On the Road in Kentucky Visiting Bardstown, Frankfort & Lexington Distillers

by  on  in Imbiber, Wandering Traveler

Recently catching up on new restaurants, bars, and breakfast spots in Louisville during my second visit in two years, I also trekked to eight distilleries from Bardstown to Lexington, a mixture of “the big guys” (Heaven Hill, Buffalo Trace) alongside small batch, craft distillers, including Kentucky Bourbon Distillers/Willet, Limestone Branch, Town Branch, and Barrel House Distilling Co. Here’s a photo journey through my two days of distillery road tripping during a snowy March in Kentucky.

Snowy, grey March countryside in Bourbon Country
Buffalo Trace, maker of Evan Williams, Pappy Van Winkle, etc.
Mist & rain cast a spell over the Buffalo Trace grounds
Buffalo Trace log cabins dot the grounds, going back to 200+ years
Elmer T. Lee Clubhouse, built in 1935, named after the legendary master distiller
Front porch rocking chairs of the Elmer T. Lee Clubhouse
Drinking with Pappy: tasting Single Oak Project barrels with Buffalo Trace’s Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley in Frankfort, KY
Tasting various barrels from Buffalo Trace’s Single Oak Project with Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley in the Master Distillers Room
Traditional alembic still at Limestone Branch Distillery in Lebanon, KY
Limestone Branch is run by gracious brothers, Steve & Paul Beam (yes, related to THAT Beam)
Limestone Branch produces award-winning moon & sugar shine
Visiting KBD (Kentucky Bourbon Distillers), home of Willett, Rowan’s Creek, Noah’s Mill, Johnny Drum, etc.
Storing barrels at KBD
Willett Rye barrels at KBD
Willett Master Distiller, Drew Kulsveen
Open air fermentation in process at KBD
KBD’s beautiful copper still
In Bardstown: rickhouses of Heaven Hill distillery
The many brands made at Heaven Hill
Barrels of Bernheim Original at Heaven Hill
Tasting room inside a giant barrel at Heaven Hill
Tasting newcomers & rarities at Heaven Hill
Heaven Hill’s extensive bottling lines
Old school copper pot still over open flame at Barrel House Distillery in Lexington
Cozy Barrel House tasting room where they distill rum, bourbon, moonshine, vodka
Visiting Alltech’s Town Branch distillery in Lexington
Alltech’s immaculate whiskey distilling space