tailr0per Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Hello all. I am new to the group but enjoy the reviews. I am planning a trip to Ky 7-11 thru 7-13. I would like to tour a distillery or two on 7-11 or 7-12. Any suggestions, recommendations on tours or anything else of interest would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Where will you be in KY? If you're in Bardstown head on out to Maker's Mark in Loretto. Charming little distillery and a lot of fun. If you are closer to Central KY head to Frankfort for a visit to the Buffalo Trace Distillery, the home of George T Stagg and countless other fine bourbons. After that it's a short trip to Woodford county and the L&G distillery. Nice tour with a museum-like guest building. Hope that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommy Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 Check out www.kybourbon.com. That site describes the "bourbon trail," which is a list of most of the KY distilleries, along with directions and hours. I've visited Labrot and Graham, Wild Turkey, Buffalo Trace, Maker's Mark, and Jim Beam. I highly recommend all of those, except maybe Jim Beam, since they don't really give tours (but they do offer tastings). Hope this helps,Tommy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 ...since they don't really give tours (but they do offer tastings). The tastings were quite a suprise to Leslie and I the first time we visited JB. We had visited MM before and were told that such tastings were not allowed under KY law. Well call the folks at JB a bunch of desperados, cause they were pouring pretty freely the day we were there. I think it was Baker's and Knob Creek that day. They also have the small "walking tour" of the rickhouse, some old stills and the cooperage exhibit, which is kinda cool. And there's something to be said for just standing on the property where all the JB is made, taking it all in, even if they don't offer formal tours. They do have a nice little gift shoppe with lots of miniatures, glassware, monk fudge and other novelties. The film is nice, but a little dated. Overall I would go if you are in the area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted July 1, 2003 Share Posted July 1, 2003 For what's available by way of a public tour, I would rank the Kentucky distilleries in the following order.1. Labrot and Graham2. Maker's Mark3. Wild Turkey4. Buffalo Trace5. Jim BeamI don't think Four Roses generally offers a public tour and I know Early Times and Heaven Hill in Louisville do not, nor does Barton in Bardstown. Have I forgotten anybody? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 Four Roses at Lotus( Between Jim Beam and Bardstown ) now offers tours and has a gift shop. Don't know how it rates , I haven't checked it out yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tailr0per Posted July 2, 2003 Author Share Posted July 2, 2003 Thanks all for the info. The which part of Ky is open since this will be a fairly unstructured road trip. Luckily I will get to spend 1 or 1.5 days on Tour. Again Thanks for the help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 Interesting, since that's just an aging facility. Do they bottle there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 It does seem odd. No distilling, They do bottle the single barrel there. They are proud of what they do there. I will check it out on my next day off. It should be nice to have the gift shop so close by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paradox Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 Last year me, Chris and our wives took a tour at 4 Roses. They didn't have a gift shop at the time, but when we got there the lady said to wait a few minutes. Then they got someone who took us across the street into a building where he showed us on a model the whole distillation process and explained it in detail. There was more but I forgot alot of it already, then he took us through the whole distillery from the lab to the fermentors and all. If they do do bottling there, which I am sure Bobby is right, we did not get to see it unfortunately. Overall it was a very good tour done by a very very nice man, I really wish I could remember his name. Anyway, I am glad to see that they now offer tours on a more regular basis. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tommy Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 By coincidence, my wife and I hit the two places that offer tastings first thing in the morning, on two consecutive days. There's nothing like starting your day with a shot of Booker's chased by a shot of Knob Creek! Julie, who never drinks, had a "when in Rome" attitude, and downed a decent sip of Buffalo Trace the day before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 I think we are in 2 different places here. I am talking of the warehouses that are 4 miles from Jim Beam at Clermont and they do bottle the Single Barrel there. I think maybe you were at lawenceburg. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paradox Posted July 2, 2003 Share Posted July 2, 2003 Opps , my mistake on that there Bobby... Thanks for the correction! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boone Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 Heaven Hill Distilleries, (Louisville, KY) offers tours of the Bernheim Distillery (Heaven Hill's disitllery)...Heaven Hill, Distilleries, (Bardstown) offer tours of the bottling house...Monday through Friday... Heaven Hill has sponsored the "Tour Mobile" for as many years as I can remember...you can ride "our" trolly and tour the entire city of Bardstown...(not just the Distillery)...You can purchase "free" tickets at the tourism office...That is the board and return location...Bettye Jo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobbyc Posted July 3, 2003 Share Posted July 3, 2003 Be sure to find and tour the Getz museum of Whiskey History. Bardstown . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowdery Posted July 4, 2003 Share Posted July 4, 2003 I certainly didn't mean to neglect Heaven Hill in my list, but I didn't know what they were doing now. Heaven Hill is all good people and you should check them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tailr0per Posted July 18, 2003 Author Share Posted July 18, 2003 I just wanted to say thanks to all for the information provided. My wife and I got the chance to see the Maker's Mark; Heaven Hill and Jim Bean Tours during our trip in Ky. We enjoyed all three and look forward to another trip more towards the Frankfort area in the future. Thanks agin!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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