The Ultimate Frankfort KY Bourbon Trail Guide
Bourbon and the state capital! The Frankfort KY Bourbon trail is possibly the most unique section of the trail. This location has a beautiful geography, so much history, and some absolute world-class distilleries. There are great accommodations here, a historic and charming downtown, and so much more. With that, here is everything you should know about the Frankfort Bourbon Trail!
Which Distilleries Are a Part of the Frankfort Bourbon Trail?
We agree with the consensus on what the Frankfort area distilleries are, and most of the big ones are on the Official Bourbon Trail list. Known to the official Bourbon Trail as the Central Kentucky distilleries, there are seven official Bourbon Trail locations in Frankfort, as well as a few hidden ones. Oh, and one obvious one that’s not on the list! We have covered some of these in our Greater Louisville Bourbon Trail section, but here is how they relate to Frankfort!
Buffalo Trace Distillery
So… this is not an official Frankfort Bourbon Trail stop for reasons not known to us. They probably don’t want to agree to trademark sharing, etc. Whatever! Buffalo Trace is on everyone’s list though. This mammoth of a distillery is one of the top bourbon producers in the nation, and one of the oldest, too! Visiting Buffalo Trace is like walking into history, the industrial era buildings. All the greats who called it home. And of course, the brands. If anyone ever wants to visit Buffalo Trace while on a Frankfort Bourbon Trail tour, we are always here for it.
Woodford Reserve
Woodford Reserve. This world-famous bourbon has always portrayed a clean, authentic, and timeless product. That is what they try to do at the distillery, too. This place is like a postcard for bourbon. Everything is aesthetic, nice, clean, and curated. It’s nestled in some rolling hills, it’s surrounded by multi-million dollar horse farms - it’s just a very nice view of Kentucky. The Woodford Reserve Distillery is a great one to see in person, with or without a tour.
Wild Turkey Distillery
Is there any shelver that's better than Wild Turkey 101? We think not. At Wild Turkey, you can put a face to the name of their iconic bourbon, as well as Russell’s Reserve, and the rest of the WT product line. This place is really cool, overlooking the Kentucky River, with a backdrop of old bridges. You have 3 generations of family here, making bourbon the old way, and man, we just love it. The guest house is awesome, and the tour is great. The only drawback is that tours are extremely limited, as they only have a few tasting rooms and like 1 bus.
Castle & Key Distillery
Oh man, do we love this place! The distillery where a founding father of bourbon, Colonel EH Taylor, finished out his legacy. Dude built a bourbon castle on a gorgeous property along a creek. It’s just awesome. If you’re fortunate to be here on a nice day, their courtyard is like a communal area with food trucks, sometimes music, cornhole, picnicking, and drinks. Most of the equipment is super old and you’d never expect it to work. It’s a cool mix of industrial equipment with a bourbon revival and a touch of class. You definitely want to see this one for yourself!
Bulleit Distillery
A must-see if you’re a fan of the Bulleit lineup of products. This place is cool! It’s fairly modern but has a great staff and we love the products. Chuck (our owner) is still technically a brand rep for them and loves to talk about the products. Bulleit just has an unmatched style and the whiskey is so hard to beat for the price. This distillery is en route to Frankfort from Louisville, so it’s the perfect place to split up a drive on a Frankfort Bourbon Trail Tour.
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Jeptha Creed Distillery
Not too far from Bulleit Distillery, you can find the small-but-mighty Jeptha Creed Distillery. If you’re headed to do a Frankfort KY Bourbon trail tour, you will pass this one up along the way! This is an under-one-roof experience where you can see all of the production, bottling, and tasting all in one place. These kinds of experiences are very attentive and personable. We just love the staff here, as well as the homely setting. This is a great place to add a lunch stop, or if it’s a nice day, enjoy a cocktail on their huge covered patio!
Whiskey Thief Distillery
We talk about this place a lot. Talk about authenticity! This boozy stop lets you get as up close and personal to bourbon as humanly possible. You enter a farm, learn about bourbon, get handed a glass, and go drink straight out of a barrel… in a barn. You can’t get much more Kentucky than this place! This is another one that is on the way to Frankfort and is just a few miles west, so it is very accessible and worth the stop on a Frankfort Bourbon Trail day.
Four Roses Distillery
Last but not least, you have the Four Roses Distillery. This might be the best place to nerd out on bourbon since there is so much variety among their 10 recipes. If you’ve ever done a Bardstown tour, you have likely passed the Four Roses bottling facility, which is like the little brother. But this place is where the magic happens. The tour is great. The campus has some awesome architecture. There are a lot of tastings happening and a great bar. This is a good stop, yes!
Frankfort Kentucky Bourbon Trail Map
The Frankfort Kentucky Bourbon Trail map is pictured here to the left! As we mentioned, there is some ground to cover here.
Our route starts at Jeptha Creed, as this is the first distillery you pass coming from Louisville. It’s very easy to criss-cross paths and wind up adding anywhere from 30 minutes or an hour to your trip, so always spend some time planning out your route and logistics. ​
Non Bourbon Trail Stops
For reasons, some locations are not part of the Frankfort Bourbon Trail. But that doesn't mean they aren't good stops! Here are a few in the Frankfort Region:
J Mattingly - This one is a tasting room only, but they do have a unique experience where you can blend your own bourbon! This place is just a stone's throw from Buffalo Trace, so it makes for a great additional stop on your Frankfort Bourbon Trail day.
Glenn’s Creek Distillery - Just minutes from Castle & Key and Woodford Reserve, this craft distillery offers a whole lot of intimacy and some good whiskey, too. Easy stop, good whiskey. Yep!
Buffalo Trace - We already talked about this one in length above! But it’s technically not an official bourbon trail stop.
What Are Some Common Itineraries for a Frankfort Bourbon Trail Tour?
Good questions! Many of these distilleries are easy to string together, but you do want to be careful booking here so you don’t do too much back-and-forth driving. Here are a few common routes!
* Buffalo Trace > Castle & Key > Whiskey Thief
* Four Roses > Woodford Reserve > Buffalo Trace
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* ​Jeptha Creed > Buffalo Trace > Whiskey Thief
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And many more!
Frankfort Distilleries & “Stringability” to the Rest of the Bourbon Trail
We’re not sure stringability is a word! To us it means the ability to combine this region with other parts of the bourbon trail in a logistical way.
* From the Lexington Bourbon Trail - Easy enough! If there is a distillery on your list in Lexington, you can add it to your Frankfort day. This is especially easy when you’re staying in Lexington. If you’re staying in Louisville, maybe reconsider as it will take distillery time away from you, but it is possible.
* From the Louisville Bourbon Trail- If you’re coming from Louisville, it’s easy to add a Louisville distillery stop on your way to or from Frankfort.
* From the Bardstown Bourbon Trail - Unless you’re staying in Bardstown, you probably don’t want to do this. Jumping from Louisville to Bardstown, to Frankfort, or doing this from Lexington just isn’t a great idea. You can spend half your day in the car.
How To Visit the Bourbon Trail Distilleries in Frankfort Kentucky?
Everything is within about 30 minutes or so of each other in this area, so everything is fairly accessible. However, there is no chance of walking or ubering to most of the distilleries. For the most part, you’ll want to drive or charter a tour provider.
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Driving - Always an option. Take note of the check-in time for all of your bookings and allow yourself adequate time to get to each stop. Plus make sure to arrive at least 10-15 minutes early to every stop. Be mindful of road conditions, routes, and logistics. And never drive if you’re over your personal limit or nearing the legal limit.
Rideshare - If you’re staying in Frankfort, you can likely Uber or Lyft to Whiskey Thief or Buffalo Trace and get a ride back fairly easily. But, a few of these distilleries have really bad cell service, and if you were to get a ride there, you could have trouble getting a ride back. If you’re staying in Louisville or another region, you might want to forget about this option entirely.
Tours & Private Shuttles - TIn our opinion, this is the way to go. While pricier than the other options, bourbon tour drivers tend to know the best routes, know their way around the campuses and will allow you to enjoy yourself a bit more.
**** 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. *****
Frankfort KY Bourbon Trail FAQs & Final Thoughts
Can I Visit a Frankfort Distillery Without a Tour?
You sure can! While some distilleries are better to visit without a tour than others, there is always something to do at each. You can always see some of the campus, and visit the gift shop. Most of the distilleries have a bar you can visit where you can enjoy a cocktail or flight at your own speed. A few have food, too!
How Far in Advance Should I Book My Frankfort Bourbon Trail Tour
You hear this question a lot. But of course, this is a little tricky. Most distilleries put their tours up 2-3 months in advance. During peak season and weekends, most big distilleries fill up and tours become unavailable weeks before the actual tour date. So, it is always good to keep checking the distilleries and book as far in advance as possible. ​If you travel last minute and see a lot of stuff is unavailable, then reaching out to a local tour company can help, as they will know what options are avalailable.
What Are Some Other Must-Dos in Frankfort Kentucky?
Well, if you’re the hiking type, we love Cove Spring Park! There are some options for renting a kayak and doing a float on the Kentucky River. Downtown is really cool and walkable, and there are a lot of small businesses to support! Since this is the capital, there is the capital museum that talks about the state’s rich history. We also like seeing Daniel Boone's grave, eating garbage at Cookout, and getting beers and hot dogs at Sig Luscher brewery.
Frankfort Kentucky Accessibility
This city is quite accessible from Kentucky’s two biggest cities, Lexington and Louisville. It’s about 45 mins from downtown Lexington and about an hour from Louisville. This makes it fairly easy to visit if you’re staying in either. There are companies that specialize in bourbon trips out of Louisville (like us!), so you have some pretty effortless options for going. There is no airport in Frankfort, but the Louisville and Lexington airports are both within an hour of the city.
Frankfort KY Accommodations & Where To Stay
Frankfort KY has a fair number of hotels, BNBs, RV parks, and more. The hotels range from budget to midscale, with a few boutique options. You have some bourbon-themed AirBnbs and similar vacation rentals. If you’re just wanting to do bourbon tours here, you may want to consider staying in Louisville, as there are more things to do and better accommodations
Final thoughts On the Frankfort KY Bourbon Trail & Tours
Frankfort Kentucky should be on every bourbon lover's list. It has a few of the destination distilleries in Woodford, Buffalo Trace, and Wild Turkey. There is a welcoming and historic downtown, it’s surrounded by nature and horse farms. It’s easily accessible to Louisville and Lexington. The main drawbacks are the on-the-road time between Louisville and Lexington if you plan on driving throughout the day, too. So this one is good to hire a guide for!