buffalo trace distillery ghost tour

Buffalo Trace Distillery Tour: What To Know Before You Go

By: Author Melody Pittman

Posted on May 16, 2023

Buffalo Trace Distillery – a must-visit Kentucky bourbon destination! This top-notch facility, voted “2018 Distiller of the Year”, is over 200 years old and found in Frankfort. Even if you’re not a bourbon lover, you’ll find enjoyment in your visit. The property itself covers 440 acres, and tours and tastings are free. Don’t miss out!

How to Get to the Buffalo Trace Distillery

Come visit Buffalo Trace Distillery, just 28 miles away from Lexington , Kentucky, or 55 miles from Louisville . Buffalo Trace is a National Historic Landmark that’s sure to impress.

Distillery Hours and Tour Prices

The wide variety of tours at Buffalo Trace Distillery run Monday through Friday and include a complimentary tasting. Note that reservations are required and tours are not available on Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year’s Day.

Discover the rich history and delicious bourbon of Buffalo Trace with a variety of tours! The Trace Tour is the most popular option that offers a glimpse into the brand’s past and an introduction to the iconic property . Available daily, no reservations required!

Learn about our pre-prohibition distilling history on the National Historic Landmark Tour, which focuses on the architecture and Buffalo Trace property, mostly from 1933 to 1953.

Get spooked on the Ghost Tour with legendary stories of haunted areas like Stony Point Mansion and The Old Taylor House. This one is only available Thursday through Saturday evenings.

For bourbon enthusiasts, the Bourbon Barrel Tour is the perfect pick. Discover the bourbon aging process, barrels, and what happens to them when they can no longer store the beloved bourbon.

Fun Fact : Buffalo Trace is America’s oldest continually-operating distillery.

The Whiskey Making Process

Come explore the secrets of the 90-proof (45% alcohol by volume) whiskey at EH Taylor Tour and Buffalo Trace’s Hard Hat Tour! Get an exclusive look at the distilling process, from grain to bottle.

Experience the unique “Bourbon Pompeii” on the E. H. Taylor Tour and learn about the man himself, while the Hard Hat Tour takes you on a journey from the grain distillery process to bottling. The tours offer sensory delights that will make any whiskey lover swoon.

Don’t miss your chance to discover how your favorite drink is made – tours run on Saturdays too!

The Tasting and Buffalo Trace Distillery Brands

Meet Mr. Freddie Johnson – the third-generation Buffalo Trace Distillery employee, local celebrity (Neat: The Story of Bourbon), and 2018 Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame inductee. As a VIP Visitor Lead at the distillery, Freddie is the ultimate tasting guide, making sipping and sampling an unforgettable experience.

During my visit, Freddie showcased his expertise with a selection of premium products – Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Rare Eagle Bourbon Whiskey, Wheatley Vodka, Bourbon Cream (think a beefed-up Bailey’s Irish Cream), and Freddie’s Root Beer. He even explained how to properly sip and get your mouth warmed up for the bourbon tasting.

Trust me when I say that pairing Bourbon Cream with soda is the ultimate dessert-like experience! I couldn’t resist taking both products home to enjoy later. And, of course, we couldn’t leave without indulging in a Rebecca Ruth Bourbon Ball made with Buffalo Trace.

Thanks to Freddie’s charming personality and passion for all things bourbon, my visit to Buffalo Trace Distillery was an incredible highlight and a must-do for any spirit enthusiast.

Buffalo Trace brands include O.F.C. Vintages, Van Winkle, Bourbon Cream, Benchmark, Wheatley Vodka, Ancient Age, and many more. One of the most coveted photography spots at Buffalo Trace Distillery is inside, with the hundreds of aging barrels as the backdrop.

Masks were required during my visit, but I will cherish the photo opportunity and remember learning about an essential part of Kentucky’s history.

Bonus Features at The Trace

Don’t forget to check out the Whiskey Vault, where rare and oldest bottles are displayed. As your tour guide explains the collection’s significance, appreciate the vast history within this tiny space. Cap off your visit at the George T. Staff Gift Shop and Gallery, where you will find signature logo apparel, collector’s items, bourbons, Wheatley Vodka, and more.

If you can’t make it in person, you can do a virtual tour at buffalotracedistillery.com/virtualtour .

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Bourbon Reviews, Distillery News and Information

Bourbon Obsessed℠

Buffalo Trace Distillery Tour

• October 10, 2023
• Distilleries , Distillery Reviews

113 Great Buffalo Trace Frankfort, KY 40601 Tours/Tastings: 800-654-8471 Gift Shop: 800-654-8471 or 502-696-5926 www.buffalotracedistillery.com Tour/Review

Please enjoy our Buffalo Trace Distillery Tour review!

Buffalo Trace Distillery Is A Great Place To Visit

Among distilleries anywhere, Buffalo Trace is top notch, and we’ll tell you just a few of the reasons why.  First, Buffalo Trace Distillery is a National Historic Landmark. Designated in 2013, the grounds are beautifully groomed and the historic buildings transport the visitor to another time. Second, tours are free.  Yes, all six currently offered tours and tastings are free of charge.  Third, the different types of tours available are impressive. Whether you want a general overview of the distillery, a behind the scenes look at the distilling operations or a walk through the Arboretum, Botanical Gardens and Bird Sanctuary, there’s a tour for you. We have taken many of the different tours over the years, and they are all very educational and enjoyable.

A Recent Expansion

Buffalo Trace recently underwent a massive expansion of both their distillery and the visitor center. The new visitor center is LARGE. It features the Buffalo Trace Distillery Gift Shop, as well as portrait displays which are utilized during the tours. In addition, there are now multiple tasting rooms and tasting bars, as well as expanded seating. Even with this expansion, the number of people wanting to visit still exceeds capacity.

The Trace Tour at Buffalo Trace Distillery

On our first visit back in 2019, we chose The Trace Tour, which at the time, was the only tour that did not require reservations. Reservations are now required for all tours at this point, as Buffalo Trace Distillery has become a very popular destination. Importantly, The Trace Tour is the only tour that is open to all ages. All of the other tours are not available for children under 12 years of age. As of October 2023, the Trace Tour runs at least hourly, Monday-Saturday 9AM-5PM and Sunday 11AM-5PM.  Based on visitor flow, tours may run more frequently during the hour.  For example, the day we toured, the Trace Tour was being offered every 20-30 minutes, but your results may vary.  This tour is a great option to get a nice overview of the Distillery and to sample some of Buffalo Trace’s products.

Book Your Buffalo Trace Distillery Tour Well In Advance

Booking tours at Buffalo Trace Distillery is now a streamlined process, but it does take advanced planning. Tours are booked online at buffalotracedistillery.com , with dates released weekly, on Wednesdays at 10AM Eastern. Buffalo Trace releases dates up to 8 weeks in the future, so it behooves you to plan well in advance of your anticipated visit. They even post on their website the exact date and time when booking for specific dates will open up. Finally, a waitlist tool is also available if your dates of choice are already full.

Parking At Buffalo Trace Distillery

Parking is easy at Buffalo Trace distillery.  The paved lot is large, and the ample signage directing the way, makes it quick, too.  Motorcycle parking is available as well. The parking lot allows easy access to the visitor center. But first, after parking but before entering the distillery grounds and the visitor center proper, all visitors must check in the building at the end of the parking lot. Don’t forget to bring your ID!

Our Tour Begins

While the details may have changed a bit over the years, the general flow is similar. The order and choice of stops may very a bit, with some tours visiting more of the working distillery. Now a days, tours start from the visitor center and can either head directly back into the distillery or out onto the campus. Upstairs in the Visitor Center are multiple portraits of the men who shaped what would become the Buffalo Trace Distillery. Your tour may start discussing the distillery’s history, as you move from portrait to portrait. We have also had tours begin outside.

Our First Buffalo Trace Tour

On our initial The Trace Tour, after a brief introduction by our tour guide, we first headed to the nearby Free House where we saw an interesting video on the history of the Buffalo Trace Distillery. After the video, our guide explained the basics of aging the bourbon and was aided by a nifty display which included 4 barrels of bourbon with see through barrel heads. Each barrel was at a different stage in the aging process:  one at entry level, the next at 4 years, then 9 years, and finally 18 years.  All 4 barrels had a different level and color of bourbon.  It was a great visual aid for the explanation of the changes that take place during aging, including the yearly loss of bourbon due to evaporation (known as the “angels’ share”).

Buffalo Trace Distillery Warehouse C

Our next stop brought us to the very large Warehouse C. Warehouse C is a very old warehouse on the property. It was built by Colonel E.H. Taylor back in 1885 and has been the aging location for many fine whiskeys. In fact, two are highlighted in the E.H. Taylor Bourbon family – the Warehouse C and Tornado Surviving Bourbons. We walked in and immediately the sweet smell of the 24,000 barrels of aging bourbon whiskey overwhelmed our senses.  Here we learned about how Buffalo Trace warehouses and ages their products.

Time To Bottle The Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon

The Albert B. Blanton Bottling Hall was our final dabble into the world of the Buffalo Trace Distillery. While Blanton’s Single Barrel Bourbon is famously aged in Col. Blanton’s favorite Warehouse H, it is all bottled here. This tiny building is an active bottling facility for Blanton’s Bourbon and amazingly, it is all done by hand.  It was fun and surprising to see how many steps are required for the finished bottle.

Back To The Buffalo Trace Distillery Visitor Center

The Trace Tour, like most distillery tours, ends where it began, back at the visitor center.  This time we headed to the second floor for our tasting.  Five products were available for tasting.  They included the White Dog, Wheatley Vodka, Buffalo Trace Bourbon, Eagle Rare Bourbon, Bourbon Cream, and of course, a bourbon ball.  Our tour and tasting lasted approximately one hour, although today’s The Trace Tour has a duration of 75 minutes. Overall, we really enjoyed our time at Buffalo Trace Distillery, and have returned many times since to take advantage of the other available tours. A visit is highly recommended; just don’t forget to plan well in advance! Cheers!🥃

We hope you have enjoyed our Buffalo Trace Distillery Tour review! Would you like to learn about a couple of Buffalo Trace Distillery’s Bourbons? Check out our Buffalo Trace Bourbon Review and Blanton’s Bourbon Review !

Please note that Distillery Hours and Tour/Tasting Availability may vary. Please contact the distillery or check their web page or social media for details before you go.

Updated: October 10, 2023

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Buffalo Trace Trace -->

History : Buffalo Trace Distillery has a long history dating back to 1773 when it was originally established by Hancock Lee, a pioneering figure in Kentucky's early distilling industry. It is one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in the United States. Over the years, the distillery changed ownership several times and faced challenges such as Prohibition, but it managed to survive and thrive. Products : Buffalo Trace Distillery is primarily known for its bourbon whiskey production. They produce a variety of bourbons under their flagship Buffalo Trace brand, including the award-winning Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Eagle Rare, Blanton's, and Pappy Van Winkle's Family Reserve. They also produce other spirits such as rye whiskey, vodka, and bourbon cream liqueur. Tours and Visitor Center : The distillery offers tours for visitors to explore its facilities and learn about the bourbon-making process. The tours provide insights into the history, craftsmanship, and tradition behind Buffalo Trace's spirits. The Visitor Center showcases displays of artifacts, historic documents, and interactive exhibits related to bourbon production. Tours of Buffalo trace’s sprawling campus give visitors an amazing take on how bourbon had been produced for the last 150 years. This is a must stop on the Bourbon Trail though tickets are limited. Historic Landmarks : Buffalo Trace Distillery boasts several historic landmarks. The distillery itself is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and some of its buildings date back to the 1800s. The Warehouse C, constructed in 1881, is the world's oldest continuously aging warehouse for aging whiskey. The Distillery also includes the Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Warehouse and Bottling Facility, which honors a prominent figure in bourbon history. Recognition and Awards : Buffalo Trace Distillery and its products have received numerous accolades and awards over the years. Their bourbons consistently rank highly in competitions and are widely regarded for their quality and craftsmanship. Contact – (502) 696-5926 Address – 113 Great Buffalo Trace, Framkfort, KY 40601 Website –  Buffalotracedistillery.com

History : Buffalo Trace Distillery has a long history dating back to 1773 when it was originally established by Hancock Lee, a pioneering figure in Kentucky’s early distilling industry. It is one of the oldest continuously operating distilleries in the United States. Over the years, the distillery changed ownership several times and faced challenges such as Prohibition, but it managed to survive and thrive.

Products : Buffalo Trace Distillery is primarily known for its bourbon whiskey production. They produce a variety of bourbons under their flagship Buffalo Trace brand, including the award-winning Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, and Pappy Van Winkle’s Family Reserve. They also produce other spirits such as rye whiskey, vodka, and bourbon cream liqueur.

Tours and Visitor Center : The distillery offers tours for visitors to explore its facilities and learn about the bourbon-making process. The tours provide insights into the history, craftsmanship, and tradition behind Buffalo Trace’s spirits. The Visitor Center showcases displays of artifacts, historic documents, and interactive exhibits related to bourbon production. Tours of Buffalo trace’s sprawling campus give visitors an amazing take on how bourbon had been produced for the last 150 years. This is a must stop on the Bourbon Trail though tickets are limited.

Historic Landmarks : Buffalo Trace Distillery boasts several historic landmarks. The distillery itself is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and some of its buildings date back to the 1800s. The Warehouse C, constructed in 1881, is the world’s oldest continuously aging warehouse for aging whiskey. The Distillery also includes the Colonel E.H. Taylor, Jr. Warehouse and Bottling Facility, which honors a prominent figure in bourbon history.

Recognition and Awards : Buffalo Trace Distillery and its products have received numerous accolades and awards over the years. Their bourbons consistently rank highly in competitions and are widely regarded for their quality and craftsmanship.

Contact – (502) 696-5926

Address – 113 Great Buffalo Trace, Framkfort, KY 40601

Website –  Buffalotracedistillery.com

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Buffalo Trace

History: Buffalo Trace Distillery has a long history dating back to 1773 when it was originally established by Hancock Lee, a pioneering figure in Kentucky's early distilling industry. It is…

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This Is My South

A travel guide to the Southern USA

Visiting the Buffalo Trace Distillery

December 15, 2014 By Caroline Eubanks 2 Comments

The triangle area between Frankfort, Louisville, and Lexington is the heart of what’s known as Bourbon Country, home to countless bourbon distilleries.

Buffalo Trace Distillery is recognized as the oldest continually operating distillery in the United States. Distilling started on the site around 1773, but the first true distillery was opened in 1812 by Harrison Blanton, whose name still bears a brand of bourbon today.

The History of Buffalo Trace Distillery

Later it was named the George T. Stagg Distillery, another brand that exists today, which placed the property on the National Register of Historic Places.

The distillery was allowed to stay open during Prohibition when they sold their 100 proof whiskey by prescription for headaches. You could purchase a 16-ounce bottle every ten days.

The distillery operated under that name until 1992 when Sazerac purchased it. In 1999, the Buffalo Trace brand was introduced and has since become one of the most awarded bourbon brands.

In addition to the hundreds of brands represented by Sazerac (including Firefly ), Buffalo Trace makes 17 types of whiskey. This includes Blanton’s original single barrel bourbon, pictured below, George T. Stagg and Pappy Van Winkle.

Buffalo Trace isn’t included on the official Bourbon Trail due to the fact that they’re not on the board of distillers, but this distillery differs from the rest in Bourbon county in that it is free to visit.

How to See Buffalo Trace Distillery

There are five tours available that each offer a different part of the distilling process and a piece of the site’s history. I took a condensed version of the tour, which took us to the riverboat captain’s home, a 1792 building that is the oldest residence in the country. Buffalo Trace also runs ghost tours throughout the year, which fans may have seen on the show  Ghost Hunters.

From our guide, we learned that bourbon must be 51% corn by law to be considered true bourbon. It’s aged for a minimum of two years, but usually longer, in 53-gallon barrels made of white oak from Missouri.

The longer it’s in the barrel, the less volume it contains, making it a higher proof and higher price, like the Pappy Van Winkle 23-Year-Old. All distilling and bottling are done onsite in different warehouses.

Twelve warehouses contain experimental products not ready for public consumption. The bottling and labels for Blanton, pictured above, are all done by hand.

Tastings at Buffalo Trace Distillery

You don’t have to go on a tour to experience a tasting, but it’s recommended to give you background information on what you’ll be sampling.

Be sure to try their flagship brand, Buffalo Trace Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey. Also worth sampling are the Wheatley Vodka and the Buffalo Trace Bourbon Cream. You must be 21 years of age to sample.

Tips for Visiting Buffalo Trace Distillery

The  Buffalo Trace Distillery  is located outside of  Lexington , Kentucky near the capital of Frankfort at113 Great Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, KY 40601. The distillery is open from Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 4 pm and on Sundays from 12 pm to 3 pm.

There are a few restaurants nearby, including Jim’s Seafood , a riverfront seafood restaurant, and Serafini , an Italian bistro. Since Frankfort is the capital, there are few hotels like Capital Plaza Hotel and Fairfield Inn & Suites Frankfort .

The drive from Lexington takes around 30 minutes if you’d rather make it a day trip. If you prefer not to drive, book the Kentucky Bourbon Distilleries Tour from Louisville which offers transportation on your day of visiting multiple distilleries.

About Caroline Eubanks

Caroline Eubanks is the editor of this website, a Lowell Thomas award-winning travel writer, and the author of This Is My South: The Essential Travel Guide to the Southern States. Her stories from the South have appeared in National Geographic Traveler, Afar, Thrillist, Roads and Kingdoms, and BBC Travel.

Reader Interactions

October 19, 2019 at 11:25 am

Buffalo Trace is in Franklin County, not Bourbon County

August 18, 2020 at 1:52 pm

Are you currently open for tours? We would like to come during the first week in September. Not sure if you are doing the tours because of Covid.

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New Kentucky Ghost Tour Explores Spooky and Spirited Haunted Landmarks

by Mint Julep Experiences | Jul 11, 2019 | Bourbon , Culinary

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Each Spooky & Spirited Supper Adventure starts at 5:00 p.m. at Mint Julep’s Experience Hub in Falls City Market at the Omni Louisville Hotel and returns at approx. 11:00 p.m. The cost is $129 per person, plus taxes and fees. This seasonal offering is only available Thursday, Oct. 10 and Oct. 24. Ticket are required in advance. Book online or call 502-583-1433. Price includes after-hours ghost tour and bourbon tasting at Buffalo Trace, family-style meal with two cocktails and haunted house tour at Old Stone Inn, guided transportation, bottled water and restaurant gratuity.

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Touring the Buffalo Trace Distillery

By Richard Thomas

Buffalo Trace has built up an impressive reputation for crafting a wide, deep line of premium American whiskeys, as well as for its willingness to experiment with new whiskey-making techniques. That reputation has made the distillery’s Frankfort, Kentucky facility a fixture on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, a must-see for any serious fan of Kentucky bourbon.

The distillery offers not one, but three tours. The option that best matches the usual expectation of a distillery tour is the Hard Hat Tour, which goes through the guts of the whiskey-making process at Buffalo Trace. This is the tour I went on , and therefore my observations reflect it. The other two formats are the Trace Tour, focused more on the history of Buffalo Trace and bourbon generally, and the Post-Prohibition Tour, which examines the architecture of the distillery and its comeback in the post-Prohibition era.

The Hard Hat Tour follows typical lines, providing a show-and-tell experience for the basics of whiskey-making. Visitors get to see huge fermenting vats, cookers, the plant’s main still, and in a nice touch the tour also visits Buffalo Trace’s in-house micro-distillery, where most of the limited editions are made. Another nice touch is that if the still is running (and it usually is), visitors are offered hot white dog straight fresh from distilling. Try rinsing your hands with it, and see how fast the high-proof spirits evaporate away. After a stroll in a barrel warehouse and a peek at the bottling plant, the tour ends back at its starting point in the gift shop with a tasting of two whiskeys.

My experience with distillery tours is that they fall into two categories: big factories and small, pretty places. Buffalo Trace is certainly a big industrial distillery, and it feels like one. The fermenting vats are many, huge and made of stainless steel; on the inside, the facility sometimes seems to be all pipes and machinery.

Yet the place is also old and eclectic. Most of the buildings date to the 1930s, with some going back as far as the late 19th Century. The machinery has a wonderful cobbled-together feel, as repairs are often done using parts made by the distillery’s in-house machine shop, and this combined with the age adds a romantic flair to the factory atmosphere. Finally, there is the natural beauty of distillery’s leafy green perch on the banks of the Kentucky River. Buffalo Trace might be a big factory in some respects, but it never, ever feels like one, and therefore combines the best of both the big industrial experience with the small, pretty place bourbon tour.

Tours are offered Monday through Saturday, start with every hour, and are always complimentary . If you want a tour other than the Hard Hat Tour (if I ever find the time to stop by again, I’m going on Post-Prohibition), you might want to call or e-mail ahead about the schedule, since most outings are of the Hard Hat variety.

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There’s also a Ghost Tour, which looks into the more haunted sites, including the rarely visited Stony Point Mansion where Col. Blanton died in 1959 (and is rumored to still haunt Buffalo Trace!)

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Taste Terminal

Take a ‘ghost tour’ at the buffalo trace distillery.

SyFy Channel’s Ghost Hunters® investigated Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, KY and had a “touching” experience. Starting November 17 at 7 PM, Buffalo Trace will be featuring a complimentary Ghost Tour where guests can retrace the same steps that the Ghost Hunters team took. [info]

Worthy attraction

Buffalo Trace distills various whiskeys and was named by Whisky Magazine as the 2010 World Icons of Whisky “Whisky Visitor Attraction of the Year.” Buffalo Trace Distillery has also garnered more than 200 awards for its premium whiskeys.

The tours will run Thursday – Saturday at 7 PM each evening, starting Nov. 17th. While it is free, reservations are mandatory and there are certain days where the tour will be unavailable so call 1-800-654-8471 or email [email protected] . Kids are permitted if accompanied by and adult. The tour will conclude with a tasting.

Photo: Stony Point Mansion is the house that Col. Blanton built for he and his wife. He also died in this house in 1959 and has been seen standing in the window of the room that he passed away in – the sunroom. Stony Point Mansion is part of the newly-created Ghost Tour Buffalo Trace Distillery is offering Photography provided by Buffalo Trace Distillery

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The World's Most Award-Winning Distillery

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Complimentary Tours & Tastings No trip along the bourbon trail is complete without a visit to Buffalo Trace Distillery, the world’s bourbon destination.

The Trace Tour

An incredible introduction to the history and science of bourbon at Buffalo Trace Distillery.

Hard Hat Tour

An insider’s look into the behind-the-scenes work that goes into crafting truly great bourbon.

Old Taylor Tour

Take a walk through bourbon history alongside E.H. Taylor Jr., the man who revolutionized the industry.

Honoring Tradition

For over 200 years, Buffalo Trace Distillery has been defined by a dedication to one craft: making fine bourbon whiskey. By honoring tradition and embracing change, Buffalo Trace Distillery has earned its place of leadership among the legendary spirit makers of the world.

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From the grounds of our Distillery to the hands of a global audience, explore our quality, award-winning bourbons.

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Our Stagg box is a perfect decorative accent to any bar, home, or office with a touch of the 19th century’s Gilded Age of Bourbon. 

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Buffalo Trace Director's Decanter

Great bourbon deserves great serveware. The Buffalo Trace bourbon decanter is thoughtfully designed down to every last detail. 

Father’s Day Celebration Dinner

Join us this Father’s Day for a special dinner celebration at Buffalo Trace Distillery. Treat your father, or father figure, with a ticket to our Stagg with Dad event. This delicious four course dinner pairs your meal with a pour of some of Buffalo Trace Distillery’s George T. Stagg products.

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Buffalo Trace Distillery has a history that's comprised of more than 200 years of legendary crafting, with many artisans behind its brand. It also holds the title of being the best bourbon stop in the entire world, which is a lofty reputation to uphold. To say that it, and its team, have done so in an exemplary fashion would only be conveying half of it - the bourbon whiskey speaks for itself, and many are converted to fans after their first visit.

Related: 10 Restaurants That Serve The Best Craft Beer On The American East Coast

Speaking of which, any fan of the distillery will tell a newcomer that the best way to see the entire operation is through a tour. Buffalo Trace offers many, but those interested in the process of making this iconic bourbon whiskey are those that show off the best of barrel-aging. Ready to take a historic step back in time? This is what guests to the Buffalo Trace Distillery can expect on a trip to Frankfort, Kentucky , to try the world's finest spirits.

The Trace Tour

First up is the Trace Tour, which will take guests through the distillery while guides detail the history of the distilling process . It's the best way to introduce newcomers to one of Kentucky's most notable destinations, and show them what the process behind making bourbon whiskey is really like.

Bourbon barrels will be rolled across your path while you listen to the history of Buffalo Trace, along with the stories of those who helped the dream come to life. If you're lucky, you might even hear a Prohibition-era story or two.

• Tour length: 1 hour, 15 minutes
• What's included: Depending on the tour, walkthrough or a walkthrough & a tasting.
• Cost: Free.

Bourbon Barrel Tour

One of the most fascinating and exciting parts of visiting any distillery is having the chance to see spirits during the aging process. The Bourbon Barrel Tour provides guests with this chance as well as a full warehouse walkthrough.

Along the way, guides will educate tour-takers about the process of crafting these artisan spirits, including details about the barrels used, the history behind them, and even what happens to every barrel post-aging process. This tour is for guests over the age of 12 due to safety reasons and will be enjoyed by anyone who's ever been curious about how such a legendary distillery ensures every bottle is perfect.

• Tour length: 1 hour, 30 minutes
• What's included: A warehouse walkthrough and a tasting.

The Ultimate: Taste Of The Trace

This tour is the big kahuna: not only will guests have the chance to hear the history of Buffalo Trace, but they'll also be able to taste samples of award-winning spirits the entire time.

If this is the part you've been waiting for, then you won't be disappointed; a choice of six different spirits and libations are available to choose from during this tour. Guides will discuss how the distillery ' honors tradition ' and 'embraces change,' all while detailing some of its most beloved offerings.

• Tour length: 45 minutes
• What's included:
• Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey
• Eagle Rare Bourbon Whiskey
• Wheatley Vodka
• Buffalo Trace Distillery Bourbon Cream
• Rebecca Ruth Bourbon Ball (made with Buffalo Trace Bourbon)
• Freddie’s Root Beer

Other Tours That Are Worth Checking Out

The great thing about Buffalo Trace is that since it's spread out over a large area, tours of multiple sections of the distillery are available, along with themed tours. Another favorite is the Botanical Gardens Tour, which takes guests out to the Albert B. Blanton Botanical Gardens and Bird Sanctuary, and includes a tasting. This tour is offered on Fridays and offers a bit of regional history along with distillery history, making it so much more than just a walk around the grounds.

The Expansion Tour, Old Taylor Tour, National Historic Landmark Tour, and Hard Hat Tours are all great ways to see additional parts of the distillery. They each include a bit of history related to the creation of the distillery itself as well as the creation of its world-famous bourbon whiskey, with tastings included. Each one explores a unique building and its purpose in the distilling process, many of which have been kept and maintained as they originally were over a century ago.

A Landmark That's Worth Exploring

Kentucky and its bourbon whiskey are so ingrained into the culture of the state, making it an iconic part of any visit. Buffalo Trace will continue to be world-renowned as one of the best producers in the world, and it definitely should not be missed. And if none of these tours gets your attention, there's always the Buffalo Trace Ghost Tour!

Next: New York State Is Home To Some Of The Best Craft Breweries In The Country

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Buffalo Trace Distillery Just Opened a Pop-Up in Paris — and It’s Serving Some Seriously Premium Pours

Brad Japhe is a freelance journalist specializing in travel, outdoor adventure, craft mixology and gastronomy. His work appears in all major media markets across the United States. He is viewed as an expert in the beer and spirits space, frequently appearing as a host on various media platforms. He has interviewed a diverse array of talent, ranging from international superstar Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, to Brooklyn Brewmaster Garrett Oliver. He prefers scotch to bourbon, IPAs to lagers, a premium hamburger over a prime cut of steak. His favorite breed of dog is the Siberian Husky and he suffers from an irrational, unrequited love for the New York Knicks.

Courtesy of Buffalo Trace

Pappy is popping up in Paris…Just in time for the Olympic Games. Well, sort of. 

Buffalo Trace, the legendary Kentucky distillery responsible for Pappy Van Winkle — and a trove of other top-podium pours — is opening a temporary retail store from today through August 26th at 36 Rue Etienne Marcel in the city’s hip 2nd arrondissement. 

The downtown digs will be well-stocked with revered labels like Eagle Rare, Sazerac Rye, and the producer’s eponymous flagship. A torch-sized spotlight will also be shone on the Weller brand, wheated American whiskies that famously utilize the same exact recipe as those vaunted Van Winkles.

For a special two-week run (coterminous with the exact dates of the XXXIII Olympiad) the pop-up will be the host of “12-Gold,” a Weller-themed speakeasy reserved exclusively for folks who score a coveted invite on Instagram. To land one, you’ll need to follow @buffalotracedistillery_uk_eu , like a grid post highlighting the lounge, and then tag at least one person you want to take with you to the tasting. Winners will be selected at random and notified by DM at least 24 hours prior to the experience. 

Once inside, up to four guests each day can expect to be met by some elite-level liquids. The distillery won’t reveal the full run-down but promises Europe its first-ever pours of Weller Millennium. Released in the US earlier this summer, the ultra-rare expression is a melodious blend of some of the brand’s oldest whiskies. It currently sells for over $10,000 a bottle. Any fan of gold medal-worthy bourbon and rye in Paris is now welcome to head inside and see what other surprises are in store. 

Indeed, there’s no shortage of said enthusiasts. Demand for American whiskey is growing — not just in Paris — but across much of the European continent. And Buffalo Trace is playing a lead role in promoting that growth. In May, the distillery opened its first international location in the Covent Garden district of central London. Sandwiched between Trafalgar Square and the Royal Opera House, it’s already emerged as a tourist attraction in its own right. The folks behind the brand expect to be similarly embraced by the City of Light. 

“While everyone is welcome to visit Buffalo Trace Distillery in the United States, we want to make it easier for Paris residents and visitors to learn, explore, try, and fall in love with our whiskeys,” says Ed Bell, homeplace director for Buffalo Trace. “We know there will be an increase in foot traffic to the city in July and August, and our prime location will give visitors an excuse to go beyond sporting and cultural events while in town.”

World-class whiskey is as good of an excuse as any. 

The Buffalo Trace Distillery Paris retail store is open now through August 26. Its hours of operation are Monday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 9 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 6 p.m. 

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