First time visit to BT

[nd2005]

"Regular" tour or "Hard Hat" tour?

Thoughts? Many on the trip will be true neophytes to the world of bourbon.

[squire]

Almost any first tour is a great tour.

[HighInTheMtns]

Hard hat.

Since that's not enough characters I will reiterate: hard hat.

[GaryT]

I don't think you go wrong either way - I've done the regular tour 4 or 5 times now, and it is brief, pleasant, entertaining. Never been on the hard hat tour, but looking forward to checking that box in April. The hard hat is certainly more thorough, where the regular one doesn't show you much past the grounds (which are pretty), a video, and the inside of a rick-house (my FAVORITE part of every tour!)

[squire]

I heard a story about a tourist who got lost in one of those rickhouses and they found him three days later next to a leaky barrel.

[Richnimrod]

I'd recommend the regular tour as a first step, especially for the uninitiated. Here's why:

If you take the Hard Hat Tour first, you (& everyone else) won't be able to easily top it on any subsequent tours.

Take the regular tour, which is quite nice, entertaining, informative, and tasty!

Then, next time around go deeper, and have even more fun with the Hard Hat Tour, having gained enough knowledge to really appreciate what you're being shown. Just MHO. Either way BT does a great tour.... and, don't forget those tastings!

[tanstaafl2]

I'd recommend the regular tour as a first step, especially for the uninitiated. Here's why:

If you take the Hard Hat Tour first, you (& everyone else) won't be able to easily top it on any subsequent tours.

Take the regular tour, which is quite nice, entertaining, informative, and tasty!

Then, next time around go deeper, and have even more fun with the Hard Hat Tour, having gained enough knowledge to really appreciate what you're being shown. Just MHO. Either way BT does a great tour.... and, don't forget those tastings!

Good advice but it presumes you expect to return with some regularity. If that is less than a sure thing and you already have some whiskey knowledge as might be presumed from being on this board then you might want to jump on that Hard hat tour now! It was my first tour at BT and I don't regret doing it first for a moment.

[tanstaafl2]

I'd recommend the regular tour as a first step, especially for the uninitiated. Here's why:

If you take the Hard Hat Tour first, you (& everyone else) won't be able to easily top it on any subsequent tours.

Take the regular tour, which is quite nice, entertaining, informative, and tasty!

Then, next time around go deeper, and have even more fun with the Hard Hat Tour, having gained enough knowledge to really appreciate what you're being shown. Just MHO. Either way BT does a great tour.... and, don't forget those tastings!

Good advice but it presumes you are likely to be able to return with some regularity. If that is not the case and you already have some whiskey knowledge as might be presumed from being on this board you might want to jump on that Hard Hat tor now! It was my first tour at BT and I don't regret doing it first for a moment since I don't get there all that often.

[nd2005]

Good advice but it presumes you expect to return with some regularity. If that is less than a sure thing and you already have some whiskey knowledge as might be presumed from being on this board then you might want to jump on that Hard hat tour now! It was my first tour at BT and I don't regret doing it first for a moment.

[tanstaafl2]

I'm trying to balance the desires of the group. For a lot of our group, they know literally nothing about bourbon. They are coming for the experience and the social aspect. I have little doubt I would enjoy the hard hat tour more; I wanted to get some perspectives about whether it might be a little too much (time, walking, information) for others who aren't quite as enthusiastic as me.

[dSculptor]

If you got the time do 'em both.. the regular first then the Hard had tour..no regrets. I was down there last fall we did the regular,we were on a schedule had 2 more to hit that day. I do know you have to make an app. for the hard hat tour, at least when we were there you did.

[docbible]

I have completed the hard hat tour at least three times and have not taken the regular tour. Each tour was with a different guide that only added to the experience with their own personal experiences. Each was very knowledgeable and went into depth according to the experience level of the participants. I would recommend the hard hat tour. If others are not that into distilling or bourbon, maybe you could schedule the regular one for them at the same time. tim

[nd2005]

Hard hat it is then! Thanks all!

[Durham4556]

I have completed the hard hat tour at least three times and have not taken the regular tour. Each tour was with a different guide that only added to the experience with their own personal experiences. Each was very knowledgeable and went into depth according to the experience level of the participants. I would recommend the hard hat tour. If others are not that into distilling or bourbon, maybe you could schedule the regular one for them at the same time. tim

was any with Freddie? he is awesome

[Westernboys]

Fred is awesome! I just took the regular tour a few days ago. Hard hat tour not available because they are not making bourbon at the moment. They are set to start again in August. I have been to Buffalo Trace twice but can't seem to match up to the hard hat tour. I need to match my work/vacations better!