Bourbon Distilleries Near Lexington, KY: Drive Times and Day Routes

Quick Facts

• Pickup: your Lexington hotel or door.
• Closest: Woodford Reserve in Versailles, about 15 to 20 minutes.
• About 30 minutes: Buffalo Trace in Frankfort, Four Roses and Wild Turkey in Lawrenceburg.
• In the city: Town Branch, James E. Pepper and Barrel House, in and around the Distillery District.
• Maker's Mark: about 75 minutes to Bardstown, then about 30 more.
• Price: Private tours run $275 to $425 per person depending on group size, plus 6% KY sales tax and a 3% booking fee.

Distilleries from Lexington by Drive Time

• Woodford Reserve
• Buffalo Trace
• Wild Turkey
• Four Roses
• Maker's Mark

Sample Itineraries from Lexington

The Versailles and Frankfort Route

• Woodford Reserve, then Buffalo Trace
• Head to Woodford Reserve first (the drive through Versailles is gorgeous), then end at Buffalo Trace in Frankfort, about 25 minutes away.

The Scenic Route

• Woodford Reserve, then Wild Turkey
• Both are under 45 minutes from Lexington.

The Bourbon Nerd Route

• Four Roses, then Buffalo Trace
• Four Roses' 10 recipes appeal to the analytically-minded, while Buffalo Trace offers the history and heritage. Both are serious bourbon experiences.

Adding a horse farm

BourbonTown Tours runs private bourbon distillery tours, not farm tours, so a horse farm is not a stop inside a bourbon tour day. If a farm accepts visitors on your dates, a Transportation Only booking puts our private vehicle and driver on the plan you make: SUV for 1 to 5 guests, $100 an hour. Van for 6 to 14 guests, $150 an hour. 4-hour minimum, plus 6% KY sales tax and a 3% booking fee. Billing runs from the time our vehicle leaves our garage until it returns. See Kentucky horse farms by private vehicle.

Lexington vs Louisville: Which Base Is Better?

Our recommendation: Stay in Lexington if horse farms are a priority. Stay in Louisville for the most flexibility and best nightlife.

What we tell guests staying in Lexington

Lexington is the closest base for the Frankfort, Versailles and Lawrenceburg distilleries: Woodford Reserve about 15 to 20 minutes, Buffalo Trace about 30, Four Roses and Wild Turkey about 30. Maker's Mark is the exception. It sits about 75 minutes to Bardstown and about 30 more, so a Lexington day that includes Maker's spends most of its hours on the road. Four Roses goes on a Lexington route as a tasting rather than a tour, since the tasting is the session that walks through its ten recipes. In January and February, Woodford Reserve is closed Tuesday and Wednesday, so winter routes work around it. Blue Grass Airport is about 15 minutes from downtown.

Kentucky breweries

• Falls City Beer, Louisville
• Noble Funk Brewing, Louisville
• Ethereal Brewing, Lexington
• Country Boy Brewing, Lexington
• Scout & Scholar Brewing, Bardstown

Town Branch whiskeys

• Town Branch Single Barrel Reserve Bourbon
• Town Branch Single Barrel Reserve Rye

Frequently Asked Questions

Which distilleries are closest to Lexington?

Woodford Reserve, in Versailles, is the closest major distillery to Lexington at about 15 to 20 minutes. Buffalo Trace in Frankfort and Wild Turkey and Four Roses in Lawrenceburg are each about 30 minutes away. Inside the city, James E. Pepper and Barrel House sit in the Distillery District, with Town Branch a few blocks away downtown.

Is Lexington or Louisville better for bourbon tours?

It depends on your priorities. Lexington puts you closer to Woodford Reserve, the Frankfort distilleries and horse country, with a smaller-city feel. Louisville has more dining and nightlife, a downtown distillery row, and Bardstown about 50 minutes away. We pick up in either city, so choose the base that suits the rest of your trip.

Can I visit a horse farm on the same trip?

Lexington is the Horse Capital of the World, but BourbonTown Tours runs private distillery tours, not farm tours. If a farm accepts visitors on your dates, a Transportation Only booking puts our private vehicle and driver on the plan you make: SUV for 1 to 5 guests, $100 an hour. Van for 6 to 14 guests, $150 an hour. 4-hour minimum, plus 6% KY sales tax and a 3% booking fee. Billing runs from the time our vehicle leaves our garage until it returns.

How many distilleries can I visit in one day from Lexington?

Custom tours from Lexington typically run three stops, and we can add or subtract on your planning call. Woodford Reserve, Buffalo Trace, Wild Turkey and Four Roses are fairly close together, making multi-stop days efficient.

Can I visit Maker's Mark from Lexington?

You can, but it is a long road day. From Lexington the drive runs about 75 minutes to Bardstown and about 30 more to Maker's Mark, so a day built around it spends most of its hours in the vehicle. Lexington guests get more tasting time from Woodford Reserve, Buffalo Trace, Four Roses and Wild Turkey, all within about 30 minutes.

Are Lexington-area distilleries open in winter?

Yes, with one closure to plan around. In January and February, Woodford Reserve, the closest major distillery to Lexington, is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Winter routes work around it on those days with Buffalo Trace, Four Roses or Wild Turkey, each about 30 minutes from Lexington. At Four Roses we book the tasting rather than the tour, because that is where the ten-recipe system gets explained.