Eth3rStrik3r Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 My woman decided that on her vacation she would like to travel to the Kentucky/Tennessee region. I was wondering if anyone had any advice on which distilleries to visit along The Bourbon Trail if you could only visit one or two of them. She is not a huge fan of whiskey, other than Jack(we are planning on visiting their distillery in Lynchburg), so I would prefer to keep the bourbon distillery visits to as few as possible as to appease her. We are driving from Chicago through Indy and then to Louisville. She wants to visit some stuff in Nashville as well, and we have four days total to tour the area. I am also looking for advice to see if any liquor stores in the Indiana, Kentucky or Tennessee region carry a large or unique selection of bourbon that probably is not readily available in the Chicagoland area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhatzung Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 My family and I last October did all seven distilleries on the tour, plus two craft distillers and Independent Stave cooperage in three days. We hustled but had a great time. The new Evan Williams Center in Louisville was not open yet, but it is supposed to be very good. You really can't go wrong on any of the tours keeping in mind that Heaven Hill does no distilling at the Heritage Center in Bardstown, but the tour was great anyway. Also, Four Roses does no barreling at their Larwenceburg distillery but ship it down to their Cox Creek facility to be barreled and bottled but both tours are free and our guide at their distillery was the best of all that we had. South of Louisville, the Beam tour and Maker's Mark were both will done and complete. East of Louisvile, Woodford Reserve is a well done complete tour on a beautiful property, although all the properties were in beautiful settings.Your wife might enjoy the change in pace of the cooperage - it was very interesting with great, friendly people. You have to call ahead to reserve a spot on the tour though, and they have limited schedules. It is southeast of Louisville.I guess I would say just pick a couple and go - they are all great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 My personal favorite (& I've done pretty much all of 'em... most more than once) is Buffalo Trace in Frankfort, KY. The buildings are historical, the staff is knowledgeable, the tastings are excellent.... but, they aren't that close to L'ville.Worth the extra few hours on the road? You're call. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Posted January 12, 2014 Share Posted January 12, 2014 Second the above....BT hard hat is a great tour. About 45 minutes E of downtown Lville. Woodford Reserve, FR and WT are also nearby and in easy driving range. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eth3rStrik3r Posted January 13, 2014 Author Share Posted January 13, 2014 Originally when coming up with this vacation idea I thought about going to visit the Wild Turkey Distillery, seeing as it was the first bourbon I ever tried. As more things began being added to the trip I focused more on the Evan Williams Experience and the Heaven Hill Heritage Center since they are pretty much a straight shot from Louisville to Bardstown. I think I might change my plans instead and go to Buffalo Trace, then to Wild Turkey and then to Heaven Hill in Bardstown. I know my woman will at least enjoy the Heaven Hill visit because its kind of an emotional...thing for us since my aunt is currently in hospice suffering from ALS and after seeing first-hand what that terrible disease does to you, it might be nice to see the accomplishments of a great man before the bad times come. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p_elliott Posted January 13, 2014 Share Posted January 13, 2014 (edited) My recommendations would be BT hard hat tour as it is a very old distillery and Wild Turkey as it is brand new and modern. They are about 30 min apart considering traffic.I forgot move there don't go back to Chicago! Edited January 13, 2014 by p_elliott Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnbowljoe Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 My advice would be for you to not try and cram too much stuff in on your vacation. Unless you can be extremely regimented, you really need to allow some extra time for looking around at the gift shop etc…. Sometimes it's just not fun when you don't have enough time to just kick around a bit. Just saying'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
squire Posted January 14, 2014 Share Posted January 14, 2014 I've done the rushed tour schedule before and don't recommend it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quantum Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 We are also planning a trip to Kentucky, and right now we are trying to decide between early May or late September. Any recommendations as to the better time of year? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p_elliott Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Last weekend in April and mid Sept Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quantum Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Last weekend in April and mid SeptSampler and KBF?Unfortunately, it looks like the open weeks I have are both directly following these events. I might be able to shift things if I really tried, but our overall goal is a pretty relaxed week. I imagine that will ensure any interesting retailer barrel selections will be completely picked clean, but at least it saves me a couple bucks. At this point I was basing it on which time of year in nicer in KY. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theglobalguy Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 We are also planning a trip to Kentucky, and right now we are trying to decide between early May or late September. Any recommendations as to the better time of year?Sept. May is a higher chance of storms/rain and generally starting to get quite humid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quantum Posted January 15, 2014 Share Posted January 15, 2014 Last weekend in April and mid SeptIt appears my availability has opened up a bit, and these weeks might work after all. Which of these two would you recommend, considering their respective festivities? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pass1over Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 spring and fall are gorgeous times of the year in the bluegrass. I really miss those two seasons there.Woodford Reserve is a great tour, historic buildings (distilling started in 1780, buildings erected in 1838), pots, etc. Oldest distillery still in operation in Kentucky, although, production halted there for awhile. Beautiful grounds and lawns/landscaping. We have some friends that got married there in the fall.The Jack Daniels tour is nice as well. Cool history and information to be had all throughout the tour. Zero waste facility, everything created/used on site.I don't think you can really go wrong with any of them that you go to. But I agree, don't try to do too much on a vacation, take time to relax as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
p_elliott Posted January 16, 2014 Share Posted January 16, 2014 It appears my availability has opened up a bit, and these weeks might work after all. Which of these two would you recommend, considering their respective festivities? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonnyd Posted January 17, 2014 Share Posted January 17, 2014 Late September would be more comfortable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
petrel800 Posted January 20, 2014 Share Posted January 20, 2014 Keeneland meets in April, not sure if you're a horse racing fan or not, but an afternoon at Keeneland is a nice stop as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnsona Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Let us know if you need help with anything Kentucky Bourbon Trail related…just email enjoy@kybourbon.com with questions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junkpile Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 I did the Heaven Hill and Jim Beam tours last Tim I was there. The samplings at JB weren't the greatest, but I really enjoyed the tour. The samplings at HH were very good, but I didn't think much of the tour. My wife doesn't drink at all, but enjoyed both tours. The HH gift shop was a lot more extensive, and she fell in love with the Evan Williams chocolate sauce there. You're close enough that you should be able to stop back through for some tours another time. Don't try to cram too much in. Take some time to enjoy the smell in the air. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OscarV Posted February 25, 2014 Share Posted February 25, 2014 My woman decided that on her vacation,..............She is not a huge fan of whiskey, other than Jack(we are planning on visiting their distillery in Lynchburg), so I would prefer to keep the bourbon distillery visits to as few as possible as to appease her. So just go to Lynchburg and visit Jack Daniels like all the other Disney World fans and pretend you are having fun, ya know just like everything else. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eth3rStrik3r Posted February 28, 2014 Author Share Posted February 28, 2014 Thought I would give a quick update on how our vacation went. Ended up going to Wild Turkey, which was a lot of fun, got to sample Kentucky Spirit and tried the Russell's Reserve Rye since I haven't had either in quite a bit. Both were very good, I ended up getting about a 3 oz pour of the Kentucky Spirit cause it was the end of the bottle. She had the spiced, which she didn't like, but she did like the American Honey. She liked it so much that she actually buys it now instead of other liquor. They say that the American Honey was made to bring people into the bourbon circle, and I couldn't agree more. Three months ago she wouldn't touch the stuff, now she tries some of the bottles I have on hand of different bourbons! The Jack Daniels distillery was all right, it was about 60 degrees in Lynchburg the day we went and seeing bees and wasps everywhere was not something I was prepared for in January. We will be going back to Kentucky again next time she has vacation so I would have to say it was an astounding success. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kwshannon Posted March 1, 2014 Share Posted March 1, 2014 Thanks for posting the update. We are planning a trip to KY in a few weeks. I've been watching this thread and others to pick up places to visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Durham4556 Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 this is what I would have done.. if I had to start someone out in Bourbon Country:Louisville:evan williams bourbon experience (a good introduction)enjoy a museum downtown louisville (21C, slugger, ali center or Fraizer)get lunch towntown somewherestay at the galt (they have a good bourbon bar)then the next day:breafast down from the galt house at toast on market (bourbon mimoso!)then jim beam distillerythen Id head to bardstownoscar getz musemhave lunch at old tablot tavern/ they have a great bourbon bar(also there are 2 liquore stores in bardstown, both are worth a visit)I would stop in at the heaven hill heritage center, either for the short short tour or just the gift shop at least . makers is a good tour but its out there in the middle of no wheremaybe dinner at kurtz.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannabis Posted April 4, 2014 Share Posted April 4, 2014 Nice thread. I am planning to visit bardstown myself briefly in may.have you joined the bardstown whiskey society? Several bottles such as EC or Henry McKenna have tags with codes to join. Gives access to free tours and reduced merch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts