Journey with us to Kentucky and the oldest continuously operating distillery in the United States, a brilliant blend of bourbon and history.
Celebrate America’s “Native Spirit” on National Bourbon Day (June 14th), with a guide to this historic bourbon beacon.
Not all historic transportation routes are still used or are as well known as Route 66. Many have been lost to history. But here in Kentucky, the historic Buffalo Trace is forever remembered. The bison's migratory route has long gone, but the spirit named after it forms an integral part of Kentucky history.
Kentucky crafts 95% of the world’s Bourbon and the Buffalo Trace Distillery, located on the east bank of the Kentucky River, just north of Frankfort, has operated on the site since its establishment as the Old Fire Copper Distillery in 1870. The site is a rare, intact example of historic American distillery architecture.
The brand's rich history, commitment to quality and innovative spirit, has made it an iconic figure in the world of American whiskey, attracting enthusiasts and connoisseurs from around the globe.
The brand, now owned by the Sazerac family, has weathered a few storms, quite literally in some cases, including a tornado, lightning strikes, flooding and even Prohibition, emerging stronger and more resilient each time.
According to data from the Distilled Spirits Council, bourbon sales have increased by nearly 40% over the past decade and demand for many brands, especially those with rare or limited releases, is outstripping supply. Pappy Van Winkle, made at the Buffalo Trace distillery, has almost cult status and was named “the world’s most elusive bourbon,” according to Forbes in 2023. In 2022, a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year sold for 17 times its estimate at Sotheby's auction house.
With Buffalo Trace being a top choice for restaurants and mixologists and the brand appearing in movies, books, songs, and even TV shows such as the popular Paramount show Yellowstone, or the 2021 Netflix Documentary Heist, the demand shows no sign of stopping.
A visit to the distillery had been on my bucket list for years. What we found was a heady mix of historic buildings, delicious spirit, unscripted storytelling and true southern charm. A real Kentucky gem.
The brand history
Before I tell you more about this distillery, it's important to delve back a few hundred years to understand why buffalo and bourbon are so interconnected in Kentucky.
American Bison, migrating in massive herds, created pathways along the natural topography between the prairie lands in Illinois to the salt licks in Kentucky. These paths, called the Buffalo Trace, were used by American Indians for generations before settlers arrived from other countries. The route appears on the earliest maps of the area and was the most common route that later settlers used to cross the state. Many booked passage on riverboats as far as the Falls, what is now Louisville, before continuing west. This stopping off point made Louisville a boom town. As the popularity of the route grew, taverns, hotels and businesses began to pop up along its length. These businesses further flourished, when a stagecoach line was established that ran the length of the trace.
Records indicate that on the site of what is now Buffalo Trace Distillery, distilling began in 1775 with Hancock Lee and his brother Willis Lee. In 1792, the same year Kentucky became the 15th state of the United States, Commodore Richard Taylor built the first permanent structure on the site, Riverside House, that still stands today.
The first official distillery was constructed in 1812 by Harrison Blanton and sold in 1870 to Commodore Taylor's great grandson, Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. This bourbon pioneer, mayor, state representative and grandson of the US's 12th President Zachary Taylor, started and owned seven different distilleries throughout his career and was a skilled businessman and marketeer when it came to packaging and promoting his bourbon. He is often referred to as the 'Father of the Modern Bourbon Industry'. Among his revolutionary whiskey making practices at his Old Fire Copper (O.F.C) distillery, he installed steam heating in the storage warehouses, the first climate controlled warehouse for aging whiskey in the nation, which is still in use today.
However the business was struggling and Taylor was forced to sell the distillery to George T. Stagg in 1878, who named it after himself in 1904. Under Stagg's leadership, the distillery became one of the world's leading bourbon producers. The distillery changed hands several times over the years, and survived further challenges, such as Prohibition, a flood and the Great Depression.
The New Orleans based, family owned Sazerac Company, bought the distillery in 1992. They invested in a seven year renovation campaign, and the Buffalo Trace brand was introduced in August 1999.
The distillery was added to the National Register of Historic Places on May 2, 2001 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 2003.
With the recent rise in whiskey's popularity and premiumisation, by 2013 Buffalo Trace could not keep up with current demand, let alone future demand. To address this, the distillery underwent a further $200 million expansion project in 2016, taking the site to a whopping 400 acres. In 2018 this investment was increased to $1.2 billion, to add even more production and visitor facilities. The site now employs around 650 people. 75 percent of the expansion project has been completed, as of March 2024, and they’re currently in the final phase of the works, which are due to be completed by early 2025.
“We are so excited to welcome new and repeat guests to come see our new stillhouse and experience our new tour offerings. The major expansion projects are now complete, so we have lots of new areas visitors can see on both our Hard Hat Tour and our expanded Trace Tour.” (Tyler Adams, General Manager talking to Spectrum News, Feb 23)
The distillery has one of the most advanced barrel management systems in the country.
Their warehouses house a vast inventory, allowing Buffalo Trace to produce a diverse range of bourbons and whiskies, each with its own unique character and flavour profile. Add in an experimental warehouse and round the clock production, the Buffalo Trace distillery produces over 15 different bourbons (and rye) and turns out more than 200,000 barrels a year.
That number is set to more than double, after the brand took their existing 84” (213cm) wide by 40 feet (12.1 metre) tall Vendome column still, and duplicated it in 2022.
The two stills can produce 120,000 gallons of whiskey a day for Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Weller, Blanton’s, E.H. Taylor Jr., and the rest of the whiskies in the brand's portfolio.
Buffalo Trace distillery welcomed 470,507 visitors in 2022, compared to 293,996 visitors in pre pandemic 2019. Bourbon tourism is indeed flying high in Frankfort.
And if that isn't enough, Buffalo Trace opened their first visitor experience outside the US in May 2024.
The Buffalo Trace Distillery London Tasting Experience, is a brand new 2,000-square-foot-space, and includes a tasting room and retail space, all just a few steps from the ever popular Covent Garden. I'll be checking that out when I am next in the city.
What is Bourbon?
Bourbon is one of the most regulated spirits in the world. All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon.
Bourbon can only be produced in America, though not just in Kentucky as many people think, and new bourbon distilleries are popping up across the country all the time.
It is a fermented grain spirit.
According to the American Bourbon Association, in order to be classified as bourbon, a whiskey needs to be distilled from a mixture of grains, or mash, that is made up of at least 51% corn. It is this corn that gives bourbon it's sweet flavour.
The mash must be distilled to no more than 160 proof (80% abv).
The distillate must be aged in charred new oak containers at 125 proof (62.5% abv) or less. Note that this does not strictly mention barrels, though what else you'd be using I don't know.
Before bottling, bourbon is filtered and diluted down to no less than 80 proof (40% abv).
There is no minimum limit to the length of aging, unlike Scotch. The exception is straight bourbon, which has a minimum aging requirement of 2 years. In addition, any bourbon aged less than 4 years must include an age statement on its label. Bottled-in-Bond must be aged for at least 4 years. Bourbon aged for less than 3 years cannot be classed as whiskey in the EU.
Anything labelled Kentucky Bourbon must be distilled and aged in Kentucky.
There are a plethora of other rules, but those are the basics.
The Visitor Centre design
Scotland's Glenfiddich claim that they were the first distillery to open a visitor centre for tourists, in 1969. However, I believe the pioneer of whiskey tourism hails from Kentucky and does not get enough credit, and he is directly linked to Buffalo Trace. In the late 1800s Col. E. H. Taylor Jr. designed his Old Taylor Distillery to resemble a medieval European castle, surrounded by landscaped grounds, that attracted tourists and picnickers alike. The visitors were given a tour of the facilities, complimentary bottles of spirit and could take in the classical springhouse, walking routes and sunken garden. The Old Taylor Distillery passed through a few hands until it was abandoned in 1972. Since 2014 it has been the home of Castle and Key Distillery.
As previously mentioned, serial distillery entrepreneur Col. E. H. Taylor Jr. had previously owned many distilleries including the Old Fire Copper distillery, the site of the present day Buffalo Trace distillery. Now it might not have a castle, but as a National Historic Landmark, Buffalo Trace features a collection of well-preserved and picturesque red-brick warehouses and provides an unparalleled opportunity to study at one site the evolution of buildings and technology associated with the American whiskey industry. The distillery's commitment to preserving its heritage is evident in the meticulous maintenance of these buildings.
The 50-acre historic core includes a group of six buildings, constructed between 1792 and 1907, that represent the distillery’s formative years. The one storey "Old Taylor House," built by the founder, dates back to 1792. Warehouse A and Warehouse B were constructed in 1881, with Warehouse C joining them in 1885. The mashing and fermenting wing, "The Dickel Building," dates back to 1883.
There are several buildings that were constructed in the inter war years that also remain in action. The Blanton Family homestead, “The Beeches,” built in 1818, was purchased by Buffalo Trace in 2004, to add to their historic structures portfolio. It should be acknowledged that some of these homes come with an uncomfortable past. Blanton was a slave owner, as were many wealthy and prominent men during that time in Kentucky.
The George T. Stagg Water Tower can be seen from miles around. The 150,000 gallon water tower stands more than 163 feet tall and nearly 29 feet wide.
The historic buildings do provide amazing backdrops and spaces for events such as weddings.
The botanic gardens and bird sanctuary at Buffalo Trace Distillery center around Stony Point, the former residence of Albert B. Blanton, which was built in 1934. Now recognised as a National Historic Landmark by the National Park Service, and as a certified Level II Accredited Arboretum, the brand offers walking tours of the garden followed by a tasting of their signature spirit.
In August 2017, Buffalo Trace debuted their Old Taylor Tour, showcasing three sites on the distillery property which explore Col. E. H. Taylor Jr.'s legacy. This includes the previously unknown ruins of the original O.F.C. distillery from 1869, dubbed “Bourbon Pompeii,” plus the Old Taylor House, where guests can learn about the chemistry behind bourbon production and the feud between E.H. Taylor Jnr and George T. Stagg.
Sadly the tour was full on the day I visited, but I really hope to go back and see more of this fascinating history. The exhibition panels. graphics and videos were designed by local company Joanna Hay Productions.
In 1953, to celebrate the brand's 2 millionth barrel of bourbon, they built Warehouse V, the world's smallest bonded warehouse at the distillery. It now holds each subsequent millionth barrel, including the most recent, their eight-millionth barrel in 2022. It comes just four years after the seventh millionth barrel which was filled in 2018.
“We’ve filled a record number of barrels every year, as evidenced by how fast we moved from the seven-millionth barrel to the eight-millionth barrel. Now that we have our new still house starting up, we’ll be able to double the output of our whiskey production, so we’re going to be reaching nine million barrels before you know it.” (Harlen Wheatley, master distiller - Spirits Business 2022)
In 2013 the brand built their experimental warehouse X where trials and data on atmospheric variables can be tested and collected, from four individual chambers, and one open air breezeway.
It is worth noting that Buffalo Trace is not part of the popular Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The trail is an organised program, owned and operated by the nonprofit Kentucky Distillers’ Association (KDA), which owns the trademark and phrase “Kentucky Bourbon Trail.”
Launched in 1999, at the start of the American whiskey resurgence, the trail has proved extremely successful, with more than two million people visiting the Kentucky Bourbon Trail distilleries in 2022 alone. Visitors like us, from all corners of the globe, come to get their Bourbon Trail “passports” stamped at distilleries across the State. It brings $9 billion into the state's economy every year and provides more than 22,500 jobs.
Unable to reach a compromise during legal proceedings over a trademark, Sazerac withdrew both Buffalo Trace and Barton 1792 from the Kentucky Distillers’ Association in 2009, ending their official association with the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
For Buffalo Trace, not being part of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail hasn’t exactly dampened demand for their visitor experience or products. The ongoing bourbon shortage has seen demand skyrocket. Like many distilleries, supply at Buffalo Trace simply can’t keep up and nearly all brands associated with Buffalo Trace (including Weller, Eagle Rare, and EH Taylor bourbon, among others) are now sold, in many states, as allocated bourbon, meaning customers are restricted to one bottle per person.
The Entrance
We are not in the countryside here, but at the edge of the State capital Frankfort. You approach the distillery up a tree-lined drive from the main road. It’s about ¼-mile long and rewards you with views over the historic site, with it's collection of industrial brick buildings. Arriving at 2pm, having spent the morning at Bulleit Distillery, a half hour drive away in Shelbyville, we were only able to fit in the standard Trace Tour. Run hourly, it lasts 75 minutes and includes a tasting of six products at the end. The guest entrance is in the renovated historical Freehouse and the floor depicts an overview of the entire operation.
The Tour
We booked the tour 3 months in advance, like we booked for all our Kentucky Bourbon distillery tours, and even then we could not get in to some.
On an extremely hot day in July, we joined 22 guests of all ages, hailing from various parts of the US, with different levels of bourbon knowledge. We were the only ones from abroad.
The tour started in the recently expanded visitor centre, a 33,000 square foot building housing the retail space and some additional exhibition space.
We lucked out with David, our tour guide, as he informed us that he had over 400 hours of knowledge he could share with us on bourbon and the distillery. A natural born storyteller, he had been with the brand for ten years.
He explained how the distillery had changed over those years, and what the epic plans for expansion would deliver. Buffalo Trace, he told us, fill a warehouse every 3 to 4 months, with 58,800 barrels at a time, and the site housed up to 1.3 million barrels, with the goal of 3.5 million barrels once the expansion was completed.
The Trace Tour is somewhat simplified, and for those of us who are looking for something more in-depth, the Hard Hat Tour offers an extensive look at the parts of the facility that handle everything from grain delivery to distillation. I would have done that tour, if there had been space available on the day and in our schedule. I am sure not all guides are going to have David's in depth knowledge and he probably enjoys the extra time on longer tours to recount all his tales. We stayed behind after the tour with David, swapping stories about his distillery visits to Ireland and Scotland, and even emailed him a list of some in Scotland we recommended for his next trip.
"What's bourbon? Bourbon is magic." (David, Tour guide Buffalo Trace)
David found us all some cover from the sun amongst the historic buildings and explained what bourbon is and the difference between that and whiskey and the regulations around it. He pointed out the new stillhouse, which was hidden behind construction equipment and due to come on line 60 days after our visit. After a smattering of fun and educational historical facts, including prohibition, medicinal whiskey, rectifying and brand names, David told us the history of the distillery and what each building did, from the milling, to the pressure cooking, and ended on the ageing. We could ask questions on absolutely anything, and the group did.
It was extremely hot, so we headed inside a Warehouse to continue the tour, where the angels share and atmospheric changes in the warehouses was explained. It is all standard stuff, but delivered with enthusiasm and David knew his stuff. We got lots of details, but explained using references for context from anything from teabags, home cooking, to children. Their oldest product, the Pappy Van Winkel 23 year old, which we can buy in the UK for £6800, starts as a 53 gallon barrel, yet they take out just 3-5 gallons of product after ageing. That's why it is so sought after. This is the first place where the costs of ageing were fully explained, space, employment, yearly tax and more. He also had great advice for tackling whiskey snobbery.
"The world's best bourbon...is the one you like. Stay humble and blind taste everything." (David, Buffalo Trace)
Most of the tour group had little to no knowledge of bourbon regulation, and definitely even less knowledge of whiskey, other than what is made in the US. David explained briefly the rules of Irish, Scotch and Japanese whiskey, before suddenly a secret door in the bookcase opened, and we were ushered through to the barrel storage.
Here it was explained how the barrels are stored and labelled. Even the bar codes were explained, and the Cartesian coordinate system, which shows where each barrel sits inside the warehouse. We even got told how an algorithm determines when the product should be at its peak, which is then validated by testing and tasting in the lab.
There are 23,000 experimental barrels in the distillery at any one time, and some of those were what we saw. David explained how barrels were made in detail. Great stuff. The finish their barrels with a number 4 char in Buffalo Trace, a 55 second burn over a gas flame. We had become used to hearing what char rating each of the distilleries on our trip used. Most barrels came from Kentucky or Missouri, and Buffalo Trace had a new Cooperage in London Kentucky. All are hand made, and it takes about 90 seconds to stand a barrel. He suggested we did a barrel making tour. We wished we had time. It's one for our return visit.
It is a shame that you don’t see the process of actually making Bourbon. You won't come across the stills or mash room. You might need to upgrade to a deeper tour, and as they're all complimentary, it's not a hardship. Good to know too that this tour had been fully accessible too, with lifts into the new tasting areas.
The ever animated David took us for our tutored tasting in the private tasting rooms. Buffalo Trace went ahead with plans to expand its event space and tasting areas in 2020, and the Tasting Rooms are located next to the new Giants of Bourbon Hall, an event space that is available to rent after hours.
We were disappointed to find branded plastic tasting cups rather than glass ones, as for me they just don't convey the flavours and notes properly. You certainly cannot see the legs when you swirl in plastic. However, we got vodka, root beer and bourbon cream, along with the standard Buffalo Trace, plus the Eagle Rare and Colonel E.H.Taylor. These last two often change to Blanton's, Sazerac Rye or W.L.Weller, depending on availability.
As we were the only non Americans on the tour, David enjoyed explaining to the group the differences between Scotch and bourbon, using us to add information, especially regarding differences in weather and culture. We felt like expert witnesses.
We started with Wheatley Vodka, created and named after master distiller Harlen Wheatley. It is distilled an impressive 10 times, triple filtered and bottled at 82 proof, and we can buy it in the UK for £24 online and it gets great reviews. The brand are very proud of it. It is lethally smooth and easy drinking.
Working through the tastings we got to Eagle Rare, which we can now buy back home for £38 in our local supermarket or online. It is 10 years old, dry and smooth, bottled at 90 proof/45% ABV.
Our favourite was Colonel E.H. Taylor, aged in warehouse C and bottled in bond, which we have recently found online in the UK for £100. At 50% abv we found it heavy on the caramel and apples, like a tarte tatin on the nose, with vanilla ice cream on the finish. We've bagged one for sale in the UK to add to our collection and the perfect Father's Day treat for my husband.
We moved on to the root beer, something we don't regularly drink back home. Next up was the Bourbon Cream, another one we can get in Scotland for £18. After a small sip we were instructed to make a root beer float, mixing the root beer with the bourbon cream, and for added flavour we could take a bite of the candy, a bourbon ball, made locally by Rebecca Ruth. The chocolates were delicious and although we purchased a box in the shop to bring home, they never made the plane!
With everyone asking if the E.H. Taylor was in stock in the shop, only to be disappointed, David explained the legal ramifications of supply here, which are mind boggling to us from the UK. Kentucky have a 3 tier system where product made at the distillery has to go off site to a distribution centre, from there to a distributor, from where the distillery has to buy it back, to then sell it in their shop. It's taxed every step of the way. Crazy!
The tour had been unscripted, sometimes frenetic, but David delivered tonnes of information in a memorable way, tailored to suit everyone on the tour.
Don't underestimate the walking here though, as the site is massive. We spent an hour after the tour further exploring the buildings, many of which have plaques on them telling you about their history. Just come in comfy shoes.
Firehouse Sandwich Stop
For a distillery the size and reputation of Buffalo Trace, it is a surprise that they don't offer a larger food spot. The Firehouse Sandwich Stop is open from April until October and offered something simple and tasty, served from the original Firehouse building from the 1930s. You can pre-order boxed lunches for groups of more than ten. I would suggest the brand could find a larger indoor space, to cater for guests in all weathers, that could offer bourbon themed menus, based on the history of the buildings. A Bourbon afternoon tea or a bourbon brunch, before or after your tour, would be fabulous, and cater to even those non bourbon drinkers.
Food does finish early, so it's a lunch spot really. There are vending machines inside the shop for drinks, essential on a hot day.
Shop
The retail space is large and simply furnished, filled with lots of varied items. Just don't expect racks of bourbon, as this is limited. When we visited there was no bourbon we couldn't buy at home and sadly none of the whiskey that we had enjoyed on the tasting.
If you do visit when there is an allocated bottle, arrive early as they don't save them for tour guests and be prepared to queue. Wait times in line have been known to be extremely long. It really is luck of the draw. And they don't ship out of the state. It's the law!
There was plenty of ginger beer and bourbon cream on offer though.
I appreciated the Christmas offerings here though. We have a travel themed tree in our sitting room every year, with a growing number of ornaments from our visits to brand homes all over the world. I bought one of the barrel baubles, made from recycled whisky barrel bungs.
But there is something for everyone here from the sports fan to the dog lover, with baby bibs, cocktail kits, glassware, chess sets, clothing, watches, fudge, you name it.
In conclusion
This is a place where you get so much for free, and in this day and age that's refreshing. In fact, you'll get a tour delivered by engaging and entertaining tour guides, who deliver the brand history and message with passion and humour and, in our case, heaps of knowledge.
The range of tour options will cater for everyone. Not a whiskey fan (I'll forgive you), then check out a tour of the historic structures and gardens. Keen to delve deeper, and actually see production, then grab a hard hat and head into parts of the distillery that explain the development of the site and whiskey industry in Kentucky.
Photographers - whether professional, amateur, or Instagram enthusiasts, will find an array of stunning buildings and backdrops perfect for capturing memorable shots.
Much like our experiences with distilleries in Japan, the brand’s limited-edition expressions—some of which we tasted during our tour—are exquisite but often unavailable for purchase. These coveted bottles sell out almost immediately upon release, leaving collectors and visitors alike disappointed. These are the bottles that anyone building a collection or wanting a memento of their trip would be looking for, and sadly Buffalo Trace were among many distilleries where we left empty handed. I have no idea how this could be rectified, but when you make such a long trip, it is gutting to leave with nothing but memories, and a christmas bauble and some chocolates. Luckily we can buy some of the whiskey online in the UK. And if you are lucky enough to visit on a day where these limited releases are available, then expect massive queues. But do consider queuing, as they're worth it. Everyone wants to get their hands on a Blanton or a Pappy.
The design overall is authentic, unfussy and devoid of technical wizardry. This place focuses on the historic buildings and the people delivering the message. There is no hard sell here either.
There is so much scope on site to add even more visitor experiences and facilities, some of which I have suggested, such as more food options and indoor or covered areas that are temperature controlled for the benefit of the tour guests and staff alike. More benches would be helpful for those with mobility issues. A few pictures on the standard tour showing the production process, mash tuns and stills for example, would have helped explain the process too. I would jump at the chance to work with Sazerac on these.
Our visit was so engaging that we’ve shared our experience widely and continue to seek out different releases back home. With so much to offer, a return visit is already on the horizon.
Proof that free can indeed be fabulous.
How long was the visit?
We stayed for 3 hours and could have spent even longer here and would return if we lived closer to discover more.
Worth mentioning
Our tour was mostly outdoors, so it’s a good idea to come prepared with an umbrella or waterproof jacket and some water. In the summer it can get very hot, so wear a brimmed hat and definitely wear good walking shoes. It’s dog friendly too.
How much are tickets?
We always pay for our own tickets, though this time the tickets for all tours are free, and this was not part of any advertising.
There are 5 tours available and all need booked way ahead of time to avoid disappointment.
The Trace Tour, which we went on, lasts 75 minutes.
The Hard Hat Tour lasts 90 minutes.
The Old Taylor Tour lasts 75 minutes.
The Arboretum and Botanical Gardens Tour takes 75 minutes.
The National Historic Landmark Tour also lasts 90 minutes.
I'd go back tomorrow if I could and do a few tours in a day.
Opening times
It's always worth checking with the distillery for their current opening times, as they can vary.
Distillery and Gift Shop Hours are Mon-Sat 9:00am-5:00pm ET and Sunday 11:00am-5:00pm ET and they are closed Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.
Address
Buffalo Trace Distillery, 113 Great Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, KY 40601
Website: Buffalo Trace Distillery
Where we stayed:
Hotel options were pretty limited for a week in July 2022, peak tourist season and just after Independence Day in the US, and we wanted to feel more at home in Louisville, so booked an Airbnb in the historic Henry Clay building hosted by Ashlyn.
This was perfect for us, one bedroom, Wi-Fi, kitchen, aircon and a parking space, which was ideal for our hire car. Looking at the images on Airbnb, she seems to have revamped her apartment further. When we visited, we must mention that the city was extremely quiet, almost like a ghost town in places and certainly not everything opens all week. It can be tricky to find places for food on a Sunday, as even Subway was shut! There wasn’t a large supermarket in town that we could walk to and even bars at night were very quiet. We’re used to cities having more hustle and bustle and this will, no doubt, all change with even more visitors coming to the city. Say Hi to Ashlyn from us if you book in. We're not being paid to advertise her place, but we can recommend it and I wouldn't stay anywhere else.
Getting here:
We were on a 3-week road trip from the UK, travelling from Atlanta to Detroit, so we came to Louisville by car, which was extremely easy. Having the car made visiting distilleries out of town for two days a breeze, but you can use tour companies that operate small tour buses for this if you don’t have a car at your disposal. The car did sit in the parking garage for 4 days, so it wasn’t the best use of the rental financially, but we appreciated the convenience.
Getting to Frankfort for Buffalo Trace was a breeze, an hour by car from Louisville with lovely scenery along the route.
What else is there to see close by:
In Frankfort you're on the Kentucky Bourbon trail, so if you like your whiskey, you'll enjoy your stay. You can visit 2 or 3 distilleries a day and still not see them all in a weekend. You can read our report on what to do on and off the Bourbon trail soon.
Castle & Key Distillery is only a 15 minute drive away and as I mentioned earlier, is directly linked to the history of Buffalo Trace. They have tonnes of once abandoned historic buildings to tour, on a site that was renovated over 4 years and reopened in 2018. With Kentucky’s first female Master Distiller since Prohibition, Marianne Eaves, the brand released Restoration Rye, their first aged spirit in December 2020.
Frankfort is the State capital and could be a picturesque pit stop, with breweries, wineries, museums, galleries, shops and a host of outdoor activities.
Kentucky is horse country, famously known for the Kentucky Derby and horse must check out nearby Lexington where many stables offer farm tours and experiences.
Louiseville is an hour away and has a few personal favourites of ours. The Frazier History Museum, located on Louisville’s “Museum Row” in the West Main District of downtown blends historic artefacts with educational exhibitions that bring you right up to date with Kentuckian culture.
And sports fans can check out our guide to the Louisville Slugger Museum, which we thoroughly enjoyed. Even if you're not into baseball, like us, I defy you not to enjoy this museum.
Visited: July 2022
Photographs: ©Julie White unless noted otherwise
Disclaimer - The views and opinions expressed are solely my own. I paid for the tours in full and any comments reflect my personal experiences on that day. Please drink responsibly. Please visit and garner your own thoughts and feel free to research the brand and the visitor centre in question.
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