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    Castle & Key Distillery

    4.9 (580 reviews)
    ModerateDistilleries
    Open • 10:30 am - 5:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

    Castle & Key Distillery Photos

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    Recommended Reviews - Castle & Key Distillery

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    Front of Castle & Key Distillery
    Josh R.

    This place is friendly, fun, & the ambiance is breath taking. Michelle & Tamara were awesome they went far beyond normal customer service and very welcoming. The old fashion was on point

    Cheri R.

    The staff at Castle & Key were friendly and helpful. My husband scheduled a testing and took home a couple favorites while I walked the grounds. The garden is beautiful and peaceful. It's a place to sit and relax while enjoying a drink. I do t drink bourbon so I had a martini espresso ($14). I would have to pass on it the next time. It was in a small plastic cup loaded with ice. It must have been a premix. If you took the ice out you got about a 1 oz drink and I'm not sure if there was vodka in it.

    Store
    Lori L.

    I did the explorer pass instead of the full guided tour. The guides were very knowledgeable. I was still able to go through much of the grounds on my own after seeing a bit of the inside of castle and gardens. The bourbon is good, but I think is a little overpriced. This could be a personal preference based on my small collection.

    Brent W.

    Although the bourbon wasn't my favorite, the property and service is excellent! This bourbon is young and I think it just needs more time. It's not horrible, it's just the completion is super steep. Buffalo Trace and Woodford Reserve is just down the road. However, in terms of property, this place is gorgeous. Even if you aren't a bourbon drinker, you'd love this spot. I tried out a small flight of the recommend bourbons. I enjoyed them, but for the price, I'm not sure I'd invest. At least, not at this time. But don't rule them out, I think they have a good thing in the making. This old abandoned E.H. Taylor Distillery has some potential. I'd recommend you go to Buffalo Trace early to catch the special bottles, then maybe hit Woodford Reserve. After that, go enjoy the grounds and tour of the Castle & Key Distillery. Then, head down the road to The Stave restaurant. It's a great spot with some great food.

    The main grounds
    Ron A.

    Castle & Key is one of those places you truly have to see to believe. We signed up for The Distillery Experience, which turned out to be a fantastic tour of the historic 1800s castle--now filled with modern distilling equipment. It's an impressive blend of old and new. Our tour guide, originally from South Philadelphia, was excellent--and yes, our group gladly filled in the song lyrics when the moment arose. It made the tour even more fun. As great as the guide and the history were, I was really there for the bourbon. At the end of the tour, we sampled several of Castle & Key's offerings. Like most tastings I've attended, the toughest part was choosing a favorite--they were all solid. Afterward, we headed to the gift shop, where my wife once again found a handful of must-have items. Castle & Key is one distillery you do not want to skip. If you miss it, you miss a lot.

    Darlene N.

    We first tried to visit in 2021 on a day the distillery was closed. When they visited the Dayton Art Institute Bourbon event, we chatted with them and decided to visit when we were planning to be in Louisville. I am glad we made it back (December 2025) and it will be a place we visit again. The tour was fantastic, we were able to see many aspects of the distillery and our guide was able to answer questions we had about the process and history of Castle & Key. Even though it was December, we took a stroll outside with fantastic Bloody Mary's from the bar. The waterside is pretty and the old truck was drawing a lot of attention for pictures. We purchased some of that spicy Bloody Mary mix and some other goodies from the gift shop. I cannot wait to visit again!

    Melanie B.

    People at home told us we HAD to come here while we're in town! I'm glad they did! It is an absolutely beautiful place. The buildings are old and not everything looks great. But the grounds! We walked the botanical trail and all around the place - except where we weren't allowed. It's very scenic. We didn't get drinks - the line was constantly long, plus we had a bit of a drive back to our hotel in the city. The only food came there came from food trucks. It took 45 minutes to get lunch. I wish there were other options. I'm not a fan of food trucks because they do take a long time and there were so many people trying to get some lunch. Other than the frustration of trying to get some food, it was very nice!

    Brian B.

    Beautiful place. Would recommend going there. I like the gin. Did not do a tour but it would be worth the stop.

    Keri C.

    We pulled up to a lovely location with absolutely gorgeous grounds to explore. It was quite cold out and we were a little surprised that their were no heaters or covered fire pits. The gift shop is huge, with adorable seasonal lighting, and lots to choose from. My friend and I have a slightly more alternative style, so it wasn't for us. But a great place in general to shop for most people. Unfortunately, the cocktails were wildly disappointing. And with this being a distillery and all, we just couldn't get past that. First we ordered an espresso martini. They poured it out of a keg over ice. Okay, sure. As long as it's good, that's fine. But my gosh! It was so syrupy. It really just tasted like kahlua over ice. Had no nuance. I actually couldn't take more than a sip. My friend also strongly disliked it, but she forced hers down (what a champ.) I actually went back and politely asked if I could just have gin and tonic instead. The bartender was very sweet and said no problem. And then, she poured a gin and tonic from the tap. I was shooketh. How is a gin distillery not pouring fresh gin and tonics? The cocktail was way better than the "espresso martini" but it was very sour and tasted mostly of citrus, but not fresh citrus, more like a really good sour mix. I could hardly taste the gin. I like gin! That's why I came here. So I found that odd. A great gin and tonic has a hint of citrus from a fresh lime slice or wedge, but the main flavors should be whatever botanicals you are featuring in your gin and the subtle bubbly bitter of tonic. Maybe this is how they make sure to provide great service to large crowds? I get that... but it just didn't hit the mark for us.

    Kenya G.

    Beautiful grounds and loved seeing the history in the gift shop and spring house. The tasting room is extremely small so we waited for it to clear out since we were visiting with a baby. Spirits were good but not my favorite. Parking was plenty just across the street. Of all the distilleries, this was by far one of the most interesting to see but not the most welcoming in terms of staff. The vodka was the winner here, I still wish I would have done the tasting before going into the gift shop because I would have gotten the vodka over the bourbon.

    Dean S.

    In the area and were told we needed to go here as the grounds just along Glenn's Creek. Sure enough, the grounds are so pretty even with the dismal weather. The castle is what 1st grabs your attention. It's kind of crazy that it's here in kind of the middle of nowhere. We walk in to the store and you get to see all sorts of history. You can check out the old fire places(not too sure if it's even called this when it's that big? Looks like a couple furnaces to me.) Folks working here were super nice. There was a food truck but we weren't hungry. There's a bar. A nice bathroom. We made the mistake of not planning ahead for a tour so just wandered around the grounds that are very well maintained. Very relaxing atmosphere out here and we were betting that this place would be bustling during a warmer, nice day... Fall colors were pretty!

    Mary H.

    We stopped here at the end of our day as part of the craft trail. Absolutely beautiful grounds and campus. We grabbed and drink and enjoyed a walk around. We didn't stay long as they were closing shop. On the way out we stopped by the gift store and it had very good quality products inside. Would definitely come back here again and do a tour.

    Marsha B.

    The favorite of all the tours we took. Unique atmosphere, fascinating architecture and friendly staff set it apart from all the others

    Bourbon tasting board

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    Great tour guide. Beautiful grounds. Great bourbon. Lovely gift shop. This is a must see stop on the Bourbon Trail.

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    Page 1 of 15

    Ask the Community - Castle & Key Distillery

    Is Castle and Key dog friendly, and where on the property? Thank you

    Hi Terri! Thank you so much for inquiring about pets on our property. Castle & Key is responsible for assuring the health and safety of all guests. In keeping with this objective, we do not permit guests to bring their pets on property. We love our… 

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    Buffalo Trace Distillery

    Buffalo Trace Distillery

    4.7(955 reviews)
    5.2 mi
    •$$

    I absolutely love this distillery! Friendly staff and fantastic bourbon selection at great prices…read more They do a Daily Drop of hard to find bourbons which is why people start lining up early in morning. They open at 9am and offer free tours as long as you reserve online. The gift shop is huge and some of the bourbons are limited to one or two per person. Since many of the bourbons are not available in my area,this is a must stop when in the Louisville area.

    If I could summarize my experience in one word, it would be Disappointed…read more The Buffalo Trace tour and tasting was at the top of my Bourbon Trail list. My family had visited in 2017 and 2023 and raved about it, so I had high expectations. Unfortunately, after visiting five distilleries during our trip, this was one of my least favorite experiences. To start with the positives: the tours are free, which is generous, and the drinks at the bar are reasonably priced. Our guide, Tony, was knowledgeable and friendly when answering questions. However, the tour itself felt underwhelming and lacked depth. We never went inside the actual production areas, learned much about the grains or bourbon-making process, or experienced the sights and aromas I expected from a distillery tour. Even my spouse, felt the tour was somewhat scattered and lacking in detail. The tasting was even more disappointing. The tasting room was simply a room where everyone stood, and there was very little that felt special or memorable. We were given vodka samples, which felt out of place on a Bourbon Trail tour, and the bourbon selections themselves didn't feel particularly unique. Water wasn't provided at the tasting stations either; we had to walk over to a dispenser and use tiny paper cups. Most surprising of all, the tastings were served in clear plastic cups. After each pour, our guide mentioned how much the bottle cost in the gift shop, which made the presentation feel even more underwhelming. We were even told we could take the plastic tasting cups home as souvenirs. I understand that the tour is free, but Buffalo Trace is a major distillery with a huge reputation, so I expected a more polished and immersive experience. Between the lack of access to the production areas, standing throughout the tasting, limited variety, lack of readily available water, and plastic tasting cups, the overall experience felt much cheaper than I anticipated. The lemonade from the outdoor bar was actually very good and reasonably priced, so that was a bright spot. Unfortunately, overall, Buffalo Trace was one of my least favorite distillery tours and tastings of the trip.

    Photos
    Buffalo Trace Distillery - Examples

    Examples

    Buffalo Trace Distillery - The pairing Blantons Gold with a rosemary biscuit and bacon snack.

    The pairing Blantons Gold with a rosemary biscuit and bacon snack.

    Buffalo Trace Distillery - Second floor

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    Second floor

    Wild Turkey - Tasting room

    Wild Turkey

    4.5(320 reviews)
    7.2 mi
    •$$

    Wild Turkey was an incredible stop on our bourbon trip--and it happens to be Jeff's favorite…read moredistillery, so expectations were pretty high going in. It absolutely delivered. Our tour guide was excellent: knowledgeable, engaging, and clearly proud of the history behind the distillery. The views are incredible too, especially overlooking the river and the old railroad bridge. Watching people bungee jump from the bridge added a pretty unforgettable moment to the day. We did the regular tour and then paid extra for the Russell's Reserve tasting, and that was well worth it. The tasting really took the experience up a level and gave us a much better appreciation for the Russell's lineup and the craftsmanship behind it. Between the history, the scenery, the hospitality, and the bourbon, Wild Turkey was one of the standout stops of the trip. If you're visiting bourbon country, don't skip it--and if you have the chance, add the Russell's tasting.

    This distillery was at the top of our list from the very beginning, and thankfully, it did not…read moredisappoint! First of all, I absolutely loved the staff. One of the employees jokingly gave my spouse and another guest on our tour a hard time about wearing hats from other distilleries. She playfully encouraged them to get new hats, and we all found it hilarious (and my spouse purchased a new one - without pressure). It was a small interaction, but it really set the tone for how welcoming and fun the staff was. We did the production tour with our guide, Josh, who was by far my favorite tour guide of our entire trip. He made the tour fun, interactive, and engaging from beginning to end. He had such a great personality and was incredibly relatable. Honestly, if I could have brought Josh along for the rest of our trip, I would have had him narrate all of our other tours! Once we entered the tasting room, we were blown away by how beautiful it was. We were given four bourbon and rye samples, and they were all fantastic. Needless to say, Wild Turkey Distillery quickly stayed to the top of our list and became one of our favorite stops of the trip. I would absolutely recommend taking a tour here. And if you can, ask for Josh--you're in for a fun, interactive, and memorable experience!

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    Wild Turkey - Our tasting.

    Our tasting.

    Wild Turkey - Hallway to the gift shop

    Hallway to the gift shop

    Wild Turkey - Rick house

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    Rick house

    Four Roses Distillery - Oakspire 9% ABV collaboration between Four Roses Bourbon Distillery and New Belgium Brewery.

    Four Roses Distillery

    4.4(534 reviews)
    12.5 mi
    •$$

    One of the most beautiful and welcoming distilleries I visited during my Kentucky Bourbon Tour…read more From the architecture and interactive history throughout the gift shop to the warm welcome we received at check-in, every detail added to the overall experience. One of my favorite touches was the use of headsets during the tour, which made it much easier to hear and follow the tour guide, even within the distillery. Speaking of the distillery itself, it was by far one of the hottest I've ever experienced--essentially like stepping into a sauna! I strongly recommend bringing water with you, especially if you're visiting on a warm day. The distillery also had some of the strongest, yet delightful, aromas I encountered on my bourbon tour. Once the tour concluded, we were led into a comfortable, air-conditioned tasting room where we sampled 4 bourbons. Our tour guide also did a great job explaining how to properly taste and sip bourbon, which made the tasting experience even more enjoyable. Overall, this was one of my favorite stops on the tour, and I would definitely recommend visiting this distillery!

    We came back to Four Roses for a second visit because some of our friends had never been, and it…read morewas just as enjoyable as we remembered. Even though some of the buildings were under construction during the summer, the experience was still excellent. Our tour guide did a great job sharing the history of the distillery and explaining the different bourbon flavor profiles during the tasting. He made everything easy to understand, whether you were new to bourbon or had done a few distillery tours before. One of my favorite parts was the welcome cocktail at the beginning--it was really tasty and a fun way to kick off the tour. The tasting itself was well done, and the staff throughout the distillery were friendly and welcoming. The gift shop is also worth checking out. It's one of the larger ones we've visited, with lots of bourbon, merchandise, and unique goodies to browse. Overall, another great experience, and I'd definitely recommend stopping here if you're touring the Bourbon Trail.

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    Four Roses Distillery - Visitor Center at Four Roses Distillery.

    Visitor Center at Four Roses Distillery.

    Four Roses Distillery - Four Roses 2024 Limited Pour

    Four Roses 2024 Limited Pour

    Four Roses Distillery - Manhattan at the four roses bar

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    Manhattan at the four roses bar

    Glenns Creek Distilling

    Glenns Creek Distilling

    4.5(126 reviews)
    0.7 mi
    •$

    Great place. Most imaginative bourbon and spirits selection of any place within 50 miles. Don't…read morecome here expecting the typical bourbon tasting experience like you would have at the big guys ( I.e. Woodford, Four Roses, Wild Turkey). David gives you the breadth of his knowledge of the industry and what he has learned over his many years of experimentation. This man is a true scientist of the industry and should be recognized as such. Don't overlook this place.

    There's an old saying: "When someone tells you who they are, believe them". I can't think of a…read morebetter representation of this quote. I don't believe just anyone would enjoy this venue. Frankly it's a bit on the junky side. Most everything is covered in black (yeah I know). The tasting room is teeny tiny, itty bitty, small. The bathrooms are..... well, they're outside. You will not find a flower garden, fountain or artwork. You may see chickens or billy goats. I saw both. Our server was (Emma), a charming young gal with freckles that can clean a pot still, explain the grain bill of her product, and give you the business if so deserved. I've been to a few distilleries in the area and found the products selected for tasting conservative? Whiskeys that most people would find okay. Ha.... Not here. This distillery is where you will find your father's or grandfather's bourbon. It's in your face in the best way. I'm not going to cover the whiskeys I liked best but I will say there was absolutely no disappointment. However, the biggest surprise was the Rum. I'm not a rum guy but this deserves to be consumed neat. Being a total tourist and new to this area, I didn't discover this place till my last day. Noob mistake. After tasting I ended up purchasing several bottles here, where I walked by the competition. If you are a whiskey person and you want to taste bourbon, stop by. Dave, we never met but you did deny me on a tour this morning over the phone. I guess I shouldn't have waited till the last minute. Home run on the booze! I'll plan better next time! Keep on keeping on!

    Photos
    Glenns Creek Distilling - Our tastings!

    Our tastings!

    Glenns Creek Distilling - Glenn's Creek

    Glenn's Creek

    Glenns Creek Distilling - Tasting offerings

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    Tasting offerings

    Castle & Key Distillery - distilleries - Updated September 2026

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