An amazing story, experience and the variety of what they distill is top notch. This is a must stop distillery. Staff and owners were knowledgeable and friendly. Will definitely be back and recommend to others! read more

Family run distillery with a long family history. A very nice and informative tour. I learns a lot of new things. The sampling was Wonderful. Lots of options and you pick 8. Staff was super helpful and knew their stuff Can't wait to go back. read more

Neeley Family Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Sparta, Kentucky

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This family has an incredible history of their heritage and their craft. The tour and tasting were informative.

Are you on the way along I-74 near Sparta Ky? You could adventure in to this distillery for a tour and taste or just a tasting. They do offer a good variety of spirits to try. Maple syrup finished rye bourbon , Jamaican rum aged, French cognac high rye finished bourbon... I can't cover all their spirits. Stop in for the experience and find Shawn as he took great care of us! He was a wealth of knowledge and was very innovative with their spirits. Wonderful! To the manager... Shawn needs a raise! No he didn't pay me to say that..... read more

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This was our second stop on the Bourbon Trail. The Neeley Family Distillery has a colorful and storied past that began in 1740 and intertwines with the history of moonshining and bootlegging. Only just becoming a legal distillery in 2015, it is located in Sparta, Kentucky, and was founded by Royce Neeley, an 11th-generation distiller. Our tour began with a video of Royce telling the story of his family and their history of moonshining and bootlegging. The video was very entertaining and set the stage nicely for the tour. This small distillery has won numerous awards over the past 6 years or so and continues to produce award-winning whiskey. They also have a highly regarded Absinthe. After a short but very informative tour of the distillery, we settled in to taste. We were given a menu of all their products and told we could select 8 to taste. I selected the Wheated Bourbon, Rye Bourbon, Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey, 5-year wheated small batch bourbon, Paw Paw's Bottled in Bond Bourbon, Neeley's Brandy Barrel finished, New Toasted French Oak, and French Sauternes Bourbons. All were tasty, and my favorite was the New Toasted French Oak Bourbon. The tasting samples were small, so I took very small sips of each and then was able to go back and forth to compare them, which was nice to be able to do. Their products are not inexpensive, but the quality is high. I would recommend this tasting experience and highly recommend the New Toasted French Oak Bourbon. read more

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What do you do with family visiting from New Jersey? Take them to Neeley Family Distillery! We enjoyed our chat with the gentleman who explained their offerings and the flavor profiles. We tried several different spirits. The flavors were great. Their bourbon is really good. The moonshine offerings are amazing! I look forward to visiting again. read more

BOTTOM LINE: Do the tour, definitely do the tour! As an experience, the tour was 6-stars! Does their origin story sometimes stretch credulity, sure, but it just adds to the experience! Our group had a chance to speak directly with the owners and they were very generous with their time, even as they were clearly setting up for another event later that evening. The tour of the distilling process itself was quite thorough (compared to other tours we attended), and I certainly learned a bunch of things. It's a small operation, but you could see their dedication to the craft. The tasting was also quite generous with 8 pours from a pretty extensive menu of 20+ options. Many of the samples, however, were on the harsher side so I'd recommend selecting some of the more aged ones for a smoother experience. read more

Great tour and the tasting was delicious. The guide was very informative. Can't wait to go back. read more

Neeley Family Distillery - Thumper the cat - Distilleries Near Me - Sparta, Kentucky

If you're a bourbon and whiskey lover, you absolutely have to check this place out. Make sure you watch the video. The family history is incredible. We were there to pick a barrel Royce and his wife couldn't have been more accommodating. read more

Neeley Family Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Sparta, Kentucky

What a great afternoon!!! Our Tour and tasting guide, Tom did an incredible job. Tour - to not only explain their processes, but why they were important to their quality product. He took his time and answered questions as we went along. For the tasting, we received eight small portions to taste out of 25 or so to choose from. Tom explained each option and would even help you make a choice based on your preferences. Highly recommend the tour and tasting and be sure to ask for Tom! Afterwards, we enjoyed drinks from the bar and camaraderie with our friends - couldn't have been a better afternoon ! read more

Fantastic tasting and tour here today. Jon and Shawn were both great and couldn't have been more accommodating. The pours were nothing short of amazing! We loved the toasted bourbon and a pour-your-own bottle of rye. Jon even convinced my wife that she CAN drink absinthe. read more

We had such a great time doing the tour at Neeley Family Distillery. Our tour guide was the very best!!! Lots of knowledge about the history of the family and the processes used. He had such a great sense of humor, it made you feel like you were visiting with family. Product was great too. read more

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We stopped in here on our way down South. It is super convenient to get to off of the highway. The space is very nicely decorated and gives that down home Kentucky feel. The tasting is $15 a person. Unlike most of the other KY distilleries, you won't find a military discount here. The tasting includes a variety of different options from bourbon to flavored moonshine. We loved almost everything we tasted. They have a nice little gift shop and the space is small but still feels spacious because of how they've set it up. The staff are fun and knowledgeable and they really make you feel at home. I definitely recommend it! read more

Neeley Family Distillery - Huckleberry Moonshine - Distilleries Near Me - Sparta, Kentucky

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Decent enough place with free tasting. I wasn't a fan of any of the choices. The prices for most everything was a bit more than I pay elsewhere. They had some cool things in the store but just didn't care for any of the whiskey read more

The tour was a nice experience and we got eight 0.25 oz samples (a total of 2 oz). I thought the tour was a bit pricey ($20) but I like supporting small businesses. Their bourbon only comes in 375 mL bottles, and it's also kinda pricey, but it is cask strength, so that makes it more worth it. We really enjoyed the make-your-own bottle experience, and's made one for Dad since the next day was Father's Day. I recommend this place, and I would go back. read more

Neeley Family Distillery - Make your own bottle before labeling - Distilleries Near Me - Sparta, Kentucky

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Soooo much family and distillery history. Very nice distillery, well laid out. Tastings and a bar for cocktails. Very friendly and knowledgeable staff about the history and spirits. It's down the street from the Kentucky speedway. Had a cocktail and read about the very interesting family history. This is definitely worth the stop. Plan to stay at least 30 minutes, it's worth it! read more

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No visit to Kentucky is complete without a visit to a bourbon distillery. After discovering that the 20+ distillery tours in the Louisville area were all booked solid we ventured out further and discovered the Neeley Family Distillery. So glad we did. This is a long time family owned distillery which originally sold just moonshine. Such an interesting history that included the illegal moonshine years ago with stories that reminded me of the Hatfield & McCoy's. Their story would make a great movie! The distillery tour ended with a tasting that lasted a good hour. It included 8 samples of everything from bourbon to moonshine to absinthe. The moonshine was much less harsh than I've tasted before and the bourbon were so smooth. All the bourbon bottles are hand labeled. Great tours and yes we brought home a few bottles! 2021-167 read more

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Stopped in and got a bottle of the straight bourbon whiskey, during a business trip. Its my first Newley family whiskey I have ever gotten. Since I was driving I didn't even do a taste test and I got the straight bourbon since it was the least expensive, purchase. It's four grains, corn, oats, wheat, malt. I really like the oat notes, hope to return and have a tour sometime. read more

Neeley Family Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Sparta, Kentucky

The history of this place is wild! At first we were just going to stop and grab a taste, but decided to do the tour and do not regret it for a second! Very neat products coming out of this distillery. The tasting selections was great and for very diverse tastes. Learned about B line here! read more

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Too expensive for what it is. Also not very friendly. Talks negative about other distilleries for no reason while their whiskey was at best average. Spend your money somewhere else. read more

Super great tasting experience. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable about their products and was very personable. This was our last stop to complete the bourbon trail and surprisingly ended up buying a bottle of their award winning absinthe read more

I thoroughly enjoyed our visit. It's a small operation so the tour is pretty short but the tasting is great. Will visit again in the future. Part of the Bourbon Trail but a hidden gem north of Louisville. read more

As a family we decided to try the Kentucky bourbon trail. What a great time at Neeley. The family history, Grounds and our tour guide wade was amazing. Tasting was out of this world! Highly recommend read more

Neeley Family Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Sparta, Kentucky

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Well it seems Canada is attacking Kentucky Bourbon. So I drink at this distillery all the time with Royce Neeley. He is the coolest and most talented Master Distiller in the world. Haters are losers. I hope the Canadians get their panties out of a wad and stop messing with this awesome small company. read more

Absolutely AMAZING. We were just stopping for gas and saw the sign and thought why not stop by. I went with my mom and he showed us how they make all the bourbon and whiskey. He spoke really highly of all drinks and explained the taste really well. Even if you just stop in I highly recommend! read more

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One of the best craft distilleries we've visited. The tour is very personable. Neeley has a great history and fantastic bourbon. This is a hidden gem. Highly recommend this place! read more

Excellent tour and tasting experience!! Make sure to try the absinthe. Had a difficult time narrowing down our tasting selection, but loved everything we tried. If you are in the area it's a must visit. read more

Fun tour and very friendly staff. The tasting was 15 per person, so worth it. Funny story I grew up on a Neeley Ridge in VA. I think this family must of lived there at one point. I bought a few of the bottles. I was impressed read more

Neeley Family Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Sparta, Kentucky

Nice place for rye and moonshine-- they do quite a bit of flavored ones, but come in with an open mind! Staff are great, signage on the front is for the humorous, and while labeling your own rye is a bit of a gimmick, it definitely got my friends! read more

Nice find right off the highway at the entrance to the Kentucky Speedway. Roy, one of the owners, gladly shared his family story and I gladly handed him my credit card after my wife and I tried some of flavored moonshine. Looking forward to cracking the seal on the bourbon as well. read more

Neeley Family Distillery - Outside - Distilleries Near Me - Sparta, Kentucky

Stumbled upon this distillery while traveling so we jumped off the exit and headed in. Beautiful place. The tour guide was amazing. LOVED hearing his family's history! He seemed very passionate and proud of his story. The tasting was great. We got there just as they were lining up for the next tour so we jumped on it. I gave 4 stars instead of 5 because I felt like the price of the tour and their product is a little too pricey. read more

BEST PLACE ON THE BOURBON TRAIL -- Listen I'm Yelp Elite. I carry a lot of weight on this platform. I think I have like 4 followers but occasionally I get a like or something, so listen up -- GO TO THIS PLACE. SUPPORT THIS BUSINESS. We always stop here on our way to Louisville and it never disappoints. Awesome bourbon and the staff is so great. $15 tasting that is fun and you get to try their whole assortment. Their regular bourbon is better than a lot of the bigger ones. They also have a lot of fun flavors like Salted Carmel whiskey that is great. My buddy loves this place so much he bought 6 bottles. It's awesome. Why are you reading this review and not already in your car on your way there? Go there now. Tell them Sergio sent you and they will give you a buy a tasting full price get another tasting for full price. read more

We stopped by yesterday for a tour and tasting. They do tours on the hour on weekends and I recommend you participate in one. The family has a long history of moonshine that they share and their tour is very interactive. Cousin Still greeted us at the door, and he was very welcoming and an overall awesome guide. He's knowledgeable about the distillation process and we enjoyed that all the staff are family members familiar with the history. We had a fun tasting mwhere we discussed more family stories and tried their bourbons and moonshines. I liked their apple pie and caramel moonshines and their chocolate truffle cream the best. Our toddler hung out with us in the tasting room and we were glad they had some small snacks and soda we could buy to keep him entertained as well. It was a great visit and I highly recommend it! read more

Stopped by this cute little distillery in May 2021. We didn't have time to do the tour, but enjoyed the tasting. They were a little light on employees to assist everyone, but it was a very friendly place. We will definitely stop in again. read more

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Check this place.. lots of tours of distilleries but this location is amazing. Yes the whiskey is good and try the cocktails they make. Even some absinthe. Great history of family and Kentucky. Next to speedway and near casino. Worth the stop read more

Neeley Family Distillery - Distilleries Near Me - Sparta, Kentucky

What a find! This place exceeded all expectations. The quality of the liquor is world class. There were a few comments in the reviews about the price, but you can't buy anything this high quality for this cheap. The tour was fantastic, and the family history added intrigue to the whole experience. If you are planning to do the bourbon trail, this is a MUST STOP location!!! 10 stars! read more

So glad we went. This was a very interesting, well-run tour and tasting. Their bourbons were very distinctive and delicious. One is peppery, one has a sweet marshmallow finish. The original recipe moonshine is 118 years old, sweet mash, and so very smooth because it's triple pot distilled.. Their flavored moonshines are the best I've tasted. Don't skip the cinnamon, the apple pie and the chocolate truffle. They show you a nice video and then give a nice tour. Usually the tasting follows. Ask to do your tasting first. I think it makes the tour all the more interesting if you are hearing about products you are already familiar with. A nice afternoon. We were there about an hour and a half. The tour and 8 sample tasting costs $10. A real bargain! read more

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This place is a MUST if you're in Kentucky and looking for some fun distilleries to see. It's near the NASCAR track and not too far off the interstate, so if nothing else just get out and stretch your legs and grab a drink at their bar! The Neeley family can trace illegal distilling back many generations (woohoo!) and they have the family tree and one of the old confiscated stills on display. Part of the building is a "museum", part is a store, and the other part is a bar where they sell cocktails and sodas. Tastings are $1 per sample (I definitely recommend doing a tasting) and their prices on full bottles aren't bad at all. They have moonshines, whiskeys and bourbon right now but are about to unveil their new bourbon in a couple weeks. I am in love with their chocolate bourbon cream liqueur. I regret not buying one when I was there but I'll be back ASAP to get some! The family members, who own and operate the store and distillery, were extremely pleasant and helpful. It's a great way for you to support locally owned small business AND get some delicious drinks! Stop by anytime! (Just know if you go on a race weekend it may be busy!) read more

Intimate craft distillery. Tour and tasting were both interesting, and well done. Enough time to fully understand the process of making the spirits and experience the variety of tastes. read more

This stop made our whole trip. We've been on the bourbon trail three times now and stopped in because frankly they were the only one open on Mondays. The tour is only 20 bucks and that includes the tasting. Wade did a great job - we sat and watched the video with a combo of shock, horror and delight. This stop should not be missed. In contrast with some of the big distilleries - this is a true bourbon origin story. Go there - you won't regret it. read more