If you are in Kentucky, a visit down the Bourbon Trail is an absolute MUST! We love driving through the Bluegrass state and discovering new distilleries. Woodford Reserve is an easy drive from either Louisville or Lexington and is surrounded by gorgeous horse farms.

Yes, friends… my little blog requires me to study liquor. That’s right. And,  spending a few hours learning the intricacies and history of bourbon distillation was incredible! Since bourbon is a staple of fine southern sipping, I felt like it was high time to become knowledgeable on the subject of….bourbon! I love cooking with bourbon (here’s my Bourbon Bacon Brie recipe) so it was about time I learned more about my passion: bourbon.

Our Bourbon Trail Tour
At Woodford Reserve

The best place to learn about the nuances of bourbon is of course on the famed Kentucky Bourbon Trail. We wasted no time getting there! Our first stop on the bourbon trail was Woodford Reserve in Versailles, Kentucky, an easy drive from Lexington.

A two lane road takes you to Woodford’s doorstep and meanders through Kentucky’s famed bluegrass thoroughbred horse farms. Our visit was in the dead of winter hence the “tan” bluegrass! The drive to the distillery was breathtaking. We felt a million miles away from Lexington’s city center.

Our tour began in the visitors center which houses tour information, a delightful cafe, gift shop, welcoming lobby and tasting rooms. A bus picks up each group and takes them down to the distillery. The bus is only a few steps away from the visitors center and is warm in the winter, cool in the summer.

The photo above was our view from the porch of the visitors center overlooking the historical distillery buildings.

Once inside, we purchased tickets and warmed up by the cozy fire while waiting for our tour guide. All tours begin at the visitors center. From there, we boarded a small bus (with heat!) that took us down to the distillery buildings.

How Bourbon is Made at
Woodford Reserve

The fermentation barrels provided the large room with an unexpected smell of BANANA BREAD. Amazing.

If you look closely, you will see that these barrels were made in 2011.

The last stop on our tour was the tasting room. It was cozy with copper stools for guests. Note: You must be 21 years of age or older to participate. This is strictly enforced.

Our tour guide was fantastic! She took us through the tasting process one step at a time with funny anecdotes and lots of information. We sampled two of Woodford’s bourbons and a chocolate.

After the tour we stopped by the gift shop and purchased bourbon to take back to Florida. This is where the gift shop threw me a curve ball. Ya’ll know that I absolutely LOVE monograms and personalized gifts. And, a nice bottle of bourbon is always a welcome gift. So get this………Woodford Reserve’s Distiller’s Select can be personalized  for gift giving! Can’t wait to order one for Copa!

So, grab a bottle of your favorite bourbon and make Bourbon Bacon Brie for the most exceptional appetizer ever!