Buffalo Trace Distillery

About Buffalo Trace Distillery

Buffalo Trace has made whiskey on its Frankfort grounds for more than 200 years and is one of the oldest bourbon producers in the country. Bourbons made here include Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Blanton's Single Barrel, W.L. Weller and E.H. Taylor Jr., along with Sazerac Rye and limited releases such as the Antique Collection and the Experimental Collection. You are free to walk the distillery grounds and take photos, and a printable photo map is offered on the website.

Three tours are offered, all free and all ending with a tasting. The Trace Tour (75 minutes) is an introduction to the history and science of bourbon, the Old Taylor Tour (75 minutes) follows the legacy of E.H. Taylor Jr. through historic landmarks, and the Hard Hat Tour (105 minutes) goes behind the scenes through the whole production process. Tours are booked online, with only limited walk-up spots. New dates are released every Wednesday at 10 am Eastern, up to eight weeks out, and popular times go fast.

If you can't get a tour, complimentary guided tastings are held every day at the gift shop with no reservation needed. Anyone tasting or buying alcohol must show a valid ID at check-in at the Freehouse Welcome Center, where wristbands are issued. The gift shop rotates which bottles are for sale each day, including a special bottle of the day, and the John G. Carlisle Cafe is on site.

Lavender in Bloom, a Georgetown flower farm with ticketed lavender picking and lavender ice cream in season, is about 25 minutes east, so a summer morning in the lavender can lead into an afternoon tour here.

What to do

• Book the free 75-minute Trace Tour for an introduction to bourbon
• Take the Old Taylor Tour past the distillery's historic landmarks
• Go behind the scenes on the 105-minute Hard Hat Tour
• Join a free guided tasting at the gift shop, no reservation needed
• Walk the grounds with the distillery's photo map
• Check the gift shop's bottle of the day

Season, hours and prices

Season

Open year-round except Easter Sunday, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Day

Hours

Posted on their website (checked October 2026): Mon–Sat 9 am–5 pm, Sun 11 am–5 pm Eastern; visitor lot opens 8 am Mon–Sat and 10 am Sun

Admission

Free; all tours and tastings are complimentary (2026)

Good to know

Age

21 or older to taste or drink alcohol

Reservations

Required for tours (booked online, limited walk-ups); gift shop tastings are walk-in

Tips for your visit

• Watch for new tour dates every Wednesday at 10 am Eastern, released up to eight weeks ahead
• Arrive 20 to 30 minutes before your tour, or 45 to 60 minutes early if you want to shop first
• Parking is limited, so carpool if you can, and wait in your car until the lot opens
• Bring a valid ID and plan a designated driver

Pair it with a lavender farm

Lavender in Bloom · about 25 minutes away

Lavender in Bloom in Georgetown is about 25 minutes east, so book a lavender picking session and a tour on the same summer day.

Getting there

• Address: 113 Great Buffalo Trace, Frankfort, KY 40601
• Website: buffalotracedistillery.com

Questions

Checked in October 2026 against the business’s own website and local tourism pages. Hours and seasons change, so check with them before you go. How we check listings · Is this your business? Claim it free