Frankfort is Kentucky’s capital city, which means most people pass through it on their way to somewhere else. That’s their loss. Within a thirty-minute drive of downtown Frankfort sits a concentration of distilleries — from the most awarded operation in the world to a craft producer working out of the ruins of the original Old Crow Distillery — that would make this region worth visiting even if there were nothing else to see. There’s plenty else to see.
The trail in and around Frankfort runs the full spectrum — legacy distilleries with 200-year histories, stunning Victorian restorations, working farm operations where the grain in your glass grew in the field outside the window, and a small craft operation that built its own stills and draws its yeast from a century-old fermenter. Few regions on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail cover that much range in that short a distance.
This guide covers the Frankfort-area distilleries worth visiting, where to stay, and everything you need to know before you go. It’s part of the larger Kentucky Bourbon Trail travel guide → — start there if you’re planning a multi-region trip. Frankfort and Lexington are thirty minutes apart and pair naturally into a multi-day itinerary — the Lexington Bourbon Trail Guide → covers what’s in that direction.
The Frankfort Distilleries Worth Your Time
A note on logistics before you start building the itinerary: this region requires a car. Unlike Louisville’s Whiskey Row or Lexington’s Distillery District, the Frankfort-area distilleries are spread across rural Franklin, Woodford, and Shelby counties. Plan your route before you leave, decide on a designated driver or hire a tour company, and budget thirty minutes of drive time between most stops.
Buffalo Trace — The Most Awarded Distillery in the World
There is no honest way to write about the Frankfort bourbon trail without starting here. Buffalo Trace is the oldest continuously operating distillery in the United States, has survived fires, floods, and tornadoes, produced bourbon through Prohibition under a medicinal license, and has accumulated more distillery awards than any other operation in the world. The campus sits right in Frankfort and you can walk to it from downtown via a trail that follows the Kentucky River — one of the better details about this city that most visitors never find out about. The campus is massive and historically layered. Seven different tour options run daily, ranging from a standard one-hour walkthrough to premium experiences that go deep into the barrel warehouses and experimental programs. Blanton’s, Eagle Rare, W.L. Weller, and Pappy Van Winkle are all made here. Free admission. The gift shop carries things you will not find anywhere else. Book your tour in advance — they fill up. buffalotrace.com
The Bourbon Heritage Center tour covers 200 years of history in about 90 minutes. If you have time for only one tour at Buffalo Trace, that’s the one. The Hard Hat Tour — which takes you into the working distillery and rickhouses — books out weeks in advance. Worth planning for.
Woodford Reserve — A National Historic Landmark
About fifteen minutes from Frankfort in Versailles, Woodford Reserve is the most visited distillery in Kentucky and one of the most photographed properties on the entire trail. The stone buildings date to the 1800s, the campus is a National Historic Landmark, and the production approach — triple distillation through copper pot stills — gives Woodford a flavor profile that stands distinctly apart from column-still bourbons. The Pepper family, who founded the site that would become James E. Pepper Distillery in Lexington, had their roots here. The tour is thorough and consistently well run, the tasting options cover the full portfolio, and the setting along Glenn’s Creek in Woodford County is exactly what people picture when they imagine a Kentucky distillery. The most visited distillery in the state earns its traffic. woodfordreserve.com
Castle & Key — The Birthplace of Bourbon Tourism
About ten miles from Frankfort in Millville, Castle & Key sits on the grounds of the Old Taylor Distillery — built in 1887 by Colonel E.H. Taylor Jr., the bourbon visionary who passed the Bottled in Bond Act of 1897 and is widely regarded as the father of modern bourbon. The property fell into decades of disrepair before a painstaking restoration returned it to something extraordinary. The castle-like architecture, the spring house, and the gardens — designed by renowned landscape architect Jon Carloftis — make this one of the most visually striking distillery properties in the world. Castle & Key produces bourbon, rye, and a line of gins that have earned serious attention. Pair it with Woodford Reserve, which is about ten minutes away, for a complete morning or afternoon in this corridor. castleandkey.com
Glenns Creek Distilling — The Hidden Gem on Old Crow’s Grounds
A couple of miles from both Woodford Reserve and Castle & Key on McCracken Pike, Glenns Creek sits on the historic grounds of the original Old Crow Distillery — one of the most famous bourbon operations in American history, abandoned for over thirty years before David Meier found it and decided to bring it back to life. Meier built his own stills. He propagated the yeast for his flagship OCD #5 bourbon from the original Old Crow Fermenter #5 — which means the yeast strain in his glass has a direct lineage to the whiskey that made this property famous over a century ago. The experience here is nothing like the polished visitor centers up the road. You sit inside the working distillery with David or his partner John and have a real conversation about what they’re making and why. Five samples, no script, no time limit, no fancy restrooms — they’re upfront about the porta-toilets and have a sense of humor about it. This is where bourbon travelers who have been to all the big stops go when they want something that feels completely different. Not an official Kentucky Bourbon Trail member. That’s part of the appeal. glennscreekdistillery.com
Use Duncan Road to reach Glenns Creek. Do not use Hanley Lane — their website says it specifically, and they mean it. GPS to “Glenns Creek Distillery” on McCracken Pike.
Whiskey Thief Distilling — Thieve Your Own Bourbon
On a 127-acre working farm in rural Franklin County, just off I-64 at exit 48, Whiskey Thief is the first and only Kentucky distillery where every visitor can thieve their own bourbon straight from the barrel — uncut, unfiltered, at cask strength. The grain in your glass grew on the property. The pot-still single-batch process produces single-barrel bourbon and rye with genuinely unrepeatable character. The vibe is deliberately unhurried — pull up a chair, stay a while, pet the goats on the lawn, say hello to the distillery cat by the firepit. The food truck, the rotating single-barrel releases available only on site, and the cigar-friendly outdoor spaces make this the kind of stop that goes from a planned hour to an unplanned afternoon without any regret. Kicks off the annual Bourbon on the Banks festival every October. whiskeythief.com
J. Mattingly 1845 — Nine Generations of Kentucky Bourbon
The Mattingly family’s bourbon history in Kentucky goes back to 1845 — nine different distilleries across nine generations, a lineage that makes most producers look like newcomers. The current operation at 109 West Main Street in downtown Frankfort produces award-winning double-staved bourbon and rye, and the customizable bottle program — where you choose your bourbon, your wax colors, and your bottle’s name — has made J. Mattingly a genuinely popular gift destination. The downtown Frankfort location makes it one of the more accessible stops in the region, and the tasting room carries limited expressions you won’t find in retail. Worth building into any Frankfort-anchored itinerary. jmattingly1845.com
Bulleit Distilling Co. — Shelbyville
About twenty-five minutes from Frankfort in Shelbyville, the Bulleit Distilling Co. visitor experience is worth knowing about even on a craft-focused site. The high-rye mash bill that defines Bulleit’s flavor profile — developed by Tom Bulleit when he revived his great-great-grandfather’s frontier whiskey recipe in the late 1980s — is genuinely distinctive, and the Shelbyville facility gives you a full look at how a high-volume modern distillery operates. The Frontier Whiskey Experience tours cover the full production process, and the tasting options include expressions and single barrels not widely available at retail. If you’re stringing together a Shelbyville day, Jeptha Creed (below) is just a few miles away. bulleit.com
Jeptha Creed — The Farm Distillery
A few miles from Bulleit in Shelbyville, Jeptha Creed is a family-owned farm distillery that grows its own Bloody Butcher heirloom corn on the surrounding property — a variety that traces its Kentucky roots back to the 1800s and gives the distillery’s bourbon a flavor profile you won’t find at any other stop on the trail. The Creed Cafe serves food on site, the outdoor spaces let you take your drink into the farm setting and stay a while, and the atmosphere is deliberately relaxed. Mother-daughter team Joyce and Autumn Nethery run the operation with genuine hands-on involvement at every level. The most unhurried and pastoral stop in the Frankfort region, and a genuinely different experience from the larger legacy distilleries. jepthacreed.com
With eight distilleries in range, pacing yourself matters more in this region than anywhere else on the trail. The full breakdown on how to taste well and remember what you tasted: How to Taste Bourbon at a Distillery →
The Pourch Bourbon Tasting Journal
Eight distilleries in a region. Structured tasting forms, a 12-spoke flavor radar chart, and a full context page per pour — designed specifically for distillery visits so you have somewhere organized to put everything you’re tasting. Print-on-demand, shipped to your door.
Shop The Pourch →Where to Stay in Frankfort
Frankfort is a smaller city and the lodging options reflect that — fewer choices than Louisville or Lexington, but what’s here is well suited to the bourbon traveler. Staying in downtown Frankfort puts you walking distance from Buffalo Trace via the river trail and close to J. Mattingly 1845. The outlying properties are well positioned for the broader regional distillery circuit.
For Couples — Downtown Guest Suite on Saint Clair
Historic downtown guest suite in a fully renovated circa 1850s building, right in the heart of Frankfort. Two minutes walk to the Old State Capitol, five to Liberty Hall, two miles to Buffalo Trace. The walking trail from Riverview Park to Buffalo Trace Distillery starts minutes from here — one of the better-kept secrets in Kentucky bourbon travel. Fully furnished with a kitchenette, living room, queen bed, and free parking. Bourbon on Main restaurant is within walking distance. 10/10 across 120 verified reviews, Premier Host, top 10% in the area. The most character-rich couple’s option in the Frankfort set and the best location for anyone who wants to walk rather than drive to the trail’s anchor distillery.
For Two Couples — Valor Circle Cottage
A modern two-bedroom, two-bath cottage in the Capitol City neighborhood — four-minute walk to the Kentucky State Capitol, eight minutes to the Governor’s Mansion, two miles to Buffalo Trace, ten miles to Woodford Reserve, with Castle & Key just beyond that. King bed upstairs, queen downstairs, each with their own full bath. Firepit, front porch, fenced backyard, full kitchen, fiber internet. A genuinely good mid-size option for two couples who want more space than a hotel room and a proper base for working through the regional distillery circuit. 9.6/10 across 56 verified reviews, Premier Host.
For Large Groups — H-Derby Bourbon & Horse Racing House
Five bedrooms, sleeps twelve, 5,000 square feet on 2.5 acres backing up to Benson Creek — decorated throughout with Kentucky bourbon and horse racing memorabilia that actually makes sense for what you’re doing there. Three levels, fenced yard, firepit, outdoor grill, deck, and enough space that a group of twelve can spend a day hitting distilleries and come back to a house that feels like a destination rather than just a place to sleep. Events allowed with host approval. Ideal positioned for the full regional circuit. 9.8/10 across 74 verified reviews, Premier Host, partially refundable.
The Ashbrook Hotel — Downtown Boutique
Fourteen rooms across three floors at 300 Washington Street, three-minute walk to the Old State Capitol and Liberty Hall, restaurant on site, free parking, dog friendly with a fenced yard. The Ashbrook is Frankfort’s boutique hotel option — individually decorated rooms, genuine downtown character, and the kind of small-property hospitality that larger chain hotels structurally can’t deliver. Fully refundable rates available. One practical note: the front desk has limited hours and there’s no after-hours check-in, so plan your arrival accordingly. 9.0/10 across 46 verified reviews with a 9.8 cleanliness score.
Home2 Suites by Hilton Frankfort — Closest Hotel to Castle & Key
Six minutes from Castle & Key Distillery — the closest hotel to one of the most visually stunning stops on the entire trail. Full kitchen suites, breakfast included, indoor pool, free parking, EV charging, pets allowed. The highest-rated hotel in the Frankfort set at 9.4/10 across 701 verified reviews. The right call for anyone whose itinerary anchors around the Woodford/Castle & Key/Glenns Creek corridor on the south end of the region, or for longer stays where a full kitchen matters.
Hampton Inn Frankfort — The Reliable Anchor
123 rooms, buffet breakfast included, free parking, pool, pets allowed, ten-minute drive to Buffalo Trace. The Hampton Inn is the highest review-volume hotel in Frankfort at 9.0/10 across 983 verified reviews — for travelers who want a known quantity, strong breakfast, and a reliable base without any surprises, this is the call. A tip from the reviews: request a room on the back side away from the highway for a quieter night. Fully refundable rates available.
Frankfort and Lexington are thirty minutes apart and the distilleries between them — including Wild Turkey and Four Roses — make combining the two regions a natural multi-day trip. Full Lexington coverage: The Lexington Bourbon Trail Guide →
The Pourch Verdict
Most people on the trail go to Bardstown or Louisville first, which is fine. But the bourbon traveler who has been to all the big stops eventually ends up in the Frankfort region, and that’s when the trail gets interesting in a different way. Buffalo Trace alone would justify the drive. Castle & Key alone would justify the drive. Glenns Creek — where David Meier built his own stills, draws his yeast from a century-old fermenter, and tells you straight that there are no real restrooms — is the kind of stop that makes people rearrange how they think about what a distillery visit can be. This region has all of it. Give it the time it deserves.
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