Wild Turkey Distillery in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, boasts a new visitor center, as well as tours and high-end tastings of its famous bourbon.
Wild Turkey Distillery is located in Lawrenceburg, Kentucky, near Lexington and not far from another famous Bourbon Trail producer, Woodford Reserve.
We've visited before, but held off on returning for a while because the distillery was busy expanding its visitor center. Once it was finished, it was time to check out Wild Turkey again.
The new center is a modern black building (shaped like one of the barns you might still see in the Kentucky countryside). It's on the outskirts of town and overlooks the Kentucky River.
There's a patio and outdoor lounge area for when the weather's warm.
And even the indoor seating area on one end of the building (past the "video hallway" or history walk) has huge windows, making it bright and airy feeling.
The Cocktail Bars
There are two bar areas. The one downstairs mainly has tasting options and a couple of cocktails.
The upstairs bar, called the Generations Lounge, has more cocktail options and a menu that's a little bit more experimental and subject to change.
The gift shop has a variety of bourbon options and gifts like bourbon fudge and other candy.
What Kind of Tours Can I Get at Wild Turkey Distillery?
Years ago we did the production tour and enjoyed it. It's about an hour walk-through of the distillery and a rickhouse, with a tasting flight at the end.
Now you can also book a specialty rickhouse experience called Born from the Barrel. This tour spotlights Russell's Reserve, which is a small-batch lineup of Wild Turkey products.
What Are the Tastings Like?
More recently, we visited for a premium bourbon tasting. It was a really nice experience. The tasting didn't last very long, but it included really delicious higher-end pours.
Our tasting guide Bo was funny and told us stories about the distillery as we enjoyed the tastings.
There's a separate tasting you can book for the Russell's Reserve products, but you can only get one tour or tasting per day.
Putting together an itinerary? Besides Woodford Reserve, mentioned earlier, the craft distillery Whiskey Thief is also just about 20 minutes away, and you can find elegant dining back in Versailles at the Kentucky Castle.
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