Woodford Reserve Distillery

We had a great experience touring the facility! Our tour guide, Jamie, was very knowledgeable, informative and accommodating. I would highly recommend the Innovation Inspired: Tour and Tasting. I was a fan of their bourbon before but even more so now!

The property alone is beautiful. Our guide, Darryl, was a delight. He is very knowledgeable and a lot of fun. Loved seeing the "mash" bubbling. The tasting was very educational and good. Even our shuttle drivers were so friendly and helpful!! Thanks!

Wow, what a wonderful experience. Our tour was amazing, Cathy was not only knowledgeable but she brought a wonderful personality and made it a great experience. The tasting was also great. The gift shop had so many treasures and the tasting continued in a very relaxed atmosphere with knowledgeable bartenders. I love the porch swing cocktail and will continue making it at home thanks to my tasting notes. Thanks Woodford Reserve for a great experience.

We recently visited Woodford Reserve Distillery to celebrate my son’s 21st birthday, and I can confidently say it exceeded all expectations. As a longtime fan of Woodford Reserve, I was excited to share this experience with him — and it was even better than I imagined. The setting is absolutely gorgeous — from the historic limestone buildings to the scenic Kentucky countryside, every part of the property felt rich with history and charm. What really brought it all to life was our incredible tour guide, Bethany. She was knowledgeable, engaging, and full of great stories that made the tour both informative and fun. From learning about the craftsmanship behind each bottle to sampling our favorite bourbon in the place it was born, this was a truly unforgettable experience. If you’re a bourbon lover or just looking for a special destination, Woodford Reserve is a must-visit.

Pros: the bartender was great at explaining drinks and the history. The grounds were beautiful. Con: for the cost, we felt rushed. It was only 30 mins. And it would be so much more fun if you got to make the drinks yourself. I have been to $15 random tastings that were so much more fun.

We loved the tour of Woodford - but can't help but compare it to our same week experience with Buffalo Trace. The tour at Woodford was $30 per person - with a brief tasting at the conclusion of the tour. Our tour guide was fantastic. When comparing to Buffalo Trace, the cost of their tour was $0 - and included a brief tasting at the end. Our tour guide there was also fantastic. The pricing on the bourbon / whiskey products at Woodford was HIGHER than what you'd find at say a Total Wine - while, the pricing at Buffalo Trace visitor center was much more 'visit and consumer conscious' (better pricing!). Nice tour at Woodford - but, I think they would benefit if they rethink the experience. Just my opinion.

Unfortunately we missed what is rumored to be the best distillery tour in town. However, we did make the gift shop and had some amazing samples. That's where we met Michael. Woodford, if your reading this. Michael is amazing, his brand knowledge and commitment to customer service and hospitality is exceptional. Can't wait until we are able to come back to town and hopefully share a pour. Thank you again for such a wonderful time!!

Too cool! Tour guide was friendly & the grounds are beautiful. Tasting was delicious and history was rich! Would come back again.

This is a definite stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. The grounds are beautiful and our tour guide was great. We took The Path to Flavor Tour. This was the one distillery that had a non-drinking tour option which cost $28 compared to the $35 for the tasters. It was a rainy day, but you are transported by a nice bus so we didn't mind the rain. The shopping was ample, but the bottles were actually priced higher than our local liquor store- so that was a bummer. They do have a bar in the shopping area and we had amazing Old Fashioned drinks. There were comfy chairs and a sofa by the fireplace and we sat and enjoyed our drinks. We learned something new at each distillery and Woodford Reserve did not disappoint. It's a great tour and a delicious Old Fashioned.

I've visited Woodford Distillery a few times over the years. However, it's not easy to get a tour day of in season Spring and Summer. The drive is beautiful into their grounds. My visits have been limited to their awesome gift shop. Everything you can think of branded Woodford. Plus all the booze too! Everything I saw could be purchased off the shelves. So I did not purchase. I look forward to getting a tour and tasting in the future. Would recommend this quality distiller of fine bourbon.

Lovely grounds, beautiful location. Very friendly employees Excellent selection of woodford reserve bourbons All the shirts and gifts to match Bring your credit card Reservations for tours recommended

In the middle of bourbon country so we had to take a tour. This is the brand used for the mint juleps at the Derby. It's set back in some beautiful countryside. Took a little bit to get there. The tour was awesome ending with a little taste of their product for those tht were interested. We toured the fermenting area, the barrel storage and barrel making areas. They are pretty much self sustained. They have a great guest area with snacks, drinks and all kinds of items for purchase. Was a very good and informative tour.

Beautiful facility and very accommodating to our group of 6 with a handicapped elder, pregnant woman, and small toddler. It was very hot so the shuttle was very appreciated. At the end of the tour, I waited in the gift shop area because the toddler couldn't go into the tasting room. They still gave me a voucher to get a sample at the bar while waiting. I was pregnant so they made me a tasty virgin cocktail. Our guide was friendly and enthusiastic; we can tell he loved his job. Lots to see during the tour. We had a great time.

This distillery wins the beautiful location award. What says Kentucky better than horses and Bourbon? This may have been my favorite distillery. The staff was so amazing and accommodating. The distillery tour is about an hour long but really flys by. The guides are so knowledgeable. The bar, gift shop, deck area is a terrific place to relax with a drink and fabulous charcuterie board after your tour. We enjoyed watching the barrels roll off on their gravity feed journey to the rickhouses. A very classy top notch experience

This establishment is state of the art, classy, and beautiful. We came as a party of two during the week. Making reservations was difficult as Kentucky is known for the Bourbon tour areas. Because we were traveling from out of state, we missed our reservation time and ended up getting drink vouchers, which were not as much as the tour itself. The staff there were friendly, even though there were long lines and a busy atmosphere. The bourbon and whiskey flight that we had was fantastic. I am only giving this place the four stars because they could not accommodate two people on an additional tour as well as letting non-service dogs in the building. That big loud dog dampered our experience.

Distilleries seem to close kind of early (4pm on Saturday even) so we were happy to make it here in time to enjoy a tasting. The signs outside point the completely wrong direction to park for tastings (says right when it's to the left). So after parking and walking into a building that wasn't actually anything we then went to the correct building. It's a big open space with tables, couches, fireplace to hang out and a water station as well. I wasn't sure what to do but the bar staff was really nice and just showed me the menu. There were a couple different tasting options and then they give you a board and let you drink at your own pace. It's kind of nice to just do that sometimes and not be talked to the entire time. I can see the appeal in this style. It gave us time to sit, drink, and mingle with other patrons. This is a brand we're familiar with as well but went ahead and bought a couple bottles to take home (different from what we usually buy). It was a nice country drive as well.

Beautiful facility and the grounds are green and lovely It's a very big area which can be overwhelming The service was great and drinks even better The outside patio area is perfect for a cocktail and a charcuterie board

Wow! Super fun place and absolutely stunning! Bar service was fast and friendly. The tour was so interesting and informative. This is a MUST do when in central ken

I'm basing my review not on the bourbon itself, but upon my impression of the Visitor Center. We couldn't get a that day, but we still ordered a tasting and the bar tenders were super friendly and patient as they explained the various pours. The center itself was bright and clean, and everyone we interacted with was as warm and welcoming as anyone could be. Plenty of parking, and beautiful grounds. The only thing stopping me from awarding five stars is that the gift shop had limited offerings compared with other distilleries, and the merch seemed geared towards golfers and customers affecting a high-class lifestyle.

1st tour on this trip. 90 minutes. Very entertaining. Lots to see and do in the area.

Cool spot, definitely a fun quick tour and a great gift shop. The history of the rickhouses and the ability to see the production is a great time. Super convenient location. Close to other awesome distilleries so you can be time efficient! All in all well worth the stop.

Like the grounds and set up at this distillery. Sleek and pretty design. They have a great bar area at the cocktail lounge where you can also enjoy some handcrafted cocktails and get some glassware to take home. Servers seemed a little annoyed by us ordering drinks and didn't really chat with us, just talked amongst themselves. Didn't feel the warmest welcome but we would probably go back again.

Bar Review Only! Ventured into Woodford Reserve toward the tail end of their opening hours. Their main building was beautiful from the inside out! I loved the organized retail areas and separation of retail & bar counter. My dad and I both got a whiskey flight and tried all varietals offered. Our favorites were the Double Oaked. My second was the Rye and his the Wheat. My fiancé also got the Double Oaked Old Fashioned which was delicious! Perfectly sweet to balance out yet pair with the Bourbon flavor; not too harsh on the palette either. The only downside was all bottles sold in the retail area, we could also purchase at home. While I'm happy we got to experience their roots, there was nothing exclusive to the distillery to come for.

What a beautiful property! Selection was great including Kentucky Derby bottles. Service at the tasting was not ideal though. Bartender was not very welcoming.

Booked an innovation tour for my husband's 42nd birthday. Very informative. We were able to go into all the distillery parts and the tour guide explained how the whole process worked. It was really cool. Even got to try the bourbon mash and bourbon make. The Distillery was very rustic and filled with history. This distillery grounds was setting up for their Christmas lights display tours. Seriously thinking about coming back in a month just to see all the beautiful lights.

Coming with family from GA, we booked a Path to Flavor tour to complement watching horse races at Keeneland. My wife and brothers in law grew up in Versailles and always heard about Woodford Reserve's distillery but never got to visit. My brothers in law joined on the tour and I know I'll have to bring my wife here. The grounds of the distillery are immaculate! Your tour begins with a shuttle ride down the hill to the mash house, then to the copper stills and the oldest continuously used American rick house. It is always interesting to see how different distilleries operate to bring us whisky. With this tour, I have visited all the American whisky distilleries from Brown-Forman (Jack Daniel's and Old Forester being the other 2) and can say that I see some similarities between the 3 but ultimately each distillery is unique and worth their own visit. Our tour guide was wonderful and lead us throughout the grounds to the tasting room. This was an excellent tasting experience with 5 products. I was already familiar with their standard bourbon and am a huge fan of the double oaked expression (this confirmed how much I like it). They have wheated, malted and rye whiskies too which were fun to try. The bourbon ball chocolate rounded everything up nicely! This is a must stop on the bourbon trail!

Always fun going to distillery. Gift shop was cool making cocktails and distillery sold bourbon.

This is the country club of distilleries! Beautiful grounds. Beautiful tasting room. We didn't do a tour. Despite the beautiful surroundings, the staff here seem uninspired. It was just a lot uptight for our rowdy crew.

This place is beautiful & classy. Each tour is unique, I thought I'd be bored by third tour, but they all are individual and informative with interesting history. Jesse was our tour guide. He was super friendly, upbeat, and an overall great tour guide.

A very historic and beautiful distillery. Take the tour or it's not worth it. It's a small gift/tasting shop and they don't allow you to freely walk around like at most others- Buffalo Trace, Castle n Key. Next time, a tour will be on the agenda.

This is one of my favorite distilleries to visit. And not just because I love Woodford. This distillery was the last stop for us during our Kentucky trip, and it'd been a long few days of drinking. More than half the group couldn't make it out of bed that morning, and they missed out on one of the most beautiful spots in Kentucky. The grounds are absolutely gorgeous. The ride in is so scenic, with rolling horse farms and grassy hillsides, it's like riding through a different era. Once you arrive, you enter the welcome building with a backlit wall of bottles that feels like a shrine. They have the standard merch, and actually some awesome stuff that you might actually want. Be there on time, because once you embark on the tour, it's like visiting a peaceful farm with the friendliest of guides...where they also happen to make the most delicious bourbon. This is the most zen I've ever felt about drinking whiskey. Walking through the barrel room, you can smell and almost watch the Angel's Share disappearing into the rafters. The giant tanks of bubbling mash are mesmerizing. Seeing all the barrels getting ready to be named, the wall of fame, how they are rolled from building to building, checking out the gigantic copper stills that probably cost more than a house...it makes you feel like a part of history. The history of whiskey. And of course, it ends with a tasting flight. I've never regretted drinking bourbon in the morning (that's a lie), and I certainly didn't here (actually not a lie).

Good whiskey Friendly Free to sit on lawn w dog... Drink the old fashioned Friendly to our dog took !!!!!

We booked a tour a few months ahead a time (which is highly suggested). Driving up the area and surrounding horse barns are so beautiful! Check in for our tour and parking were very easy and the workers were very helpful. We did the basic tour which ended with a tasting of 5 bourbons/whiskeys. Overall my favorite distillery, if you only have time to visit one and tour- this is it!!

We did the cheapest tour here. It was $25 per person and 45 minutes guided tasting with food pairing. On a small hill, you can also see the railroad that used to roll the barrels. We enjoyed five different flavors, and our friendly guide gave us a good explanation of each one. Across the street is Woodford's cafeteria, which was a bit pricey compared to Jim Beam's cafe.

My friend and I were able to give the Woodford tour and tasting! I have to say it was an extremely satisfying tour and tasting the tour guide really had passion and made the experience that much better!

Such a beautiful distillery! We booked a mixology class, tour and tasting. We had so much fun, we went back again the next day! Side note: If you haven't had the Woodford double double oaked, you don't know what you're missing!

Not a huge bourbon person but still enjoyed my time! They do have a couple of mocktails on the menu. Nice chill environment!

Very enjoyable tour with an excellent guide. Distillery was an interesting mix of old and modern. Tastings were excellent and got to try five spirits. This tour was fun!

This was our second stop on my friend's bachelorette bourbon tasting tour. We didn't tour any distillery or anything and just did the guided tasting, but it was probably still my favorite of the three because this tasting incorporated multiple different small bites of food! Getting ahead of myself though. This place was one of the busiest stops we made - the guest area / gift shop and parking lot was super crowded but we did manage to find a spot. Our tour rolled out right on time. The grounds are beautiful and have a sort of chic and rustic vibe. There is a short walk downhill to the tasting room. It's a little steep and a little windy which was a touch difficult for those of us (perhaps foolishly) wearing heels. They do have golf carts available for people who have challenges with mobility. Our guide, Rob, stopped us outside the room and spoke a bit about the process of making bourbon but the brunt of our tour was definitely tasting/pairing focused. Of the three tastings I did over the weekend, this one provided the most tastes at 5. Each one was paired with a small bite of food that enhanced the flavor of the bourbon, from Parmesan crisps to a malted milk ball, depending on the bourbon. Rob, our guide, was very knowledgeable and not at all snobby. I enjoyed listening to him and I especially appreciated his sentiment that so long as you're enjoying your drink, there's no wrong way to make a drink (ie, it's okay if you like to mix your bourbon with Coke!) A few small details were missing - for example, two of my pours were missing the coaster tops, and I was missing one of the bites of food - but nothing that ruined the experience, especially since one of my fellow bridal party members was nice enough to share her Parmesan crisps. ;) Each pour also came with a coaster we were permitted to keep. The back of the coaster had the flavor notes we were supposed to look for, which was nice and helpful. I'm not a bourbon drinker - honestly most of what I tasted wasn't really for me - but I did really enjoy the experience of learning more about the science of flavor/tasting and experimenting with different sensations. FWIW, my favorite was the malt whiskey with a malted milk ball as the food pairing. I would recommend this tour for anyone interested in bourbon, food, or the science of tasting.

What a great tour. Jamie was a really good guide and very knowledgeable about his spirits! Look for the woodford bottle in the distillation room. If you're in the area it's worth just the ride by the horses.

Incredible venue. Very well presented. The tasting tour is really good and worth the price. Get here when they open as it gets busy. Lots of people wait for the doors to open! Hop across the road to the cocktail bar, kick back and sip one of their cocktails. Great experience...

I came for a tour. They do charge for a tour (most such places do, though notably Buffalo Trace does not), but if you are not actually a bourbon drinker, they will charge you significantly less and give you a mocktail and a bourbon ball (chocolate) at the end. Why do the tour? Well, the grounds are quite splendid-looking, the access is good, and the tour is interesting. I got an energetic presentation (from Jeremy) and a thorough overview of the process of making these drinks. We got to see the corn fermenting, the barrels rolling, most of the things you'd want to see. And it was a welcoming, engaging experience, which for many people will form an impression of Kentucky. The surrounding countryside makes for a beautiful drive (though you'll want to leave plenty of time), and there are plenty of sights to see nearby.

Woodford was the second stop on our Kentucky Bourbon Trail tour. Everybody's had Woodford so we knew exactly what we were getting. The grounds and facilities are beautiful, but parking was kind of a nightmare. When we arrived, it seemed as though 100 other ppl arrived at the same time. There were cars and ppl everywhere. I wasted a good 10 min circling when I should have just parked across the street to begin with. It would have been really nice to have someone directing traffic. There were no more tours available when we booked, so we opted for the guided tasting. While the whiskey itself was great (no surprise there) and the guide was personable and informative, the experience was very rushed. The allotted time for the tasting is only 30 min so you end up just knocking back the whiskey without getting to truly savor the flavors. By the time I really got settled and was ready to enjoy the whiskey after parking across the road, it was time to pack up and move out for the next group. Of all the experiences I had on the bourbon trail, this one was the most expensive and probably my least favorite.

A great tour and tasting experience! I highly recommend the tour . I have not been a bourbon drinker but after the tour and tasting I purchased two bottles at the gift shop . One as a gift and one for our home . It's an extremely interesting process how they utilize water wood and grain to turn the ingredients into an amazing spirit which we enjoyed in the tasting and plan to do so at home neat .

We had an excellent experience at Woodford Reserve Distillery. We booked the "Path to Flavor" afternoon tour and from start to finish, felt welcomed and well-cared for. Arrive at the Visitor Center and enjoy the lovely array of bourbons and gifts. There is even a cocktail bar for signature drinks. Once it was time to check in for our tour, we were taken via a shuttle bus to another building across the street to get our tickets. When the tour began, we were escorted back to the shuttle and taken down to the mash house and other amazing buildings where all the good stuff happens! Our guide took us through the bourbon-making process from start to bottling. Be ready to smell the amazing aromas! Once the tour of the buildings was complete, back on the shuttlebus for tasting adventures in the Visitor Center. Our guide took us through five small pours, teaching us how to taste and distinguish the different flavors. Then we got to enjoy a lovely bourbon ball candy as a treat! Would highly recommend this experience. The staff were courteous and friendly and the grounds immaculate. Note for anyone visiting who has limitations on mobility - there is not much walking around, and there is a newly-installed elevated in the mash house.

Woodford Reserve is located in beautiful horse country. The drive to the distillery complex is fantastic. The retail store and bar is open without reservations but the tours require advance reservations. I was hoping to purchase their commemorative Kentucky Derby bottle release but it was unavailable . They do offer a gift set with a commemorative cup but the price at the gift shop was more than you can get at any box store We did walk across the parking lot to the cocktail bar but their prices were out of line. A tasting was 37.00 and cocktails started at 17.00. Limited snack boards were available for over 30.00 each. I don't mind paying for the experience but I hate to be ripped off. The staff was not friendly . Nice distillery to drive to if in the area or if you can book a tour but you can buy their product cheaper elsewhere.

My Mecca. Woodford is my absolute favorite bourbon. I came here for the first time two years ago for a cocktail, because we couldn't get on their list for a tour, and same thing happened this time as well.. didn't rsvp soon enough. Go for the double oaked old fashion--they use a chocolate bitters and maple syrup to completely enhance their whiskey. Hands down, one of my favorite cocktails in the world.

They have great bourbon taste and tours guides are so professional and polite. They are well knowledgeable what they do and stand in right behind it. The area of the distillery is so beautiful. Great for weddings and get together to enjoy yourself. Thanks Woodford Reserve.

We have done this tour several times and it is always excellent. We have had great tour guides, the tasting at the end is done well in a great environment.

The most fun I've had on vacation in a long time. We took the Path To Flavor tour of the distillery, led and narrated by our skilled guide Tony. I have a whole new appreciation--and maybe love--for bourbon. I'm no connoisseur but I for sure know more now than I did before. Who needs wine??

One of my favorites. Kathy was our tour guide she definitely knows her stuff she made the tour interesting and fun with her cute sense of humor. Not to mention the Bourbon is one of the best in my opinion. Just one hiccup the young guy behind the bar after our tour acted like he really didn't want to be there.

The Woodford Reserve tour is phenomenal! HIGHLY RECOMMENDED! The grounds themselves are not only historic (one of the older distilleries that is still running) but absolutely beautiful and the tour guide gets you up close and intimate with the distilling process. You can waft smells directly from the top of the distillers beer fermentation pots! Mmmm Like all distilleries in these parts, you need to plan in advance and purchase tickets ahead of time...like a month or two in advance when they relase next set of tour dates. I nievelly attempted to get tickets 1 week prior, and the only distillery that had any left (in our plan wasist if visits) was Woodford where I snagged the last two. THE BOURBON Woodford is the official bourbon of the Kentucky Derby. It's very famous as an affordable bourbon. It's not my favorite, as I find the flavor profile to be a little more simple than others. However it is nice and smooth which I believe is why it is so

My husband and I booked a tasting here, but I wish we had done the full tour after visiting. This is probably the most elegant and classy distillery we visited. The tasting we did was paired with little bites and it was nice that it was properly explained how to taste the bourbon. It was interesting to learn how the food could enhance our tasting experience and everyone had different tasting notes. Our guide was very charismatic and knowledgeable. Definitely looking forward to our next Kentucky trip so we can do the full tour here.

Fascinating tour and beautiful grounds. We enjoyed learning about the fermentation and distillation process. Our tour guide was energetic and informative and we enjoyed the tasting and shipping after our tour. Great stop in bourbon country.

Beautiful grounds. Our son did the tour while we waited. Bar on-site, great chairs to sit in on the lawn. Nice Jazz playing in the background.

We had a great time on the Woodford Reserve Path to Flavor tour. It's a small group tour of about 20 people that takes you through the mash process, distilling, and aging areas of the distillery plus includes a tasting at the end. Our tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable, and answered all the random questions the group could throw at him. We learned a ton about the history of the Woodford Reserve site and how to taste bourbon. I love the pie chart device Woodford uses to describe the flavor profiles of their whiskeys--it's very useful for helping novices tease out flavor notes and learn what they like. I found I really like rye whiskey for its spice and subdued wood notes! The bourbon ball candy was a nice touch as well. My only criticism is the tour info could have included more about the history of bourbon itself. I get that every distillery in Kentucky wants to tout their own story, but that context would have added to the experience (or at the very least, assess the tour group--if it's their 10th stop on the Bourbon Trail, skip it, but for newcomers I think this would be a value add for sure).

We chose this distillery out all off the others as were in the general vicinity that day for a tour at Coolmore... Woodford Reserve is also one of my son's favorite bourbons. The tour starts at their welcome center where you get into a van and go across the street to tour the fermenting area, the warehouse area and more. Jesse was our tour guide who had a fun sense of humor and made everyone feel welcome and at ease. He encouraged questions. Not all that much walking involved. It was interesting to learn the history of the distillery and the workings of it. We ended the tour taking the van up the hill to the tasting room where 5 tasting glasses with various Woodford Reserves were waiting for us (along with a bourbon ball!). Jesse educated us on the notes and flavors. I'm not a bourbon drinker but these were very good and I was happy to learn about the process. Beautiful building and views to sit and sip a bourbon after the tour. Nice gift shop to purchase items as momentous of the day!