Bourbon Country

For the true Bourbon connoisseur, there's no better place to discover the rich history and proud tradition of America's official native spirit than the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The trail leads visitors through Kentucky's bucolic landscape to eight signature distilleries where tours and exhibits demonstrate how Kentucky whiskey is distilled, aged and bottled. Guests learn the time-honored art of Bourbon making and learn why the natural conditions for distilling and aging good Bourbon – the grains, the climate, the pure limestone water – occur only in central Kentucky.

With more than 95 percent of the world's Bourbon produced within a short, scenic drive from downtown Louisville, 21c is the ideal home base for your Bourbon excursion. Whether you choose to blaze the trail yourself or enjoy the leisure of a guided tour, 21c can help you plan your trip. Before you head out, remember distilleries are subject to local liquor laws and many tours are limited to those of legal drinking age.

Distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail are:

1. Buffalo Trace Distillery – ABuffalo Trace, the world's most award-winning distillery, lets visitors walk in the footsteps of Bourbon legends such as E.H. Taylor, George T. Stagg and Col. Albert Blanton. Discover why Buffalo Trace is well into its third century of producing fine-quality, expertly crafted Bourbon.
2. Four Roses Distillery – Built in 1910, Four Roses features a unique Spanish Mission-style architecture and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Learn about Four Roses 10 Bourbon recipes – the most of any distillery. Be sure to explore the grounds and stop to smell a few of the many red roses that give the distillery its name.
3. Heaven Hill Distilleries – Located in historic Bardstown, Heaven Hill is America's largest independent, family-owned producer of Bourbon. Visitors enjoy a guided tour through a working rickhouse – where Bourbon barrels are stored for aging – and conclude with samples in a unique barrel-shaped tasting room.
4. Jim Beam Distillery – Visit the birthplace, distillery and home of the Beams, the first family of Bourbon. See a barrel-making exhibit and one of the oldest moonshine stills in America before enjoying a free tasting. Be sure to pick up a souvenir signed by seventh-generation Beam family distiller, Fred Noe III.
5. Maker's Mark Distillery – Maker's may be off the beaten path, but the scenic countryside around this famed distillery makes it worth the journey. Check out the fermenting room and the barrel warehouses that hold 4,000 barrels each. Dip your own bottle in Maker's signature red wax and learn about the distillery's exclusive Ambassador program.
6. Tom Moore Distillery – Undoubtedly one of the Kentucky's best kept secrets, Tom Moore is the only full distillery tour in historic Bardstown. Producing brands such as 1792 Ridgemont Reserve Small Batch and Very Old Barton, Tom Moore offers guests a glimpse into the genuine history of Bourbon making.
7. Wild Turkey Distillery – Located in Lawrenceburg, KY, Wild Turkey produces one of the best-selling premium Bourbons in the U.S. and the world. Master Distiller Jimmy Russell is known for his signature 101 proof. Visitors will learn about Wild Turkey’s traditional distilling methods and all-natural process.
8. Woodford Reserve Distillery – The oldest and smallest distillery in Kentucky traces its origins to 1797 when Elijah Pepper began distilling in Woodford County. This National Landmark crafts only Woodford Reserve, the Official Bourbon of the Kentucky Derby. Experience the only copper pot still and triple distillation process used to handcraft Bourbon today.