Visit Us
Visit Our Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky
Six generations of bourbon, made and matured on the same ground since 1876 — in the town that calls itself the Bourbon Capital of the World.
Bardstown has a fair claim to being the most concentrated square mileage of whiskey-making anywhere on earth. Within a short drive of our gate there are more working distilleries than most countries manage, and the town has been shipping bourbon since long before it was fashionable. We have been part of that since 1876, on the same ground, under the same family.
This page covers the practical side of coming to see us: where we are, how to get here, what is actually on site, and what else is worth your time while you are in town.
Where We Are
The distillery sits on the edge of Bardstown, a few minutes from the town square. The rickhouses are visible from the road — if you can see the black-stained warehouse roofs, you have found us.
- 1876 Oak Barrel Lane, Bardstown, KY 40004
- Phone: (502) 555-0199
- Email: support@bourbonoaklover.com
- Free on-site parking, including coach and RV spaces
Getting Here
Bardstown is roughly 40 miles south-east of Louisville — about a 45 minute drive on a clear run. From Louisville, take I-65 south and join the Bluegrass Parkway east, or follow KY-245 through the heart of the bourbon country if you would rather see the landscape than the interstate.
From Lexington the drive is a little over an hour west along the Bluegrass Parkway. The nearest commercial airport is Louisville Muhammad Ali International (SDF), about 45 minutes away; there is no public transport that reaches us, so plan on a car or a booked tour coach.
What Is On Site
This is a working distillery rather than a visitor centre with a still parked outside for photographs. Depending on the day and the season you may walk past an active fermenter, a running column still, or a crew dumping barrels.
- The mash floor and still house, in operation on production days
- Rickhouse No. 7, our newest warehouse, holding 20,000 barrels
- The tasting room, where flights are poured at cask strength and proofed side by side
- The bottling line and single-barrel selection room
Tours and Tastings
Everything on site runs by advance booking rather than walk-up, because the rickhouse walks are capped at small numbers and the barrel-pick experience takes half a day. Tour options, durations and current pricing are listed in full on the tours page.
While You Are In Bardstown
You are unlikely to have come all this way for one distillery, and we would not pretend you should. Bardstown packs an unusual amount into a small town.
- My Old Kentucky Home State Park, the house behind the state song, ten minutes from us
- The Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History on the old Spalding Hall site
- The Bardstown town square, worth an hour on foot for the architecture alone
- Several other Kentucky Bourbon Trail stops within a fifteen minute drive
Common Questions
Frequently Asked
- Where is Bourbon & Oak located?
- At 1876 Oak Barrel Lane, Bardstown, Kentucky 40004, on the edge of town a few minutes from the square. There is free on-site parking including coach and RV spaces.
- How far is Bardstown from Louisville?
- About 40 miles south-east, or roughly a 45 minute drive. Take I-65 south to the Bluegrass Parkway east, or follow KY-245 for the scenic route through bourbon country.
- Do I need to book a tour in advance?
- Yes. Rickhouse walks are capped at small group sizes and the private barrel-pick experience takes most of a day, so everything runs by advance booking rather than walk-up.
- Is Bourbon & Oak on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail?
- We sit in Bardstown, the town at the centre of the Trail, with several other stops within a fifteen minute drive. Most visitors build us into a Bardstown day rather than treating us as a standalone trip.
- Can I buy allocated bottles at the distillery?
- Allocated releases such as the Buffalo Trace Antique Collection arrive in fixed quantities that cannot be increased, so availability at the gate changes constantly. Current stock is listed in the online collection.
- Is the distillery accessible?
- The tasting room, bottling line and parking are step-free. Rickhouse floors are reached by stairs and the surfaces are uneven working warehouse floors, so please call ahead on (502) 555-0199 and we will plan a route that works.
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