Bourbon Trail is one of the great American road trips

June 23, 3:07 PMCorvette ExaminerMark Leevan

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        Bourbon Trail - a Great American Road Trip  

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail in central Kentucky is truly one of the great American road trips. 

In the middle of the beautiful rolling hills of the Bluegrass State is the heart of Bourbon making. Bourbon Whiskey can only be made in Kentucky, and the eight distilleries that produce the world's Bourbon Whiskey make up the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Louisville or Lexington, Kentucky or Nashville, Tennessee are the closest airports if the first leg of your great American road trip needs to start by plane.

You can experience for yourself the magic and the mystery of the Kentucky Bourbon Master Distiller's craft. The process is mostly unchanged from 200 years ago.

Depending on how much time you spend at each distillery, your road trip can last a day or a week.

The Kentucky Bourbon Trail was picked by the Travel Channel as one of their Manly Man Adventures.

View Kentucky Bourbon Trail in a larger map

Here are the stops on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail - a great American road trip:

• Buffalo Trace: 1001 Wilkinson Blvd., Frankfort, Ky. 800-654-8471, www.buffalotrace.com. Tours: On the hour, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Mon.-Fri., 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sat. Closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s days.

I-64 to Frankfort. Take US 60 west (exit 58) and continue straight about 5 miles. Look for the water tower and the mansion on the hill. The distillery entrance is directly below the mansion.

• Four Roses: 1224 Bonds Mill Road, Lawrenceburg, Ky. 502-839-3436, www.fourroses.us. Tours: On the hour, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Mon.-Sat. No tours Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s days.

• Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center: 1311 Gilkey Run Road, Bardstown, Ky. 502-337-1000, www.bourbonheritagecenter.com. Tours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Tue.-Sat., year-round; noon-4 p.m. Sun., March through December. Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day.

From Louisville: I-65 south to exit 112, Hwy. 245 east to Bardstown, Hwy. 31 south to center of town, go 3/4 around courthouse onto 150 east to Hwy. 49 south. The Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center is located on the right, just past the corporate offices.
From Lexington: Bluegrass Parkway west to Bardstown exit, west on U.S. 150 to Hwy. 49 south. The Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center is located on the right, just past the corporate offices.

• Historic Tom Moore: 300 Barton Road, Bardstown, Ky. 502-348-3774, www.cspirits.com. Tours: 9:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri. by appointment only.

• Jim Beam: 149 Happy Hollow Road, Clermont, Ky. 502-543-9877, www.jimbeam.com. Tours: 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat., 1-4 p.m. Sun. (no sales or samples). Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Sundays in January and February.

Located approximately 25 miles south of Louisville, KY

From I-65 Take exit 112 (Bardstown/ Bernheim Forest) to Hwy. 245. Go east 1.5 miles, turn left
on Happy Hollow Rd. (Jim Beam sign on the right). Follow signage to Jim Beam American Outpost. From Bardstown: Take Hwy. 245 west for 13 miles. Turn right on Happy Hollow Rd. (Jim Beam sign on the left). Follow signage to Jim Beam American Outpost.

Jim Beam has announced a major renovation of their visitor center, upping the bar for visitor centers and making the Bourbon Tour even more exciting.

“As the first stop from Louisville on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, we want to offer our visitors the best experience possible,” said Jim Beam Noe, great-grandson of Jim Beam and head of the Visitors’ Experience project. “The Visitors’ Experience allows our guests to become a part of the Jim Beam family by taking an up-close and personal look at my family’s business in the bourbon industry.

• Maker’s Mark: 3350 Burks Spring Road, Loretto, Ky. 270-865-2099, www.makersmark.com. Tours: Every hour on the half-hour from 10:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat. and 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30 on Sun. Closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Sundays in January and February.

From Louisville: I-65 south, exit 112, Hwy. 245 east to Bardstown, US 150 east through center of Bardstown to KY 49 south to Loretto, follow brown signs.
From Lexington: Blue Grass Pkwy. West to Bardstown exit, west on US 150 to KY 49 south to Loretto, follow brown signs. Approximately 30 minutes from Bardstown.

• Wild Turkey: 1525 Tyrone Road, Lawrenceburg, Ky. 502-839-4544, www.wildturkey.com. Tours: 9 and 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 and 2:30 p.m. Mon.-Sat. Closed all major holidays.

From Louisville: I-64 east to KY 151 south to US 127 south to US 62 east to distillery.
From Lexington: US 60 west to Versailles, US 62 west to distillery.

• Woodford Reserve: 7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles, Ky. 859-879-1812, www.woodfordreserve.com. Tours: 10 and 11 a.m. and 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Tue.-Sat.; 1, 2 and 3 p.m. Sundays from April to October. Closed major holidays.

 Anyone interested in touring these fine distilleries, as well as other famous sites, such as the Chapeze House should check out www.entourage-management.com. They will be taking anyone interested along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail as well as a few stops to see Kentucky’s legendary thoroughbreds. Fun, laughter and the best bourbon you’ve ever tastes is waiting for you!

Enjoying the Kentucky Bourbon Trail by car as part of your great American road trip should include a visit to the National Corvette Museum in Bowling Green, Kentucky - the only place in the world where Corvettes are made - and one of the legendary horse farms near Lexington, Kentucky.