Whiskey Thief (Frankfort, KY)

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Whiskey Thief in Frankfort, Kentucky, is an extra-small distillery that lets you "thieve" your own bourbon from the barrel to the bottle.

Whiskey Thief Distilling Company gift shop.

Whiskey Thief is an extra small craft distillery located on Three Brothers Farm in Frankfort, Kentucky.

Black cows in field. — Three Brothers Farm

As of April 2023, they don’t distribute their bourbon or rye. That means it can only be purchased at the distillery. We love the exclusive feel of a tiny distillery!

We've spent a lot of time at the big facilities (see my post on touring the original nine distillers of the Bourbon Trail, as well as the newer Lux Row and Bardstown Bourbon Company).

And we've gone for a slightly more personalized visit with the Maker's Mark Ambassador Program.

But when friends visited recently, we decided to stray off the original Bourbon Trail and onto the Bourbon Trail Craft Tour, which takes in dozens more facilities throughout the state. Besides Whiskey Thief, on that day we also visited James E. Pepper in Lexington.

Here's what a visit to Whiskey Thief is like!

Large black barn with red doors at Whiskey Thief Distilling Company.

Booking a Tour

Tours (with tastings) were $35 per person when we visited. The fee included a small tasting glass.

You can book online. The tour takes 30 to 45 minutes, and concludes with up to five samples.

Is there a minor in your group, or someone else who won't be doing a tasting? They can take the tour for free.

Tasting + Bottling Bourbon at Whiskey Thief

As mentioned above, this is an extra small operation, with just a few distilling tanks. We had a quick tour of the distillery barn.

Interested in learning more about the process? We recommend the book Bourbon Curious by Fred Minnick.

The tastings were all barrel-strength bourbon pulled straight from the barrel with a whiskey thief (a tube used for pulling liquid out of the barrel).

People using whiskey thief to fill bottles from the barrel.

These barrel-strength bourbons are also unfiltered, meaning you might have tiny pieces of charred oak in your drink. (I thought that was kind of neat.)

Whiskey thief device being used to pour whiskey into small glass. — Bourbon Sampling

The tastings are high-proof, so feel free to bring a snack and take your time! There were seats both inside and out. On Fridays and Saturdays, you might even find a food truck on site.

Whiskey barrels with mash bill listed on chalkboard.

If you opt to purchase a bottle, you can use a whiskey thief to bottle your own bourbon (or rye). This was one of the more fun things we’ve done on a distillery tour!

Woman using whiskey thief device to fill glass bottle from barrel. — Thieving Bourbon Into a Bottle

After the main tour, you’ve got the option to visit the gift shop and sample a few more items, such as bourbon and moonshine that aren’t made on-site. You can also order a cocktail if you like.