• Distilleries in Kentucky– ComeFindBourbon

Distilleries

Use this map to find fantastic bourbon experiences in and around Covington, Bardstown and Frankfort.  Links to each distillery experience are located below the map.  

  • Bardstown Bourbon Company opened in 2014 in Bardstown. Master Distiller Steve Nally has produced over 100 million bottles.
  • Barton 1792 was established in 1879 in Bardstown. It’s the city’s oldest fully-operating distillery. Danny Kahn is master distiller.
  • Boone County Distilling in Independence opened current operations in 2015. It originally operated 1833-1918 in Petersburg.
  • Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort started in 1787. It is the oldest continuously operating distillery in the U.S. and is designated as a National Historic Landmark. With over 1,000 awards for its portfolio of premium whiskies, Buffalo Trace is the most award-winning distillery in the world. Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley was promoted in 2005 to become only the sixth Master Distiller since the Civil War that the distillery has ever had. He’s a four-time nominee by the James Beard Foundation. Distiller Julian P. Van Winkle III of Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery (produced at Buffalo Trace) was named “Outstanding Wine, Beer and Spirits Professional” by the James Beard Foundation in 2011.
  • Castle & Key in Frankfort opened 2018. The distillery was first opened in 1887 by E.H. Taylor and is considered the birthplace of bourbon tourism.
  • Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg begins its origin story in 1884. Brent Elliott was named master distiller in 2015.
  • Glenns Creek Distillery opened in 2014 on the former site of the Old Crow Distillery. It is owned and operated by David Meier.
  • Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown was established in 1935. It is family owned and operated. Conor O’Driscoll was named master distiller in 2019.
  • Jeptha Creed in Shelbyville is a family operation using old fashioned methods to craft spirits for modern tastes. Locally grown and sourced ingredients are used to the extent possible.
  • Jim Beam began in 1894 when James Beauregard Beam took over the family distillery from his father, David M. Beam. Jim Beam 'White Label' is the world's top selling bourbon. Jim Beam American Stillhouse is located in Clermont.
  • Limestone Branch in Lebanon was launched in 2010 by Steve and Paul Beam, 7th-generation distillers.
  • Log Still Distillery in Gethsmane opened in 2021, but its roots reach back to 1836.
  • Lux Row Distillers opened its facility in Bardstown in 2018, though Luxco had been operating for more than 40 years.
  • Maker’s Mark in Loretto was launched in 1953. The founders chose to spell whisky without the “e” as an homage to their Scottish heritage. Master Distiller Steve Nally was inducted into the Bourbon Hall of Fame in 2007.
  • Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta is a small family-owned production that opened in 2015, when 10th-generation Roy Neeley and 11th-generation Royce Neeley took the family business legal for the first time.
  • New Riff Distilling in Newport was established in 2014 by Ken Lewis.
  • The Old Pogue Distillery in Maysville started in 1876. It is currently helmed by the 5th and 6th generations of the Pogue family.
  • Old Samuels Distillery in Coxs Creek opened in 2020. It was originally built at the end of Prohibition in 1933.
  • Preservation Distillery in Bardstown opened in 2018. It’s the region’s first 100-percent pot distilled facility.
  • Second Sight Spirits in Ludlow was launched in 2015 by Rick Couch and Carus Waggoner.
  • Three Boys Farm Distillery in Graefenburg began production in 2013 on a 122-acre farm in rural Franklin County.
  • Wild Turkey in Lawrenceburg began in 1940. Jimmy Russell is the world’s longest-tenured active master distiller. In 2015 his son, Eddie Russell, was named a master distiller in his own right after 35 years with Wild Turkey.
  • Willett in Bardstown began three years after Prohibition in 1936 on the family farm. Master Distiller Drew Kulsveen has been recognized multiple times as being among the best in his field, including three nominations by the James Beard Foundation.
  • Woodford Reserve in Versailles started in 1996. Brown-Forman bought the Labrot & Graham distillery in 1941 and produced a variety of whiskeys at the site before launching Woodford Reserve. Chris Morris is Master Distiller. Elizabeth McCall is Assistant Master Distiller, a certified specialist of spirits, the 2nd generation of her family to work in the bourbon industry, and one of the youngest female distillers in the U.S.