Castle and Key Distillery sits at 4445 McCracken Pike in Frankfort, Kentucky, on the grounds of the original Old Taylor Distillery built by Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. in 1887. It is the most architecturally striking property on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, with a castle-style limestone distillery building, a restored sunken garden modeled after Windsor Castle’s grounds, a 19th-century springhouse, a Gothic-style yeast tower, and a botanical trail running along Glenns Creek. The distillery is open Wednesday through Sunday and produces bourbon, rye, and gin. BourbonTown Tours pairs Castle and Key with Buffalo Trace and Woodford Reserve for a complete Frankfort-region day. This guide covers the full history of the property, every experience available in 2026, what you can do without a tour reservation, and how to build the day.
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Castle and Key Quick Facts
| Address | 4445 McCracken Pike, Frankfort, KY 40601 |
| Days Open | Wednesday through Sunday |
| Monday and Tuesday | Closed |
| Visitor Hours | Wed to Sat 10:30am to 4pm; Sun 11am to 4pm |
| Taylorton Station Bar | Apr to Nov: Wed to Sat 10:30am to 4:30pm, Sun 12pm to 4:30pm; Dec to Mar: Thu to Sat 10:30am to 3:30pm, Sun 11am to 3:30pm |
| Parking | Free, on-site guest parking lot |
| Tours | Advance reservation required; online booking via AnyRoad |
| Groups over 12 | Email experience@castleandkey.com |
| Age for tours | 21 and over with valid ID |
| From Louisville | Approximately 55 to 65 minutes |
| From Lexington | Approximately 30 to 40 minutes |
| From Buffalo Trace | Under 30 minutes |
| From Woodford Reserve | Under 30 minutes |
The History: Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. and the Old Taylor Distillery
Castle and Key is the restored Old Taylor Distillery, built in 1887 by Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr. on a site chosen specifically for its limestone springs. Taylor was already a defining figure in Kentucky bourbon at that point, and he built this facility as something no distillery had tried before: a showplace designed as much for hospitality and tourism as for production.
Taylor modeled the main distillery building on European castle architecture, with thick limestone walls, towers, and rooflines built to impress visitors and signal premium quality in an era when every other distillery was a purely industrial operation. He commissioned the sunken garden to mirror the gardens at Windsor Castle, intended for strolling guests and lavish outdoor events. The springhouse was constructed directly over the limestone water source Taylor considered essential to the bourbon, and a Gothic-style octagonal tower was added around 1909 as a dedicated yeast laboratory, reflecting his commitment to scientific production control.
Taylor added a richly appointed administrative building around 1905 and an ornate bottling house in 1906, using them in advertising to signal modernity and prestige. The site operated through Taylor’s era and under subsequent owners before shutting down in 1972. Decades of abandonment left the castle building, gardens, tower, and industrial structures buried under heavy overgrowth and in deep disrepair. When Castle and Key’s founders purchased the property in 2014, they found the sunken garden completely invisible under vegetation and most structures at serious risk of collapse.
The Restoration Story
The Castle and Key restoration began in 2014 and ran for four years before the distillery opened to visitors in September 2018. The team cleared overgrowth, stabilized and rebuilt critical structures, and repurposed industrial spaces as hospitality venues. Warehouse B was rebuilt and now holds more than 35,000 barrels. Warehouse E was reconstructed with modern ricks to hold over 60,000 barrels. The sunken garden was restored by landscape designer Jon Carloftis and is now an active event and hospitality space.
Clear spirits, including gin and other seasonal releases, were the first Castle and Key products, launched in April 2018 to generate revenue while the whiskey aged. Restoration Rye, the first aged whiskey from the new team, came in December 2020. Castle and Key Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey launched in March 2022, the first bourbon distilled and released from this property in nearly 50 years.
The restoration narrative is visible throughout the property. Visitors see before-and-after contrasts at every turn: the Warehouse A ruins garden, the restored Boiler Room retail space, the stabilized castle building alongside still-visible evidence of decades of abandonment. The story of loss and revival is built into the physical experience of the visit in a way no other distillery on the trail can replicate.
What Castle and Key Produces
Castle and Key produces four distinct spirit categories, which makes it one of the most diverse producers on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.
Bourbon: Castle and Key Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is the flagship. Additional limited cask-strength and small-batch releases appear throughout the year.
Rye: Restoration Rye is the core aged whiskey, representing the first aged release after the relaunch and named to reflect the restoration mission of the property.
Gin: Castle and Key has built a serious gin program using botanicals grown or mirrored on the property, many of which are visible along the Botanical Trail. The gin portfolio has become a signature offering and the distillery attracts visitors specifically for the gin alongside bourbon and rye enthusiasts.
Clear spirits: The distillery still releases seasonal clear spirits annually, including limited runs that are popular with visitors who want something outside the standard bourbon trail purchase. These were the original products that kept the operation running during the aging period.
For groups that include non-bourbon drinkers, Castle and Key handles the day better than almost any other Kentucky distillery. The gin and clear spirits give everyone something to engage with.
Every Experience Available at Castle and Key in 2026
Castle and Key’s primary guided offering is The Distillery Experience, which covers the production areas, the historic grounds, and a tasting of Castle and Key spirits. All guided experiences are for guests 21 and over with valid ID. Groups larger than 12 must contact the experiences team in advance for private arrangements.
Tours run Wednesday through Sunday during visitor center hours. The distillery recommends advance booking for all tour slots, particularly on weekends and during peak season. Walk-in tour spots may be available if capacity remains but the booking page should be treated as the reliable path.
When you visit Castle and Key through BourbonTown Tours, all distillery fees are included in your per-person rate of $275 to $425 depending on group size. You pay one price and we handle every reservation, every tasting fee, and all logistics.
Tell us your dates and we will build your Frankfort-region day.
The Distillery Experience
Duration: 1 to 2 hours including tasting.
A guided tour of the production areas and historic grounds followed by a tasting of Castle and Key spirits. The route covers key historic features including the castle distillery building, the springhouse, and portions of the production facility. The tasting introduces the bourbon, rye, and gin portfolio.
Budget time beyond the official tour duration. The grounds warrant more than a quick walk between stops. The sunken garden, the botanical trail along Glenns Creek, and the architectural details of the castle building reward the group that takes its time. We always tell groups: do not schedule another distillery starting within 45 minutes of finishing at Castle and Key. The grounds will keep you longer than you planned.
Book 2 to 3 weeks ahead for weekend visits. Weekday slots typically have better availability within 1 to 2 weeks.
What You Can Do at Castle and Key Without a Tour Reservation
The grounds, botanical trail, sunken garden, Taylorton Station, and Boiler Room retail store are all accessible without a tour reservation during operating hours.
Taylorton Station is the on-site bar serving cocktails, neat pours, and non-alcoholic drinks. It sits at the arrival point of the property and is the natural gathering spot before or after a tour. The Counter 17 walk-up outdoor cafe operates seasonally for beer, wine, cocktails, and flights. The bar hours follow a seasonal schedule: April through November, open Wednesday through Sunday; December through March, open Thursday through Sunday with shorter hours.
The Boiler Room Retail Store sells Castle and Key spirits, locally crafted goods, and branded merchandise in a restored industrial space that once powered the original distillery. It is open during all visitor center hours without a reservation.
The Botanical Trail runs approximately a quarter mile around the springhouse with creek views, connecting to Taylorton Station and showcasing the herbs and botanicals used in the gin program. It is open during operating hours at no charge.
The Sunken Garden is accessible during operating hours. Visitors who arrive without a tour reservation and spend an hour in the garden and along the creek, with cocktails from Taylorton Station, consistently describe a complete Castle and Key experience. The architecture and grounds are the story here as much as the production.
How BourbonTown Tours Builds a Castle and Key Day
Castle and Key sits within 30 minutes of both Buffalo Trace and Woodford Reserve. The Frankfort cluster is the most geographically tight bourbon day available anywhere on the trail. Three stops, all under 30 minutes from each other, each with a distinct story and production profile.
Buffalo Trace is the oldest continuously operating distillery in America with the most recognizable allocated bottles. Woodford Reserve is the Kentucky Derby’s official bourbon with copper pot stills found nowhere else in the state. Castle and Key is a 19th-century showplace distillery restored from 50 years of abandonment, producing bourbon, rye, and gin on the same grounds Taylor built to transform the industry.
The sequence changes based on what is available. Buffalo Trace tour tickets release every Wednesday at 10am and sell out in under two minutes. Woodford runs Wednesday through Sunday. Castle and Key runs Wednesday through Sunday. Which of the three gets a full tour and which gets a grounds-and-bar visit depends entirely on what slots are open on your specific dates.
BourbonTown Tours checks availability across all three before building your itinerary. We know that Castle and Key rewards more time than the tour alone and we build that buffer in. We know that Buffalo Trace without a tour still delivers the grounds, the tasting room, and the allocated bottle purchase. We sequence the day to protect the experiences that matter most to your group and adjust in real time if anything changes.
Request a free quote for your Frankfort-region day. Or call 1-844-BOURBON.
Practical Logistics
Castle and Key is closed Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday through Saturday hours run 10:30am to 4pm with the bar open until 4:30pm in season. Sunday hours are 11am to 4pm with bar until 4:30pm in season. Confirm bar hours before visiting as they shift between the April through November and December through March seasonal schedules.
The property dates to 1887 and the terrain reflects that. Some areas are hilly and uneven. The distillery can provide golf cart assistance and a wheelchair by advance request. Guests with mobility considerations should contact the Hospitality Team before arriving.
All guided experiences require guests to be 21 or over with valid government-issued ID. Minors are welcome in the outdoor public spaces and must be supervised. No children or infants on the guided tours.
Outside alcohol is not permitted on the property. Guests may bring picnic food but not outside beverages. Smoking and vaping are allowed only in designated areas near the guest parking lot and near Glenns Creek. Service animals only, no pets.
Professional photography requires a prior appointment, a signed agreement, and a fee, and must be scheduled outside operating hours. Standard personal photography is welcome throughout the property.
What Visitors Say About Castle and Key
The architecture and grounds are the most consistent praise in recent reviews. Visitors who have done multiple Kentucky Bourbon Trail stops describe Castle and Key as the most visually distinctive property on the trail by a significant margin. The castle building, the sunken garden, the Gothic tower, and the creek views produce a physical environment unlike any other distillery in Kentucky.
The guides receive strong consistent ratings for blending production knowledge with historical storytelling. Visitors note that the restoration narrative runs through the tour in a way that makes the bourbon and spirits more meaningful. You are not just tasting a product. You are tasting something produced on a property that was nearly lost and was brought back specifically to make bourbon again.
The gin program earns specific enthusiasm from visitors who were not expecting to care about gin on a bourbon trail trip. Several reviews describe leaving Castle and Key with a bottle of gin alongside or instead of bourbon.
The most common friction points are the Wednesday through Sunday operating schedule, which limits weekday flexibility compared to distilleries open seven days, and limited tour capacity, which makes weekend walk-in tours unreliable. A smaller number of visitors note that the outdoor terrain can be challenging and that some production detail is lighter here than at dedicated production-tour distilleries like Woodford or Buffalo Trace.
When to Visit Castle and Key
Spring and fall are the best windows for the full grounds experience. The sunken garden and botanical trail are at their best from April through June and again from late September through October. The castle architecture photographs well in any season but the surrounding landscape is most dramatic with green fields or fall color.
Summer visits are pleasant but the property gets more crowded on weekends in July and August. Book tour slots 3 to 4 weeks ahead for summer weekends.
Winter hours are reduced. The bar shifts to a Thursday through Sunday schedule from December through March. Check the current seasonal schedule before visiting in the winter months. Winter visits have the advantage of lighter crowds and the castle architecture reads differently against bare trees and Kentucky winter light.
Castle and Key does not operate Monday or Tuesday regardless of season. If your trip is mid-week, account for this when building the Frankfort-region day.
BourbonTown Tours Pro Tip
“Castle and Key always runs long in the best possible way. We build 30 minutes of buffer beyond the tour every single time because the grounds keep people. The sunken garden, the botanical trail, Taylorton Station with a cocktail, the view of the castle building from the creek path. Nobody rushes back to the van. We use Castle and Key as the second or third stop depending on what Buffalo Trace availability looks like. If we get a Buffalo Trace tour in the morning, Castle and Key is mid-afternoon and we let the group take their time. If Buffalo Trace is grounds-only, we do Castle and Key first because the tour adds context that makes the Buffalo Trace visit richer. The Frankfort cluster is the best day we build. Three stops under 30 minutes apart, all of them worth the time.”
— BourbonTown Tours, 3,000+ private Kentucky bourbon tours since 2012
Request a free quote for your Castle and Key and Frankfort-region tour. Or call 1-844-BOURBON.
Your Group, Castle and Key, and the Frankfort Cluster. One Day. We Handle Everything.
BourbonTown Tours manages every reservation, builds the itinerary around what is available on your specific dates, provides private luxury transportation from your hotel or the airport, and adjusts the day in real time when anything changes. Every tour is 100% private. Your group, your vehicle, your guide, your itinerary.
3,000+ tours since 2012. 650+ five-star reviews across TripAdvisor and Google. Never mixed with strangers.
Request a free quote for your Castle and Key tour or call 1-844-BOURBON.
Frequently Asked Questions About Castle and Key Distillery
What days is Castle and Key Distillery open?
Castle and Key is open Wednesday through Sunday. It is closed Monday and Tuesday. Wednesday through Saturday hours are 10:30am to 4pm. Sunday hours are 11am to 4pm. The on-site bar hours shift seasonally between April through November and December through March schedules.
What is the history of Castle and Key Distillery?
Castle and Key is the restored Old Taylor Distillery, originally built in 1887 by Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr. as the first bourbon distillery designed as a hospitality destination. The castle architecture, sunken garden modeled after Windsor Castle’s grounds, Gothic yeast tower, and springhouse all date to the Taylor era. The property closed in 1972 and sat abandoned for decades before Castle and Key’s founders purchased it in 2014 and began a multi-year restoration. The first spirits released in 2018 and the first bourbon in 2022.
What spirits does Castle and Key produce?
Castle and Key produces bourbon, rye, gin, and seasonal clear spirits. The flagship bourbon is Castle and Key Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. Restoration Rye is the core rye whiskey. The gin program uses botanicals grown on the property and has become a signature offering alongside the whiskey lineup.
Do I need a reservation to visit Castle and Key?
Advance reservations are required for guided tour experiences. The grounds, botanical trail, sunken garden, Taylorton Station bar, and Boiler Room retail store are all accessible without a tour reservation during operating hours. Walk-in tour spots may exist if capacity remains but should not be relied upon, especially on weekends.
Can you combine Castle and Key with Buffalo Trace and Woodford Reserve in one day?
Yes. All three sit within the Frankfort-region cluster with drives of under 30 minutes between each stop. A full day covering all three is achievable with early starts and pre-booked tour times. BourbonTown Tours builds the sequence based on what is available on your specific dates, particularly around Buffalo Trace’s Wednesday 10am ticket release.
Is Castle and Key good for non-bourbon drinkers?
Yes. Castle and Key produces gin and seasonal clear spirits alongside bourbon and rye. The gin program is one of the strongest at any Kentucky distillery and uses botanicals visible on the property’s botanical trail. Groups that include people who do not drink bourbon will find more to engage with at Castle and Key than at most other Bourbon Trail stops.
What can I see at Castle and Key without a tour?
The sunken garden, botanical trail, castle exterior, springhouse, and Glenns Creek views are all accessible without a tour ticket. Taylorton Station serves cocktails and drinks without a reservation. The Boiler Room Retail Store is open for shopping during all visitor hours. Many visitors spend an hour or more on the property without booking a guided tour.
Is Castle and Key wheelchair accessible?
The property dates to 1887 and some areas are hilly and uneven. The distillery provides golf cart assistance and a wheelchair by advance request. Guests with mobility considerations should contact the Hospitality Team before arriving at experience@castleandkey.com.
