Castle & Key Distillery Tours
A tour guide's tips, reviews, FAQs, and more!
Castle & Key Distillery and Tour Information
Thinking about visiting Castle & Key for a cocktail or tour during your time on the bourbon trail? You won’t be disappointed if you do! The Castle & Key tour is one of our favorite tours in the Frankfort region. This historic, one of a kind property is beautiful and impressive, and has somehow withstood the test of time. Here are our reasons for adding a Castle & Key tour to your to-do list!
What we love!
The Rehabilitation Story
You hear at every distillery how there was a major decline in bourbon consumption starting in the 60s that lasted through parts of the 90s. That decline left the Old Taylor Distillery (now Castle & Key) in its wake. During this time period, the distillery was abandoned, sold for salvage, and was left to be reclaimed by mother nature. Thankfully, in 2012 - 2014, a few entrepreneurs saw potential in the former distillery and underwent a massive undertaking of restoring it and reviving its legacy. This is something you’ll learn about in depth on the Castle & Key tour!
Colonel Taylor's Pride!
The Ties to a Founding Father of Bourbon
As mentioned above, the distillery was once called the Old Taylor Company. The name was given to the property by the legendary bourbon pioneer, Colonel E.H. Taylor, upon his building of it. Of course now, the name E.H. Taylor belongs to Buffalo Trace, but you can still find the name “Old Taylor” embossed into the limestone at the distillery entrance. Colonel Taylor’s vision, innovative spirit, and showmanship are all on full display on the property. Again, you’ll hear all about his ties to this place on one of the Castle & Key tours!
European Style in KY
A Bourbon Castle, in Kentucky!
This is indeed a bourbon castle - how cool! You won’t see another property like this on the bourbon trail. What’s more impressive, is that the main castle building is a functioning distillery complete with limestone walls, spires, crenels? And other castle jargon we don’t really know the names of. This place was inspired by some of the castles E.H. Taylor would have visited upon his travels in Europe, which he brought back with him to Kentucky!
Why Not Both?
The Bourbon… and Gin
With several new years of distilling under their belt, Castle & Key is putting out some really good bourbon with a solid age statement. You’ll also learn on the Castle & Key tour how they produced clear spirits to stay afloat while waiting on their bourbon to age. Those clear spirits were such a hit, that they’re still in high demand and receive annual releases! So for gin lovers, be sure to sample some at the bar during your trip.
Gardens, Water & More!
The Grounds
The grounds at Castle & Key are just wonderful. Bordering the Kentucky River and running along Glenn’s Creek, the distillery is water-adjacent with some nice natural features. You can sit by the water on the retaining wall while you drink a cocktail, take a short stroll at the botanical gardens, and more! There are yard games and food trucks on the weekend during the busy season. You might hear some live music from time-to-time, too. What a perfect place to spend a nice Kentucky day!
Castle & Key Tour FAQs & Additional Info
What will I see on a Castle & Key distillery tour?
On one of the Castle & Key tours, you will walk through the distillery and see first-hand bourbon production. You will walk past a rickhouse, see some neat equipment, and visit a few one-of-a-kind areas of the property. In addition, you will do a tasting at the end of your tour followed by a visit to the gift shop.
Can I visit Castle & Key without a tour?
Of course! You are able to walk the grounds here, grab a cocktail, eat at the food trucks (seasonal-only), visit the gift shop, etc. In fact, this is one of our favorite places to stop without a tour! Of course, if you want to go inside the distillery or see production, you will need to book a Castle & Key Tour.
What are some of the tour options?
There are 2 main options here, the Castle & Key distillery tour or a guided tasting. There are occasional special events, as well as premium and seasonal offerings. So, be sure to check the website as there may be new options by the time you’re reading this! We offer Castle & Key Tours and visits in any of our Frankfort Pick-3 or Transportation-Only tour packages!
How far in advance should I book a Castle & Key tour?
Castle & Key is a popular bourbon trail stop and doesn’t have a ton of capacity. So it sells out on weekends and often throughout the week during busy season. As of this year, the distillery has put its schedule out way further in advance than some others, so you want make sure and book your tour as soon you know your travel dates!
Is Castle & Key near other distilleries on the bourbon trail?
Yes it is! In fact, this one is practically neighbors to Woodford Reserve and craft Distillery, Glenn's Creek. It is within about a 20-25 minute drive from legacy distilleries Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey, and Four Roses, too. Anything on the Frankfort Bourbon Trail is accessible to Castle & Key!
Castle & Key Distillery
Wednesday–Saturday: 10:30 AM–5 PM | Sunday: 11 AM–5 PM | Monday–Tuesday: Closed
Location
4445 McCracken Pike, Frankfort, KY