Woodford Reserve sits on 800 acres in the heart of Kentucky’s bourbon country, just outside Versailles in Woodford County. The distillery operates from a National Historic Landmark site that’s been making whiskey since 1812, though Brown-Forman restored the property in the 1990s to create what became the Woodford Reserve brand. Master Distiller Chris Morris has been crafting their signature bourbon here since 2003, overseeing production in copper pot stills that make this one of only a handful of Kentucky distilleries using this method alongside traditional column stills. The limestone buildings and rolling countryside create the kind of setting that makes you understand why Kentucky became bourbon’s heartland. What started as the Old Oscar Pepper Distillery, where Dr. James Crow pioneered the sour mash process in the 1830s, now produces some of the most recognizable premium bourbon in America. The restored distillery combines that historical foundation with modern precision, turning out around 300 barrels per day when running at capacity. You’re not just visiting a working distillery—you’re stepping into two centuries of bourbon innovation, where traditional methods meet contemporary craftsmanship in a place that helped define what American whiskey could become.