I’ll include three sections. The first is an overview of the drive and
some reflections on the trip overall. After that will be my own profile of each
distillery. Click on the link next to the distillery name for a more detailed discussion of our
visit. Finally, I’ll include a few lists of top distilleries by category.
Also, probably obvious but I'm receiving no compensation from anyone for writing this up.
Also, probably obvious but I'm receiving no compensation from anyone for writing this up.
The Drive Overall
First, it’s important to point out that all of our visits were done on
weekdays and many were early in the day. Most tour guides told us that crowds
could get much larger on weekends so, if you’re trying to hit a lot of stops, go on weekdays if possible.
Another regret, along with not buying the Maker’s Mark, was not
visiting Willett. It’s my favorite Rye and yet somehow, I forgot to plan it
into our itinerary. Worst of all was that we drove right past it while we were
in Bardstown visiting Barton’s and Heaven Hill. Guess I’ll just have to go back
and visit again.
I was disappointed that the distilleries didn’t give us more
information to take with us from the tasting. Jack Daniels was the only one
that had a paper with notes that I could take away. I understand that places
need to get you through quick but more interactive tools would have helped me remember what I liked about each whiskey that I tried.
Some fun trends: Every tour in Kentucky told us about how they allow
pictures everywhere on their tour with either a direct or an indirect statement
that others don’t. Yet only Jack Daniel’s and George Dickel didn’t allow
pictures at some points. Also, every tour guide had two names…
Now for the distilleries. I won’t get too into the qualities of the whiskeys
themselves as it would take up a lot of space, I’m not a great taster, and my
purpose was to try them, not rate them.
Barton’s 1792 (Click here for more info)
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300 Barton Rd. Bardstown, KY 40004
300 Barton Rd. Bardstown, KY 40004
Highlight: The tour. My favorite tour of the whole trip.
Lowlight: The guard loudly, purposefully, waking my wife up when we
pulled into the gate.
Tour (Bushel to Bottle): My favorite tour we went on. Being the only people on the tour may have given us more access/interaction than if we were in a
big group. A lot of walking and stairs.
Tasting: One of my least favorites, but it was free. I forgot to write
down which whiskeys we tasted but I wasn’t a big fan. The coffee and cream
liquor was great though
Value: Free, no complaints there.
Ambiance: Nothing beautiful but I enjoyed walking around the area and smelling the grains in the air.
Freebies: You get to take home a bung stamped with the date of your
tour.
Visitor Center/Gift Shop: Standard. They had t-shirts, whiskey,
candles, cups, coasters.
Definitely Go If: You want value and are most interested in how whiskey
is made.
Definitely Avoid If: The tasting and/or seeing beautiful things is
really important to you.
Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center (Click here for more info)
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1311 Gilkey Run Road Bardstown, KY 40004
1311 Gilkey Run Road Bardstown, KY 40004
Highlight: Focused tasting experience.
Lowlight: None
Tour: No tour, just tasting
Tasting (Connoisseur Experience): Pricey ($20) but you get what you pay
for. I tasted five whiskeys, one of which was 25 years old and meant to show the group how age doesn’t always equal quality. Otherwise, I got what I wanted out of
this stop: tasting quality whiskeys.
Value: A little on the pricey side. They were good
whiskeys but $20 was steep for no tour.
Ambiance: One of the best. The set-up in the tasting room was classy.
The building and grounds are welcoming.
Visitor Center/Gift Shop: Extensive gift shop with a nice educational
area to read through at your own pace.
Freebies: Cardboard coaster and the glass from the tasting.
Definitely Go If: You really just want a tour with a side of
mini-museum.
Definitely Avoid If: You only want a tour of a distillery.
Maker’s Mark (Click here for more info)
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3350 Burks Spring Rd, Loretto, KY 40037
3350 Burks Spring Rd, Loretto, KY 40037
Highlight: Beautiful Grounds
Lowlight: None
Tour: 1.5 hours total. The grounds are beautiful so that’s a plus. You
don’t get to see as much of the actual process as at the other distilleries.
You’ll hear about it throughout the walk, though. A lot of walking but few
steps.
Tasting: We got to taste five of their whiskeys: Unaged, Maker’s Mark,
46, Barrel Proof, and the Private Select Tasting Panel.
Value: For $12, I would say this was one of the best
values. Decent tour and great tasting.
Ambiance: I almost forgot I was at a distillery. Seemed more like a
wedding venue.
Visitor Center/Gift Shop: Standard gift shop at the end of the tour.
You can dip your own bottle if you buy one there.
Freebies: A Maker’s Mark label…
Definitely Go If: You want to see something beautiful, learn a bit
about whiskey, and have a good tasting.
Definitely Avoid If: You want to get up close with the distillation
process.
Wild Turkey (Click here for more info)
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1417 Versailles Rd, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
1417 Versailles Rd, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
Highlight: View of the Kentucky River
Lowlight: None
Tour: A little under an hour. This was one of my least favorite. A bus
drives you to the different locations and there wasn’t as much to see at each
stop. Not much walking but a lot of steps.
Tasting: I wasn’t a huge fan but that’s probably because I’m not a big
fan of Wild Turkey. We tried Russel Single Barrel, Rare Breed Barrel Proof,
Russel’s 6 Year Rye, and American Honey.
Value: Decent value for $10, if you’re a fan of Wild
Turkey Whiskey.
Ambiance: The distillery tour felt sterile and corporate. The visitor
center is relaxed.
Visitor Center/Gift Shop: The visitor center and gift shop have a great
view of the Kentucky River. I stood by the fence for a while after my tour and
thought about all the great whiskeys that I had tasted throughout the day.
Freebies: A large Wild Turkey glass
Definitely Go If: You really want a Wild Turkey tasting and glass.
Definitely Avoid If: You have other distillery tours that you’re doing
and don’t care much about the tasting.
Buffalo Trace (Click here for more info)
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113 Great Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, KY 40601
113 Great Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, KY 40601
Highlight: Freddie, our tour guide.
Lowlight: None
Tour (Trace Tour): A little under an hour and a half. For the sake of
our schedule, we did the most basic Trace Tour. We also didn’t need the whole
behind-the-scenes deal since we were seeing so many other distilleries.
Nevertheless, we got some unique information that we didn’t hear on any other
tour. And our tour guide, Freddie, was by far the highlight. A decent amount of
walking but no steps on this tour until the end (where there’s an elevator).
Tasting: Like Barton’s (who is also owned by Sazerac), this wasn’t the
most extensive tasting, but it was free. Buffalo Trace might be my favorite bottom-shelf
whiskey. Eagle Rare and the chocolate liquor were both good too.
Value: Free. Excellent value. I’d go again for one of
the other tours for sure.
Ambiance: This was in the top three for me alongside Maker’s Mark and
Woodford Reserve. I liked getting to walk around before our tour started. The
buildings have a nice old yet well-maintained feel to them.
Visitor Center/Gift Shop: Essentially just a large gift shop. They had
some selections here that I didn’t see anywhere else, though.
Freebies: Tour and tasting.
Definitely Go If: You want a free tour and decent tasting along with a
walk around an appealing distillery.
Definitely Avoid If: You really care about the tasting.
Woodford Reserve (Click here for more info)
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7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles, KY 40383
7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles, KY 40383
Highlight: Unique architecture.
Lowlight: You can only walk around the actual distillery on the tour. I
would have loved more time for pictures afterwards.
Tour (Distillery Tour): Tour took an hour and fifteen minutes. Even if
you’re seeing multiple distilleries, I’d recommend Woodford Reserve for its
uniqueness. The stonework is impressive and there’s no other distillery like
it. The wooden fermentation cylinders are rustic and we got to try some of the
mash from one. Finally, the pot stills are pieces of art in themselves. They
were the only ones I saw throughout the whole drive. It made me want to make
plans for an Ireland/Scotland trip (though I hear the Irish distilleries aren’t
much to see?). There was some walking and stairs, though an elevator was
provided.
Tasting: This was one of the worst values, especially with the $14
price tag. While I love Distiller’s Select and Double Oaked, I expected more
for what I paid, compared to other tours and tastings. I hear good things about
their new rye whiskey and would have loved to sample it.
Value: Mediocre. I’m glad I took the tour but with
the limited tasting and $14 cost, I doubt I would go back again.
Ambiance: Beautiful. Even the drive up to the distillery is appealing.
They’re going for the la-ti-da market and they succeed.
Visitor Center/Gift Shop: This is the fancy gift shop. If you’re
looking for a whiskey bow tie or overpriced (more than others) glass, this is
the place to get it.
Freebies: None.
Definitely Go If: You want to see something unique.
Definitely Avoid If: You want value and don’t care about uniqueness.
Four Roses (Click here for more info)
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1224 Bonds Mill Rd, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
1224 Bonds Mill Rd, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
Highlight: None
Lowlight: None
Tour: I only did the tasting at Four Roses. We were short on time and
the tour was limited by construction so I figured this was the one to skip.
Tasting: Decent tasting. $5. I got to try their Yellow Label, Small
Batch, and Single Barrel. I enjoyed learning about their ingredients and recipe
process.
Value: Good value for a tasting and a glass.
Ambiance: Relaxed, smaller than some of the others.
Visitor Center/Gift Shop: Pretty standard. There were a few limited
bottlings that were only available there.
Freebies: Four Roses glass.
Definitely Go If: If you like Four Roses and/or just want a quick,
affordable tasting.
Definitely Avoid If: You want an in-depth tour.
George Dickel (Click here for more info)
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1950 Cascade Hollow Rd, Tullahoma, TN 37388
1950 Cascade Hollow Rd, Tullahoma, TN 37388
Highlight: Scenery and seeing their version of the Lincoln County process
Lowlight: None
Tour: Basic tour seeing the inner workings of their fairly small
distillery. Decent amount of walking and stairs.
Tasting: Pretty good for $10. I got their White, 8, 12, and Barrel
Select. The set-up was great too. I wished I didn’t have to leave.
Value: Above average. Good tour and tasting for $10
Ambiance: I felt like I was visiting my family out in the country. The
atmosphere was laid back and welcoming.
Visitor Center/Gift Shop: The usual plus a 17 year bottle that’s
apparently only available in some places.
Freebies: None
Definitely Go If: You want to see a full distillery tour with a tasting
and don’t want the Jack Daniels crowds.
Definitely Avoid If: You would have to drive far out of your way and
aren’t a big fan of George Dickel.
My Top 5's
Jack Daniels (Click here for more info)
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133 Lynchburg Hwy, Lynchburg, TN 37352
133 Lynchburg Hwy, Lynchburg, TN 37352
Highlight: Tasting and a thorough tour
Lowlight: None
Tour (Angel’s Share Distillery Tour): Thorough and interactive. We
learned about the Lincoln County Process, saw some Jack Daniels history, and
saw the ins and outs of the distilling process. Walking and stairs included.
Tasting: I did one of the more expensive tours/tastings offered and it
was worth it. We tried “27 Gold”, “Sinatra”, Single Barrel Select, Single
Barrel Rye, and Single Barrel: Barrel Proof.
Value: Pricey ($22) but worth it. If you’re going to
splurge, this is one place to do it.
Ambiance: I’ve seen it described as Disney World for whiskey fans. I’d
agree and disagree. It wasn’t in that it actually didn’t feel too overdone to
me. I was expecting over-the-top when I hear that description. It was in the
sense that it was clearly a tourist hot spot and everything seemed very
professional and well-done.
Visitor Center/Gift Shop: The visitor center has a walk-through of
whiskey and Jack Daniels history. The gift center is somewhat odd. You can buy
a variety of whiskeys on site but any other trinket-type items are in various
stores a short walk away in Lynchburg.
Freebies: None
Definitely Go If: You love Jack Daniels or you’re in the area and want
to see what the big deal is.
Definitely Avoid If: You don’t like crowds.
Prichard’s (Click for more info)
11 Kelso-Smithland Rd, Kelso, TN 37348
Highlight: None
Lowlight: None
Tour: Short walk through the garage where Prichard’s equipment is
located.
Tasting: Free, and there are a lot of options (most of which are rum) that you get to pick four
of.
Value: You can’t beat free but there isn’t too much
to see.
Ambiance: Start-up
Visitor Center/Gift Shop: It’s all in one at the Kelso location. The
facility is an old school house. The tasting and some items for sale are
located inside the main room when you walk in.
Freebies: None
Definitely Go If: You’re interested in seeing a distillery that’s in
the process of being created from the ground up.
Definitely Avoid If: You’re short on time and want to see a well-known
spot.My Top 5's
Top 5 Distillery Tours (Keeping in mind I didn’t do every tour offered
at every distillery)
1. Barton’s 1792
2. Jack Daniel’s
3. Woodford Reserve
4. Maker’s Mark
5. George Dickel
Top 5 Tastings
1. Jack Daniel’s (Angel’s Share Distillery Tour)
2. Heaven Hill (Connoisseur Experience)
3. Maker’s Mark
4. George Dickel
5. Buffalo Trace
Top 4 Beautiful Settings
1. Maker’s Mark
2. Woodford Reserve
3. Buffalo Trace
4. Jack Daniels
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