If you’re a whiskey or spirit enthusiast then visiting a distillery is an essential trip. You get to learn about the spirit making process and discover the history of the distillery, a fascinating trip indeed. If you’re heading to Kentucky then you’re in luck, we’ve rounded up 15 of the best distilleries to visit.

1. Four Roses – Lawrenceburg

The Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg, is one of the oldest and most beloved distilleries in the United States. It was established in 1888 and has been in continuous operation since then.

The distillery has won numerous awards for its bourbon and is currently owned by the Kirin Brewery Company Ltd and has become a major producer of bourbon and other spirits.

Visitors can take a guided tour and learn about the history of the distillery, its production process and its many products including a range of bourbons, whiskeys, ryes, vodkas, gins and flavored liqueurs.

2. Wilderness Trail Distillery -Danville

The Wilderness Trail Distillery is a family-owned craft distillery located in Danville. Founded in 2013, the distillery is committed to producing high-quality, small-batch spirits from locally-sourced ingredients.

In addition to their award-winning spirits, the distillery also offers a variety of specialty and seasonal products. The distillery is also dedicated to connecting communities and preserving the heritage of Kentucky and its bourbon-making traditions.

The Wilderness Trail Distillery produces a wide range of premium spirits and they also produce a number of unique liqueurs and specialty products, such as their signature Mashbill whiskey.

The distillery is committed to offering an authentic, “Kentucky-style” experience, and strives to use only locally-sourced ingredients in their products.

3. Rabbit Hole – Louisville

Rabbit Hole Distillery is a craft whiskey distillery founded in 2012 It is the first distillery in Louisville since Prohibition.

The distillery was founded by Kaveh Zamanian, a Kentucky native and former Kentucky Distillers Association president, and is known for its innovative approach to craft whiskey.

Rabbit Hole specializes in making bourbon, rye whiskey, and gin, with their flagship bourbon being the award-winning Rabbit Hole bourbon. Rabbit Hole distills its spirits in a custom-designed copper still, using traditional techniques and the highest quality ingredients.

In addition to its flagship whiskies, Rabbit Hole also offers a variety of other craft spirits, including gin, vodka, and moonshine. Rabbit Hole also features a variety of unique events, such as whiskey-tasting classes and educational seminars, as well as a cocktail program.

4. Bulleit Distilling Co – Shelbyville

Bulleit Distilling Company is a family-owned distillery located in Shelbyville. Founded in 1987 by Tom Bulleit, the distillery began producing Bulleit Bourbon for the first time in 1999.

The Bulleit recipe uses a high-rye content, which gives the bourbon a bold and spicy flavor. The distillery also produces a variety of other spirits including Bulleit Rye, Bulleit 10 Year Old Bourbon, and Bulleit Barrel Strength Bourbon.

In addition to producing award-winning spirits, Bulleit Distilling Company is deeply committed to giving back to the local community. The distillery hosts a variety of events, including a Derby Day celebration.

With their commitment to quality and philanthropy, Bulleit Distilling Company is a proud member of the Shelbyville community.

5. Heaven Hill – Louisville/Bardstown

Heaven Hill Distillery is one of the oldest and largest independently owned and operated spirits producers in the United States. The Shapira family founded the distillery in 1935.

Heaven Hill is a family-owned and operated business that produces a variety of spirits including bourbons, rums, vodkas, whiskeys, and other liqueurs.

The distillery’s main facility is located in Bardstown, Kentucky, and consists of a visitor center and three warehouses that store over 10,000 barrels of aging spirits.

Heaven Hill also operates the Bourbon Heritage Center and the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience in downtown Louisville.

The Bourbon Heritage Center offers visitors tours of the distillery and the chance to learn more about the history of bourbon.

6. The James B. Beam Distilling Co- Clermont

James B. Beam Distilling Co. has a long and rich history. Founded in 1933 by Jim Beam, the company has been producing quality whiskey for many years.

The company’s home, Clermont, Kentucky, has been the center of Kentucky bourbon production since the early 1800s, and the Beam family has been an integral part of the state’s whiskey history ever since.

Beam has a variety of whiskies to choose from, including some of the most popular whiskeys in the world. Their flagship bourbon, Jim Beam, is an iconic spirit, with a flavor that is smooth, sweet, and slightly smoky.

7. Town Branch – Lexington

Town Branch Lexington is a small-batch distillery that has been making award-winning Kentucky Bourbon since 2012. Located in the heart of downtown Lexington, Town Branch is committed to making the highest quality spirits with locally sourced ingredients.

Town Branch produces Bourbon, Rye, and Malt Whiskey, as well as seasonal fruit brandies, liqueurs, and spirits. The distillery is also home to the Town Branch Cooperage, where they make their own barrels to age the spirits.

Town Branch takes pride in their craftsmanship and has won numerous awards. The distillery also has a tasting room and gift shop, as well as a restaurant and bar.

8. Angel’s Envy – Louisville

Angels’ Envy is a craft whiskey distillery founded in 2006,. Angels’ Envy is one of the newest craft whiskey distilleries in the United States. It is owned and operated by the son and grandson of renowned whiskey maker and former Maker’s Mark master distiller Lincoln Henderson.

Angels’ Envy is best known for its award winning, small batch, cask-finished whiskeys. The distillery produces four different styles of whiskey, including its signature Angels’ Envy Bourbon, Rye, Cask Strength, and Port Finished whiskeys.

Each of these whiskeys is aged in hand-selected American oak barrels, and then finished in a variety of casks, including port, sherry, and rum.

9. Castle And Key Distillery – Frankfort

Castle and Key Distillery, Frankfort, is a craft distillery located in the historic Old Taylor Distillery in Frankfort. Originally founded way back in 1887 the distillery produces several spirits including gin, vodka, whiskey, and rum.

The distillery is housed in an ancient castle, which is on the National Register of Historic Places. The distillery takes pride in its commitment to sustainability, using locally sourced ingredients for its spirits and using renewable energy sources for part of its production process.

Visitors can also take part in tours and tastings at the distillery, which offers a unique look into the history and production of the spirits.

10. Maker’s Mark – Loretto

Maker’s Mark is one of the most iconic American whiskey brands in the world. Founded in 1953 by Bill Samuels Sr., Maker’s Mark is a small batch bourbon whiskey made using a unique combination of soft red winter wheat, barley, and other grains.

The whiskey is produced at the Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto, a National Historic Landmark where the Samuels family has produced award-winning whiskey for over six decades.

The distillery is known for its signature red wax seal, which is applied to each bottle by hand.

The Maker’s Mark Loretto distillery is also renowned for its innovative aging process, which involves aging the whiskey in charred oak barrels for up to nine months.

Maker’s Mark is a beloved whiskey brand, and its signature smooth taste and distinct red wax seal make it a favorite for whiskey connoisseurs around the world.

11. Bluegrass Distillers – Lexington

Bluegrass Distillers is a craft distillery founded in 2012.  Bluegrass Distillers is dedicated to producing high-quality spirits made from locally sourced ingredients. The distillery specializes in small batch bourbon, whiskey, and rye whiskey.

The company also produces a range of cordials, including amaretto, limoncello, and peppermint schnapps.

All products are produced in their on-site distillery, using a combination of modern and traditional distilling methods. The company’s commitment to quality and craftsmanship is evidenced by the numerous awards they have won for their products.

12. Buffalo Trace – Frankfort

Buffalo Trace is one of the oldest continually operating distilleries in the United States, having been established in 1775. The distillery produces a range of whiskeys and other spirits, including Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon, and Ancient Age. Buffalo Trace has won numerous awards and has become an icon in the bourbon industry.

The distillery is also known for its innovative aging process, using a variety of wood barrels to create unique flavor profiles. Buffalo Trace also produces a range of limited edition bourbons, including their award-winning Eagle Rare 17-year-old bourbon.

13. James E. Pepper – Lexington

James E. Pepper is a whiskey brand that has been around since the late 1879.  It was originally founded by Elijah Pepper, a Revolutionary War veteran from Virginia, who took the name from his father’s distillery in Lexington, Kentucky.

The brand is known for its iconic rye whiskey, which is aged for six years in charred American oak barrels, resulting in a smooth and spicy flavor. James E. Pepper also produces a variety of other whiskeys, including bourbon, single malt, and blended whiskey.

The brand is an important part of American whiskey culture and is still owned and operated by the Pepper family, who remain committed to producing high-quality whiskey that is true to Elijah Pepper’s original recipe.

14. Evan Williams Bourbon – Louisville

Evan Williams Bourbon is produced by Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. and is one of the oldest and most well-known brands of bourbon whiskey. The brand was named after Evan Williams, an early settler of Louisville, Kentucky who established the first distillery on the banks of the Ohio River .

The brand is popular in the United States, and is the second largest-selling Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey. It is made with a mash bill of 78% corn, 10% rye and 12% malted barley. The whiskey is aged for a minimum of four years and is bottled at a minimum of 86 proof.

15. Wild Turkey Distilling

Wild Turkey Distilling is a prominent brand of whiskey and bourbon that has been around since 1855. This distillery is owned by the Campari Group.

The company is known for its signature Wild Turkey 101, a high-proof bourbon whiskey, which is the flagship product of the company. Wild Turkey also produces rye whiskey, honey-flavored liqueur, and American Spirit whiskey.

The company is also committed to sustainability and has made significant investments in energy efficiency and renewable energy initiatives.

Conclusion

Kentucky is a state with a long and proud history of distilling some of the finest whiskeys and other spirits in the world.

From the oldest continuously operating distillery to newer craft distilleries, there is no shortage of excellent places to experience the unique flavors of Kentucky bourbon.