Thirsty? Here are 8 Kentucky bourbon makers to tour in Lexington this summer

While some big-name distilleries may have tours sold out for the summer, you don’t have to travel far to experience some of the best bourbon Kentucky has to offer.

There are eight bourbon makers set right within Lexington limits that make an excellent outing or evening excursion, and each of them has something unique to offer and taste.

Bluegrass Distillers Downtown, for example, is a bit of a “hidden gem,” tucked behind West Sixth Brewing, said marketing director Maggie Young.

“The great thing about our downtown location is you can see everything done on a very small scale,” she said. “A lot of times when I go to a big distillery, it can be very overwhelming. At our Lexington location, everything is old-school and small-scale, so it’s easy to grasp. It’s all done for us in about 2,000 square feet.”

Bluegrass Distillers is also finishing construction on a large distillery at their Elkwood Farm site in Midway, which is set to open for tours in late July.

Other spots in Lexington have fun things to try, too, like the cocktails at Barrel House Distilling Co.’s Elkhorn Tavern, hand-bottling a personalized blend at Dark Arts Whiskey House, or taking a mixology class at Fresh Bourbon Distillery.

Young said people coming to Lexington for conferences or for Keeneland “still want that bourbon experience — and they can get it all within two miles of downtown.”

Barrel House Distilling Co.

1200 Manchester St.; 859-259-0159; barrelhousedistillery.com

Located in the barreling house of the old Pepper Distillery in historic Lexington, this distillery offers an hour-long tour and tasting for just $10. Barrel House makes award-winning spirits such as RockCastle and Barrel House Select bourbons, Barrel House rum, Oak rum, Devil John Moonshine, Devil John Darkshine and Pure Blue Vodka.

While you’re there, stop by the lounge and taproom, Elkhorn Tavern, for inventive cocktails, other spirits, beer and wine along with light bar bites like a pulled pork barbecue sandwich ($14), distiller’s charcuterie board ($16-$28) or buffalo chicken dip ($10.)

Barrel House also is building a $1.8 million distillery in Cynthiana that will be on the Moonshine Trail and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail when it opens sometime in 2024.

Bluegrass Distillers Downtown

501 W. Sixth St.; 859-217-2377; bluegrassdistillers.com

Established in 2012, this downtown distillery has since grown to include Elkwood Farm in nearby Midway, where corn is actually grown on-site. Park off of Bellaire Avenue and use the Legacy Trail to access this distillery, which is nestled right behind West Sixth Brewing. You can tour the bright, white-washed brick distillery and sample current flagship products for about $16.50. The intimate downtown site is still operational and produces a single barrel a day.

While you’re there, you may spot a black-and-white tuxedo cat strolling around like he owns the place. His name is Tipsy and he is a treasured employee.

Bespoken Spirits

109 W. Loudon Ave.; bespokenspirits.com

Bespoken Spirits just moved its new headquarters last month and opened a new site at Greyline Station, and you’ll want to put it on your list. This innovative California-founded bourbon maker is known for its cutting-edge approach to aging, which is described as “Tailored-Wood Finishing,” and allows a hand-selected range of bespoke flavors to fuse into its whiskey.

Bespoken Spirits was even featured in the New York Times a few years ago.

Bespoken Spirits is home to Hell House Whiskey, made in collaboration with Lynyrd Skynyrd.

According to a news release, this distillery has won more than 150 medals in spirits competitions through spirit rectifying.

Dark Arts Whiskey House

203 Lisle Industrial Ave.; 859-559-9665; darkartswhiskey.com

This blending, rebarreling and finishing house in downtown Lexington proves the process is “anything but ordinary.” Here you’ll find custom blends aged in unconventional barrels to create unique and elevated whiskeys, like a bourbon whiskey finished with toasted French oak staves.

Try whiskey straight from the cask or hand-fill and hand-bottle your own personalized blend. There’s also a barrel pick program and a brand-new product that started as a warehouse joke: a “blunt blend” whiskey made to pair with marijuana.

Fresh Bourbon Distillery

377 E. Main St.; 859-327-2127; freshbourbon.com

Fresh Bourbon was added to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail’s Craft Tour in November, and it’s worth a peek. One of the first Black-owned labels in Kentucky, Fresh Bourbon makes a 95-proof “gently sweet and approachable” bourbon with flavors of vanilla, brown sugar, oak smoke and nuttiness.

Book a mixology cocktail experience in a tasting room complete with crystal chandeliers for $25. This unique bourbon experience begins with a sensory component and guides visitors through making their own cocktail.

James E. Pepper Distillery

1228 Manchester St.; 859-309-3230; jamesepepper.com

This historic distillery was revitalized after 50 years of abandonment and began distilling again in 2017. Visit the distillery for a $20 guided tour that includes time in the distillery museum, a tour of the working distillery, a tasting of award-winning whiskeys and a complimentary tasting glass. Stop by the bar for neat pours and cocktails to enjoy either at the bar or on the patio. Products include the “1776” straight rye 100 proof, “1776” straight bourbon 100 proof and decanter barrel-proof Kentucky straight bourbon.

Bonus: The rest of the former Pepper Distillery campus is filled with restaurants, bars and other business, including Barrel House Distillery, RD1 Distillery (for now), Wise Bird Cider and Ethereal Brewing.

Lexington Brewing and Distilling Co.

401 Cross St.; 859-255-2337; lexingtonbrewingco.com

Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. boasts holds a special honor as the only brewery and distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Check out the visitor center and taproom for signature cocktails, beers on tap and flights of spirits and beer. You can also book hourly brewery and distillery tours ($13), a 60-minute mixology demonstration and cocktail experience ($21.20.) Private tours also available. Visitors 21 and up will receive four tasting tokens to use in the brewery or distillery.

This distillery and brewery, which is the largest craft brewer in Kentucky, is owned by Alltech, the Nicholasville-based global animal nutrition additive company founded by the late Pearse Lyons.

Flagship products include Kentucky Old Fashioned Ale, “Bourbonola” Bourbon and cherry cola mix, Kentucky Tangerine Cream ale, and Town Branch Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey bottled at cask strength.

RD1 Spirits

1170 Manchester St., Suite 190; 859-407-2827; rd1spirits.com

This distillery was started in 2020 by modern-day entrepreneurs inspired by the great distillers of old, but asking “what’s next” for the future of bourbon. You can try a flight of four different bourbons at the RD1 Kentucky Bourbon Experience for $15 or bottle your own bourbon directly from a barrel of flagship or experimental bourbon for $45.

Big things are coming for RD1 later this year, too. In January, RD1 announced plans for a $5 million brand destination, RD1 Distillery at The Commons, off of Leestown Road. The new distillery location, which should open in the fall, will serve as the anchor tenant of The Commons, Lexington’s newest entertainment district. The destination will include interactive experiences, a fermentation-to-distillation tour, four private tasting rooms, a glass-enclosed R&D lab for wood finishing, a VIP tasting room, a craft cocktail bar, gift shop and more.

Fun fact: University of Kentucky football coach Mark Stoops is a partner in this distillery.