egajdzis1 Posted August 11, 2016 Share Posted August 11, 2016 So I just found out my Makers Mark Ambassador barrel is ready next month (I was expecting some time next year). So I need to plan a couple days in Kentucky, which I am adding on to a previously planned trip to Nashville in December. I am going to fly in Thurs evening, and plan to spend all day Friday visiting distilleries. When I went 6 yrs ago I hit Heaven Hill, Woodford, Buffalo Trace, and Makers Mark. Obviously I have to go back to Makers to get my bottles, and Buffalo Trace was a great stop so I want to go back there. I'd like to finish the trail and hit Beam, Wild Turkey, and Four Roses. A big goal of mine would be to buy bottles I can't get in Pennsylvania and ship them back to myself. So, can you give me any recommendations? I'd like to hit: Four Roses Wild Turkey Buffalo Trace Makers Mark Kentucky Artisan Distillery Jim Beam -> lowest priority. I have all day Friday as well as a few hours Saturday morning before I drive to Nashville to meet family. How can I most efficiently accomplish the most? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richnimrod Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 Beam is very nice tour. Don't give it short shrift, because the JB white is so ubiquitous, and uninspiring to so many of us. Remember: Jim Beam White Label is the largest selling Bourbon on planet Earth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egajdzis1 Posted August 12, 2016 Author Share Posted August 12, 2016 Beam seems like the best place to hit as I'm driving south on Saturday. So as long as I get enough ground covered Friday that should be easy to hit. The bottles at four roses seem to make it a must stop. Then wild turkey is there. Would it be feasible to hit buffalo trace, four roses, wild turkey, and makers in a day? I don't necessarily need tours at all those places. Maybe just buffalo and makers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 It's very feasible (if you're not touring), but I'd probably lump Beam and MM into Saturday and knock the others out on Friday, as ending up at Beam will leave you within a stone's throw of I-65 S. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fishnbowljoe Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 The FR's warehouses at Cox's Creek also have the gift shop bottles. Cox's Creek is just a couple miles down the road from Beam. Might be easier to schedule a stop there after stopping at Beam. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
egajdzis1 Posted August 12, 2016 Author Share Posted August 12, 2016 Thanks, I think I've got it mostly planned out already. Which is a better tour, Four Roses Distillery tour or the Wild Turkey? I should be able to hit Buffalo Trace at 9 am, one in Lawrenceburg, while taking a tour at the other. Fitting in lunch and finally getting a tour at Kentucky Artisan Distillery at 3 pm. Saturday will be Jim Beam at 9 am, Four Roses Warehouse visit, and a Makers tour later in the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tanstaafl2 Posted August 12, 2016 Share Posted August 12, 2016 2 hours ago, egajdzis1 said: Thanks, I think I've got it mostly planned out already. Which is a better tour, Four Roses Distillery tour or the Wild Turkey? I should be able to hit Buffalo Trace at 9 am, one in Lawrenceburg, while taking a tour at the other. Fitting in lunch and finally getting a tour at Kentucky Artisan Distillery at 3 pm. Saturday will be Jim Beam at 9 am, Four Roses Warehouse visit, and a Makers tour later in the day. In my opinion the newer construction of the distillery at Wild Turkey makes it seem a bit more "industrial" than Four Roses which has the rather quaint Spanish Mission "hacienda" style architecture. The distillery area at FR is smaller (and there are no rickhouses there) and it probably takes a little less time to see. You can hit the gift shop at WT pretty quickly although the prices there always seemed a fair bit more than usual retail to me so unless it is something you don't think you can find otherwise or you want WT branded swag you may do better in the stores. The gift shop at the FR distillery seems to usually (but not always) have more available (including glassware, apparel and other "accoutrement" if that is what you seek) than the much smaller FR gift shop at Cox Creek. But if you are part of the cult like many of us are then a peek in both is probably warranted if you have the time. Your schedule may be a bit ambitious either way, depending on when you have to be in Nashville. I always tend to stay longer than I had intended when at a distillery! Making Makers last doesn't give you great highway access to head south towards Nashville like Beam does as it is kind of out in the middle of nowhere as you probably know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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