Kentucky Bourbon Trail Brings Barrel to Barrel Tasting Adventures

The Kentucky Bourbon Travel is a fond feature of Kentucky, which is known as the Bourbon Capital of the World. Kentucky boasts an astounding 10 million barrels of aging bourbon scattered across the state – that’s more than two barrels for each person calling the Bluegrass State home.

With bourbon heritage sites, working distillery tours, tasting rooms, a whisky museum, cooperages, world-class bourbon bars and restaurants, whiskey shops with hard-to-find bourbons, bourbon chocolate shops and much more, Kentucky is quite the spirited destination for bourbon aficionados and travelers in love with cocktails and cuisine.

To this end, Kentucky offers several bourbon-themed accommodations to complement these high-spirited explorations.

Talbott Tavern and Talbott Inn, established in 1779, is located in historic Bardstown in the heart of Bourbon Country. The Tavern offers six overnight rooms, each named for a famous or infamous former visitor (including the likes of Daniel Boone). The Tavern is also home to the world’s oldest bourbon bar and during the weekends, the spot comes to life with live entertainment, flowing bourbon and fun. The Talbott Inn is located next door and offers 15 rooms.

The Samuels House is owned and operated by the founding family of Maker’s Mark Distillery. There, guests enjoy a one-of-a-kind opportunity to experience an intimate piece of Kentucky bourbon history as an insider. Located near Bardstown, the Samuels House offers three exclusive rooms and can sleep up to eight guests. The home’s centerpiece – the parlor – features a hand-made bar showcasing 50 bottles of whisky spanning 150 years of Samuels family distilling, from the days of the old T.W. Samuels brand to current-day Maker’s Mark. Eight generations of family heirlooms are displayed throughout the home, including Margie Samuels’ English pewter collection that inspired the naming of Maker’s Mark and the deep fryer she used to adorn the first bottle in what would become the brand’s signature red wax.

Chateau Bourbon is found just outside of Louisville and offers guests “comfort with a splash of bourbon.” This Bed & Breakfast includes top notch service, 3-course bourbon infused breakfasts, nightly “Sips & Sweets” happy hours and much more. Whether you’re a bourbon expert or just getting introduced, Chateau Bourbon’s hosts can discuss the distilling process, recommend cocktail recipes, share tasting books and leave make sure each guest leaves with a newfound appreciation for America’s native spirit.

The Stone House by Castle & Key in downtown Frankfort, is an historic property that was carefully restored by Castle & Key and is designed to function as an extension of the Castle & Key Distillery, located just nearby. This three-bedroom property can sleep up to eight guests, is decorated with Castle & Key memorabilia and historic photographs and features a bar space with all the tools needed to craft the perfect bourbon cocktail.

Dant Crossing is a one-of-a-kind destination located just an hour’s drive from both Louisville and Lexington. The pastoral campus is anchored by Log Still Distillery, where guests can enjoy outstanding Monkʼs Road spirits. Dant Crossing also offers world-class entertainment at their outdoor amphitheater, The Amp, overnight lodging at one of several unique options, wedding and event space at the 18,000-square-foot venue and acres of wooded walking trails and a 12-acre fishing lake. More attractions will open soon at Dant Crossing, including a fully functional private train depot and farm-to-table restaurant.

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association continues to add new distilleries to the mix.

Among the newest additions are:

The Bard Distillery in Graham, Muhlenberg County in Western Kentucky

Castle & Key Distillery in Frankfort, the Capital City in Central Kentucky

Copper & Kings Distillery in Louisville, the official starting point of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and KBT Craft Tour

Log Still Distillery in Gethsemane in Nelson County near Bardstown, the Bourbon Capital of the World

The new members of the trail swell the ranks of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour to 23 distilleries. Coupled with the 18 larger-scale distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour, the KDA now boasts a record 41 immersive experiences for Bourbon and spirits lovers

An available KBT Craft Tour is divided into four regions — Northern, Central, Western and Bluegrass. After finishing all four regions, guests are awarded a collectible barrel stave tray to display their coins.

The 23 participating distilleries are:

NORTHERN REGION

New Riff Distilling, Newport

Second Sight Spirits, Ludlow

The Old Pogue Distillery, Maysville

Boone County Distilling Co., Independence

Neeley Family Distillery, Sparta

CENTRAL REGION

Copper & Kings American Brandy Co., Louisville

Kentucky Artisan Distillery, Crestwood

Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co., Louisville

Jeptha Creed Distillery, Shelbyville

Log Still Distillery, Gethsemane

Limestone Branch Distillery, Lebanon

Preservation Distillery, Bardstown

WESTERN REGION

The Bard Distillery, Graham

Boundary Oak Distillery, Radcliffe

Casey Jones Distillery, Hopkinsville

Dueling Grounds Distillery, Franklin

MB Roland Distillery, Pembroke

BLUEGRASS REGION

Barrel House Distilling Co., Lexington

Bluegrass Distillers, Lexington

Castle & Key Distillery, Frankfort

Hartfield & Co., Paris

James E. Pepper Distillery, Lexington

Bourbon Trailhead

Founded in 1880, the KDA is the voice for Bourbon and spirits issues. Its diverse membership produces the overwhelming majority of the world’s Bourbon, from legendary, global brands to emerging micro distilleries that are building the next generation of the timeless craft.

Kentucky Bourbon is a thriving $8.6 billion economic and tourism engine and key export that is currently in the middle of a $5.1 billion building boom, from innovative new tourism experiences to expanded production facilities, bottling centers and aging warehouses, all to meet the growing global thirst for Kentucky Bourbon.

Bourbon production has skyrocketed more than 430% since the turn of the century and now counts more than 10.3 million barrels of Bourbon aging in warehouses across the Bluegrass State.