Kentucky and bourbon are practically synonymous.
Though bourbon doesn’t legally have to come from Kentucky, the vast majority of America’s bourbon whiskey — and virtually every top-shelf variety — is produced in the Bluegrass State. You’ll find bourbon drinks on the menus of most restaurants you visit in Kentucky. And bourbon barrels, which can only be used once in the distilling process, have become iconic pieces of decor for locals, serving as flower boxes, tabletops, wall decoration and more.
As a result, one of the best ways to get to know Kentucky is to explore its bourbon history, its booming distilling industry and the culture that surrounds it. And though there are great distillery tours all across the state, a trio of cities in the west-central region offers a wide array of bourbon attractions and activities for groups.
Louisville
Situated on the Indiana border at the falls of the Ohio River, Louisville is Kentucky’s largest city and perhaps its most dynamic destination. Its Whiskey Row, a stretch of Main Street that was once the center of the state’s distilling industry, is now a popular tourist area and has a number of notable attractions.
The best place to start is the Frazier History Museum, which tells stories of Kentucky history and culture. The museum has a lot to explore, but one of its highlights is its Spirit of Kentucky exhibition. Visitors will learn about how bourbon and the distilling industry have evolved. True afficionados won’t want to miss the Bourbon Bottle Hall, a collection of more than 300 varieties that includes a bottle of every bourbon currently produced in Kentucky. And don’t forget to plan for a sip or sample in the museum’s on-site speakeasy.
Just two blocks down Whiskey Row, visitors will find the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience. Part museum, part distillery and part retail store, this attraction honors Evan Williams, one of the area’s first distillers and the namesake of a popular line of bourbons. Visitors start with an immersive film on bourbon history, then watch as workers make whiskey in a working still. There are a variety of tasting experiences available and a cool cocktail bar upstairs.
From there, groups have a virtually limitless menu of other bourbon experiences available in Louisville, including 14 other distilleries around town, as well as other tasting rooms, speakeasies and bourbon-inspired shops.
Shepherdsville
From Louisville, it’s about a half-hour’s drive south to Shepherdsville and surrounding Bullitt County. The area’s Whiskey, Wine and Ale trail has a variety stops for people who enjoy all kids of beverages. But its primary attractions are also two of the biggest names in bourbon: James B. Beam and Four Roses.
The James B. Beam distillery has been producing bourbon for more than 200 years. Its signature product, Jim Beam, is one of the world’s most popular bourbons, but the distillery also makes a number of other brands, including Knob Creek and Basil Hayden. Groups can learn all about the bourbons and their memorable makers during a variety of tours available at the distillery. Activity options range from a 75-minute overview tour and tasting programs to in-depth experiences that examine the company’s distilling innovations or pair its signature bourbons with food from the on-site restaurant.
Bourbon fans traveling in the area will also want to plan a stop at the Four Roses Warehouse and Bottling Facility. Tours showcase the site’s unique single-story rack houses, which are designed to minimize variations in temperature and humidity, and the bottling line where products are prepared for distribution. From there, groups can choose one of several guided tasting experiences or browse for souvenirs in the 2,500-square-foot visitor center.
Bardstown
About 20 miles southeast of Shepherdsville, Bardstown is quickly becoming one of the state’s foremost bourbon tourism destinations. With nine distilleries in and around Bardstown, the town bills itself as Kentucky’s bourbon capital and offers an impressive array of bourbon experiences for groups.
A short drive south of downtown, Log Still Distillery sits on 350 acres in an area called Gethsemane, where it was one of three distilleries that existed before Prohibition. The owners restarted the distillery in 2019 and have developed a range of experiences around it, including an outdoor amphitheater for concerts, bed-and-breakfast accommodations, a restaurant, an event venue and more. Groups can tour the distillery to learn more about its history and taste its variety of products, including bourbons and other spirits.
Making their way back into Bardstown, groups will come to the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience. This is the primary visitor facility for the Heaven Hill company, which operates throughout the area. At the visitor center, which was renovated in 2021, visitors can start by touring exhibit areas that introduce the history of bourbon distilling and the Heaven Hill family of brands. From there, group leaders have a variety of options, ranging from standard tastings that feature three whiskeys to the immersive Bottled in Bond tour, which takes them into two warehouses, and the interactive You Do Bourbon experience.
Another site worth visiting is Lux Row Distillers. Opened in 2018, this distillery produces six brands of whiskey, some of which date back to 1958. On a tour, visitors will see the 43-foot copper still that is used to create products such as Rebel Bourbon, Ezra Brooks, Blood Oath and David Nicholson Reserve. The tour continues to a rickhouse and ends in a great gift shop and tasting area.
Finally, Bardstown Bourbon Company is one of the biggest players in the local bourbon scene and has created a number of innovative guest experiences. Opened in 2016, this high-tech company distills for more than 50 outside bourbon brands and also has its own line of products. Visitors can tour the distillery and rickhouses, as well as the on-site vintage whiskey library. Some of its bottles date to the 1800s, and all of them are available to taste by the pour. Group leaders can choose to add on a number of other experiences as well, including the Taste of History, which features rare bourbons, a speakeasy visit, the Shaken and Stirred cocktail class, and lunch in the distillery restaurant.
