Kentucky Bourbon Trail Map: Interactive Guide to the Best Distilleries

Growing up in Kentucky, I never thought too much about the smell of corn mash distilling out the windows or the bourbon barrel tables at farm weddings. But nowadays, older and wiser (and of drinking age) I’ve come to appreciate all that makes Kentucky the best place to enjoy bourbon. But what I’ve found talking to you about the Bourbon Trail is that planning your visit can be overwhelming. There are just so many tours, with each distillery and region offering something special. That’s why I’ve taken the time to create the perfect Kentucky Bourbon Trail Map – to make planning your trip seamless.

The interactive map helps you learn more about each distillery, all while guiding you through my favorite experience at each of them, too. I hope this Bourbon Trail map is useful and will make sure you don’t miss any of my favorites and hidden gems along the way. And the best part? While other distilleries only highly those included on specific, sponsored tours this Bourbon Trail map includes all of them: craft, corporate, and everything in between.

Happy travels to Kentucky!

Table of Contents

What is the Kentucky Bourbon Trail?

There is a big misconception when it comes to what the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is. While there is an official, trademarked Kentucky Bourbon Trail and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour not all distilleries are included on the official trail. Meaning, they aren’t included in guides, maps, or resources on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail’s website either.

So while you might think of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail as all distilleries. It’s technically not. However, to make it easier on all of us this guide (like you probably do) uses the term as a universal phrase about the distilleries in Kentucky. But just know that there is more to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail than what’s officially out there. And that’s why it’s important to do your research to find the best distilleries to visit.

But in general, this is what the Kentucky Bourbon Trail is. It’s a network of distilleries in Kentucky that have guided tours, tastings, and experiences to help visitors learn more about the history and culture of bourbon in Kentucky. The bourbon distilleries are a part of a long, rich history that has been a part of Kentucky for centuries.

What Makes up the Kentucky Distilleries?

Kentucky distilleries fall into two basic categories: craft distilleries and commercial distilleries. Craft distilleries sell up to 100,000 proof gallons of products distilled and bottled on-site. Non-craft distilleries (you guessed it) bottle more than 100,000 proof gallons and sometimes bottle off-site at other warehouses and production sites.

Commercial distilleries are probably those you are more familiar with. (Think Maker’s Mark and Buffalo Trace.) These are the distilleries most popular with visitors because of their name recognition and large range of quality products you love. They tend to have more tour options in a wide range of price points for visitors, too.

And while craft distilleries might not have the name recognition, especially outside Kentucky, their products can be just as good. Your tour options tend to be less but are more hands-on in approach. (Think less headsets and gift shops.) These tours also are usually cheaper than the commercial ones, too.

Plan Your Visit

Where to Stay on the Bourbon Trail

While some people choose to do the Urban Bourbon Trail experience in Louisville, I recommend venturing beyond the cement streets of old Whiskey Row. Rickhouses and corn fields, to me, are what make the trail special. And even for just one day, be sure to spend time enjoying distilleries in the greater Frankfort and Bardstown areas.

Louisville is the most common place to stay on the Bourbon Trail because of its perfect location for day trips and wide selection of distilleries to visit. All of which are in walking distance of Whiskey Row hotels, too.

I recommend two hotel options in downtown Louisville, Moxy Louisville and the 21c Hotel. Both are in excellent locations for distillery visits, quality Southern and international food, and other things to do, too.

Moxy Louisville

A Marriott hotel, the Moxy Louisville Downtown is located right off Whiskey Row within walking distance of many of the downtown Louisville distilleries. The best part about the Moxy is it can be really affordable for its location, costing as little as $110 a night.

21c Hotel Louisville

One of my favorite hotel chains, the 21c is part art museum and part modern hotel. The Louisville 21c is located near the Louisville Slugger Museum and Factory and is a great location for shopping and dining.

Looking for Somewhere More Unique to Stay?

I recommend checking out Shelbyville, Kentucky if you’re looking for a more unique place to stay on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Shelbyville is the closes to all distilleries in Kentucky compared to any other town with a lot of unique options. I love their downtown Airbnbs and farmstay experiences.

Which Distilleries are the Best?

Where distillery tour options and where you visit are largely guided by the time you have. While a 2-day itinerary will only give you time for the Louisville area, with more time you can experience distilleries outside the Louisville area. All to say what distilleries are best is largely dependent on the time you have.

However, I do have some top distilleries that I recommend when I hear about friends and family visiting Kentucky. (I even put together a Top 10 Distilleries list you can see them!) And what I can recommend are a few key factors to have a successful distillery experience:

At most you can book 3-4 tours for a single day: Don’t push yourself to visit more than you, or the tour times, can manage. Be sure to leave plenty of time for your tasting experience, gift shop, and travel times between distillery tours.
Choose a variety in tour types to keep things interesting: There are only so many standard distillery tours you can do before they seem repetitive. I recommend switching things up with tasting experience, cocktail classes, bottling your own bourbon, historic and thieving tours.
Decide on an area and stick to it for the day: To maximize your distillery tours be sure to choose an area and stick to it for the day. Stick to Louisville one day and Frankfort the next. This lets you maximize your visits.
Mix and match craft distillery tours with commercial distilleries: Mixing large-scale operations, like Four Roses, with smaller craft distilleries is what can make the most successful visit. You’ll see a variety of operations and products, many of which might not be available in your area.

Kentucky Bourbon Tours: How to Book

Gone are the days when bourbon lovers could just show up at a distillery and join a tour without reservations. Today planning a trip to the Bourbon Trail requires a lot more time and organization. You must book your tickets in advance to secure a tour, which means you need a solid plan of location, timing between tours, and prioritization on which locations you are most interested in so you don’t miss it.

Is a guided tour bus experience for you? Though I believe the DIY approach to the Bourbon Trail is the best way to do it there are companies that offer tour bus experiences that take you from distillery to distillery, and even get your tickets for you. These range is cost from $250-400 per person per day. You can’t customize this experience, so you’ll only be given the tours offered (usually the standard) and limited time at each distillery stop, too.

Most tours open reservations between 2-3 months in advance. Which means you need your itinerary finalized by then, so you know where you want to go, and when.

I recommend making a list of your top distilleries and dates you want to book. Then work backwards to find the tour open dates, making them on your calendar and booking as soon as they become available. This is especially important for hard-to-get distillery tours, like Buffalo Trace.