Kentucky Bourbon Distilleries

As someone who spent four years living in Kentucky in the late 1990s, I developed an appreciation for its famous export, bourbon, early in my adult life. I refuse to buy any bourbon that is not from the state where it was invented—made from water filtered through its characteristic limestone and oak-aged in historic warehouses in the bluegrass region. (Whether that preference is science or sentiment is up for debate.)

The sweet concoction that is the mint julep may be a popular icon of Kentucky Derby festivities, but true bourbon lovers will tell you it's a waste of a quality spirit. The best way to experience bourbon is neat—or, if you must, on the rocks. And the best way to choose your favorite is by tasting as many as you can.

One of Buffalo Trace Distillery's historic buildings.

The bourbon distilleries of central Kentucky offer visitor tours of their historic grounds and warehouses, and they always end with a tasting of several of their products. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail concept is run by an association of distilleries (and you can get a cute passport to put stamps in). It's a great resource for finding the distilleries near you. Some distilleries do not take part in the branded trail, however.

Since 2014, I've been going on annual distillery tours in the greater Lexington area with my sister Hillary at holiday time. It's become a tradition. The old buildings filled with bourbon barrels are atmospheric, and peeking into the vats of mash and hearing about the distillation process is interesting too.

Bourbon aging in charred oak barrels at Woodford Reserve.

Buffalo Trace, my personal favorite bourbon, is made in a distillery that does not happen to be part of the trail, but it's an essential stop on any tour of Kentucky distilleries. Located in Frankfort, it offers several types of tours, including ghost tours and historic landmark tours. The 19th century brick buildings are beautiful to look at, and the tasting room is spacious and attractive. I hope to go back to this one for one of the specialty tours.

In Versailles you'll find Woodford Reserve, a distillery with photogenic aisles of oak barrels aging in its warehouses and rows of them outside waiting to be rolled from one spot to another. The "official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby" offers tastings on the tour right next to the aromatic ricks of barrels—probably my favorite method so far. The visitor center has a fireplace that was particularly nice on a rainy December day.

The tasting room at Wild Turkey Distillery.

Wild Turkey in Lawrenceburg stands out for having the most informal tour, even considering the droll industry standard for tour guides. Our guide was not above the corniest jokes, and the unintentionally goofy tour bus video of Matthew McConaughey reflecting on the Americanness of bourbon had my sister and I exchanging smirks. On the architectural front, Wild Turkey's industrial-style, metal-sheathed warehouses are a contrast with the stone and brick you will find at other locations.

The Spanish mission–style architecture at Four Roses.

Also in Lawrenceburg, Four Roses is under renovation, with modified tours currently available. We visited in December 2017, and it was still an enjoyable tour, although we did not see much of the interiors of the main buildings. The tasting portion of this one was also a bit abbreviated, but the Spanish mission–style architecture was unique and may warrant a second visit for me when full tours are running again.

I've always visited these historic distilleries in the winter, and I imagine they're even more lovely in the warm weather. Since there are also distilleries in the Louisville area, you can even combine attendance at the Derby with a visit nearby to learn a little more about the history of Kentucky's distinctive spirit—without the crushed ice and sugar syrup.

Pro tips:

• Make sure you check the websites of the distilleries you want to visit before setting out; they all have different visiting hours. For some, you will want to make reservations ahead of time.
• The distilleries all have shuttle buses that take you from Point A to Point B, so there's no need for walking shoes. However, since you will be standing outside for portions of each tour, dress appropriately for the weather.
• If you're a lightweight, allow for a bit of time poking around the gift shop after your bourbon tasting before you get behind the wheel to leave—or appoint a friend or family member to drive home.
• You'll usually get a free take-home glass from the tasting, so buy any souvenir glassware after your tour, rather than before.