What to Wear on a Bourbon Tour, and How to Taste Like a Pro

Quick Facts

• Shoes: closed-toe shoes are required at Maker's Mark and recommended at Woodford Reserve, and flat soles with good traction suit varied terrain and warehouse steps.
• Layers: most rickhouses are not climate-controlled, so they run hot in August and cold in January; bring a light layer you can carry.
• Clothes: casual and comfortable is what the distilleries themselves recommend.
• Fragrance: skip heavy perfume or cologne, because the tasting depends on your nose.
• ID: you must be 21 to consume alcohol, and distilleries check ID before you taste.
• Pace: custom tours typically run three stops, and we can add or subtract on your planning call. You do not have to finish every sample.
• Bottles: bottles bought on the day are on the guest, so bring a card for the gift shops, since Maker's Mark takes cards only.
• Flying home: TSA allows up to 5 liters of bourbon per passenger in checked bags, in unopened retail packaging; carry-on containers must be 3.4 ounces or less.

What to Wear on a Bourbon Tour

Woodford Reserve calls its recommended attire casual and comfortable, and Maker's Mark asks guests to dress for the season. You are visiting working buildings, though, and a few rules follow from that.

Shoes. Wear closed-toe shoes. Maker's Mark requires them, and Woodford Reserve recommends them because of the walking and the steps on its tour path. At Maker's Mark the tour covers indoor and outdoor walking on varied terrain with some changes in elevation, so choose flat shoes with good traction and leave heels and sandals at the hotel.

Layers. Temperatures change through the day and from building to building. Most rickhouses are not climate-controlled, so the barrels sit in whatever the Kentucky season brings, from summer heat to winter cold, and Woodford Reserve warns that its distillery can top 90 degrees in spring and summer. A light layer you can take off and carry covers both.

Clothes. Casual is fine. You will spend several hours on your feet and in and out of a vehicle, so wear something you can move in. If you want to look the part in photos, a button-up shirt with khakis or a sundress works well.

Accessories. Leave large dangling earrings and bulky bracelets behind; they can catch on railings and equipment in production areas.

Weather. Kentucky summers are hot and humid, and winters bring spells of real cold. Check the forecast the night before and dress for both the walk across the grounds and the time indoors. Our guide to the best time to visit Kentucky bourbon country covers the seasons month by month.

Fragrance. Skip heavy perfume or cologne. The tasting depends on your nose, and a strong scent gets in the way for you and for everyone standing near you in every tasting room you visit.

What to Wear by Season

Dress for the month, then add one layer. Kentucky weather swings hard across the year, and most rickhouses are not climate-controlled, so the barrel warehouses feel like the day outside.

Spring (March to May). Average highs in Louisville run about 58 degrees in March, 70 in April and 78 in May. Mornings start cool. Wear a light jacket over a shirt you are happy to be seen in once the jacket comes off. Pack a compact rain shell in April.

Summer (June to August). Average highs run 86 to 89 degrees with real humidity. Wear breathable fabrics and light colors. The upper floors of a rickhouse are the hottest place on the tour, so skip the extra layer and bring sunglasses for the walks between buildings.

Fall (September to November). Highs fall from about 82 in September to 70 in October and 58 in November. This is layering season: a sweater or light jacket in the morning, shirtsleeves by early afternoon.

Winter (December to February). Highs sit in the mid 40s, with nights below freezing. Wear a real coat, warm socks and shoes with grip. A cold rickhouse holds the chill, and you will stand in it for part of the tour.

Distillery Tour Outfit Ideas for Women and Men

Smart casual photographs well and works on a production floor. The rule is the same for everyone: flat closed-toe shoes first, then build the outfit around them.

For women. A sundress or a casual top with jeans or chinos works for most of the year. Pair it with flat ankle boots, loafers or clean sneakers rather than sandals or heels. Bring a denim jacket or a light cardigan for rickhouses and air-conditioned tasting rooms. A crossbody bag keeps your hands free for railings and a tasting glass. Skip long scarves and dangling jewelry near equipment.

For men. A button-up or polo with jeans or khakis is the standard look. Wear leather sneakers, boots or loafers with a grippy sole. Add a quarter-zip or light jacket in spring and fall.

For photos. Earth tones, denim and plaid sit well against barrel stacks and limestone. Bright white shows every splash at the tasting bar.

For the group. If the tour celebrates a birthday or a bachelorette, matching shirts are fine. Keep the footwear rule anyway.

Tasting Etiquette

The tasting is the point of most distillery visits, and a little technique makes it more rewarding.

• Listen to your guide. During the tasting the guide explains each pour: what it is, how it was made and what to look for. That context is what turns a pour into a lesson.
• Take your time. Sip slowly and let each sample sit on your palate before you swallow. Small sips show more of the flavor than one large one.
• Reset between pours. Water between samples clears your palate, and plain crackers or bread help if they are offered.
• Hold the glass by its base. Your hand warms the whiskey through the bowl.
• Pace yourself. A private day typically runs three stops, and every stop ends with a pour. You do not have to finish every sample.
• Not drinking is fine. A guest who does not drink rides with the group, takes the tours and skips the pours. Non-drinkers pay the full per-person rate.

How to Taste Bourbon at a Distillery

Tasting bourbon takes four steps: look, nose, sip and finish. Your guide leads the pour, but the technique is yours.

Look. Tilt the glass and check the color. Deeper amber usually points to more time in the barrel, though barrel char and warehouse position play a part too.

Nose. Bring the glass toward your nose slowly and keep your mouth slightly open. Bourbon runs at 80 proof or higher, and the alcohol hits first if you go in fast. A tulip-shaped glass gathers the aroma at the top.

Sip. Take a small sip and let it cover your tongue before you swallow. The second sip tells you more than the first, because your palate has adjusted to the proof.

Finish. Note what stays after you swallow and how long it lasts. A long finish is a mark of an older or higher-proof whiskey.

A few drops of water open up a high-proof pour. Ask your guide whether water is on the table.

How We Pace a Tour Day

Three distilleries is the sweet spot for a private day, and the order of the stops matters as much as the number. Custom tours typically run three stops, and we can add or subtract on your planning call.

Every distillery visit ends at a tasting bar. Three stops means three flights before dinner, so we plan the day around food and water rather than around the pours. We book and confirm a lunch table between stops, and the meal goes on your tab. When the route rules out a sit-down meal, a box lunch can be built into the quoted price on request. Depending on the itinerary, lunch usually falls between the first and second stops or between the second and third, so the later flights come on a full stomach.

The vehicle is your reset between stops. Drink water on every leg of the drive. Guests who stop sampling after the second flight still take every tour, and nobody on a private tour waits on strangers to finish.

Other Tips for the Day

• Eat well. Lunch is part of the plan: we book and confirm the restaurant table, and the meal goes on your tab. When the route rules out a sit-down meal, a box lunch can be built into the quoted price on request.
• Stay hydrated. Drink water through the day, especially in summer.
• Ask questions. Distillery guides know their craft, so ask about the production process or a flavor you are picking up.
• Photograph with care. A camera is welcome, but each distillery sets its own photography rules; Maker's Mark, for example, welcomes pictures but asks guests not to film the whole tour.
• Bring a card for the gift shops. Bottles bought on the day are on the guest. Maker's Mark is card only, so leave the cash at home for that stop. Bottles from the Bardstown Bourbon Company shops cannot be shipped, so plan to carry them home.

For the rest of the day's logistics, including how many stops fit and when to book, see our guide to planning a Kentucky bourbon tour, or the first-timer's guide to Kentucky bourbon tours.

Taking Bottles Home

Most guests leave with at least one bottle, and many distilleries sell bottlings in their gift shop that are hard to find at home. Plan how you will get them home before you buy.

Flying. The TSA allows alcohol in checked bags. Spirits between 24% and 70% alcohol are limited to 5 liters per passenger and must stay in unopened retail packaging. Bourbon sits in that range, so a standard 750 ml bottle counts toward the 5 liters. In carry-on bags, only containers of 3.4 ounces (100 ml) or less are allowed, and they must fit in your quart-sized liquids bag. Wrap checked bottles in clothing or a padded bottle sleeve.

Shipping. Rules vary by distillery and by your home state. Bottles from the Bardstown Bourbon Company shops cannot be shipped, so plan to carry those.

Driving. If you drove to Kentucky, the trunk is the simplest answer.

Bottles bought on the day are on the guest and are not part of the tour price.

Frequently Asked Questions