Greater Louisville KY Bourbon Trail Guide
Greater Louisville refers to the area surrounding the city. We like to think of it as the area 30 minutes or so from any area downtown. While there are a lot of urban bourbon experiences and distilleries in downtown Louisville, some of the best ones are in this greater Louisville area! Here you’ll see bigger operations, barrel warehouses, and more.
Which Distilleries are a part of the greater Louisville Bourbon Trail?
So to simplify things, we like to think of the surrounding area of Louisville as separate from the downtown area. So, this list excludes everything downtown (sorry guys). If you are interested in what’s downtown, be sure to check out our downtown Louisville bourbon guide! Anyway, the bourbon trail distilleries that are in the greater Louisville area are as follows:
Stitzel Weller Distillery
While being only 20 minutes or so outside of the downtown. Stitzel Weller is the primary distillery in West Louisville. This distillery is known for Blade & Bow Bourbon, IW Harper, and in part, Bulleit Bourbon. This absolutely gorgeous property was once home to the Van Winkle and Weller families, as well as Old Fitzgerald and more. There is a lot of history at this place, and we’re big fans!
Kentucky Artisan Distillery
KAD is about 25-30 minutes outside of Louisville on the east end of the city. This distillery (at the time of writing) is the home for Jefferson’s bourbon, which will always be part of their story. This craft distillery has been a beacon of innovation since the early 2010s, and its “bottle your dreams” approach to contract distilling has had a great impact on the bourbon industry. This is a cool, homely place! There is a brewery next door, as well as a beautiful botanical garden. We highly recommend it.
Jim Beam Distillery
There probably isn’t anyone who has bought or drank bourbon that doesn’t know Jim Beam. This colossal bourbon producer has its really nice, laid-back home base just 30 minutes south of downtown Louisville. At Jim Beam, you can put a face to the name of these products you’ve been seeing for so long. Here there is a wide variety of experiences, as well as a full-service restaurant, tasting loft, and more. You can easily spend half a day here, which a lot of our clients do!
Four Roses Bottling Facility & Warehouse
This one is also a bit of a stretch as it is also in the 45-minute or so range. But, if you’re visiting Jim Beam, it’s only 10 or so minutes down the road. All of the experiences here are centered around guided tastings. The production is done at their other facility near Frankfort, but this place is cozy and makes for a great bourbon stop. If you like Four Roses products or bourbon in general, a tasting here is a great way to start or end your day.
Bulleit Distillery
Bulleit bourbon is good stuff! Their product is a workhorse in the service industry and can be found all across the globe. About 30 minutes southeast of Louisville, you can find the Bulleit Distillery. Here you can do a tour, grab a drink at the bar, and try some really good products. We are fans!
Whiskey Thief Distilling
So… this one is a little bit of a stretch, now we’re 45-50 minutes outside of downtown. BUT, if you’re visiting Jeptha Creed or Bulleit, it’s not much further. We absolutely love Whiskey Thief. We find it to be maybe the most authentic place on the bourbon trail. You can drink whiskey straight out of a barrel… where it’s produced… on a farm. And there are usually dogs running around. Yes.
Jeptha Creed Distillery
We really like this place. These operations where the tasting room, bar, storefront, and production are all under one roof just makes learning about bourbon easier. The staff here is wonderful and welcoming. The cocktails are great; good food. If you’re blessed with a nice Kentucky day, you’ll want to spend some time out on their giant covered back porch to sip cocktails and throw cornhole. There is a winery next door, and Whiskey Thief and Bulleit are just down the road. Yes sir.
Greater Louisville Bourbon Trail Map
As mentioned above, these are well outside of the downtown area, and if you’re looking to do a Louisville bourbon trail tour, these will give you the best bang for your buck! There can be quite a haul between a few of these, so be sure to check with your tour company or double check your route if you’re doing a DIY for these. We are a little generous with a few of these, but they’re all within 45 mins of the city.
What Are Some Common Itineraries for a Greater Louisville Bourbon Tour?
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* Bulleit > Whiskey Thief > Buffalo Trace
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* Kentucky Artisan > Jeptha Creed > Whiskey Thief (all craft)
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* Any downtown experience > Stitzel Weller > Jim Beam
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* Four Roses > Jim Beam > Stitzel Weller
So many combinations and possibilities!
Greater Louisville Distilleries and Stringability to the Rest of the Bourbon Trail
This is how we refer to the ability to add Greater Louisville Bourbon Trail Tour to another part of the Bourbon Trail
* From the Downtown Louisville Bourbon Trail - Makes perfect sense if you're staying in Louisville.
* From the Frankfort Bourbon Trail- All but Jim Beam and Four roses are pretty easy to visit when doing a Frankfort Bourbon Trail day (assuming you're staying in Louisville)
* From the Bardstown Bourbon Trail - Jim Beam, Stitzel Weller, and Four Roses Bottling are all on the way to the Bardstown Bourbon Trail.
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From the Lexington Bourbon Trail - Bulleit, Whiskey Thief, an d Jeptha Creed are all on the way to Lexington. The rest would be a bit out of the way due to this extended drive time.
How To Visit the Distilleries in Greater Louisville?
Uber/Rideshare - Ubering to the distilleries from downtown Louisville is pretty easy. But, once you’re there, it can be quite difficult to get a ride back. You never really know what you’re going to get with Uber, Lyft, etc. either.
Driving - Pretty straightforward. These aren’t the longest hauls, but if you plan on drinking, please be careful! Drink lots of water, know your limits, and consider a designated driver.
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Tour or Private Driver - Once again our favorite option. With a private driver, you can kick back, and enjoy more beverages. Make yourself home for the day. If you’re like some of us, we always have texts, emails, etc. when in the car, so this can be pretty good for business folks.
**** 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. *****
Greater Louisville Bourbon Trail FAQs & Final Thoughts
Can I Visit a Distillery Without a Tour?
Of course you can! The distilleries love visitors. Each one tries to offer something that you can do without a tour. You can usually grab a drink or flight of bourbon at the bar and do your own self-paced tasting. There is always a gift shop. Some even hold back a few tour spots for walk-ins. Some are better to visit without a tour than others; be sure to ask us to elaborate on this!
Greater Louisville Accommodations & Where To Stay
Basically, everything you need will be in the city. Downtown is a great place to stay, as there is an abundance of hotels for every budget and comfort level. Most of us tour operators are located in the city, which makes the logistics of a bourbon tour very easy. There is also public transportation, food, drink, and an airport. There also are great Airbnbs sprinkled all around the Louisville surrounding area. We could pick you up at any of them!
What Are Some Other Bourbon Experiences in the Greater Louisville Area?
Not as much as downtown, but there are a few tasting rooms, liquor stores, and shops sprinkled around each of these areas. There are some great nearby businesses as mentioned in the section above, but these distilleries are more or less standalone places, and not a lot of bourbon stuff is clustered around them.
What Other Distilleries Are in the Area?
Good question! If you’re starting in Louisville, then all of the downtown bourbon distilleries are available to you. Jim Beam and Four Roses are heading towards Bardstown, so they’re easy to tie into a Bardstown Bourbon tour day. Bulleit, Jeptha Creed, and Whiskey Thief are all en route to Frankfort, so that means they’re on the way to some of your big distillery destinations like Buffalo Trace or Woodford Reserve.