Wild Turkey Distillery sits on a bluff overlooking the Kentucky River in Lawrenceburg, about 30 minutes west of Lexington. The Russell family has been making bourbon here since 1954, when Jimmy Russell started as a distiller and worked his way up to master distiller—a position he’s held for over six decades. His son Eddie joined him in 1981 and became associate master distiller, making this one of the few true multi-generational bourbon operations in Kentucky. The distillery produces several million gallons of bourbon annually in what’s become one of the most recognizable names in American whiskey. Jimmy Russell is something of a legend in bourbon circles—he’s been crafting Wild Turkey’s signature high-rye mash bill longer than most distillers have been alive. At 89 years old, he still comes to work regularly, though Eddie handles most of the day-to-day production decisions. Their approach stays consistent with Wild Turkey’s house style: they use a 75% corn, 13% rye, 12% malted barley mash bill for their flagship bourbon, and they enter it into barrels at a relatively low 107 proof to preserve flavor during aging. The rickhouses stretch along the Kentucky River, and many of the barrels age 6-8 years or longer depending on the expression. Visitors get to see a working distillery that produces serious volume while maintaining the Russell family’s hands-on approach. The tour takes you through the fermentation room with massive cypress wood washbacks, past the column stills, and into the rickhouses where thousands of barrels are aging. You’ll taste several expressions and hear stories about how Jimmy Russell helped define modern bourbon. The visitor center opened in 2014 and provides a polished experience without losing the authentic working distillery feel that makes Wild Turkey worth the drive to Lawrenceburg.