Your Trip to Lexington: The Complete Guide SEE FULL GUIDE prev next Nightlife Guide Best Time to Visit Weather & Climate Lexington Blue Grass Airport Guide Best Hotels Getting Around Best Day Trips 48-Hour Itinerary Top Things to Do The Best Hikes Where to Go Shopping Complete Guide to Kentucky Horse Park Best Museums Top Parks to Visit Best Horse Farms Foods to Try Best Restaurants Best Distilleries Your Trip to Lexington: The Complete Guide close Overview United States Kentucky The 6 Best Distilleries to Visit in Lexington, Kentucky By Taylor McIntyre Taylor McIntyre Senior Visual Editor Instagram Taylor McIntyre has been the Visual Editor at TripSavvy since October 2018. She photographs and writes about a variety of locations for the site. TripSavvy's editorial guidelines Published on 03/23/22 TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre When people think of Kentucky, they think of whiskey, but not just any whiskey. This is bourbon country—and Kentucky's legacy is well earned. There are more whiskey barrels in Kentucky than there are people, with more than 7 million barrels of the brown stuff compared to just 4.5 million people. People from all over come to experience the famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail, and Lexington is an integral stop along that trail. Home to 14 distilleries, including the renowned Woodford Reserve and smaller family-run distilleries, Lexington is a must-stop to learn about (and drink) whiskey. Here's where to go. 01 of 06 James E. Pepper Distillery TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre This Lexington staple first began distilling in 1779 during the American Revolution. However, it shut down during the 1960s when the bourbon industry experienced a recession. In 2017, the brand was able to reopen in its original home distillery, which is located in the now popular distillery district. You can tour the site and taste their award-winning "1776" rye whiskey. It's also a great location to check out other local spots like Ethereal Brewing and Crank and Boom Ice Cream, which are both next door. View Map Address 1228 Manchester St #100, Lexington, KY 40504, USA Get directions Phone +1 859-309-3230 Web Visit website 02 of 06 Woodford Reserve Courtesy of Woodford Reserve Woodford Reserve is perhaps the most well-known distillery out of Lexington. This site began distilling back in 1812 and is now considered a National Historic Landmark. Now that Woodford has perfected making bourbon, this distillery focuses its future on making the practice more sustainable. More than 98 percent of all waste material is recycled, 10 acres of land are dedicated to native species conservation, and 97 percent of all food scraps are composted. This tour takes guests through the past and future of bourbon distilling and allows them to taste all their favorites along the way. View Map Address 7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles, KY 40383, USA Get directions Phone +1 859-879-1812 Web Visit website 03 of 06 Buffalo Trace Distillery TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre Located in Frankfort, Buffalo Trace is one of the most popular distillery tours in the Lexington area, and it's easy to see why. As one of the oldest continuously running operations in the country (one of the few that lasted through prohibition), Buffalo Trace is also unique in that it keeps the mash for its products top secret. (However, the distillery's website has a simulator for guests to make up their own mash and test out different combinations.) While Buffalo Trace is their flagship brand, the distillery is also home to several other well-known brands, including cult-favorite Van Winkle, Sazerac Rye, and E.H. Taylor. View Map Address 113 Great Buffalo Trce, Frankfort, KY 40601, USA Get directions Phone +1 866-729-3722 Web Visit website 04 of 06 Town Branch Distillery Courtesy of Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company Town Branch Distillery is a part of the larger Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company. So if you’re not the biggest fan of whiskey or just craving something different between all your bourbon tastings, you can explore the brewery side! It’s one of the few distilleries in the world that doubles as a brewery. With 13 different beers, eight other liquors, and their most recent line-up of hard teas, everyone will find a favorite beverage. Town Branch is also located in downtown Lexington, making it one of the most accessible distilleries to visit. View Map Address 401 Cross St, Lexington, KY 40508-2806, USA Get directions Phone +1 859-255-2337 Web Visit website Continue to 5 of 6 below. 05 of 06 Castle & Key Distillery TripSavvy / Taylor McIntyre Castle & Key might be one of the newer distilleries in Lexington, but the brand itself holds important bourbon history. Formerly the Old Taylor Distillery, the ruins included limestone castle and old railroad tracks left abandoned and falling apart until 2014. The new owners have refurbished the historic buildings and created an outdoor space that is free and open to all visitors. This back patio sits along a river and includes a botanical walk and a bar serving up Castle and Key cocktails. The Manhattan comes highly recommended! View Map Address 4445 McCracken Pike, Frankfort, KY 40601, USA Get directions Phone +1 502-395-9070 Web Visit website 06 of 06 Four Roses Distillery Courtesy of Four Roses Distillery Four Roses is a veteran in the distilling world, making whiskey since 1888. It's unique because it's the only distillery with five different yeast strains and two different mashes, ultimately coming together in 10 different bourbon recipes, later mixed by hand to create their flagship bourbon. Four Roses offer tours that take guests through their complex process and a visitor center where you can enjoy a tasting or a Four Roses original cocktail. View Map Address 1224 Bonds Mill Rd, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342, USA Get directions Phone +1 502-839-3436 Web Visit website Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Share Pin Email Tell us why! Submit Share Pin Email