Bourbon tourism is booming across the United States. From Kentucky to Utah, distilleries are turning into destinations with scenic tours, guided tastings, and one-of-a-kind experiences.
Whether you’re a lifelong whiskey fan or planning your first distillery visit, 2025 is a great time to explore. Many bourbon makers now offer visitor-friendly tours with reasonable prices, personal touches, and standout hospitality.
Here are five of the best bourbon distilleries to visit this year. Each one is known for its bourbon, but also for the quality of its tours, its setting, and its overall experience.
What Makes a Great Distillery Visit?
There’s more to visiting a bourbon distillery than sipping whiskey in a tasting room. The best distilleries bring you into their world. You see how the spirit is made, meet the people behind it, and learn what makes each bottle different.
In selecting these five distilleries, we looked for more than just great bourbon. Each one offers:
- High-quality guided tours
- Friendly, knowledgeable staff
- Unique settings worth the trip
- Standard tour options priced between $20 and $45
- Optional premium experiences for those who want more
Some are historic. Some are modern. All of them are memorable. Whether you’re after tradition or innovation, you’ll find something worth raising a glass to.
1. Buffalo Trace – Frankfort, Kentucky
Buffalo Trace is one of the most iconic names in American whiskey. It’s also one of the most welcoming.
Located in Frankfort, Kentucky, the distillery sits on a historic campus by the Kentucky River. It has been producing bourbon for over 200 years. Today, it’s home to brands like Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Weller, and Blanton’s.
The best part? Tours and tastings are free. That’s rare, especially for a distillery with this kind of reputation.
Visitors can choose from several different tours, depending on their interests. The standard Trace Tour gives you an overview of the distillation process and a warehouse visit. Other options include a behind-the-scenes production tour, a tasting-focused tour, and even a walk through the on-site botanical garden. All tours include a guided tasting at the end.
The setting is impressive. Brick warehouses rise behind the copper still house, and there’s a famous water tower visible from most of the property. You can explore the grounds, visit the gift shop, or time your trip with one of their special events. In 2024, for example, Buffalo Trace celebrated Albert Blanton’s birthday with a cookout and exclusive bottle giveaway.
If you’re traveling the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Buffalo Trace is a must. It combines deep history with real hospitality.
More info: Buffalo Trace Distillery
2. Maker’s Mark – Loretto, Kentucky
Few distilleries are as visually striking as Maker’s Mark. Set on a quiet rural property in Loretto, Kentucky, it feels like stepping into a postcard. Black-painted buildings with red shutters sit beside a peaceful creek, surrounded by rolling hills and trees.
Maker’s Mark has been crafting bourbon here since 1954. It’s still a hands-on process. You’ll see open fermentation tanks, copper stills, and hand-operated bottling lines on the tour.
One of the highlights is the chance to dip your own bottle in the signature red wax. Buy a bottle in the gift shop, and the staff will guide you through the process. It’s a simple but satisfying souvenir, and included at no extra cost.
The Classic Maker’s Mark Tour is priced at $36 per person. They include a walk through the distillery, insights into the family-run history, and a guided tasting of key expressions.
The site also offers extra touches. There’s an on-site restaurant, Star Hill Provisions, and a return of the Chihuly blown glass exhibit is expected in late 2025. That combination of art, bourbon, and southern charm makes Maker’s Mark a top-tier destination.
More info: Maker’s Mark Distillery
3. Rabbit Hole – Louisville, Kentucky
Located in Louisville’s NuLu district, Rabbit Hole is one of the most design-forward bourbon distilleries in the country. Opened in 2018, it offers a sleek, modern experience that contrasts with Kentucky’s more traditional stops.
Tours start with a walk through the glass-walled still house and fermentation room. The architecture is a highlight, with sharp lines and open spaces that let you see the full production process in action. General admission is $35 and includes a tasting of five Rabbit Hole whiskeys, including their high-malt bourbon and sherry cask-finished “Dareringer.”
I visited in October 2024 and was impressed. The facade transforms into a rabbit silhouette as you walk by, a clever detail. Inside, the natural light reflecting off the metal gives the space a clean, modern feel.
The Overlook Bar has fantastic views of downtown Louisville, and the shop offers a wide range of bottles and merch. It’s a stylish, well-run stop in a great neighborhood. If you’re lucky, you might even bump into founder, Kaveh Zamanian.
More info: Rabbit Hole Distillery
4. Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery – Nashville, Tennessee
Just a short drive from downtown Nashville, Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery offers one of the most engaging bourbon experiences in the South. The story behind it is compelling. Brothers Andy and Charlie Nelson uncovered their family’s distilling legacy — one that dates back to the 1800s — and brought it back to life more than a century after Prohibition shut it down.
The Distillery Tour runs daily and costs $25. It includes a walkthrough of the production floor, a deep dive into the family’s pre-Prohibition roots, and a tasting of four seasonal whiskeys. Tours last 45 minutes to an hour and run every 30 minutes, with weekends booking up fast.
Visitors can also opt to bottle their own whiskey, filling and labeling a unique expression by hand in the barrel warehouse. Elevated tasting sessions are available too, led by certified Bourbon Stewards.
With a Southern-style restaurant on-site and a well-stocked gift shop, it’s easy to spend a few hours here.
More info: Nelson’s Green Brier Distillery
5. High West Distillery – Wanship, Utah
Located on a scenic ranch near Park City, High West offers one of the most picturesque bourbon experiences in the country. Founded in 2007, it was Utah’s first legal distillery since the 1800s.
Tours start at $25 per person and include a guided walk through the distillery, blending area, and a tasting of their award-winning whiskeys, including American Prairie Bourbon. Expert guides share the story of Utah’s whiskey heritage and High West’s craft-driven approach.
Guests can also visit the High West Saloon in downtown Park City or book a prix-fixe dinner at The Nelson Cottage, featuring optional whiskey pairings and seasonal cocktails in an intimate setting from $110 per guest.
With its mountain backdrop and elevated hospitality, High West is a standout for travelers looking to combine whiskey with stunning views and fine dining.
More info: High West Distillery
Bourbon Tourism At Its Finest
Planning a whiskey trip in 2025? There’s never been a better time to explore America’s bourbon distilleries. Whether you’re drawn to historic Kentucky landmarks or modern mountain retreats, these experiences bring the spirit to life.
Help keep the bourbon tourism boom going. Book a tour, raise a glass, and support the people behind your favorite bottles.
Have a favorite distillery tour of your own? Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear where you’ve been and where we should go next.
Read the full article at 5 of the Best Bourbon Distilleries to Visit in 2025
