How to Book a Private Kentucky Bourbon Tour

Start with your dates and headcount

To book a private bourbon tour with BourbonTown Tours, send your dates, headcount, pickup city and the distilleries you want most through the form, or call 1-844-BOURBON. We reply the same day between 8 AM and 8 PM Eastern, build the route, and a deposit reserves your date. Book 2 to 4 months ahead, or earlier for fall and spring weekends. For how a custom day comes together with BourbonTown Tours, see custom private bourbon tours.

Booking Quick Facts

• How to book: the form on this page or 1-844-BOURBON.
• Reply time: same day between 8 AM and 8 PM Eastern; requests after 8 PM get a reply the next morning.
• Rate: set by headcount, from $425 per person for two guests to $275 per person for ten or more, with 6% KY sales tax and a 3% booking fee added.
• To reserve: a deposit reserves your date.
• Lead time: 2 to 4 months most of the year, earlier for fall and spring weekends, 4 to 6 months for Derby week.
• Buffalo Trace: reach out at least 10 weeks ahead.
• Pickup: named in your quote: your hotel, rental or front door in Louisville, Bardstown or Lexington, with airport pickup on request.

Crafting Your Personal Bourbon Adventure

Planning a private bourbon tour allows you to customize your experience and tailor it to your personal preferences. It’s an opportunity to create an adventure that reflects your interests and desires. Here are some tips for crafting your perfect personal bourbon adventure:

Choose the Distilleries

The first step in creating your personal bourbon adventure is selecting which distilleries you want to visit. With so many options in Kentucky, it can be overwhelming to narrow down the choices. Consider what types of bourbons you enjoy or want to learn more about, as well as any specific experiences you’re looking for. Custom tours typically run three stops, and we can add or subtract on your planning call.

Plan Your Route

Once you have chosen the distilleries you want to visit, it’s time to plan your route. Our private tours are built around five driving clusters: Louisville, Bardstown and beyond, Frankfort and Versailles, Lawrenceburg, and Lexington. Take into account the location of each distillery and how much time you want to spend at each one. You may also want to consider restaurants along the way that align with your interests.

Choose Special Experiences

To personalize your bourbon day, consider the experiences some distilleries run beyond the standard tour. Standard distillery experiences are included; premium and VIP add-ons are quoted on your planning call. At Maker’s Mark the visit is covered, and the bottle you dip is one you buy. On the Knob Creek line, the bottle is bought separately. We book distillery tickets once your tour is confirmed.

Add Some Variety

While visiting multiple distilleries is a must for any bourbon lover’s tour, don’t be afraid to mix things up. Churchill Downs, Keeneland and the Louisville Slugger Museum are stops you can add to a private bourbon day. Horse farms, breweries, wineries, museums and other attractions are not stops inside a bourbon tour day: if one 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.

Leave Room for Spontaneity

No matter how much planning goes into crafting your personal bourbon adventure, leave room for some spontaneity. You never know what lesser-known stops you may come across or what recommendations you might receive from locals along the way. Let yourself be open to new experiences and go with the flow.

Booking a private bourbon tour allows you to create a one-of-a-kind experience that caters to your interests and preferences. With careful planning and an openness to adventure, your private bourbon tour will be built around your group.

Bourbon Tour: Getting Started

Booking a private bourbon tour may seem like a daunting task, but with the right steps and information, it can be a smooth and enjoyable process.

Determine Your Budget

The first step in booking any trip is to set a budget. With BourbonTown Tours, private tours run $275 to $425 per person depending on group size, plus 6% KY sales tax and a 3% booking fee. The rate covers everything except lunch and driver gratuity. A deposit reserves your date. Your quote includes the full details.

Choose Your Base

We pick you up at your hotel or door in Louisville, Bardstown or Lexington; see private bourbon tours from Louisville, from Bardstown and from Lexington.

Select Your Group Size

Private bourbon tours are ideal for groups of friends or family who want an intimate experience without being part of a larger group. Consider how many people will be joining you on the tour as this will affect pricing and availability. Our fleet covers an Audi A8 sedan for up to 3 guests, a GMC Yukon Denali SUV for 1 to 5, and for 6 to 14 guests a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van (seats 14) or Ford Transit vans (seat 14). Groups over 14 travel in multiple vehicles or a bus or motor coach we contract.

Ask About Customization Options

Every BourbonTown Tours tour is private to your group, never mixed with strangers, and built to your requests. If there are particular distilleries or activities that you would like to include in your private tour, mention them when you request your quote.

Book in Advance

Lead times follow the season: Derby week 4 to 6 months; the Bourbon Festival in mid-September 6 months or more; fall and spring weekends earlier; the rest of the year 2 to 4 months; we can sometimes build a day on a week's notice, but distillery tours may already be full. If Buffalo Trace matters to you, reach out at least 10 weeks ahead.

By following these steps, you can start planning your private bourbon tour.

What we ask first, and why

The first thing we ask is where you are sleeping, because the base city decides which distilleries sit closest. From Louisville, Bardstown is about 50 minutes and Frankfort and Versailles about 60. From Lexington, Woodford Reserve is about 15 to 20 minutes and Buffalo Trace about 30. The second thing we ask is the one distillery that matters most, because Buffalo Trace needs at least 10 weeks of notice and Maker's Mark and Buffalo Trace rarely share a day. Pickup time comes last, because it varies by itinerary and is set once the route is set.

Distillery Tickets and Reservations

On a private tour with BourbonTown Tours, you do not need to contact the distilleries yourself. We book distillery tickets once your tour is confirmed, and distillery tickets are included in the rate. Bottles are always yours to buy.

Sunday hours are shorter and vary by distillery. If your date is a Sunday, say so on the form, because it changes the tickets we request: the day gets two stops around a sit-down lunch, or three if your group takes a box lunch. A Bardstown-side Sunday cannot include Willett, which does not open that day, and Heaven Hill's Sunday window runs only from 1 to 5 PM.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions. Distillery employees are often passionate about their craft and love sharing their knowledge with visitors. Inquire about the history of the distillery, their production process, and any special events or releases they have coming up.

Customizing Your Experience

When booking a private bourbon tour, one of the biggest advantages is the ability to customize your experience. That means the route, the stops and the pace are set by your group.

Choose Your Distilleries

With so many distilleries in Kentucky, choosing which ones to visit can be overwhelming. However, with a private bourbon tour, you have the freedom to pick and choose which distilleries you want to include in your itinerary. Do some research beforehand and make a short list of the distilleries you want most, based on their history, flavors, or special events during your visit.

Plan Your Activities

Besides touring distilleries and tasting different bourbons, there are other activities that can enhance your experience. For example, some distilleries offer behind-the-scenes access to see how bourbon is made, or hands-on experiences such as filling your own bottle (the bottle is bought separately). You could also plan stops at local restaurants known for their bourbon-infused dishes.

Transportation

On every private tour, BourbonTown Tours picks you up and drops you off at your hotel in our own vehicle with a driver, so nobody in your group drives after tastings. If you only want the vehicle and driver for a plan you make yourself, Transportation Only 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 bourbon tour transportation.

By following these steps and communicating your preferences clearly, you can create a personalized and memorable private bourbon tour that caters specifically to your group’s interests and needs. So start planning.

Frequently Asked Questions