"Marianne Eaves became the first female master distiller at Castle & Key, a Frankfort, Kentucky-based distillery, in 2015. Her appointment was significant in the traditionally male-dominated Kentucky bourbon industry. Eaves pursued a degree in chemical engineering and worked for Brown-Forman before earning her master distiller title, showing that there's more than one way to build a career in the spirits industry." - Laura Dannen Redman
Meet Master Bourbon Distiller Marianne Eaves - AFAR
"Marianne Eaves made history when she was named master distiller at Castle & Key, a distillery based in Frankfort, Kentucky. Eaves stayed on with Castle & Key, at what she called a 'fairy-tale job' relaunching a distillery and 'bourbon castle' on the crumbling site of the former Old Taylor Distillery, which had been out of commission since 1972. By the time she left, the reinvigorated facility was making vodka, gin, bourbon, and rye whiskey." - Kara Newman
Everything was beautiful! The place was spectacular and we had so much fun! The bar is great and you can get there early before your tour and walk the grounds, grab a drink, and play corn hole.
Tyler was our tour guide. He was great, smart, and so much fun! The tour was interactive which I really enjoyed. I would highly recommend going and checking out this distillery.
yuri lara
Google
Our tour guide, Rich, was amazing. Seemed to be very knowledgeable and passionate. Super witty, funny, and extremely friendly. I don’t drink alcohol but went for the experience and was definitely not let down. Beautiful structures and very interesting to learn the processes. Thank you Rich for being amazing! Shout out to Shanon at the bar, too!
Becca Li
Google
This winery is located in a beautiful castle, with a nearby river adding to the charm of the setting. It has a unique blend of old and new; I later found out it had been abandoned for years before being revitalized. The tasting experience takes place in a cave-like area, set up like a cozy little bar. Although their whisky isn’t my absolute favorite, it’s a fantastic spot to visit, whether for a tour or to hang out with friends.
Brandon Neal
Google
This place is beautiful, absolutely breathtaking. The bourbon was amazing. The staff was great. Can’t wait to come back and do a tour. We got there too late to do the last tour, but we were able to walk the grounds and enjoy the Bourbon.
M Hahn
Google
My family arranged a tasting but arrived a couple minutes late. The staff was incredibly accommodating and allowed us to join a later group, while suggesting fun things to do with our large group that included kids. The grounds are gorgeous, the bar staff was friendly, and the drinks were delicious. We loved the tasting - our guide gave us lots of great info about the bourbon and rye offerings the distillery offers. A really great experience for our family, and we will certainly be back in the future.
Douglas Taylor
Google
The Castle & Key Distillery tour was fun and veery unique based on the history of the distillery and it's ties to Colonel EH Taylor. If you are into the history of Bourbon this is a must visit distillery. The tour guides are very unique in the fact that they are entertainers as well as tour guides. Blake out tour guide was knowledgeable and funny which made our experience that much better - THANKS!!!
Josh Love
Google
The property is absolutely beautiful, with the creek running behind the distillery and the little waterfall. The castle look is so cool. The bourbon was good as well. It’s must see if in the area.
Sarah Sellers
Google
A must-see on the bourbon trail!! This distillery is beautiful and has so much rich history that comes with it. Our tour guide, Rich, knew SO MUCH and was so passionate about the history. I was super impressed with everything this distillery had to offer. Beautiful scenery & gardens, easy to find campus, and everyone who worked there was super friendly. Can’t wait to come back!