Bourbon distilleries in Kentucky number somewhere around a hundred if you count every licensed operation, and nearly half of those fit into one official trail. That’s a lot of places to pour a tiny glass of whiskey. Most lists just dump the names alphabetically and wish you luck, which is useless when you’re the one trying to figure out which ones are twenty minutes apart and which ones are a long day’s drive.
So this one goes by region. Louisville, Bardstown, the Lexington and Frankfort side, and Northern Kentucky. You’ll see what each area is good for, which distilleries are worth the stop, and how to stack a few without burning your whole trip in the car.
What You Will Learn
- How many bourbon distilleries Kentucky really has, and what the official trail counts
- The distilleries worth visiting in each of the four main regions
- Which famous distilleries aren’t on the official trail at all
- Real drive times between regions so you can plan around them
- How many stops fit in a day before everyone stops enjoying it
How Many Distilleries Are We Talking About?
Kentucky has roughly a hundred licensed distilleries run by dozens of companies spread across the state. Only a slice of those welcome visitors in any serious way. The Kentucky Distillers’ Association runs the official Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and it now counts 46 stops: 18 larger distilleries plus 28 craft producers that used to have their own separate tour.
Does that mean the other fifty or so aren’t worth knowing? No. Some of the best-known names in the state aren’t on the official trail, and a couple of those are on this list. But the trail is a good filter. If a place is on it, it’s set up for visitors, it has a tasting room, and it’ll probably have a tour you can actually book.
For a full look at how the trail works, our Kentucky Bourbon Trail guide is the place to start. This post is the list.
Louisville: The Easy Start
If you only have a weekend, start here. Louisville is the official starting point of the trail and it has the one thing nowhere else does: distilleries you can walk between. Downtown and Whiskey Row hold Old Forester, Evan Williams, Michter’s, Angel’s Envy, and Kentucky Peerless, all within a few blocks of each other and the river.
Out past downtown, Copper & Kings makes brandy and other spirits in Butchertown, and the Stitzel Weller site in Shively is the old home of some of the most famous wheated bourbon in the world. That one takes a car, but it’s worth it if the history matters to you. Skip it if your group is more interested in a good cocktail than a good story.
Our honest opinion: Louisville is the best bourbon base in the state. You can do two or three tours without driving, eat well, and come home to a bed that isn’t forty minutes away. If you want the walking times from our downtown house, check the neighborhood guide for A12, and when the sun goes down our hidden bourbon nightlife guide picks up where the tours leave off.
Bardstown and the Heart of Bourbon Country
Bardstown is about 45 minutes south of Louisville and it calls itself the bourbon capital of the world, which is a big claim but not a crazy one. Heaven Hill’s visitor center, Barton 1792, Bardstown Bourbon Company, and Willett all sit close together here. You can hit two or three in an afternoon without much driving at all.
Jim Beam is on the way down, in Clermont, about half an hour from Louisville. Maker’s Mark is further out in Loretto, a 30 to 40 minute drive past Bardstown through rolling farmland. It’s a beautiful campus, and it’s worth the extra drive more than most side trips.
This is the classic bourbon trail day trip. Leave Louisville early, stack Beam or Bardstown stops in the morning, take Maker’s Mark in the afternoon, and be back for dinner. Don’t try to add a fourth. We’ve watched people try, and they never enjoy the fourth.
A little further out, Limestone Branch in Lebanon is a smaller craft stop if you’ve got time to spare and want something quieter than the big campuses.
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Lexington, Frankfort, and Versailles
This is horse country, and it feels different. The roads are prettier, the stops are spread out, and the vibe is less brand campus and more old estate. It’s about an hour and twenty minutes from Louisville to Lexington, which is the biggest reason most groups either skip it or move their base.
Woodford Reserve in Versailles is the classic stop and one of the nicest looking distilleries anywhere. Castle & Key in Frankfort is a restored estate with gardens and an old springhouse, and it’s worth an easy two hours just walking the grounds. Buffalo Trace is also in Frankfort. It isn’t an official trail member, but it offers a free basic tour and it’s one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in the country.
Over in Lexington itself you’ve got a cluster of smaller craft producers, including Town Branch, James E. Pepper, Barrel House, RD1 Spirits, and Bluegrass Distillers, plenty of them close enough to hop between. Wilderness Trail is in Danville, further south, for anyone chasing the full list.
Our take: it’s the best region for people who’ve already done the Louisville and Bardstown loop. On a first trip it’s a lot of driving for the payoff.
Northern Kentucky and the Edges
The Northern Kentucky cluster sits across the river from Cincinnati, about an hour and a half from Louisville. New Riff in Newport is the headliner, and Boone County Distilling and Augusta Distillery round it out. It’s a nice region if you’re coming in through the Cincinnati airport, and it’s worth a look if you have a group flying in from the north.
The craft tour also reaches into western Kentucky and the Bluegrass, so you’ll find stops scattered well outside the main clusters. Most groups won’t touch those. If you’re collecting every stamp in the passport, you will. Otherwise, save them for the second trip.
Looking for the actual map and a way to print it? We’ve got a Kentucky Bourbon Trail map and a printable PDF version to keep in the car.
How Many Stops Fit in a Day
kentucky bourbon trail map pdf
Two or three. That’s the answer, and everybody who’s pushed it knows it’s right. Past three, the pours blur together, the tours start sounding the same, and the energy in the van drops. Quality beats quantity every time. Eat real food between stops and drink water, because nobody has ever regretted either one.
The trail also runs a passport program, so grab one at your first stop and collect stamps if that’s your kind of thing. Check the trail’s official site for current rules and prizes, since they change.
A realistic plan pairs one region per day. Louisville on foot, Bardstown and Maker’s Mark by car, Lexington and Frankfort if you’ve got the stamina. If you’re looking at the tour side of this, including costs and booking, we cover that in our post on Kentucky Bourbon Trail tours.
Where a Group Should Base Itself
For a group, base in Louisville and drive out. It’s the only place with walkable distilleries, it’s the center of the day trips, and it has enough lodging for a big crew. A12 Suites sits downtown and sleeps up to 108, which means the whole group stays under one roof instead of scattered across a hotel.
Not sure which side of town fits? Our where to stay on the bourbon trail page walks through the options, and if you want to see everything we run, start at our properties.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many bourbon distilleries are in Kentucky?
Kentucky has roughly a hundred licensed distilleries. The official Kentucky Bourbon Trail counts 46 of them, made up of 18 larger distilleries and 28 craft producers.
Which Kentucky bourbon distilleries are closest to Louisville?
Downtown Whiskey Row has several within walking distance of each other, including Old Forester, Evan Williams, Michter’s, and Angel’s Envy. Jim Beam in Clermont is about half an hour away.
Is Buffalo Trace on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail?
Not officially. It’s in Frankfort and offers a free basic tour, so plenty of people add it to a trail trip anyway.
How many distilleries can you visit in one day?
Two or three is the sweet spot. Past that, the tastings blur together and the group gets tired.
What’s the best region for first time visitors?
Louisville, followed by a Bardstown and Maker’s Mark day trip. You get walkable stops, the big names, and short drive times.
Are you ready to go?
Kentucky has more distilleries than anyone can visit in one trip, and that’s a good problem. Pick a region, keep it to two or three stops a day, and start in Louisville if you can.
If you’re bringing a group, Super Stays gives you a base in the middle of it all. Tell us your dates and group size and we’ll help you build the plan.
Call us at 502-208-8915, email FrontDesk@superstaysstr.com, or schedule a free planning call at superstaysstr.com or a12suites.com. Tell us your group size, your dates, and what kind of trip you’re trying to build. We’ll show you what A12 looks like for your group specifically.
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