When I went to Louisville for a long weekend, I knew I had to visit the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Kentucky is the birthplace of bourbon and crafts 95% of the world’s supply. There are actually more barrels of bourbon than people in Kentucky!
I also made sure to pick up a free Kentucky Bourbon Trail Passport. You can grab one at the Welcome Center at the Frazier Museum, one of the many distilleries, or download it and print it out. I received mine at the Evan Williams Distillery downtown.
There are a total of 18 signature distilleries where you can collect a total of 16 passport stamps. Whether you’re a bourbon lover or not, it’s a fun experience for all! I decided to see a few distilleries by booking a morning tour with Mint Julep Tours.
Led by an expert guide, the tour is a great way to see a few of the world-famous distilleries with transportation, lunch, and tastings included. Our tour guide was Wendy. The bourbon tours cost between $149 to $169.
Our first stop was the Barton 1792 Distillery which is the oldest fully-operating Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. Bardstown is considered the Bourbon Capital of the World and is the second oldest city in Kentucky.
We then had a brief stop at Heaven Hill Distillery. You do not have to do a tour or purchase anything to receive a passport stamp.
Then it was time to check out Lux Row Distillers, one of the newer additions to the Bourbon Trail that opened in 2018. There was a tour of the distillery site followed by a tasting. We also had the option to purchase a tasty bourbon cocktail.
We stopped by a local restaurant for lunch. I ordered a Chicken Salad Croissant and a Bourbon Barrel Ale.
Our final stop was Maker’s Mark Distillery. The small-batch bourbon whiskey produced in Loretto, Kentucky is one of the most well-known names out there.
The place was impressive! We also enjoyed a tasting after the tour.
Maker’s Mark is famous for their square bottles with its signature red wax seal. You even have an opportunity to dip your own bottle which makes a very cool souvenir.
I had my personally hand-dipped Maker’s 46 to take back home. That was our final stop and most of us couldn’t resist buying a refreshing Bourbon Slushie before heading back to Louisville.
What an awesome day seeing some of the historic distilleries as well as the new ones. Wendy was a wonderful guide. We sampled some of Kentucky’s best and transportation was comfortable and super convenient. I highly recommend a day with Mint Julep Tours!
Mint Julep Tours
Louisville, Kentucky
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