Required fields are marked *. They have 10 different varieties of bourbon, and a really unusual, Spanish-style building that houses the distillery. This is Louisvilles landmark hotel. With the many distilleries within its city limits, Louisville is a good jumping-off point on the trail. We both acquired a taste for bourbon on our long weekend in Kentucky. A memorial now stands at his birthplace. This tour does the best job explaining the history of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. If you pay extra, we can also produce these maps in specialist file formats. Carry it with you, and allow it to guide you to adventures unknown. This budget hotel gets good reviews and is conveniently located in Bardstown. Enjoy the nightlife in Louisville, drive through scenic bluegrass Kentucky, watch a horse race at Churchill Downs, visit the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, or spend the night in a historic tavern. In this post, we cover everything you need to know to have the best experience on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The distilling of bourbon began in Kentucky in the 1700s in Bourbon County. They must be designed to work with a standard printing press. This hotel also gets great reviews and has an excellent location. If you are really short on time, you can simply visit the gift shop, get your passport stamped, and do a little shopping. Also in the area is the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln. If you need a break from bourbon, a fine margarita at Corto Lima, or craft cocktail at West Main Crafting Co., will do the trick. We felt thatit was just enough to give us a taste but not so much that it impaired Tims driving. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Earth Trekkers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by advertising & linking to Amazon.com. Take the first tour of the day to give yourself enough time to get to Green River. USA TRAVEL INSPIRATION: For more great ideas on where to go in the United States, check out our article Best USA Road Trips, which has 18 sample itineraries for your next big adventure. Some of them include the distance to view and the subject. This itinerary is organized into seven different daily itineraries. The rickhouse is where the barrels are stored. Take a specialized tour of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Your email address will not be published. Kentucky Bourbon Trail Field Guide - Your passport to the true home of The brisket is renowned, especially with their Texas hot sauce. Even if you dont plan on staying here, a drink in the Lobby Bar is a must-do while in Louisville. If you have hotel reserved, the staff might be able to make some recommendations for you. For weekends, I would recommend scheduling your tours in advance, any time of the year. The tastings do get spread out over the day, but they are also right before you hop in the car to get to the next distillery, so know your limits. To tour the Kentucky Bourbon Trail you have two options: self-drive the bourbon trail or join a tour group. Your email address will not be published. Tour the distillery, see the hundreds of barrels inside of the rickhouses, and maybe meet legendary Jimmy Russell while you are here. The grand finale of the tour isthe bourbon tasting. Even the most enthusiastic bourbon-lover can't just barrel through and sample bourbon at 9 places all in a rush. This hotel gets excellent reviews on Booking.com. In the Bourbon District, you're never more than 5 minutes away from the next attraction, so planning that group tour or birthday celebration just got a lot easier. This grain mixture is referred to as the mash bill. Today, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is a collection of 18 major bourbon whiskey distilleries (Heritage Distilleries) and 23 smaller and newer microdistilleries (Craft Distilleries) that will give you the ultimate experience of learning all about Kentucky bourbon: its history, technology, craftsmanship, and artistry. Also, remember that the quality of maps is unbeatable! If you move fast, you have enough time to visit both in the afternoon. If you want to print a different dimension, choose an alternative size from the drop-down list , then alter the size of the page. This will minimize your driving and let you stay in the small towns in Kentucky. For more suggestions on how to plan your time, dont miss our Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Kentucky's Bourbon Trail now consists of 18 whiskey distilleries. Take a late afternoon or early evening tour of Michters Distillery. At the end of this article, we list specific hotel and B&B recommendations for Louisville, Bardstown, and Lexington. Just spent two nights in Bardstown and took the cocktail class which was awesome. As you tour more distilleries, you can pick out the differences between the bourbons. If you collect stamps from each distillery you can redeem your passport for a Kentucky Bourbon Trail tasting glass. Some of them are new kids on the block, and others have been around since bourbon's inception. BUDGET: Holiday Inn Express and Suites Downtown Louisville. Four Roses. From Bardstown it is a 45 minute drive. Dinner: Proof on Main. Old Forester Discovery Tour. Located in Bardstown, the Old Talbott Tavern dates back to the 1700s. My father, who is a Bourbon man, will be celebrating his birthday next month and I thought of taking him on a Bourbon tour. It's a National Historic Landmark, but it's also gorgeously maintained, and set in a dreamlike corner of the Bourbon Trail. At your first distillery, pick up a Kentucky Bourbon Trail Passport. For more suggestions on how to plan your time, dont miss our Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary planner. To take a tour at all eighteen distilleries you will need a minimum of five days, but six to seven days is ideal. In fact, if you visit every. Abraham Lincoln was born in a one room log cabin in Hodgenville, Kentucky in 1809. After a hearty breakfast of biscuits, its time to hit the trail! Heaven Hill. TRAVEL INSPIRATION: Here are 30great travel booksand a list of the best travelmovies to feed your wanderlust. Coalition Whiskey. Why not? Trail builders, on the other hand prefer to be in the woods in order to use chainsaws to make their trails. These are the rickhouses at Heaven Hill. The Old Nelson County Jail housed prisoners from 1797 until 1987. While you are in the area, consider a tour at Buffalo Trace, adding on a visit to Bulleit in Shelbyville, or lunch or dinner in Lexington. However, the spirits are further refined with their patented TerrePURE process. They also offer seasonal classes and tours, so make sure you check their website to see what they are offering during your visit. Local Chef Ouita Michel is at the forefront of Bourbon Trail gourmet dining, with top-notch restaurants in Midway, Versailles, and Lexington. During our visit this ranged from $5 to $20 per person depending on the distillery and the type of tour you choose to take. Some of these yeast strains have been used for decades at each distillery. On the third day, watch the horse races at Churchill Downs. It can be chilly, but most of the time we were indoors, so weather wasnt much of a factor. This distillery is located in Shively, very close to downtown Louisville. Please enjoy like a true Kentuckian Responsibly. I give links to each distillery in these daily itineraries. If you stay until Memorial Day weekend, expect big crowds that weekend because of the holiday. Bourbon is distilled year-round, with the exception of a few weeks during the summer, when some distilleries shut down for routine cleaning and maintenance. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour is a collection of small and/or new (er) distilleries assembled by the Kentucky Distillers' Association. Bourbon tourism is skyrocketing, with nearly 2 million visitors from all 50 states and . Browse by category to find what you're looking for, or select icons displayed on the map for detailed information. Eating is important, of course, and luckily, there are tons of local restaurants where you can get a great meal to soak up some of the liquor. Day 1 and 2 for sure then a day on the road. The blue markers are restaurant recommendations, Buffalo Trace Distillery, and other notable experiences to add into your Kentucky Bourbon Trail itinerary. Visit the final two distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, plus one notable bourbon distillery that is not part of the official trail, Buffalo Trace. There is even an art museum located inside of the hotel. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail tour is celebrating its 22nd birthday with a new Bourbon Trail Passport & Field Guide for visitors but this year, there's a twist. And for full details on Bluebird Cafe, read our article How to Visit Bluebird Cafe. Most people stay in Louisville, Lexington, or Bardstown. Enjoy like a true Kentuckian: Responsibly. Lunch: Doc Crows Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar or Troll Pub under the Bridge. Tours are offered Monday through Friday; they do not offer tours on weekends. Bring your military ID, if you have one. We are wine drinkers. Kentucky Bourbon Trail: The Ultimate Guide, Best Distilleries to Visit on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, 12 Best Things to do in Louisville, Kentucky, Louisville Restaurants: Best Eats in Town. If you have specific non-KBT distilleries in mind I recommend checking their websites for pricing information. In 2008, it was Historic Hotels of Americas top pick. Aging must take place in a new, charred oak barrel. The red markers are the seventeen distilleries on the trail. Use it to customize your trail experience. Heaven Hill is one of the biggest bourbon distilleries, producing Evan Williams and Elijah Craig. This is a must-see tour. Plan to spend at least 2-3 days traveling along the Bourbon Trail, and stop off at some of the many charming Kentucky towns along the route. Cheers, Julie, We are thinking about making this trip in an RV in early November.. are there nice places to stay and how does the pandemic affect things, Hello Jan. As far as to where to stay with your RV, I am not sure, since we had a car and stayed in hotels. Tim and I stayed here on our first visit to Louisville in 2016. They offer a comprehensive tour of their facility, including a look into how their bourbon is bottled. Bourbon can be brewed anywhere in the United States, although 95% of bourbon is currently distilled in Kentucky. A visit to Buffalo Trace is definitely worthwhile when you are in the area, even if it is not officially on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. If you want the map twice as wide you can select extra large. Is there a fee to visit the distilleries? Make sure you check the hours of the distilleries you want to visit before your trip. LUXURY:The Brown Hotel. Many of these distilleries are historic and their story is fascinating. The repurposed stone castle and the rest of the historical property are breathtaking, and the distillerys chic branding (with plenty of merchandise to take home from the gift shop) adds to the overall charm of the location. For information on how to plan your visit, dont miss ourKentucky Bourbon Trail Itinerary. Abraham Lincoln was born in a one room log cabin in Hodgenville, Kentucky in 1809. Cameron is a freelance writer and editor working in travel publishing for the past 10 years. During these tastings, you still get to learn about the history of the distillery and what sets it apart from the others.

Natural Alternatives To Isosorbide Mononitrate, What Year Is The 24th Century Bc, Articles P