Hey Kentuckians. Any Bourbon Tour Advice?

[BayouCountry]

Hey bourbon lovers. Me, my Son and SIL are setting up a distillery itinerary for a little lot of whiskey tasting the middle of April. Any recommendations is appreciated. Thanks.

So far:

Buffalo Trace
Evan Williams
Rabbit Hole

Tours are already booked up for Buffalo Trace. Hopefully we can catch a cancellation spot.

Are there any Uber type services so one of us doesn’t have to be a designated driver? We will be staying in Lexington and renting a car.

[Allan]

https://www.bulleit.com/visit-us/

[VatorMan]

https://kentuckybourbonboys.com/

[snide]

Woodford Reserve is always a good tour, as is Maker's Mark.

[RonC5]

We did Angel's Envy, Buffalo Trace and Makers Mark last fall. All are awesome. Make reservations ASAP. They are usually filled 2 month out.

[BayouCountry]

Originally Posted by RonC5

We did Angel's Envy, Buffalo Trace and Makers Mark last fall. All are awesome. Make reservations ASAP. They are usually filled 2 month out.

Buffalo Trace already filled up. We are on waiting list. It don’t come easy.

[Black94lt1]

I'm late to the party, not been on-line much lately. You have 3 general areas: Lexington/Frankfort, Bardstown and Louisville. In general, you can hit 3 maybe 4 a day max if you plan things out right and don't stay too long or take long tours.

Lexington/Frankfort - Buffalo trace - next to impossible to get a tour in advance as the tour company bots gobble them up as soon as they open. Wild Turkey - I think they have the visitor center renovations complete and are doing tours again, always a high probability to run into Jimmy Russell in the gift shop. Woodford Reserve - very beautiful setting, nice tour. Four Roses - great tour, beautiful distillery, bottling and warehousing is out near Jim Beam

Bardstown - lots of places within a short drive - Jim Beam - tour is good, restaurant is great for lunch, often have hard to find products in the gift shop. Makers - one of the few places you can see everything from the grain coming in to distillation, warehousing, bottling all at one location. Heaven Hill - tours are more tasting and/or rickhouse visit as there is no distillery on site; tastings are generally 5 products or so, and sometimes include an allocated item. Lots of other craft distilleries that are nice to visit - Bardstown Bourbon, Willett, Limestone Branch, etc. Also Independent Stave, the barrel company, offers tours.

Louisville - probably the easiest place to visit a lot of places as quite a few are on Whiskey Row. Old Forrester - great tour and tasting, they have a small cooperage on-site and an experimental rickhouse. Evan Williams - nice tour and tasting, speakeasy like setting, a few gift shop only items for sale. Rabbit Hole, Peerless, Michters, etc are also all walkable downtown.

[GTOguy]

All I have to say is: You Lucky Bastards.

[kingpin]

Originally Posted by RonC5

We did Angel's Envy, Buffalo Trace and Makers Mark last fall. All are awesome. Make reservations ASAP. They are usually filled 2 month out.

I was sent a bottle of Makers Mark.
Shit was terrible, I gave it away.

[dvarapala]

Originally Posted by kingpin

I was sent a bottle of Makers Mark.
Shit was terrible, I gave it away.

So what kinds of whiskey do you like?

[kingpin]

Originally Posted by dvarapala

So what kinds of whiskey do you like?

If I'm drinking whiskey/rye I drink Metaxa 7-Star (Brandy), Forty Creek Reserve or JP Wiser's 15 year old.
If slummin' it's Crown Royal Black Label, Spring Mill or Grace Bay.

I don't drink anymore except for a good bottle of old Port I buy myself once a year on Xmas. Something like Taylor Fladgate 40 Year Old or Nieport Vintage.

[Black94lt1]

Originally Posted by kingpin

If I'm drinking whiskey/rye I drink Metaxa 7-Star (Brandy), Forty Creek Reserve or JP Wiser's 15 year old.
If slummin' it's Crown Royal Black Label, Spring Mill or Grace Bay.

I don't drink anymore except for a good bottle of old Port I buy myself once a year on Xmas. Something like Taylor Fladgate 40 Year Old or Nieport Vintage.

Sounds like you like Irish and Canadian whiskey over Kentucky bourbon

[kingpin]

Originally Posted by Black94lt1

Sounds like you like Irish and Canadian whiskey over Kentucky bourbon

Could be. I'm not a huge Connoisseur of the stuff. Rye/Whiskey/Brandy all seem to fit into the same profile for me. I do know I hate Scotch whether it's high end or not.

[markids77]

Originally Posted by kingpin

I do know I hate Scotch whether it's high end or not.

Heathen.