Skip to main content

The famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail adds 28 new craft distilleries to its tour

28 new craft distilleries join the 18 members previously on the tour

Kentucky Bourbon Trail

If you’re a spirits enthusiast and you’re heading to Kentucky any time soon, then one activity that is a must for your bucket list is the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Now approaching its 25th anniversary, the trail is a list of local distilleries across the state which gives you the chance to see how bourbon is made, to learn about its history, and of course to sample bourbon in all its many styles and varieties.

The official Trail previously featured 18 distilleries, but those are now being joined by 28 craft distilleries across the state, clustered around four entry points in Bardstown, Lexington, Louisville, and Northern Kentucky. The craft distilleries were previously part of an additional craft distillery tour but are now joining the main tour, welcoming visitors from across the U.S. and beyond.

Recommended Videos

With the explosion of interest in craft spirits in the last decade, people are more interested than ever in seeing inside small distilleries as well as the distilleries of well-known brands. The Trail makes it easier to visit the distilleries by offering services like transportation and accommodation for visitors, with an interactive map available online showing the previous and new distilleries included across the state. It has been a top tourist attraction in the state, bringing in millions of visitors each year.

“We knew we had something special, but we never could have dreamed it would evolve from a simple industrial tour of distilleries into an international bucket list experience filled with rare and behind-the-scenes adventures,” said Eric Gregory, president of Kentucky Distillers’ Association.

Georgina Torbet
Georgina Torbet is a cocktail enthusiast based in Berlin, with an ever-growing gin collection and a love for trying out new…
Gordon & MacPhail is releasing six rare whiskies from shuttered distilleries
These rare whiskies come from shuttered and long-forgotten whisky distilleries
Gordon & MacPhail

Fans of rare, unique single malt Scotch whiskies already know about Gordon & MacPhail's appeal. For more than 125 years and four generations, the family-owned company has matched whiskies from more than 100 different distilleries to its own bespoke casks.

Recently, the brand announced the newest release of its annual Recollection Series, which features rare single malt whiskies from shuttered or long-silent Scottish Distilleries.
The 2024 Recollection Series

Read more
Isle of Harris is releasing a new oloroso cask whisky in the US
The Hearach Oloroso Cask Matured is a great choice for sherry fans
Isle of Harris

Fans of single malt Scotch whiskies from brands like The Macallan and GlenDronach know all about the appeal of sherry-aged and finished expressions. These same whisky drinkers will be excited to learn that the Isle of Harris Distillery is releasing its second permanent expression in The Hearach single malt series, The Hearach Oloroso Cask Matured.
The Hearach Oloroso Cask Matured

It matured entirely in first-fill Oloroso sherry butts from Bodega José y Miguel Martín in Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia, Spain. The result is a lightly peated expression known for its flavor profile of candied orange peels, sweet sherry, wintry spices, candied nuts, and just a wisp of robust campfire smoke to balance everything nicely.

Read more
Famed brand Templeton is releasing a new Flagship rye whiskey
Fans of rye whiskey will be excited for Templeton's new expression
Templeton American Whiskey

Rye whiskey drinkers know all about Templeton Distillery. Located in Templeton, Iowa, the distillery is well-known for its 4-Year-Old, 6-Year-Old, and limited-release rye whiskeys (as well as bourbons). Recently, the brand added a new flagship rye whiskey called Templeton Straight Rye Whiskey to its list of expressions.
Templeton Straight Rye Whiskey

The brand is releasing Templeton Straight Rye Whiskey nationwide. It was crafted to pay tribute to the pre-prohibition era when the distillery was first founded. This complex, sipping whiskey was made with a mash bill of 95% rye and 5% malted barley. It was matured for at least four years in first-fill American oak barrels. It's bottled at 90-proof and non-chill filtered.

Read more