The Ultimate Bardstown KY Bourbon Trail Guide
Bardstown, KY. The bourbon capital of the world! Bardstown is a charming, quiet city with tons of rich history and world-class bourbon distilleries. Located just an hour south of Louisville, Bardstown is just a fairly short drive away from Kentucky’s biggest city and is well worth the visit. And to help with that, here is our Bardstown KY Bourbon Trail Guide!
Which Distilleries are on the Bardstown Bourbon Trail?
The Bardstown Bourbon Trail consists of 10-11 bourbon trail stops depending on who you ask. A few of them are situated right in the city itself, but more than half of them are situated between 20 and 30 minutes outside of the city. A few of these will have you journeying out of the city and into the countryside, while some are in a more urban setting. Below, you can see this list with our thoughts on each!
Willett Distillery
Willett is another family-owned distillery based out of Bardstown. There are a lot of things different about them, but a few things stand out to us. This is sort of your upscale, higher-end distillery experience, though they do have products for every budget. They have a coffee bar, which we love! Their restaurant is a family-style place that specializes in shared plates, egg salad, and tasty cocktails. You can drink like a king here with some of the rarest single barrel whiskeys in existence. We are clearly fans.
Jim Beam Distillery
Jim Beam is a brand that needs no introduction. But, most folks might not realize that Basil Hayden, Knob Creek, Old Grandad, Baker’s, Booker’s, and many other brands call this place home! This distillery has an incredible history, a beautiful campus, a full-service restaurant, and a tasting loft. All kinds of things! This is a great stop and put a face to one of the biggest names in bourbon.
Preservation Distillery
If you’ve ever shopped for high-end whiskeys, you may have seen Very Old St Nick, Rare Perfection, and a few others on the shelf. And this is where those come from! Preservation is a working farm and distillery makes very craft, detail-oriented products, Founded by a former liquor distributor, this place literally preserved some long-forgotten whiskeys of the past and still finds a way to incorporate them into its products. It’s cool, unique, woman-owned. We like it!
Four Roses (Bottling & Warehouse)
A great stop for Four Roses fans and a good quickie. This stop can get you in and out in an hour and does tastings every hour, on the hour. Four Roses is great for advanced bourbon drinkers, as their 10 yeast/mash-bill combos make for a wide array of products. This facility is only about 40 minutes outside of Louisville and is on the way to Bardstown, so it is a great on-the-way stop for a Bardstown Bourbon Trail Tour.
Limestone Branch Distillery
Limestone Branch is a cozy distillery out in Lebanon, KY. It's about 25 minutes south of Bardstown, and rather close to Maker’s Mark if you’re driving out there already. Guests here can enjoy a nice covered porch with drinks outside, a personable tour, and some wonderful tour guides.
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Maker’s Mark Distillery
Yes, Maker’s Mark is really as awesome as people make it out to be. This tour has some of the most unique buildings on the entire bourbon trail, fantastic art, great facilities, You can dip your own bottle in the signature wax. The drive out here is pretty windy and can be difficult depending on which way your GPS takes you, but this place should be on everyone’s list!
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Heaven Hill Distillery
We really love Heaven Hill! This place has some of our favorite brands. As soon as you get out of downtown, you see its mammoth bourbon warehouses looming in the distance. It has a self-guided bourbon museum, food, bottle-your-own experiences, all kinds of stuff. It’s a great place for a quick stop or you can easily spend a few hours here. Plus Heaven Hill is family-owned, and you don’t see that at the bigger distilleries. Yes.
Bardstown Bourbon Co.
Bardstown Bourbon Co. is another one you really can’t ask much more out of. The distillery itself is modern, but the campus is just awesome. They have one of the best restaurants on the bourbon trail and everyone wants to eat here. Their whiskey stays winning awards and their self-produced juice is getting a good age to it. This place is really cool and quite impressive for the middle of the city.
Logstill Distillery
Logstill Distillery is another one of those destinations down near Maker’s Mark. So, it's easy to visit if you’re heading that direction. The Dant family has been distilling on the property for generations, and it is a seriously incredible place. Airbnbs, a lake, an amphitheater for concerts, good whiskey. Its flagship brand is Monk’s Road, and they make some darn good gin, too!
Lux Row Distillery
Lux Row is the home to a lot of high-quality bourbon brands. Being the Kentucky front of the massive MGP distillery in Indiana, this place has some star power. Ezra Brooks, Rebel, Blood Oath, Remus, and Penelope all call this place home. The property is gorgeous with its tree-lined drive and mix of modern and old buildings. We really like this one!
Bardstown Kentucky Bourbon Trail Map
We have our Bardstown Bourbon Trail map starting at Jim Beam (the first stop on the way from Louisville.)
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Clustered in the middle, you can find basically all the distilleries that aren’t in the southern and northern regions, including Heaven Hill, Willett, BBC, and Preservation.
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So, there is some ground to cover here, but you can still visit 3 locations coming from Louisville if you plan right!
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What Are Some Common Itineraries for a Bardstown Bourbon Trail Tour?
The sheer number of distilleries here allows for a lot of combinations when putting together a Bardstown Bourbon Trail day, but a few routes are a little more common. Especially coming from Louisville, there are a few stops along the way that can break up your trip. Here are a few common ones!
* Jim Beam > Maker’s Mark > Heaven Hill or Willett
* Four Roses > Maker’s Mark > Lux Row
* Heaven Hill > Limestone Branch > Jim Beam
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And many more!
Bardstown Distilleries & “Stringability” to the Rest of the Bourbon Trail
As we’ve said in our other guides. This might not be a word. But here us out. This refers to the ability to combine a day here with other parts of the bourbon trail.
* From the Louisville Bourbon Trail - Most of our guests are coming from Louisville or being picked up in Bardstown. With that, you can visit most of the Louisville-area distilleries on a Bardstown day.
* From the Lexington Bourbon Trail - I wouldn’t unless you’re staying in Lex already.
* From the Frankfort Bourbon Trail - Again, probably would not unless you’re staying in Frankfort already.
How To Visit the Distilleries in Bardstown Kentucky?
The distilleries in Bardstown are pretty spread out, and some are out in the country. This makes them a little less accessible than the ones in Lexington or Louisville. But, you still have options!
Driving - Always an option for a DIY. Just make sure you have a designated driver or sip very responsibly. Plan your route well, drink water, and get plenty of rest!
Rideshare - Ridesharing is possible in the city, but I would forget about this if you’re trying to visit Maker’s Mark or some of the distilleries south of Bardstown. It’s really hard to do this from Louisville.
Tours & Private Shuttles - Tours and shuttles are a great option for this area. If you’re in Louisville, then the time you spend on the road can be upwards of 3 hours. Some of the roads are windy and a few of the drives are fairly difficult. A good tour guide will find ways to break up your route so you’re not spending too much time going 1-way and will know some of the better routes to take.
**** Looking for a great, affordable private tour guide for your group? Give us a shout! We'd love to be your knowledgable guides to the bourbon trail. *****
Bardstown Bourbon Trail FAQs & Final Thoughts
Can I Visit a Bardstown Distillery Without a Tour?
Yep! There are a lot of instances where tours could be full, or there isn’t availability around the time you could be at a distillery. But you can always visit the grounds to see some of the unique buildings, warehouses, bars, gift shops, etc. In fact, some folks just like to distillery hop and visit these bars and gift shops all day in lieu of a day of production tours.
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What Are Some Other Must-Dos in Bardstown?
If you’re in town doing a Bardstown Bourbon trail tour, there is a whole lot more to still see and do in the city! A few of our favorites include a picnic or outing at my Old Kentucky Home State Park, the Bardstown Dinner Train, historic downtown Bardstown, and walking among giants at Bernheim Forest. ​
Bardstown KY Accommodations & Where To Stay
Bardstown isn’t a huge city, but with the tourism and events, there is quite a bit more lodging than you’d think. There are hotel chains here, some really nice Airbnbs, and a few boutique options. You can even stay at the Old Talbott Inn, a 250 year old historic building downtown. It’s most definitely not haunted, just a little dated.
Final Thoughts on the Bardstown Bourbon Trail & Tours
Worth it! If you’re on a multi-day trip to Louisville or the area, this is a great place for a day trip or to stay a few days. There are so many great distilleries - it’s historic, charming, and “beaming” with hospitality. Some of the tours are out in the country and not super accessible, so it can be worth getting a driver for this one.