Buffalo Trace Distillery
Buffalo Trace Distillery
4.5
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
11:00 AM - 5:00 PM
About
Buffalo Trace Distillery is one of America’s oldest continually-operating distilleries with over 200 years of history. It has been known by several names over the years, but one thing has remained the same—their fine bourbon whiskey. Uncover the distillery's history, learn about the science of making bourbon, and get a behind-the-scenes look into the production on a complimentary distillery tour and tasting—but make your reservations early as slots fill up fast. It ends with a tasting of some of their award-winning spirits, including their signature Buffalo Trace Bourbon, and Eagle Rare Bourbon. You can explore Buffalo Trace Distillery and other historic spots on a bourbon tour of Kentucky. – Tripadvisor
Duration: 1-2 hours
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See what travelers are saying
- Tammy GGulf Breeze, Florida30 contributionsFantastic!What an amazing experience! Loved our tour. Loved our guide, Rae Rae! The bourbon cream and root beer were delicious together. Bought a lot of things in the gift shop. We can’t wait to come back for a another visit!Visited October 2023Traveled with familyWritten October 12, 2023
- greeneyes630Maugansville, Maryland2,640 contributionsGreat stopWe had a tour on a Sunday afternoon. The tour was educational and entertaining. My only complaint is the on site restaurant is supposed to close at 2pm, but closed at 1:45 the day we were there. Our tour included a tasting. RecommendVisited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 15, 2023
- Kdawg282Doylestown, Pennsylvania1,589 contributionsKentucky DisneyThe Disney World of Kentucky! If visiting, this has to be on your list. It wasn’t my favorite by a long shot, but one you can’t miss. We arrived in the am and there was a line over an hour long outside, then decided to come back. We actually was still able to get Blanton’s in the afternoon which felt amazing. The tasting was good and enjoyed the grounds. A lot of good bottles here and a ton of people in line trying to get the rare pours! Get here early if that’s what you are interested in.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 23, 2023
- HopjimBluffton, South Carolina376 contributionsUnique experienceReally enjoyed visiting Buffalo Trace. The only downside is that the facilities are so vast that the tours only cover a relatively small percentage of the bourbon process. Great conversation about what they do and how they do it but unlike most distilleries, you don't get to see it all. Gift shop was excellent, but we had over 100 people in line ahead of us so had to wait over 20 minutes to get in.Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten October 25, 2023
- HawaiianHerculesAuburn, Alabama434 contributionsGreat Tour With the Right GuideI have had two tours at Buffalo Trace. One in May (don't remember the guide's name) and one a few days ago in November with tour guide Jeremy. Didn't pay for either tour. They were vastly different. I saw different things on each and the guides couldn't be more different. Jeremy was fabulous! He was knowledgeable and engaging. He showed us very interesting parts of the distillery. In May, our guide was knowledgeable, but was off-putting because he came across as a know-it-all and even disparaged other distilleries. He didn't show us much of interest either, except for the awesome trompe l'oeil mural. Both tours ended with a tasting, which is fun. Bottom line, it seems like you can expect different tour experiences almost every time you go, depending on which guide you get. Also, we had checked tour availability on their website ahead of time and it looked like they were all booked, but when we arrived, they said they had tours available. This happened on multiple days. If you're planning to buy bourbon, make sure to check out their product availability page for their daily offerings and get there early if you want to snag one of their rotating bottles.Visited November 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten November 8, 2023
- FresnoTravelersFresno, California617 contributionsBuffalo Trace is an excellent distillery tour!Buffalo Trace: Excellent distillery tour!!! The grounds are extensive, so there is quite a bit of walking. Our guide, Tyree, was excellent!!!! He kept the group together as we walked the grounds, shared his extensive knowledge on distilling and history as he took us through the tour. The buildings for each step in the process are large so you can easily understand the process! This is an excellent tour with beautiful grounds when choosing a distillery tour.Visited November 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten November 11, 2023
- KH2oson169 contributionsVery nice tour ( and tasty root beer)Our first tour of the trip and a great way to begin a bourbon tour. Friendly welcome center ( appreciated the use of wristbands… no need to pull out you id for later purchases or tastings). Lovely campus and informative tour. As a non-drinker on a bourbon tour, I really appreciated the glass of root beer being included in the tasting (yep, the root beer was very good and I picked some up in the gift shop).Visited November 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten November 17, 2023
- Jay L2 contributionsAwesome tour guideThis is my second visit at Buffalo Trace but first tour and our tour guide Kyle was a total gem. He was polite, knowledgeable, and so entertaining. He had a great personality and kept the tour interesting. The campus is beautiful and the gift shop is full of great finds. If you are planning to tour the distillery ask for Kyle!Visited October 2023Traveled with friendsWritten November 26, 2023
- Dee L12 contributionsRecommendWe arrived without a tour reservation expecting to only visit the gift shop,but were pleasantly surprised to snag a spot on the tour. It was informative and fun, our guide was the best! It ends with a tasting of 5 products. We ended up spending way too much- buying some of everything plus a cap and a bourbon glass. A great afternoon!Visited October 2023Traveled as a coupleWritten November 27, 2023
- jgbtravelsLouisville, Kentucky4,721 contributionsInteresting tour(free) and also as a bonus the holiday lights event was going on.This is one of my favorite distilleries and it’s free. You can’t beat that. They have several tours and believe me they fill up fast. Fortunately I was able to get a tour today. The tour(The Trace Tour) was both interesting and informative. Our guide had both a sense of humor and was very knowledgeable about the distillery and history of bourbon making. This all ends with a tasting of a few of the products made here. Who can resist that? Of course it’s December the holiday lights are quite lovely at night. I came back a little after 5 pm when it was dark enough to enjoy the lights with a small crowd. Actually I may have been the first car there. I was able to see it at my leisure.Visited December 2023Traveled soloWritten December 19, 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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4.5
2,690 reviews
Excellent
2,142
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376
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Poor
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30
Kerry U
Greenfield, IN6 contributions
Jul 2020
The tour is mostly outside seeing buildings. The tour guide was knowledgeable and had a good sense of humor. The tour may be different without COVID restrictions. As you walk in to the grounds, you are herded like cattle and temp checked. The lady directing everyone was extremely rude, I understand she is doing her job but treating people rude at the beginning sets the expectation of the tour. The tasting was vodka, buffalo trace, eagle rare, cream bourbon and root beer. The tour ends in the gift shop, you could only buy a few choices; basically the same things from tasting. I asked 2 associates if they had Blanton and was told they were out, but, as I checked out, I saw on floor behind counter. I was able to buy a bottle but you do get put on list that you can only buy one bottle every three months.
Written July 19, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Kerry - thanks for taking the time to let us know about your visit. We're very sorry for the interaction you had upon arrival. We certainly do not expect that from our team and will be following up. We appreciate your patience as we adapt to our new operations and make needed adjustments. We will use your feedback to make improvements. If you'd like to discuss further, please reach out to our Visitor Service GM, Matt Higgins at 502-696-5966 or mhiggins@buffalotrace.com.
Written July 23, 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
20years
Johnson City, TN6 contributions
Jan 2020 • Solo
A gift from the kids for Christmas, dinner and a tour at Buffalo Trace proved not only enjoyable but now on our list of recommendations to family and friends
As appreciators of bourbon we thoroughly enjoyed the tour with our host Fred. Especially fun was watching bourbon being bottled and hand-labeled
The dinner was a delightful and delicious experience with award-winning Chef Kelsey Bernard Clark. Her insightful pairing of short ribs with citrusy butter beans highlighted the entree.— perfect fare for a dismal winter night with the selection of bourbons for our tasting adventure
A shout out to Doug Smith’s floral creations gracing the tables and the program familiarizing us with the wit and wisdom of Elmer T. Lee
Staff was very friendly and gracious too!
As appreciators of bourbon we thoroughly enjoyed the tour with our host Fred. Especially fun was watching bourbon being bottled and hand-labeled
The dinner was a delightful and delicious experience with award-winning Chef Kelsey Bernard Clark. Her insightful pairing of short ribs with citrusy butter beans highlighted the entree.— perfect fare for a dismal winter night with the selection of bourbons for our tasting adventure
A shout out to Doug Smith’s floral creations gracing the tables and the program familiarizing us with the wit and wisdom of Elmer T. Lee
Staff was very friendly and gracious too!
Written January 25, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
B D
Tucson, AZ421 contributions
Aug 2020 • Couples
Book Early. A variety of tours are offered and they fill up well in advance. All Tours are Free and conclude with a tasting (only one tasting per day is allowed despite the number of tours you take). We took The Barrel tour and Trace tour and would choose the Trace Tour over the Barrel Tour. Our tastings included Vodka, 2 Bourbons, Bourbon Cream and Root Beer. We were lucky enough to be there on the day Blanton’s was available so we got to purchase 1 bottle per person in the Gift Shop. Buffalo Trace distillery has beautiful grounds and the tours are full of information. I definitely recommend putting this distillery on your list of to visit when on the Bourbon Trail.
Written August 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
31HomeGames
Charlotte, NC1,456 contributions
Mar 2022 • Couples
Buffalo Trace was one of our favorite experiences along the Bourbon Trail of 8 visited to date, and the best value. Some advance planning can make for a smooth visit.
Buffalo Trace is the only distillery we’ve visited that does not charge for tours and tastings. A great value. They take reservations the first Tuesday of the month for tours the following month. But go to the website early on that first Tuesday because tour slots fill up fast.
Buffalo Trace typically sells bottles of Buffalo Trace and one of their exclusive whiskeys in the gift shop while supplies each day. The exclusive whiskeys usually sell out before end of day. We booked a tour in the 10:30 time slot so that we could buy a couple bottles when the gift shop opened at 10:00. Success!
The tour itself was informative and enjoyable, learning about the history, products and processes of Buffalo Trace. Fun fact: a Buffalo Trace is a path worn down by buffalo. The grounds are lovely, with numerous very old brick buildings. We went in a few buildings including the barrel house where the wonderful aroma of the angels share filled the air.
Buffalo Trace is the only distillery we’ve visited that does not charge for tours and tastings. A great value. They take reservations the first Tuesday of the month for tours the following month. But go to the website early on that first Tuesday because tour slots fill up fast.
Buffalo Trace typically sells bottles of Buffalo Trace and one of their exclusive whiskeys in the gift shop while supplies each day. The exclusive whiskeys usually sell out before end of day. We booked a tour in the 10:30 time slot so that we could buy a couple bottles when the gift shop opened at 10:00. Success!
The tour itself was informative and enjoyable, learning about the history, products and processes of Buffalo Trace. Fun fact: a Buffalo Trace is a path worn down by buffalo. The grounds are lovely, with numerous very old brick buildings. We went in a few buildings including the barrel house where the wonderful aroma of the angels share filled the air.
Written April 10, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jennifer G
Evansville, IN15 contributions
Aug 2020
I went with a friend in August and had been there in June and early March for tours and tastings. I also went down twice for curb service from March to June. First I want to commend the facility and the employees that do an outstanding job of keeping everyone safe while still trying to provide services to everyone. We have been down for a tasting and tour since they expanded the visitor center and gift shop. The new areas are great.
We did one of the architectural tours based on E. H. Taylor in early August and even with the masks, heat, and small group the tour was very interesting. I have been to many of the basic distillery tours and you learn something new every time, but this was so educating that I am definitely going back to to the others. The guide had a voice amplifier and was easy to hear, even though some parts of the tour are noisy, for good reasons.
Their products are fabulous. Trace is go-to bourbon for me,but I love the caramel sauce and marinade.
We did one of the architectural tours based on E. H. Taylor in early August and even with the masks, heat, and small group the tour was very interesting. I have been to many of the basic distillery tours and you learn something new every time, but this was so educating that I am definitely going back to to the others. The guide had a voice amplifier and was easy to hear, even though some parts of the tour are noisy, for good reasons.
Their products are fabulous. Trace is go-to bourbon for me,but I love the caramel sauce and marinade.
Written August 30, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Karen Y
Pemberville, OH205 contributions
Jun 2022 • Couples
When you first get here you are required to register and show you id. We didn’t do the your because it’s an 1.25 but while in the visitors center we were able to schedule a FREE 15 minute tasting. This is a bigger distillery so a map at registration would be nice but there was plenty of staff around to ask. We grabbed a sandwich at the restaurant (which is directly under the water tower) but it was 1:15 and they were out of all sides & pulled pork & chicken. We were a little disappointed but the tasting wax the redemption. The guide was great and gave us ad much history & bourbon knowledge as possible. Don’t worry if you don’t have a reservation ahead they have seven tasting rooms & can get a lot of people through in one day. Also disappointing was you couldn’t buy most of the tasting bourbons because they were out of stock.
Written June 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Rosemary R
Flint, MI35 contributions
Apr 2021 • Couples
History never smelled so good or tasted so yummy. We were able to book the trace tour and hear about the history of Buffalo Trace, saw the barrel inspection, and the one of the rickhouses. The tour also comes with a tasting (samples change depending on what's available). Who knew mixing the bourbon cream with the root beer made for one amazing adult root beer float. Gift shop is huge!
Tours are still limited due to covid so book well in advance. Temperature checks are taken and masks must be worn on the grounds.
Tours are still limited due to covid so book well in advance. Temperature checks are taken and masks must be worn on the grounds.
Written April 5, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Terri G
Houston, TX399 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
I booked this for my husband and adult children on our recent visit to KY as they love bourbon and they are always in search of Blantons. I didn’t expect to enjoy it but we all loved it.
We were lucky enough to get the famous Freddie as our tour guide. Freddie’s father and grandfather both worked at the distillery. He was as good as others said in their reviews. He is an excellent storyteller and knows the distillery and the history extremely well.
The Trace tour was very interesting and based on what Freddie said, this company really takes care of their employees. The research that the distillery is doing is fascinating and I can’t wait to see the findings over the years.
After the tour, was a wonderful tasting. Freddie did a great job explaining the best ways to taste bourbons. While I’m still not converted from a wine drinker, I am sure I could enjoy a bourbon drink now and then.
We tasted their vodka, buffalo trace, eagle rare, their bourbon creme and Freddie’s own root beer which donates part of the proceeds to a nearby African American cemetery to help bury the poor.
For those of you dying to purchase a bottle of Blantons, they do sell them at their store every third day. They sell EH Taylor and one other (can’t remember) on the other days. They only have them behind the counter in the store and they only sell a specific amount. We took the 12:30 tour and were able to buy Blantons after the tour. One bottle per person. My family was super excited!
We were lucky enough to get the famous Freddie as our tour guide. Freddie’s father and grandfather both worked at the distillery. He was as good as others said in their reviews. He is an excellent storyteller and knows the distillery and the history extremely well.
The Trace tour was very interesting and based on what Freddie said, this company really takes care of their employees. The research that the distillery is doing is fascinating and I can’t wait to see the findings over the years.
After the tour, was a wonderful tasting. Freddie did a great job explaining the best ways to taste bourbons. While I’m still not converted from a wine drinker, I am sure I could enjoy a bourbon drink now and then.
We tasted their vodka, buffalo trace, eagle rare, their bourbon creme and Freddie’s own root beer which donates part of the proceeds to a nearby African American cemetery to help bury the poor.
For those of you dying to purchase a bottle of Blantons, they do sell them at their store every third day. They sell EH Taylor and one other (can’t remember) on the other days. They only have them behind the counter in the store and they only sell a specific amount. We took the 12:30 tour and were able to buy Blantons after the tour. One bottle per person. My family was super excited!
Written September 13, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Scott C
Syracuse, NY606 contributions
Oct 2021 • Friends
This is a huge operation that makes some of the most beloved Bourbons in the world. (Blantons, Eagle Rare, Weller, Buffalo Trace, Stagg) You want to plan a couple of hours to spend near as there was so much to see. Tours are best arranged 3 weeks or more in advance. The gift shop is amazing, and several days a week they will sell one of their brands at deep discounts. The day we were there, they were selling Eagle Rare for $50 a bottle, so there was a 30-minute wait to get into the store.
Written November 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Spiegs1968
Mechanicsburg, PA708 contributions
Feb 2020 • Couples
This is really a great spot- even if you don’t like Bourbon the buildings are historic and on the national Register. Really friendly tour that gets you into a barrel house and a hand bottling facility. Nice gift shop where you can score EH Taylor if you are lucky and Blantons if you are really lucky (there is often a line, before opening, on Blantons day. If you want to see the manufacturing process, you will need to book a hard hat tour, in advance, and they only have 1-2 per day. Highly recommended visit and FREE to include tasting.
Written February 20, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Are there lots of steps and/or steep hills for people with some limited mobility issues?
Written October 10, 2024
Yes. They switch around their bourbons every day or every-other day. So, if they don’t have the bourbon you are looking to buy on the day you go to the gift shop, stop by the next day and they might have the one you want….one bottle, per person, per 90 days of the good stuff.
Written October 11, 2024
How far in advance to tours and tastings open up? We are wanting to book on Saturday, September 3rd and it doesn’t appear to be open yet.
Written July 7, 2022
We used a guide to handle our tours. Frankly, we were glad we did. Our guide used our vehicle and did the driving. We enjoyed the ride. he provided outstanding history and local color throughout. We were free to taste bourbons everywhere we went. He handled the timing, planning (with our input), etc.
We were happy to have hired Bob White with Kentucky Guides who has a Facebook page, Kentucky Bourn=bon Distillery Tours. Btw, I highly recommend Bob White, as well.
Written July 7, 2022
Your tours are booked for awhile and we can’t get in when we visit on October 16th. Is there a bar where we could taste your products safely outside?
Thanks!
Written October 8, 2020
Buffalo Trace
Frankfort, Kentucky
Thanks for reaching out. We do not have a bar or dining option on site at this time. We recommend signing up for the waitlist for the date you were looking to visit. If we receive a cancellation on a tour/tasting experience or a tasting only experience, we work from that list to fill the spots.
Written October 8, 2020
Any chance you’ll take up this local distillery-made hand sanitiser challenge? I can’t post web links, but distilleries from oregon to nc to ga and in the uk are all making hand sani for their communities
Written March 16, 2020
Buffalo Trace
Frankfort, Kentucky
Thanks for reaching out. We have checked with the Distillery Team and we actually use all of our alcohol that is produced from distillation either with product or to supplement our fuel stream for our boilers.
Written March 16, 2020
Heather,.....Buffalo Trace is very unique and I wanted to ask you if many of their bourbons were available to buy when you were there. Do you highly recommend that tour?
Thanks in advance,
george
Written March 30, 2019
The only bottle available for purchase while we were there was Blanton's. The tasting was a vodka, Buffalo trace, Eagle Rare and Bourbon Creme. We did the basic tour because the hard hat tour was full. You don't get a chance to see the distilling process but you get to see the storage warehouses and the bottling process. When we went to Barton 1792 later in our trip we were able to see the distillers. I would highly recommend this tour.
Written March 30, 2019
Which of the tours offered would people recommend? Coming with a party of 12. I'm a huge Blanton's & Eagle Rare fan
Written March 25, 2019
I don't think you could go wrong on any of the tours. Woodford does a very nice job as well as Buffalo Trace and Evan Williams.
Written March 31, 2019
DrJohn
Lexington, Kentucky
I don't make them, but I drink them. Their brands can be found on their website (sorry, but links are prohibited in the questions and answers). The tasting tour will give samples of some and some insight on which brands may appeal to you.
Written March 3, 2019
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.
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