14 Best Distilleries To Visit Along Kentucky's Bourbon Trail

There may not be another drink more mysterious than bourbon. It's known for caramel, vanilla, and oak notes, yet each bottle is unique, carrying different tastes, aromas, and surprising finishes. The amber-colored whiskey has been around since the 1700s when settlers in Kentucky (mainly Scottish, Irish, and German) realized they had the perfect soil for growing grains that would eventually be distilled as bourbon, according to History.com. Today, Kentucky still reigns as the number one producer of bourbon, claiming 95% of all bourbon distilleries. 

It seems Kentucky was destined for the job. It isn't just the soil that makes the land perfect. Fred Minnick, author of "Whiskey Women" and "Bourbon Curious: A Simple Tasting Guide for the Savvy Drinker" tells History.com that the water plays a big factor because of how the natural limestone works to filter out minerals. That's right — even the water is perfect. All of that is to say if you love bourbon, Kentucky's Bourbon Trail is the place to be. With 37 distilleries, there is truly nowhere else on earth where you will find more bourbon within a 250-mile radius. Feel free to visit them all, but if you find it tough to choose, read on as we look at the best distilleries to visit along Kentucky's Bourbon Trail. Pack your bags and get started.

If anything, you've got to visit Angel's Envy to hear the story of such a fantastic name. During the aging process of bourbon, some alcohol evaporates. It's said that the missing bourbon is the "angel's share," per Vine Pair, hence what's left is the angel's envy. You'll notice that Angel's Envy has a beautifully shaped bottle that is inspired by Angel's wings. Angel's Envy distillery is one of the youngest on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, as it began in only 2011. Today, you'll find the distillery in downtown Louisville, as the first full-production distillery to open its doors in that city. 

If you are looking for one of the smoothest bourbons in the world, you'll be in the right place at Angel's Envy. The distillery is known for bending rules in a good way, such as using second-barrel finishing techniques, which are usually only seen in the making of Scotch. Gentleman Ranter's explains that Angel's ages its bourbon in charred American oak barrels for up to six years and in the last few months it is moved to port wine casks, creating a drink that is ridiculously smooth and easy to sip.

In case you haven't noticed, most bourbon is steeped in history and heritage, and that's one of the reasons bourbon drinkers love it. Old Forester doesn't disappoint in this area. The founder, George Garvin Brown of Munfordville, Kentucky, created the first bottle of Forester in 1870, according to the brand's website. After purchasing the Mattingly Distillery, George created the first double-barreled bourbon, called "Very Old Fine Whisky," in 1910. A fire shut down production, so the whisky was all dumped, and although it was ready to bottle, he decided to put it all into second barrels. The stories just get better. In the 1940s, during World War II, the Old Forester distillery converted the entire production line so they could produce industrial-grade alcohol. This was done to help out the troops and the entire war effort. You just have to love bourbon stories. 

A fun tidbit about Old Forester is that it is the only bourbon that has remained in the same company before, during, and after prohibition. Tour Old Forester and hear all the great stories about George Garvin Brown on Whiskey Row in Louisville, Kentucky.

Ready for a little romance? Four Roses has you covered. It starts with a tempting beauty and ends with a "yes" to a proposal. According to Four Roses Bourbon, Paul Jones, Jr. fell in love with a Southern belle and had to have her. In the most romantic gesture ever, he wrote a letter to her, asking for her hand in marriage. To top his amorous proposal, she replied by writing that she would wear a rose corsage to the grand ball they would both be attending if her answer were "yes." And, you guessed it — she wore four roses. Jones was certainly relieved to not be humiliated with a "no" and we are all relieved he continued to make fine bourbon, aptly naming it Four Roses.

Four Roses is known for the fact that it has 10 different bourbon recipes, and each has its own notes. This is done by creating different yeast strains and separate mash bills. The distillery is as gorgeous as the romantic rose label and can be toured along the Kentucky Bourbon trail in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky.

The history of Jim Beam began with the American dream and some corn. The Boehm family hailed from Germany and arrived in America in 1740 when the country was still 13 colonies. Fast forward 48 years and the family not only moved to Kentucky to take advantage of government incentives that were offered for farming corn, but they also Americanized their name as many immigrants did back then, to Beam (via JimBeam.com). 

Whiskey, namely rye whiskey, was already popular by then, but Jacob Beam made the decision to start using up excess corn and turned it into a mash for distilling. Their bourbon whiskey was born and folks all over loved Jim Beam. He sold his first barrel in 1795, and the story continues today. By the way, Kentucky already had 2,000 distilleries by the early 1800s, so selling a barrel of a new one you've made was no easy task.

Bourbon law says you must age the whiskey at least two years for it to be considered bourbon. However, Jim Beam is known for its four-year aging process to bring bourbon fans a satisfyingly smooth spirit. Seeing the Jim Beam distillery is seeing a business that began two centuries ago. You'll find them in Clermont, Kentucky where they offer tours and Kentucky hospitality.

Prohibition ended and the Shapira family got busy making bourbon. Heaven Hill Brands writes that the family was taking quite a risk. The Great Depression was at its peak, the family had no whiskey at the time, and no brand of their own. Today, something people often don't realize about Heaven Hill is that it's the largest, independent, family-owned distillery in the world today, making 19 different bourbons and whiskeys, including Evan Williams and Elijah Craig. The distillery makes a whopping 1,300 barrels a day. Hard work and a dream pay off.

Heaven Hill Distillery explains that the business began in Bardstown, Kentucky by a gentleman named William Heavenhill. The name was misspelled one time as "Heaven Hill" while filling out official paperwork as the business was being formed. It would have cost $10 to fix it, so the separated words of the name remained.

One of the Shapira brothers, Max, was once quoted as saying, "When you're in the business of making products that you can't sell for four years or longer, it takes patience and perseverance" (via Heaven Hill Distillery). It certainly does. Eventually, the Jim Beam family entered the picture and helped make Heaven Hill the world-renowned distillery it is today. You can visit this amazing place in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.

It took three different stories to merge and bring us the beloved American bourbon called Wild Turkey, according to The Whiskey Jug. It includes the Ripy family who began a distillery called Old Moore in 1850. Then the story continues with a change in name to Austin Nichols, since the Ripys merged with that distillery, and finally, in 1940 we see the first bottle that's named Wild Turkey, which Austin Nichols came up with while hunting turkeys. By the way, in 2016, Matthew McConaughey became the creative director for the distillery.

Wild Turkey prides itself in using only non-GMO corn in their mash bill (which is kept quite secretive). Bourbon Obsessed points out that Wild Turkey is a classic bourbon, delivering those bourbon notes you'd expect while also hitting your nose and palate with a surprising spiciness.

The distillery is located in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, and offers plenty of tours for Kentucky Bourbon Trail visitors. Wild Turkey writes that its new visitors' site is something to see, and it has even received several awards.

The distillery, Old Taylor, which once housed the infamous bourbon Colonel G.H. Taylor, was left abandoned until Castle and Key purchased the property and restored it into something beautiful, according to Sipping History. It was Will Arvin, in 2012, who visited the grounds of the old distillery and found roofs caving in, weeds growing wild, and, all in all, a historical place that was falling apart. He fell in love and the site for Castle and Key was born. Castle and Key is another new craft distillery, but the building and grounds that house it are full of rich history. Thanks to the restoration, tours are now happening again, and visitors hear not only the new Castle and Key story but the stories of Old Taylor as well. 

Castle and Key writes that quality is of the utmost importance to the distillery. After all, it's practically on hallowed ground. The distillery make this promise clear by encouraging customers to let them know how they feel about the bourbon and their experiences. Although this craft distillery is along the bourbon trail, Castle and Key offers more than bourbon. It also distills gin, vodka, and rye whiskey. There's something for everyone. Visit Castle and Key in Frankfort, Kentucky.