You Can Sample the Finest Bourbon in the World In The Town That Inspired the Song “My Old Kentucky Home”

Bardstown, Kentucky

Most bourbon trails lead to Bardstown, and for good reason. This small Kentucky city has been distilling since 1776, earning its nickname as the Bourbon Capital of the World. Beyond the whiskey, you’ll find a pretty impressive food scene and some of the best-preserved historic buildings in the state.

Gateway to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail

In 2017, Bardstown was designated as the “Official Gateway” to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail (established in 1999). The Bardstown Bourbon Company provides guided tours showcasing their state-of-the-art distillery and bottling facilities.

If you’re on a self-guided tour, you’ll learn more about Bardstown’s 11 unique distillery experiences within 16 miles of the town center. Many explore different parts of the bourbon-making process, from grinding corn to filling barrels.

Dealing With Prohibition’s Alcohol Ban

During Prohibition (1920-1933), Bardstown, like many other towns, faced challenges due to the alcohol ban.

As early as the mid-1800s, some residents even advocated for an alcohol ban. The Old Talbott Tavern (established in 1779) though destroyed after a fire in 1998, was renovated only to discover it preserved underground tunnels, secret rooms, and staircases leading to nowhere. These passages, some reaching 100 feet, helped move and hide bourbon.

President’s Need For Local Bourbon

President Harry Truman’s surprise stop in Bardstown in 1953 gave the town national recognition. During this journey, he traveled without Secret Service protection, accompanied by his wife, Bess.

Truman’s fondness for bourbon was evident when he tasted the local blend during his Kentucky trip. He liked it so much that he had several cases sent to the White House. You can still see the chair where Truman sat for his bourbon tasting in Bardstown’s historic district.

Many Bourbon Storage Buildings

Heaven Hill Distillery (one of the largest here) operates 57 rickhouses across six sites in Kentucky’s Nelson and Jefferson counties. These tall black buildings, each up to seven stories high, can store between 15,000 to 20,000 barrels of bourbon for a small distillery. Kentucky’s weather swings from very hot to very cold, perfect for aging bourbon naturally.

As temperatures change, the bourbon moves in and out of the barrel’s wood, picking up flavors and its amber color.

Rare Bourbon Found Behind a Wall

A museum team discovered a bourbon bottle mortared into a brick wall (check the video by Museum Director, Mike Hudson).

Workers found this rare bottle sealed behind a wall during renovations, where it had stayed hidden for over 100 years. The bottle is vintage because it’s both very old and still sealed, keeping the bourbon inside exactly as it was when first bottled. Experts have checked the glass and label to confirm it’s real.

Distilleries Use Their Special Yeast

Many Bardstown distilleries still use the same yeast strains their founders brought to Kentucky in the 1700s. These tiny organisms give each bourbon its unique taste, and distilleries have carefully kept them alive for generations.

The yeast is so important that they keep backup samples in different safe places. Some of these yeast strains have been used non-stop for more than 200 years.

The Oldest Bourbon Barrel in Town

The Beam family has been involved in bourbon production since 1795, spanning eight generations in Kentucky’s distilling history. The barrel stands as a piece of living history.

Today, a special bourbon barrel from 1941 still sits in its original spot in a Bardstown distillery. While most bourbon ages between 4 to 12 years, this strain has been at it for over 80 years, the original date and distillery stamp still show.

The First Distillery That Started It All

Established in 1879 by the Moore family, the Barton 1792 Distillery is the oldest fully operating facility in Bardstown. They relied on traditional grain recipes and charred oak barrels, which are still used today.

Some local families continue to work in the same distilleries their great-great-grandparents helped start. The distillery ceased operations during Prohibition in 1920 and was reopened by Tom Moore’s son, Con Moore, after the 21st Amendment in 1933.

World’s Iconic Bourbon Museums

The Bardstown Bourbon Company houses a whiskey library of over 400 bourbons and ryes, with the oldest being a Cedar Brook bourbon from 1892.

The Oscar Getz Museum of Whiskey History chronicles American whiskey history from Colonial times through the 1960s, featuring artifacts such as Abraham Lincoln’s liquor license, Prohibition-era medicinal whiskey prescriptions, 3600 rare bottles, and moonshine stills.

Local Water Makes Great Bourbon

Bardstown sits on top of a huge limestone shelf that goes 400 feet deep into the ground. This natural rock filters out iron and adds trace minerals like calcium carbonate and magnesium which helps with the fermentation.

The early bourbon makers built their distilleries near these limestone springs. Today, Preservation Distillery emphasizes sustainability by raising Bluegrass Longhorn cattle and insisting on using their farm’s limestone water source.

Annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival

Each September, Bardstown hosts the Kentucky Bourbon Festival. Established in 1991 as a modest dinner and bourbon tasting for 250 attendees, the festival has grown into a three-day celebration, attracting over 50,000 visitors.

It features opportunities for bourbon enthusiasts to engage with over 60 distilleries. Participate in the World Championship Bourbon Barrel Relay, where distillery teams compete in barrel rolling races, and the Master Distillers’ Auction, showcasing rare bourbons.

The 2025 festival is scheduled for September 5 to 7.