Frequently Asked Questions

Straight up Answers

How long does it take to tour all of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® distilleries? While we encourage you to relax and enjoy your trip, we know that proper planning is a necessity. That said, you should allow at least two to three days to visit all seven of our historic distilleries. Check out the tour times for each distillery on the distillery pages of the web site. Or ride stress-free with our friends at Mint Julep Tours.
How long are the tours? Each distillery’s tour is unique, and some offer specialty tours that can take longer. You should plan on spending at least an hour and a half at each distillery to tour and visit the gift shop and tasting room. If you’re interested in times for a specific distillery tour, we encourage you to call ahead.
How far are the distilleries from each other? Some are as close as eight miles and others are as far as 70 miles. Check out the Map and Guide section of our web site for driving directions and distances between distilleries. And remember— this is Kentucky. The scenery is beautiful.
How do I complete the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Passport? Collect stamps at all seven distilleries to earn a free Kentucky Bourbon Trail® T-shirt when you submit your completed Passport. Your Passport will be shipped back to you along with the shirt. Please include your T-shirt size. Shirts come in adult male sizes from small to 3XL. Please mail your completed Passport to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, 838 East High Street, Suite 165, Lexington, KY 40502. Or even better and faster, you can get your shirts immediately at the Bardstown Welcome Center of the Shepherdsville Welcome Center.
Where can I find directions to the distilleries? Check out the Map and Guide section of our web site for complete driving directions to each distillery. We’ve been told that some GPS devices aren’t completely accurate for providing directions. Ours have been tested and driven. Trust us. And keep in mind that sometimes cell service can get dodgy on the beautiful backroads of Kentucky.
Is there an admission fee? Tours are free at Wild Turkey and Four Roses. Woodford Reserve, Maker’s Mark, Jim Beam, Town Branch, and Heaven Hill charge a minimal admission fee. Some distilleries have specialty tours that carry charges, as well. Please see the distillery pages of our web site to see which distilleries offer specialty tours and for pricing, then call ahead for costs and availability.
What about tours for large groups? If there are 10 or more people in your group, please call ahead to the distilleries that you plan to visit to give them a head’s up.
Where should I start my visit to the distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour? Anywhere! The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is not a geographic route – so there is no official beginning or end to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail tour. You’re free and welcome to start in any one of our landmark distilleries or historic communities. Our Trip Planner section can also assist you.
Are people under 21 allowed to take tours? All distilleries require you to be at least 21 to sample their products if they offer tastings, but anyone is welcome to tour the distilleries.
Are reservations needed or required? General tours don’t require reservations, but please call ahead if your tour group has 10 or more people. Specialty tours require reservations. Check out the distillery pages of our web site for more information.
Do distilleries offer samples? All seven distilleries offer a tasting at the end of the tour.
Can you buy Bourbon at the distilleries? Under Kentucky law, visitors can purchase up to three liters per customer, per day at the gift shop.
Will the 2013 Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Passport be different than the 2012 Passport? The Passport won’t change, but the 2013 Kentucky Bourbon Trail® t-shirt has a new design and color. All completed Passports received after January 1, 2013 will receive the 2013 not-sold-in-stores shirt. And remember – you can always tour our member distilleries again and submit a new completed Passport to get this year’s t-shirt!
Can I use the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® trademark or logos? Kentucky Bourbon Trail® is a registered trademark of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. We’re very careful in their use, just like our distilleries practice great care in producing their Bourbons. Please contact us at 502.875.9351 for information on terms of use and potential licensing agreements.
Can I get a non-alcoholic beverage at a distillery? Yes, most distilleries offer complimentary water, lemonade or other non-alcoholic refreshments. Please ask your tour guide.
How can I get directions to other distilleries if I’m already on the road? Each Kentucky Bourbon Trail® distillery has printed directions to the other stops. Ask one of our friendly distillery workers for printed directions to your next location.
Can I mail more than one completed Passport in the same envelope? Yes. But for shipping purposes, we must return each Passport and T-shirt in a separate envelope.
Are there any times during the year that distilleries aren’t in full production mode? Several distilleries limit production for essential maintenance during some summer months. Full tours are still available during these times, but you probably won’t see Bourbon being produced. Please visit each distilleries’ website for full details.
Why isn’t every distillery represented on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour? You must be a member of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association in order to participate in the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour or the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour™.
Are the distilleries handicap accessible? While Kentucky Distillers’ Association members make every effort to comply with all legal building code requirements, visitors should contact each distillery individually with specific accessibility questions.

Sponsors

The Holly Hill Inn in Midway, established in 2001, is a fine dining restaurant housed in one of Midway’s oldest homes. Renowned Chef Ouita Michel and her staff specialize in elegant fare using locally grown produce and meats, with a seasonal menu, award-winning wine list and full bar service with an extensive Bourbon collection. Ask about our Wine Guild and 1785 Bourbon Society tastings and events! Exit 65 off I-64. Reservations suggested at (859) 846-4732. Visit hollyhillinn.com for directions and menus.
Wallace Station Deli is housed in a historic country store along scenic Old Frankfort Pike. Opened by Ouita and Chris Michel in 2003, Wallace is known for its jumbo panini sandwiches, burgers, salads, irresistible bakery case and breakfast sandwiches. Visitors will find our own Bourbon Mustard on sandwiches and in jars available for purchase. Desserts include huge homemade cookies, brownies, pies and more. Our Danger Brownie is topped with a Bourbon Bon Bon! Guy Fieri of “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives” said our Big Brown Burger was “one of the Top 5 I’ve ever had!” Just minutes south of I-64 off Exit 65. Beer, outdoor dining available. Open 7 days a week. Visit wallacestation.com for hours and menu.
Chef Ouita Michel opened the Midway School Bakery in the cafeteria of the former Midway High School, built in 1924, in historic Midway. Guests will see staff in the open kitchen create scratch-made doughnuts, cookies, pies, breads and more. Coffee and espresso service are on the menu, including our Bluegrass Mocha with Bourbon Chocolate Sauce. Free wi-fi is available. Bakery shelves are lined with Kentucky products such as Midway Honey, Woodford County’s award-winning Country Rock Sorghum, Wallace Station Bourbon Mustard, Ruth Hunt Candies, Windy Corner Market Pickled Okra, Weisenberger flours and mixes and gift baskets. See Chef Carrie’s Gluten-free Zone for muffins and her popular sandwich bread! Midway School Bakery goods also available at Windy Corner Market and Wallace Station Deli. Exit 65 off I-64. Open 7 days a week. Visit midwayschoolbakery.com for hours and menu.
Enjoy a delicious lunch along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail at Woodford Reserve Distillery’s Picnic on the Porch! Chef Ouita Michel’s culinary team prepares fresh sandwiches, soups, snacks and desserts using the best local ingredients. Many menu items have been created with a hint of Bourbon, such as our Bourbon Chili! Dine inside or on the distillery’s expansive porch overlooking the scenic grounds and beautiful Glenn’s Creek. Open 7 days a week April-October. Special events and tastings scheduled throughout the year; visit woodfordreserve.com for hours and more information.
Located in Historic Harrodsburg, the Beaumont Inn is a Central Kentucky staple. Owned and operated by the Fourth and Fifth Generations of the Dedman family, Beaumont Inn has been a Kentucky tradition for over 95 years. Enjoy the Beaumont Inn’s white-table-clothed Main Dining Room or sample their more relaxed fare in either The Old Owl Tavern or The Owl’s Nest Pub where you can also sample any of their collection of fine Kentucky Bourbons from a list that totals well over 50 selections.
Want to leave the driving, planning, scheduling with confirmed reservations, safe transportation and worrying about directions to someone else? Contact Mint Julep Tours–they plan the entire adventure, start to finish, so you can relax and leave the trip to them. They have many packages to choose from, so check their website or call 502.583.1433 for details.
Welcome to Bullitt County! Located on I-65 just 20 minutes south of downtown Louisville, we offer visitors the convenience of being near a thriving metropolitan area while lodging amid the gentle atmosphere of Southern hospitality. Surrounded by the scenic beauty of our natural landscape, visitors can enjoy great hotels, a plethora of dining options, outlet shopping, four award-winning wineries, a nationally acclaimed golf course, and a world renowned arboretum and research forest. All this and more make Bullitt County’s Clermont, Shepherdsville and Brooks areas great stops on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail tour.
Admire the Bluegrass horse farm scenery while enjoying a fabulous breakfast, lunch or dinner at Windy Corner Market, 1 mile off historic Paris Pike just north of Lexington. Windy Corner is fashioned after an old-time country store. Chef Ouita Michel’s locally sourced menu features Po-Boy sandwiches, burgers, salads, seafood, breakfast, bakery goodies, soft-serve ice cream and more. Try a Kentucky Boy po-boy with pulled pork and our own Bourbon Barbecue Sauce! Dinner specials range from meatloaf to steak, from shrimp and grits to catfish. Wine and beer are available. Shop the shelves along the walls for delicious Kentucky Proud jams, sauces, flours and more. Open 7 days a week. Go to windycornermarket.com for hours and menus.
In Bardstown, the Bourbon Capital of the World™ and Most Beautiful Small Town in America, you have many opportunities to enjoy a hands-on tour and Sample our Spirit at one or more distilleries that are part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® experience or the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour™. Surround yourself in our Bourbon Heritage and see why Bardstown is to Bourbon what Napa Valley is to wine.
Nestled in the rolling hills of Central Kentucky sits Lawrenceburg, a quaint and historic community. It’s a place where the Bourbon is as old as the community and the wine is nationally acclaimed. Where one family’s tobacco-growing heritage has spawned a world renowned cigar factory. Also, where there resides a permanent living tribute to Kentucky’s soldiers, who have fallen in the war on terror. Visit our downtown to shop for antiques or dine at one of our local eateries. The hospitality is warm and the location is scenic.
Welcome to Kentucky’s newest luxury and ONLY Bourbon themed full-service hotel, the Marriott Louisville East! Located off I-64 and Hurstbourne Lane, the hotel is a perfect location for your start or finish of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour. Come and try a true taste of Kentucky at Marriott’s unique restaurant and bar, Charr’d Bourbon Kitchen and Lounge. Here you’ll find over 80 Bourbons under one roof as well as Bourbon-enhanced cocktails and food. Come and see the hotel who recently won Best New Marriott Product for 2012!
The Woodford Inn is a historic Kentucky bed & breakfast nestled among the beautiful horse farms of central Kentucky. We’re located just outside of Lexington, KY in the heart of historic Versailles. The Woodford Inn is just a short drive to several famous area attractions including the Kentucky Horse Park, Keeneland Race Course, and several of the bourbon distilleries near the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour. Be sure to stop into Addie’s, our restaurant that features a full Bourbon bar and fantastic food.
Located in the geographical heart of Kentucky, Lebanon is also the Heart of the Bourbon Belt. With Maker’s Mark & Limestone Branch distilleries located here, as well as the Kentucky Cooperage, we’re as close to bourbon as it gets. Encounter a rich bourbon experience, deep spiritual legacies, and a community that thrives on its unique history and heritage.
R&R Limousine is an Official Sponsor of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour. Providing service to the extreme, they have ten packages to choose from, so you’re sure to be able to visit the distillery of your favorite Bourbon, or let them design a custom package tailored just for you based on the time you wish to spend. Check their website for details or call 800‐582‐5576.

Frequently Asked Questions

Straight up Answers

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