- My Forums
- Tiger Rant
- LSU Score Board
- LSU Recruiting
- SEC Rant
- SEC Score Board
- Saints Talk
- Pelicans Talk
- More Sports Board
- Coaching Changes
- Fantasy Sports
- Golf Board
- Soccer Board
- O-T Lounge
- Tech Board
- Home/Garden Board
- Outdoor Board
- Health/Fitness Board
- Movie/TV Board
- Book Board
- Music Board
- Political Talk
- Money Talk
- Fark Board
- Gaming Board
- Travel Board
- Food/Drink Board
- Ticket Exchange
- TD Help Board
Customize My Forums- View All Forums
- Show Left Links
- Topic Sort Options
- Trending Topics
- Recent Topics
- Active Topics
Started By
Message
Bourbon trail
Posted on 3/31/25 at 4:30 pm
Posted on 3/31/25 at 4:30 pm
Give me your top 10 on distillery’s going by the grounds , tour , tastings and experience.
10
Posted on 3/31/25 at 9:17 pm to Tha crook
How about you Google “tigerdroppings bourbon trail”. Also Random recommendations without trip details aren’t going to be beneficial to your trip.
This post was edited on 4/1/25 at 7:01 am
Posted on 3/31/25 at 9:44 pm to Tha crook
My favorites (not in order) - Buffalo Trace, Williett, Maker's Mark, Woodford, Heaven Hill, We only did 2 days.
Posted on 4/1/25 at 6:47 am to Tha crook
There’s a ton of threads on this topic. I suggest a search for some good info.
Posted on 4/2/25 at 11:44 am to Tha crook
Lot's of threads on this, too long to rehash.
Four Roses
Buffalo Trace
Heaven Hill
Top 3 worth a visit
Four Roses
Buffalo Trace
Heaven Hill
Top 3 worth a visit
Posted on 4/2/25 at 12:42 pm to Tha crook
1) Stitzel-Weller (the progressive walking tour)
2) Makers
3) Angel's Envy (its small but I really liked it)
Stitzel-Weller is different than all the other tours, it is more of a history of bourbon tour and you drink as you do it. You finish in Pappy's office. Also the Garden & Gun Club has one of the best Old Fashioneds you can find in Louisville.
2) Makers
3) Angel's Envy (its small but I really liked it)
Stitzel-Weller is different than all the other tours, it is more of a history of bourbon tour and you drink as you do it. You finish in Pappy's office. Also the Garden & Gun Club has one of the best Old Fashioneds you can find in Louisville.
Posted on 4/2/25 at 4:03 pm to Tha crook
If you want a tour book it fast. They fill up quickly. We stayed in Versailles. It’s near Lexington. We did Makers Mark, Woodford Reserve, and Buffalo Trace in a day. Really liked Buffalo Trace and Woodford. Makers was good because we had a tour but it is in middle of nowhere.
Posted on 4/3/25 at 10:22 am to Tha crook
My only advice is to have fun and be mindful that the single worst place to find great bourbon is on the Bourbon Trail.
The guys flipping bottles have turned it into a bit of a shitshow and the price escalation is real. The same bottles that were selling for less than $100 just a few years ago now command double or even triple that directly from the distillery. It’s a wholesale rip off nowadays. I was laughing the other day; I bought an entire barrel of Knob Creek back in 18’. Found the receipt recently. 15+ years old bourbon and bottled at 120 Proof. Cost me $35 a bottle. Same product sells for $199 retail now.
In Louisville; I’d definitely hit Old Forester and a bar called “Neat”. Neat features vintage bourbon dating back 50 or more years. Stop into Michter’s and the Evan Williams Experience too.
As far as beautiful grounds go it is tough to beat Makers Mark. Dipping a bottle is a fun experience too.
In Bardstown, definitely hit Heaven Hill and Willett. Get a reservation to eat at Willett. You may get lucky and stumble into some good bottles at Heaven Hill if there when it opens.
Underrated restaurant at Jim Beam. Seriously; check that out.
The busiest one and probably worth booking well in advance is Buffalo Trace. They’ve since done better; but, I’d still encourage you to buy bottles before your tour. All too often the place is sold out before the first tours end.
Ones I’d skip are Woodford and Four Roses. Woodford felt a bit stuffy; more like a Napa Winery than a Kentucky distillery. Four Roses is just sort of meh.
Remember that it’s small town America. The concrete rolls up at 7PM in Bardstown. Not much to do after that.
The guys flipping bottles have turned it into a bit of a shitshow and the price escalation is real. The same bottles that were selling for less than $100 just a few years ago now command double or even triple that directly from the distillery. It’s a wholesale rip off nowadays. I was laughing the other day; I bought an entire barrel of Knob Creek back in 18’. Found the receipt recently. 15+ years old bourbon and bottled at 120 Proof. Cost me $35 a bottle. Same product sells for $199 retail now.
In Louisville; I’d definitely hit Old Forester and a bar called “Neat”. Neat features vintage bourbon dating back 50 or more years. Stop into Michter’s and the Evan Williams Experience too.
As far as beautiful grounds go it is tough to beat Makers Mark. Dipping a bottle is a fun experience too.
In Bardstown, definitely hit Heaven Hill and Willett. Get a reservation to eat at Willett. You may get lucky and stumble into some good bottles at Heaven Hill if there when it opens.
Underrated restaurant at Jim Beam. Seriously; check that out.
The busiest one and probably worth booking well in advance is Buffalo Trace. They’ve since done better; but, I’d still encourage you to buy bottles before your tour. All too often the place is sold out before the first tours end.
Ones I’d skip are Woodford and Four Roses. Woodford felt a bit stuffy; more like a Napa Winery than a Kentucky distillery. Four Roses is just sort of meh.
Remember that it’s small town America. The concrete rolls up at 7PM in Bardstown. Not much to do after that.
Posted on 4/5/25 at 10:20 pm to Tha crook
I've been twice and did several days each time:
Grounds would go to Maker's Mark or Castle & Key.
Tour would go to Heaven Hill "You Do Bourbon" and Buffalo Trace.
Food would go to Willett Distillery, The Bar at Willett and Bardstown Bourbon Company, Kitchen & Bar and their tour is also good.
Gift Shop would go to Buffalo Trace.
Experience would go to Wild Turkey, got to meet Jimmy Russell and he signed several items. James E. Pepper Distillery was also a good experience. J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery is a unique experience.
Tastings would go to Four Roses, Wild Turkey, Heaven Hill, and Buffalo Trace.
Grounds would go to Maker's Mark or Castle & Key.
Tour would go to Heaven Hill "You Do Bourbon" and Buffalo Trace.
Food would go to Willett Distillery, The Bar at Willett and Bardstown Bourbon Company, Kitchen & Bar and their tour is also good.
Gift Shop would go to Buffalo Trace.
Experience would go to Wild Turkey, got to meet Jimmy Russell and he signed several items. James E. Pepper Distillery was also a good experience. J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery is a unique experience.
Tastings would go to Four Roses, Wild Turkey, Heaven Hill, and Buffalo Trace.
Posted on 4/7/25 at 10:25 am to Tha crook
Buffalo Trace is underwater right now and the Kentucky River hasn't even crested yet.
Posted on 4/8/25 at 11:50 am to Tha crook
Castle and Key for best grounds and overall experience.
BBC for best food.
New Riff (I know, not on the trail) for something cool.
BBC for best food.
New Riff (I know, not on the trail) for something cool.
Posted on 4/10/25 at 7:59 pm to Big Scrub TX
Castle & key is one we plan to hit also boardstown distillery. I’ve been to the majority of the ones talked about in this post .
Page 1 of 1
Popular
Back to top
Follow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News