Most people who fly into Cincinnati to do the Kentucky Bourbon Trail drive straight south toward Bardstown and never look back across the river. That’s understandable — Bardstown is worth the drive. But the region they’re skipping, the cluster of distilleries sitting right there along the Ohio River in Covington and Newport and stretching down through Boone County and Gallatin County and all the way to the banks at Augusta, is one of the most interesting and genuinely underserved stops on the entire trail. Nine distilleries. Nine bourbon bars. A self-guided trail that most bourbon travelers have never heard of.
Northern Kentucky sits across the Ohio River from Cincinnati and most of the activity is concentrated in Covington and Newport — two cities connected to Cincinnati by nine bridges, accessible from CVG Airport in about fifteen minutes, and packed with restaurants, bars, and now a growing roster of craft distilleries that have turned this corridor into a legitimate bourbon destination. The craft distillery scene here is younger than what you’ll find in Bardstown or Frankfort, which means the producers are doing interesting, forward-leaning work that doesn’t always follow the established playbook. That’s part of what makes it worth your time.
This guide covers the Northern Kentucky distilleries worth visiting, where to stay, and what 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.
The B-Line — Northern Kentucky’s Self-Guided Bourbon Trail
In 2018, Northern Kentucky’s tourism organization created The B-Line — short for Bourbon Line — a self-guided trail connecting the region’s distilleries, bourbon bars, and bourbon-centric restaurants into a coherent experience. No set order, no requirements, no convoluted maps. You pick your stops, build your route, and go. All nine distilleries on The B-Line are official Kentucky Bourbon Trail members, which means you can collect passport stamps as you go. Visit two distilleries, two restaurants, and two bars and you can redeem for bourbon swag through the meetNKY visitors bureau.
The trail runs roughly 70 miles if you drove it straight through — from the Covington and Newport riverfront all the way down to Augusta on the Ohio River. In practice, most visitors split it into a Covington/Newport day for the urban distilleries and a separate day for the outlying stops. That’s how we’d approach it.
The Northern Kentucky Distilleries Worth Your Time
New Riff Distilling — The Anchor of the Region
If you only know one Northern Kentucky distillery by name, it’s probably New Riff. Founded in 2014 in Newport, New Riff is the distillery that put this region on the serious bourbon map — a grain-to-glass operation with a genuine commitment to transparency and quality that has earned it recognition well beyond its size. Every New Riff expression is bottled in bond — 100 proof, four-year minimum, from a single distilling season — and nothing is chill filtered. The malted rye expression in particular has drawn attention from people who follow this closely. The visitor experience includes distillery tours, a full tasting room, and a retail shop that carries expressions available only here. Worth making the anchor of your Covington/Newport day and building the other stops around it. newriffdistilling.com
Wenzel Whiskey — Blend Your Own History, Downtown Covington
Wenzel opened its Covington distillery in 2025 and immediately became one of the more interesting new stops in the region. The building at the historic intersection of Tobacco and Electric Alley dates to 1873 and was used as a whiskey rectifier — a non-producing blending and bottling operation — before Prohibition ended that chapter. Wenzel has leaned into that history with a hands-on blending experience where visitors thieve from barrels and craft their own custom bottle to take home. It’s a participatory tasting experience that stands apart from a standard tour, and the downtown Covington location puts it within easy walking distance of the riverfront and MainStrasse Village. wenzelwhiskey.com
Second Sight Spirits — Newport’s Artisanal Distillery
Second Sight is a walkable downtown Newport stop with a flair for the innovative and an approach to spirits that goes well beyond standard bourbon production. The distillery describes itself as a magical mystery artisanal operation, and the tasting room reflects that energy — inventive cocktails, locally produced spirits presented in ways that reward curiosity, and a one-of-a-kind copper still that functions as the centerpiece of the experience. If you’re doing a Newport walking circuit with Pensive Distilling (see below), Second Sight is a natural companion stop. secondsightspirits.com
Pensive Distilling Co. — Newport
Pensive is a walkable Newport stop and a newer addition to the B-Line roster. The tasting room is the draw here — one of the most robust bourbon flight offerings in the region alongside a patio that takes advantage of the Newport setting. Straightforward, well-run, and a good transition stop between Second Sight and wherever the evening takes you. pensivedistilling.com
The Covington/Newport riverfront corridor — New Riff, Wenzel, Second Sight, and Pensive — is walkable enough that you can do all four in a day without a car if you’re staying downtown. The Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar in Covington’s MainStrasse Village, with over 600 whiskies and 450 bourbons on the menu, is the natural end to that day.
Boone County Distilling Co. — Independence
The Boone County brand traces its roots to 1833, making it one of the oldest bourbon brand names in Kentucky. The modern revival operation is in Independence, about twenty minutes south of Covington, and it takes the heritage seriously — the mash bills and production approach draw on historical documentation from the original distillery. The 1833 Kentucky Straight Bourbon is the flagship expression and a genuine representation of what pre-Prohibition bourbon in this region tasted like. Worth the drive if you’re building a day in the wider Boone County area. boonecountydistilling.com
Neeley Family Distillery — Sparta
In Gallatin County near Kentucky Speedway on I-71, Neeley Family is one of the more remote B-Line stops but draws consistent visits from bourbon travelers who make the trip specifically for what they’re producing. The family operation focuses on small-batch, grain-to-glass production with genuine attention to sourcing and process. The Speedway location makes it a natural add-on for anyone attending a race weekend, and the drive through Gallatin County farmland on the way there is worth something on its own. neeleyfamilydistillery.com
The Old Pogue Distillery — Maysville
About an hour east of Covington in Maysville, the Old Pogue Distillery carries a distinction that’s easy to overlook: it’s the oldest surviving bourbon brand in America, founded by H.E. Pogue in 1876, and the fifth-generation family is still running it. The Maysville location puts it at the far end of the B-Line route, but the town itself — a beautiful historic river city on the Ohio — gives you a reason to make a full day of it. The tasting room carries expressions that don’t make it to retail, and the family history here is deeper than almost anything else on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. oldpogue.com
Augusta Distillery & Becker and Bird — Augusta
Augusta is a small historic river town about 45 minutes east of Covington that merits a visit beyond the distilleries — it’s one of the more picturesque spots along the Ohio River in Kentucky, and the combination of Augusta Distillery and the newer Becker & Bird Winery & Distillery gives you two stops in a town worth spending an afternoon in. Neither is a large operation, which is entirely the point. The setting on the river, the quiet of a small Kentucky town, and the quality of what’s being made there make Augusta a rewarding detour for the bourbon traveler who has already done the major stops and is looking for something genuinely off the standard itinerary.
Nine distilleries across a 70-mile corridor calls for a plan. The full breakdown on pacing, tasting technique, and keeping your notes organized across a multi-stop day: How to Taste Bourbon at a Distillery →
The Pourch Bourbon Tasting Journal
Structured tasting forms with a 12-spoke flavor radar chart and a full context page per pour — built for distillery visits as much as home tastings. Nine stops across a new region you haven’t tasted through before. You’ll want organized notes. Print-on-demand, shipped to your door.
Shop The Pourch →Where to Stay in Northern Kentucky
Covington is the natural base for a Northern Kentucky bourbon trip — it’s walkable to several distilleries and the Covington/Newport riverfront, has excellent restaurants and bars, and puts the Cincinnati skyline right across the water as a backdrop. Newport is a close second, slightly more laid back with its own downtown character. Both are fifteen minutes from CVG Airport, which makes this region one of the easiest bourbon trail destinations to fly into and get started immediately.
Hotel Covington — The Bourbon-Forward Boutique Hotel
The Hotel Covington is the standout property in this entire regional set and, frankly, one of the most on-brand lodging options in the entire Kentucky bourbon travel cluster. Bourbon-inspired elegance is baked into the property description — personalized welcome messages, two bars serving specialty cocktails, an outdoor courtyard with a fireplace, and a restaurant that earns its own visit. One reviewer specifically called out the two connected bars as the highlight of their stay. 114 rooms, 7 floors at 638 Madison Ave, three-minute drive to Great American Ball Park, free airport shuttle 7:30-10:30 AM, free area shuttle within 2 miles. 9.6/10 across 1,003 verified reviews — the highest hotel score in the entire Cluster 4 lodging set. Fully refundable rates available. The right call if you want a hotel that understands exactly why you’re here.
Holiday Inn Express Cincinnati Riverfront — The Reliable Option
127 rooms at 200 Crescent Ave in Covington, two-minute drive to Paycor Stadium, nine-minute walk to MainStrasse Village where the Old Kentucky Bourbon Bar lives. Buffet breakfast included, indoor pool, EV charging, fully refundable rates available, no pets. 9.0/10 across 1,161 verified reviews — the highest review volume of any hotel in this set. The practical, no-surprises choice for bourbon travelers who want a solid base without paying boutique hotel prices.
House of Liebe — The Character Property
An 1860 two-bedroom home in Covington with a Cincinnati skyline view from the back patio, giant Connect Four, a chalk-friendly brick wall patio, firepit, board games, and a host couple — Vicky and Doug — who have clearly thought through every detail of what makes a stay memorable. Liebe is German for love, and the property earns the name. Nine-minute walk to the Ohio River, three-minute drive to Great American Ball Park. Dog friendly, partially refundable, two private parking spaces. 9.8/10 across 121 verified reviews, Premier Host, top 10% in the area. The right call for couples or a small group who want a Covington home base with genuine personality rather than a hotel room.
Pickle Factory Hotel — Tobacco Alley, Covington
The building at 13 Tobacco Alley has been a soda pop operation, the African American Odd Fellows Hall, and a pickle factory. Now it’s a six-unit boutique hotel in the heart of Covington with individually designed rooms — including one called Cigars & Bourbon, which is either a coincidence or exactly the kind of editorial serendipity that makes a travel recommendation write itself. Free parking, full kitchen in every unit, city views, 12-minute walk to Smale Riverfront Park. 9.4/10 across 79 reviews. The right call for travelers who want a story attached to where they slept.
Baldwin Flats — East 4th Street, Covington
Four uniquely styled apartment units on East 4th Street in Covington — Funky Fresh, Translucency, Minimalism, and Boho Loft. Full kitchen, washer/dryer, free parking, garden. 11-minute walk to Smale Riverfront Park, 17 minutes to Great American Ball Park. 9.6/10 across 77 reviews. The clean, well-positioned apartment option for travelers who want more space than a hotel room and a residential Covington neighborhood feel. No pets, non-refundable.
Northern Kentucky is about 90 minutes from Louisville — a natural next stop if you’re building a multi-region Kentucky trip. Full Louisville coverage including Whiskey Row and Stitzel-Weller: The Louisville Bourbon Trail Guide →
Flying into CVG and heading home with bottles? The complete guide to getting bourbon safely through checked luggage — protector bags, packing cubes, and the system that works: What to Pack for a Distillery Tour →
The Pourch Verdict
Northern Kentucky is the bourbon trail’s best-kept secret, and it won’t stay that way much longer. Nine distilleries, nine bars, ten restaurants, a walkable riverfront in Covington and Newport, and a hotel with bourbon-inspired elegance as its stated design philosophy. New Riff alone would put this region on the map for serious bourbon travelers. Add Wenzel’s blend-your-own experience in a building that was blending whiskey before Prohibition, Old Pogue’s fifth-generation family running the oldest surviving bourbon brand in America down in Maysville, and the Cincinnati skyline watching over all of it from across the Ohio River, and you have a region that deserves to be on the itinerary rather than the afterthought. Go before everyone else figures it out.
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