hollow Interpretive Trail (featuring 18 learning stations describing abundant indigenous plants and wildlife) in pristine Buckhorn Lake State Resort Park.

Discover the trade secrets and recipes created during Prohibition at one of our local distilleries:

• Kentucky Mist Moonshine is a craft distillery located in the mountain town of Whitesburg, where you can taste the 100-year-old legacy of the Holbrook family in their flavored moonshines and vodkas.
• In Pikeville, sample moonshine at Dueling Barrels Brewery & Distillery , where cultural mountain influences, such as bluegrass music, are woven into stories of their distilling heritage.
• Raise a glass of Fuel of the Feud Moonshine made from the same spring water used by the legendary McCoys of the Hatfield/McCoy Feud fame at the Pauley Hollow Distillery along the Kate Camp Branch stream which draws its water from the original McCoy well.

Celebrate Kentucky’s rich moonshine heritage and cultural traditions at events and festivals, such as the 4-day Moonshiners Ball held annually in the Daniel Boone National Forest, featuring all genres of music, multiple local food vendors and on-site distilling workshops held by Kentucky’s finest distillers.

From moonshines, whiskeys and bourbons to brandy and vodkas in a wide range of flavors and proofs, you’ll find plenty to savor along with some unforgettable experiences at the unique distilleries of The Kentucky Wildlands.

Explore Food & Tasting in the Kentucky Wildlands

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Exciting Tours of the Kentucky Distilling Industry

An Insider's Guide to the Origin of Bourbon 

As the world’s thirst for Kentucky Bourbon grows, the state’s distilling industry continues to grow, offering new and improved visitor experiences. New bourbon attractions are opening all of the time in Bourbon Country.

At this moment, more than 20 working bourbon distilleries in Kentucky make more than 200 of your favorite brands. Most of these working bourbon distilleries offer active tours and unique visitor experiences that include tastings and gift shops.

From varying recipes and yeast strains to barrel char and age levels, each bourbon distillery practices the art of making bourbon just a little differently. You will find a unique experience in the sights, sounds and tastes of each tour as you take in the magic that is making whiskey during each of the tours highlighted below.

Each of the Kentucky Bourbon distilleries on this list, from the craft variety makers to the world’s largest producers, invite visitors to stop by to learn about their brands and have a taste.

Check out the many different bourbon experiences offered in each region of Bourbon County:

Angel’s Envy Distillery

Barrel House Distilling Co.

Barton’s 1792 Distillery

Boone County Distilling Company

Brough Brothers Distillery

Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buzzard’s Roost Spirits

Casey Jones Distillery

Castle & Key Distillery

Copper & Kings American Brandy

Evan Williams Bourbon Experience

Four Roses Bourbon Warehouse and Bottling

Four Roses Distillery

Frazier History Museum: Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Welcome Center

Green River Distilling Co.

Hartfield & Company Distillery

Heaven Hill Distilleries

Jeptha Creed Distillery

Jim Beam American Stillhouse

Kentucky Artisan Distillery

Kentucky Mist Moonshine Distillery

Kentucky Peerless Distilling

Limestone Branch Distillery

Log Still Distillery at Dant Crossing

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The Best Distillery Tours In America

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Bourbon has become a big business over the last few decades, with production in Kentucky alone rising by 250% since 1999. Plenty of drinkers have developed a taste for that sweet elixir that has grown from moonshine to high-dollar production.

True connoisseurs looking to take their love of bourbon whiskey to the next level may consider hitting the road to tour some of the country’s top distilleries, learning the production process and the history that has become synonymous with American history.

Bourbon and Whiskey Distillery Tours

“Distillery tours are a great way to get a deeper knowledge of your favorite whiskies or discover new favorites,” says Drew Hannush, the author of  Whiskey Lore’s Travel Guide to Experiencing Kentucky Bourbon: Learn, Plan, Taste, Tour . “There is something about seeing the process and the stories that create a strong connection. While many people will go because there is usually a tasting at the end, one of my favorite parts is going into the warehouse and smelling the angel’s share. This whiskey is being lost to the atmosphere as the spirit ages. Entertaining tours usually have a lot of camaraderie among the guests.

“If they are into the science and process of making whiskey, every distillery does things a little differently. In reality, one distillery can only make what another does, even using the same ingredients, equipment, and processes. Where the grains are sourced, the water used, the atmosphere where the whiskey ages – these all have an effect. For the history lover, every distillery allows hearing something about the distillery, the region, or the history of whiskey itself. Whiskey is built on stories, so it is a natural stimulant encouraging people to visit more distilleries.”

Ready for a road trip that involves some sipping mixed with some history of one of the country’s favorite spirits? Here’s a look at a few distilleries to check out.

Jim Beam Distillery (Clermont, Kentucky)

This famed   distillery has produced bourbon since 1935 and offers daily tours and tastings. The Kitchen Table Restaurant is also located on-site. It features a full-service dining experience inspired by the original Beam family kitchen table with contemporary Southern classics like spiced pork rinds, duck poppers, Kentucky burgoo fried catfish, and pizza that uses the same yeast as the whiskey does. Rab a bite to eat and drink up.

Jack Daniel’s Distillery (Lynchburg, Tennessee)

This classic American brand dates back to the 1830s and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Take a trip back into the past when checking out this distillery facility. About 300,000 people tour the property annually, and the distillery offers daily tours that can include sampling a flight of Jack products, tastings in the historic George Green Barrel House drawn from individual barrels, and more. The Lynchburg Hardware & General Store is also worth a visit and is packed with a huge selection of Jack Daniel’s memorabilia.

Buffalo Trace Distillery (Frankfort, Kentucky)

This distillery has produced some of the finest bourbon for over 200 years. This location is home to Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, W.L. Weller, and more. The award-winning Pappy Van WInkle is also produced on-site, and the distillery oozes spirits history. As the property notes, this facility is the rare distillery that is an “intact example of a distillery operating before, during, and after Prohibition.” Book one of five different tours, depending on your interests. Better yet, work in some time for even more.

Willett Distillery (Bardstown, Kentucky)

This private, family-owned-and-operated company dates back to 1936 and sits on the site formerly used as a farm by the Willett family. Production of Old Bardstown Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey began in the 1940s, and the distillery continues to produce other Willett brands more than a century later. A facility tour offers a little of everything and a real whiskey history lesson. The company notes: “From underground, spring-fed lakes to the Kentucky split-face limestone exterior, to our old turn-of-the-century belt and pulley fan systems running throughout the distillery and visitor center, it truly makes for a memorable trip.

George Dickel Distillery ( Tullahoma, Tennessee )

This famed distillery is a giant among Tennessee whiskey producers and offers self-guided tours, tastings, and brilliant views of the beautiful southern Tennessee countryside. The brand’s namesake founded the distillery in the 1860s, and several tour options are available. A favorite is the Single Barrel Experience, which includes tastings of three 15-year Geirge Dickel single barrels, and visitors get to take home their favorite bottle. Front Porch Fridays can also be the perfect way to unwind, with an evening of live music, food, and cocktails. The distillery’s motto might apply to many of these heritage distilleries in Kentucky and Tennessee: “We learn from our past but are always thinking about the future.”

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Distilleries

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We Can Thank Wine For Bourbon's Surging Popularity

Bourbon is hot, and this isn't a reference to the sharp alcoholic burn that flares in the throat and races to the belly with each unadulterated sip. No, bourbon is having quite the moment. In fact, according to the Kentucky Distiller's Association , the industry saw a 495% increase in production between 1999 and 2021, and a record-breaking number of visitors have been rushing to Kentucky's Bourbon Trail — which, FYI, can take a week to fully traverse . Distilleries are pouring billions into expansion to meet demand. For a spirit that used to be considered grizzly and gauche, the numbers evidence a stunning turn of fortune that is thanks, in part, to wine.

On the face, bourbon and wine couldn't be more different. Wine is unabashedly fruity and simple. Grape juice is fermented with yeast and possibly aged for a bit. What's more? It covers a spectrum from red to white, rose to orange. Bourbon whiskey, on the other hand, is a bit more rigid and scientific. Legally made up of at least 51% corn, bourbon must be boiled and fermented into a "distiller's beer" before the exacting process of distillation and years of aging in new charred oak barrels as mandated. For all those differences, the two share the strong bond of being alcoholic beverages steeped in tradition, history, and a distinct marketing strategy that whiskey makers borrowed from savvy wine sellers.

From dinners to tastings, wine blazed the trail

The 1970s were good for wine in the U.S. California wineries were starting to grow in esteem and Americans were beginning to grow their appreciation and knowledge of wine. Marketers took note and began creating an immersive culture around wine in the U.S. Dinners were planned that showcased the interplay between food and wine and wineries — once mere production facilities — opened their doors to the public for tours and tastings.

It wasn't long before this approach was noticed by other alcohol manufacturers and sellers. Another foreign import, Scotch, was both alluring and mysterious while suffering from a slump. Brown spirits in general in the 1970s were considered old-fashioned in the face of light, clear, and sweet spirits and cocktails. To combat this view, Scotch makers began to host their own tasting and dinners as a sort of on-ramp to the smoky, peaty world of whisky. And it worked.

Thus, it was of little surprise when bourbon distillers and sellers did a copy and paste. Today, bourbon pairings , flights, dinners, and tastings — even at-home tasting parties — are no less common than those for wine or beer. Noting the draw of the wine-growing region in California, Kentucky bourbon distillers established the Bourbon Trail in 1999. Now, aficionados flock to their favorite distilleries for a peek at the magic and a chance to purchase straight from the source. So, when you raise your next glass of bourbon, maybe toast to wine.

What does 'Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey' mean? Tour the house where it all began

The staff at Oxmoor Farm wants to welcome you into the 233-year-old home the same way that five generations of the Bullitt family might have.

Guests are offered a cocktail from the family’s serving set, a pour of bourbon from the house's private line, and even a comfy seat on their furniture. It’s an unusual approach for an 18th-century home tour, but unlike some of its still-standing peers in Louisville, this hidden gem operated as a private residence into the early 21st century. This is a home, not a museum.

The historic estate is offering a new bourbon experience highlighting the Bullitt family’s influence over Kentucky’s spirits industry. The Bullitts — not to be confused with Diageo’s Bulleit Bourbon — never had a revered family mash-bill and there’s never been any evidence a still operated on their land.

They were attorneys, not distillers.

Even so, they’re responsible for four precious words in the industry that appear on bar and retail shelves worldwide: Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.

The Bullitt family was more known for the work it did in the insurance industry, explained Tim Knittel, a bourbon industry consultant with Distilled Living, who’s helped create the experiential tour. Researchers have been going through the Bullitt family's papers for more than 20 years, but only recently recognized the family's bourbon legacy.

“The work they did for the distilling industry completely changed everything,” Knittel explained. “This is the home of protecting bourbon whiskey, and what we’ve found in the last few months is incredibly exciting.”

Standing in the room where Kentucky bourbon began

Two weeks before the tours formally began on June 11, I took the ever-crowded Shelbyville Road to Oxmoor Lane and drove a half mile along the west side of Oxmoor Center to a driveway that led to an arguably forgotten slice of Louisville. It’s so close to the mall you can still hear traffic and undeveloped enough that a doe darted in front of my car as I approached the house.

The Bullitt homestead was originally 1,000 acres and so far out in the countryside, it wasn’t included in the city’s earliest directories. The area has steadily developed since the mall opened in 1971, but the remaining 80 acres are protected through a preservation easement with the Kentucky Heritage Council.

The tour begins in the back gardens. The original six-room house from 1791 still exists within the center of the modern estate. An addition was built onto the front of the house in 1829, and wings were added to both sides in the early 1900s. Knittel gestured to the original home’s chimney, which was constructed with bricks from celebrated stone mason, builder, and, yes famed distiller, Evan Williams.

The five generations of Bullitts ran in the same circles as some of the most influential people of their eras. As we migrated inside, Knittel explained that Oxmoor was a meeting place for the original authors of the Kentucky Constitution and that the home's first owner, Alexander Bullitt, helped write it.

“You're standing in the space where some of the work was done to create Kentucky,” Knittel said.

As we stepped out of the modest house and into the 1829 addition, Knittel jumped ahead a generation and told the story of how in 1862 a group of marauders dressed in both Union and Confederate uniforms stormed the front of the house. One of them put a gun to Alexander's son, William Christian Bullitt's, head and said that if he didn't surrender the family’s horses to them, they’d put a bullet in his head.

William Christian, essentially, told them to pull the trigger.

“The leader of the marauders pulled the gun away from his head and saved him in that moment,” Knittel recounted. “And if he had not done that right here in 1862, and the trigger had been pulled, we may not have bourbon as we know it today.”

Why? Because of everything William Christian's family line contributed to bourbon after the fact.

We’ll get to that in a second, though. After a story like that, Knittel suggested we pause for a drink.

Suing the United States government over American Prohibition

Rosser Lomax, the mastermind behind the estate’s cocktail program, led me into the dining room, where he served a light refreshing punch with black tea, bourbon, lemon, and spices. This would have been something the Bullitts might have offered guests in the 19th century, he explained. Lomax drew on family records and historical context to build the cocktail menu.

While we sipped, Lomax and I chatted a bit about the definition and evolution of bourbon in the 1800s, which helped set the stage for the next conversation about legislation.

Glass in hand, we walked into the early 20th-century part of the home.

At the turn of the century, a group of rogue whiskey makers known as rectifiers were putting additives in spirits. Some were harmless, like prune juice, but others like arsenic could be deadly. The Bottled in Bond Act passed in 1897, and William Christian’s son, Thomas Walker Bullitt, was instrumental in creating that law, Knittel explained. This established a set of standards for bourbon and other aged spirits. He also likely contributed to the creation of the Pure Food and Drug Act in 1906, which prohibited the sale of misbranded food and drugs.

Then came the Taft Decision of 1909, when President William Howard Taft had to determine whether flavored spirits qualified as whiskey. This is where the term "straight whiskey" originates. The decision states that if whiskey had any additives besides water, it would be called “blended whiskey.” There's a letter in Bullitt family records from Taft congratulating William Marshall Bullitt, Thomas Walker's son, on his contributions to that outcome.

From there, Taft appointed William Marshall to Solicitor General. This is humorous, because just seven years later, William Marshall sued the federal government on behalf of Kentucky’s distillers, during the onset of American Prohibition. Kentucky distillers had paid taxes on their whiskey barrels, and now they couldn’t sell them.

That didn’t work, of course. Prohibition ended up devastating Kentucky’s bourbon industry.

“He actually helped distillers in Kentucky navigate the lead-up to prohibition,” Knittel said of William Marshall. “Once we understood there was no getting around it, he helped preserve the industry across Prohibition, and then help them reopen.”

Another amusing thing I learned on this tour was Oxmoor Farm was one of the last places in Kentucky during American Prohibition where you could have a completely legal drink of fine bourbon. When the Bullitt family realized the dry spell was about to transpire, they bought enough bourbon from Kentucky distilleries to bottle their own label “Oxmoor Kentucky Whiskey Private Stock.”

Under those laws, they couldn’t sell it or even transport it, but they could drink it and share it.

And in a very full-circle way, this nods to how the estate is interacting with the bourbon industry in the modern world.

This house still has secrets to tell

The final stop on the tour was a small bar located in a stunning neoclassical-style library. The ceilings were carved from Italian plaster and floors were designed to look like the Palace of Versailles . This space was once home to 250 first editions of books, including Issac Newton’s "Principia Mathematica," with the author’s handwritten notes in the margins, and a copy of the "Theory of Relativity" that Albert Einstein signed for Marshall Bullitt in 1939.

Those were donated to the University of Louisville’s rare books collections in the mid-20th century.

In the library, Lomax offered me a pour of Oxmoor Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey Volume III, sourced from two modern Kentucky bourbon distilleries. They call it Volume III because decades after American Prohibition, the family bottled a second line sometime in the 1960s. The intention is to produce other volumes as well, through Oxmoor Bourbon Company, which is a for-profit business owned by the nonprofit Oxmoor Farm Foundation that oversees the property. The proceeds from the company go toward supporting the historic mission of the foundation.

And while my hosts welcomed informal conversation throughout the experience, now that the official tour was over, Lomax, Knittel and Shirley Harmon, the curator and historian at Oxmoor Farm, and I had a chance to talk more freely.

Harmon explained the property only stopped being a home because the final Bullitt to inherit it, Tommy, never had any biological children. He died in 1991 and willed the property to a trust. His wife continued to live in the house until she passed in 2005.

“He wanted it to be able to be used in some way to educate Kentuckians,” Harmon said.

Over the past two decades, the foundation has explored a variety of ways to do that.

The Bullitt family enslaved people from 1792 to 1862, and researchers have been working with several of their descendants as well as archeologists to tell that story through different programming. Once the archaeological digs are complete, they intend to create exhibits on the formerly enslaved people’s dwellings that still stand on the grounds. Three descendants are serving on the advisory committee for that project.

The house formally opened for historical tours in 2019, and launched a concert series known as "Evenings of Note."

And the foundation is still uncovering more about the property and the family every day. The Bullitt family papers are one of the largest collections at the Filson Historical Society , spanning 185 cubic feet. When Harmon first began working with the papers in 1999, bourbon was in a lull. She wasn’t watching for that connection, and now that she’s searching for it she’s seeing so many links, she didn’t see before.

The Bullitt family's is intricately intertwined with three centuries of Kentucky history. And the house still has plenty of secrets to share.

“I always tell people to think back to the (18th century) room you first walked into, and now you're standing in this very opulent, Gilded Age room,” Harmon said. “We've walked through three centuries of American history, and we have not left this house. We're under the same roof.”

Features columnist Maggie Menderski writes about what makes Louisville, Southern Indiana and Kentucky unique, wonderful, and occasionally, a little weird. Sometimes she writes about bourbon, too. If you've got something in your family, your town or even your closet that fits that description — she wants to hear from you. Say hello at [email protected]. Follow along on Instagram @MaggieMenderski.

Want to go?

WHAT: Oxmoor Bourbon Company's Origins Tour and Tasting

WHERE: Oxmoor Farm, 720 Oxmoor Lane, Louisville

COST : $42, plus fees and taxes

RESERVATIONS: Oxmoor Farm is currently accepting tour reservations for June, July and August. Tours are by appointment. To book visit oxmoorbourbon.com .

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Kentucky bourbon tourism has record year, with $2.1 billon in investments. What that means

Kentucky bourbon survived 13 years of prohibition and the immediate following halt of distilling during World War II only to endure a so-called "golden age" in the years after the war.

Now, the bourbon industry across the state is once again flourishing at unprecedented rates; helping to draw in a record year of tourism and the best year for growth the spirits industry has ever seen.

"Bourbon is booming," Gov. Andy Beshear told the Courier Journal on Dec. 19. "I don't see it slowing down any time soon. I see more craft distilleries that are likely to open, and I see them continuing to move all over the state."

On Dec. 15, Beshear announced that in 2022 "Kentucky recorded its best year for growth of its signature bourbon and spirits industry, with over $2.1 billion in new investments and approximately 700 new jobs for Kentucky residents."

As the bourbon industry continues to grow across the commonwealth, here's a look at what that means.

Bourbon is a key tourism attraction in Kentucky

More: Bourbon is big business in Kentucky. Here are 14 bourbon projects opening in 2024

When traveling to Kentucky, it is nearly impossible to miss the 47 distillery attractions on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail , and for many visitors, bourbon is part of the draw to visit. In 2022, nearly 76 million tourists came through the state, spending more than $8 billion. This visitor level surpasses pre-pandemic 2019 tourism levels and generated $12.9 billion in economic impact for Kentucky, a new state record.

"I'm waiting on the numbers from 2023 but at the very least, I think it'll be the second biggest year," Beshear said. "2022 had the most visitors to the Bourbon Trail ever. I do believe 2023 will beat that, and 2024 will beat even that."

Roughly 95% of the world's bourbon comes from Kentucky and in recent years, the commonwealth's "distilling industry has really embraced tourism, much like what you see in Napa," said Mike Mangeot, the commissioner of tourism for the Kentucky Department of Tourism .

More than two million travelers visited the Kentucky Bourbon Trail in 2022, according to the Kentucky Distillers' Association . The most visited distillery in the state, Buffalo Trace , which is not a member of the trail, saw more than 470,000 guests in the same period, according to Mangeot.

Small, family-run distilleries across the state are also seeing success. The Neeley Family Distillery in Gallatin County offers tours, tastings, and a full bar every day of the week, said Royce Neeley, owner and Master Distiller. The 11-generation family distillery has "developed a great cult following over the world" and welcomes around 60,000 visitors annually.

"The industry reaches consumers all across the United States with a growing demand and has untapped potential as demand continues to grow very quickly in popularity internationally," Mangeot told the Courier Journal. "The more people learn about bourbon, the more opportunity we have to invite them to Kentucky to enjoy a fulfilling bourbon experience."

Going after the popularity associated with "America's native spirit" is something the Beshear administration has supported, namely through marketing efforts such as the Kentucky Department of Tourism partnership with Brand USA , the destination marketing organization for the U.S., Mangeot shared.

While 2023 data on the bourbon industry has yet to be released, Mangeot "suspect(s) we will see another year of great economic impact" and predicts 2024 will be fueled by further growth across both bourbon and tourism, noting the state has 25 multijurisdictional tourism projects launching or continuing in their early stages, most of which were funded via the American Rescue Plan Act .

"Bourbon sets us apart and is something that we, as Kentucky, can specifically own," Mangeot said. "The bourbon industry allows us to offer experiences you can't find anywhere else."

The growth of bourbon tourism in Louisville

Louisville's relationship with bourbon tourism efforts, known as bourbonism, a term coined by former Mayor Greg Fischer, can be traced back to 2006 when Louisville Tourism sought a new brand identity to help promote the city. Eventually, the tourism team decided to "lean-in" to bourbon, a Kentucky cultural asset, and adopted "Gateway to Bourbon Country" as its identity.

At the time, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail was much smaller, and Louisville was without any visitor-related bourbon experience in city limits, Rosanne Mastin, communications and public affairs manager with Louisville Tourism told the Courier Journal.

Over the next couple of years, Louisville's promotion of bourbonism had grown and the Urban Bourbon Trail was born in 2008. And by 2013, Mastin said the city was no longer the "Gateway to Bourbon Country" but rather had morphed into "Bourbon City."

The 2013 opening of the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience within Louisville city limits started the trend of tasting rooms and smaller distillery operations being able to succeed and grow in an urban area. The Evan Williams immersive visitor’s center allows guests to experience and taste the history of its bourbon in the historic Whiskey Row .

"As the first distillery to return to Whiskey Row since the original heyday, the [Evan Williams Bourbon Experience] has led the way for revitalizing 'Bourbonism' or the art of bringing Bourbon-based Tourism to Louisville and Kentucky overall," said Jeff Crowe, director of Kentucky visitor experiences at Heaven Hill.

Since then, more than a dozen bourbon-related attractions have popped up along urban areas including Louisville, Lexington, and parts of Northern Kentucky.

In a 2019-20 study shared by Louisville Tourism, Louisville's bourbonism was the top factor behind a visit to the city, with 30.9% of visitors alluding to bourbon being what drew them to the metro area. In the same study, 43.9% of all respondents took part in bourbon tastings and 39.1% went on a distillery tour.

But it's no accident that Louisville Tourism was able to turn Kentucky's famed brown water into a travel hotspot. The tourism team strategically worked with marketing firms and the Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport to align direct flights toward targeted regional areas and specific flight markets to make Bourbon City accessible. As a result, Louisville Tourism won 11 awards from the Kentucky Travel Industry Association, seven of which represented the utilization of Bourbon as a primary driver for visitation, and Travel + Leisure recently named the city as one of the "50 Best Places to Travel in 2024."

"Travelers are looking for authentic experiences and offering a taste of America’s only native spirit is just that," Mastin said. "Luckily, Louisville is not a one-trick pony and has many more assets to offer visitors including icons such as the Kentucky Derby Museum/Churchill Downs, Muhammad Ali Center and the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory, and many other attractions."

What bourbon projects are coming to Kentucky in 2024?

Since Beshear took office, the state has expanded its bourbon industry with 96 projects across the state. Here's a look at numerous additional projects and recently opened venues expected to make headway in 2024 :

Note: All items in this list and anticipated openings were provided by the Kentucky Department of Tourism, Louisville Tourism and/or previous Courier Journal reporting. This list does not include every bourbon-related venture coming to the state.

More information can be found here .

• Angel's Envy recently announced a second expansion , which will add 60,000 square feet across the street from its Louisville Main Street flagship headquarters, complete with a proposed pedway connecting the two buildings. The first expansion, which was completed in 2022, added five tasting rooms and doubled its annual guest capacity.
• Augusta Distillery in Bracken County has announced its first full-scale operation in Kentucky by renovating a 40,000-square-foot building, formerly home to the F.A. Neider Co. in Augusta. The company is investing $23 million to build a state-of-the-art distillery , guest experience and event center. The facility is expected to be operational by summer 2024.
• Bardstown Bourbon Co. has opened a tasting room on Whiskey Row in downtown Louisville. The new facility features a full-service bar with innovative craft cocktails and unique tasting experiences. 
• Barrel House Distilling Co. in Lexington plans to expand its production facility 30 miles north into Cynthiana. In addition to distilling bourbon and various other spirits, the $1.8 million project will yield an event space capable of hosting up to 100 guests. Additionally, the new location will be a stop on the Moonshine Trail and Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Construction is set to begin in early 2024. 
• Brothers Wright Distilling has unveiled plans to build a distillery and visitors center in Pike County, with plans to age bourbon in an underground Appalachian coal mine . The 12,000-square-foot project will feature a distillery, rick house, welcome center, museum, and restaurant. Construction is expected to finish by the end of 2024. 
• Buzzard's Roost Whiskey Row Experience recently opened in downtown Louisville. The venue emphasizes education about the art and science of whiskey.
• D.A.A.D Distilling in Lancaster plans to open a Black-owned bourbon distillery on property once owned by a Ku Klux Klan leader. The distillery is slated to open in 2025. 
• Heaven's Door , a whiskey brand owned by Bob Dylan, is set to open a new distillery in Pleasureville as well as a brand experience in the NuLu neighborhood of Louisville. The distillery, which is 45 miles east of Louisville, will be primarily for production. The brand experience, dubbed the Last Refuge, is set to open in a former church on East Market Street. The property will feature a whiskey bar, restaurant and live event space
• J. Mattingly's 1845 D istillery recently opened in Frankfort. The 23,000 square feet facility includes a gift shop, tasting bar, small pot still and a custom bourbon blending experience.
• Lawrenceburg Bourbon Company , owned by a Navy combat veteran, opened its new distillery in October. The facility emphasizes the hiring of military veterans, and its new gift shop and tasting room are now open. 
• Pursuit Spirits launched two new behind-the-scenes distillery experiences at its facility on Mellwood Avenue in Louisville. The "Whole Shebang" experience gives bourbon lovers a chance to learn about mash bills, blending, and maturation from our expert guides, partake in their own private barrel selection, and then fill a personalized bottle to take home. The second experience, "Pursuit United Breakdown," is a 45-minute deep-dive into Pursuit's limited small-batch bourbon. Guests will taste the individual distillates that makeup Pursuit United at cask strength, learning the unique profiles and stories behind each component. 
• Rabbit Hole Distillery announced a planned expansion , set to span an entire half-block in Nulu and include a single barrel tasting facility, gift shop, bar area and expanded office space. The enhanced visitor experience would include tasting rooms, a gift shop, a single-barrel tasting facility, and a courtyard area. It could welcome approximately 150,000 people annually.
• RD1 Spirits is developing a $4.8 million destination to honor the past and future of Lexington’s connection to the bourbon industry. The project will have tours, personalized blending experiences, tasting rooms, a cocktail bar, a gift shop, and an event space. The company’s unique offerings will make it a must-visit for bourbon enthusiasts and tourists alike.
• Western Kentucky Bourbon Company recently celebrated the grand opening of its 25,000-square-foot distillery. The facility, located in Beaver Dam, will be able to distill 50,000 barrels of whiskey a year and store 250,000. The startup distillery, led by 8th Generation Master Distiller Jacob Call, broke ground in November 2022 and filled its first barrel of bourbon whiskey on July 19, 2023. The distillery is not yet open to the public.  

Reporter Lucas Aulbach contributed to this report. Contact business reporter Olivia Evans at [email protected] or on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, at @oliviamevans_ .

Don't miss more than 30 free concerts at the 2024 Kentucky State Fair. Here's the lineup

It's like Woodstock meets livestock at the 2024 Kentucky State Fair .

The Kentucky State Fair, held this year Aug. 15-25, celebrates its 120th anniversary with a whopping 70 entertainment acts and 11 days of fun and surprising things to see and do.

Included with admission, fairgoers can rock out with 80s hair bands, sing along with iconic country and Christian acts, and dance to unforgettable hip-hop tracks. This summer's Texas Roadhouse Concert Series includes headliners Lonestar and Eddie Montgomery , The Sugarhill Gang , Melle Mel and Scorpio , The Oak Ridge Boys , 38 Special , CAIN , Tauren Wells , Stephen Pearcy of Ratt , Justin Moore , Lauren Alaina , Everclear , Happy Together and more.

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The music doesn't stop there. Throughout the 11-day run of the fair, more than 25 bands will perform during the all-day live performances scheduled at The BIG Tent and the Budweiser Tent. Specialty performances and family shows are also included with fair admission.

This year's Big Tent lineup includes Black Top Rodeo, Dance Hall Hooligans, Exit 105, Friday Night Special, Geru Y Su Legión 7, Hank Rose Project, Judge Angus, Kentucky Blue, Rockland Road, Shotgun Serenade, Soul Circus, Sound Machine, and Throwback Thursday.

The Budweiser Tent will host Bill May All Stars, Corridor 64, E & R Project, Judge Angus, Juice Box Heroes, MidnightRadio, Moonshine Magnolia, Most Wanted, No Compromise, Rock Station, Savannah Dean, Soul Circus, Soul Kitchen, The Bottle Trees, The Mad Taxpayers, The Wilson Brothers and Top Shelf.

If that's not enough, on Sunday, Aug. 25, the fair will offer a musical doubleheader. The renowned Mexican band known for its distinctive blend of Norteño music with accordion and saxophone sounds, Geru y Su Legión 7 , will perform in The Big Tent, while Christian singer Tauren Wells with special guest Consumed By Fire take the Texas Roadhouse Concert Series Stage shortly after at 7 p.m

Additionally, fairgoers can expect more than 50 family-friendly activities such as the adrenaline-packed Thrill Ville, and more than a dozen performance locations hosting specialty acts, livestock competitions, live music, and unique one-day events. From the Largest Pumpkin and Watermelon Contest to Beerfest, cow milking demonstrations, Freedy Farm Bureau, a Gospel Music Showcase, Ohio Valley Wrestling, and more, the variety of offerings is sure to make everyone smile.

Kentucky State Fair tickets are available online for $8 at ticketmaster.com. Fee-free tickets are available at participating Kroger locations for $9. Parking is also included with early bird ticket purchases, a $10 savings.

As it has done for 121 years, the world’s most prestigious horse show returns to Freedom Hall Aug. 17-24. Over $1.5 million in prizes and World’s Champion titles are up for grabs during The World's Championship Horse Show . Tickets go on sale June 17 at wchorseshow.com .

Here is the lineup and information you'll want to know to plan your Kentucky State Fair free concert and entertainment experience.

What are the free concerts at the 2024 Kentucky State Fair?

All concerts, except Aug. 25, begin at 8 p.m. with gates opening at 6:30 p.m. and take place in Lot L adjacent to Kentucky Kingdom and Broadbent Arena. On Aug. 25, the concert area opens at 5:30 p.m. with the concert beginning at 7 p.m. Here is the 2024 Texas Roadhouse Concert Series lineup: 

• Thursday, Aug. 15 : Lonestar and Eddie Montgomery
• Friday, Aug. 16 : The Sugarhill Gang Melle Mel & Scorpio (of Furious Five) with special guest Ying Yang Twins
• Saturday, Aug. 17 : Stephen Pearcy of Ratt with special guest Quiet Riot
• Sunday, Aug. 18 : The Oak Ridge Boys with special guests The Country Gold Tour including Leroy Van Dyke, Linda Davis, Jimmy Fortune, Rockland Road (which will perform the national anthem and "God Bless the USA.")
• Monday, Aug. 19 : CAIN with special guest Katy Nichole
• Tuesday, Aug. 20 : Happy Together including The Turtles, The Cowsills, Badfinger, The Vogues, The Association, Jay and the Americans
• Wednesday, Aug. 21 : Justin Moore with special guest Alex Miller*
• Thursday, Aug. 22 : Everclear with special guest Marcy Playground
• Friday, Aug. 23 : 38 Special with special guest Exile*
• Saturday, Aug. 24 : Lauren Alaina with special guests Mackenzie Porter, Kelsey Hart
• Sunday, Aug. 25 : (7 p.m. show): Tauren Wells with special guest Consumed By Fire

When is the Kentucky State Fair?

The Kentucky State Fair runs for 11 days, this year from Aug.15-25.

Where is the Kentucky State Fair?

The 2024 Kentucky State Fair is held at the Kentucky Exposition Center, 937 Phillips Lane in Louisville.

What are the hours for the Kentucky State Fair?

Outside: 

• Thursday, Aug. 15, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 16 to Sunday, Aug. 18, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Monday, Aug. 19 to Thursday, Aug. 22, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 23, and Saturday, Aug. 24, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m.
• Sunday, Aug. 25, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Inside:  

• Thursday, Aug. 15, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 16, and Saturday, Aug. 17, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Sunday, Aug. 18, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Monday, Aug. 19 to Thursday, Aug. 22, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Friday, Aug. 23and Saturday, Aug. 2410 a.m. to 9 p.m.
• Sunday, Aug. 25, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Admission to the fair and sale of all unlimited ride wristbands ends one hour before posted outside closing time. Fairgoers under 18 years old entering after 6 p.m. must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian 21 years of age or older. Proof of age is required. IDs will be verified at the gate.

Thrill Ville Ride Wristbands

At least 50 rides, including thrill, family, and the iconic Astro Ferris Wheel, are coming to town in August. Thrill-seekers looking for all-day ride wristbands can get the best price by purchasing their Thrill Ville wristbands for $30, a $5 savings, online or at participating Kroger locations.

Where do I park for the Kentucky State Fair?

Parking for the Kentucky State Fair will be in Parking Lot A at the Kentucky Exposition Center.

How much are tickets to the Kentucky State Fair?

Early bird admission tickets for the Kentucky State Fair, which include parking, are on sale online for $8, plus fees, now through July 5. From July 6 to Aug. 14, online tickets are $9.

Tickets purchased during the fair are $10 for admission and $10 for parking. Visit  kystatefair.org/tickets  for details.

Reach features reporter Kirby Adams at [email protected].

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Don't miss more than 30 free concerts at the 2024 Kentucky State Fair. Here's the lineup