The Old Forester Distillery tour is located at their smaller distillery on whiskey row in downtown Louisville. They also have a shop there along with a bar for paid tastings of their bourbons. The staff are friendly and personable and the site is welcoming. We were early for our tour but there was seating along with the shopping and bar. Our tour guide was Carter and he was very knowledgeable. He took us through the history of the distillery and owners as we walked through their smaller distillery. A stand out aspect of their distillery is the on site cooperage. The cooper that was working was very energetic and treated us to a viewing of an actual barrel charring. I've never seen that in person and it was a real treat. The tour ends with a tasting that included a pin and a chocolate covered caramel marshmallow, which I ended up buying a full bag of later in the shop - they are so good! This is, by far, my favorite bourbon trail tour yet - partly because of Carter, the cooperage, and the little extras we were given. I highly recommend! read more

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Enjoyed the opportunity to tour a famous old distillery. The bar and gift shop were hopping on a Saturday afternoon. 16 on the tour, a reasonable size, and it was clear that the space (which is good sized though not their large distillery) was set up at least partially to allow for the tours. Got a good history of the founder and the distillery. Enjoyed smelling and seeing the fermenting brew at various stages. Cool to see the coopering (barrel making) including the blazing fire charring the inside of the freshly made barrels. Wife said she could have watched the bottling line all day, and I wouldn't disagree. Small tastings of their 4 major labels in a sit down tasting room. The wife, who is not a whiskey fan, still enjoyed the tour, and was presented a decent mocktail to sip during the tasting. If you're in the neighborhood, it's a fun way to pass an hour plus. read more

Never been here before but I thought I'd check out some of that distilleries along Whiskey Row. They are so close together you could actually walk between Angels Envy and Old Forester. I didn't really get a distillery feel to the property. It felt like more of an elaborate bar experience. The front blends in with the other bars along the strip where there is a wide selection of bars and restaurants. I bet it's a popular strip to party. I walked into the distillery and it seemed really cramped and choppy. There was a tasting area and gift shop. But the gift shop wasn't very pleasant to shop in. To be honest, I was very underwhelmed. I expected more from the Old Forester brand. They only had one small bottle of their 117 as a limited option. And while it was on one of the flight options, the price was ridiculous. I ended up just getting frustrated by the whole shopping experience. read more

Located conveniently on Whiskey Row along Main Street, Old Forester offers a great tour and tasting. The staff is so nice. They held our packages from other visits at the front desk while we toured. There is a bar and gift shop at the front. Our guide did a nice job talking through the history and brand. There wasn't much going on but we did get to see the onsite cooperage which is unique including the barrel char. The tasting provided a nice mix. Overall, we had a great time at this stop on the bourbon trail. read more

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Simply a class act. Our tour guide Ryan was a showman and very enthusiastic about his product, which turned this tour into a fun filled show not a boring walk through tour. We we T into this with a lot of knowledge but left with even more and having an attachment to the old forester brand. Great job Ryan and team! read more

Big fan of Old Forester (except 1920 for some reason) so i had to stop. I cant wait to try the Staff Pick single barrel. The 117s look interesting as well. The staff (could have been a volunteer) were very helpful. Cant wait to go back. read more

Old Forester Distilling - Thought the 70's paneling at my mother's made a great background. (1924 not purchased there. Found in Nebraska at a MSRP.) - Distilleries Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

I've done several distillery tours in Louisville, and many of them share a familiar rhythm: a beautiful facility, a walk-through of the bourbon-making process, and a tasting at the end. What made the Old Forester tour stand out was the storytelling--especially the history. The discussion around Prohibition was particularly interesting, including how certain brands, Old Forester among them, were allowed to continue selling bourbon for medicinal purposes. That historical angle added real context and made the tour feel less scripted and more memorable. Another highlight was learning that Old Forester constructs its own barrels on-site. Watching how they assemble barrels from white oak, char them for flavor and color, and then make them fully watertight was fascinating. It's one thing to hear that barrels matter in bourbon-making--it's another to see the process happening right in front of you. Logan led our tour and did an excellent job keeping things engaging and interactive throughout. He struck a great balance between education and conversation, and never made it feel like a lecture. If you have the chance, he's absolutely worth requesting as your guide. Overall, this tour offered something a little different from the standard distillery experience and was well worth the time--even if you've done several others already. read more

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The Old Forester distillery location on Whiskey Row in Kentucky. Having been a fan of Old Forester for a very long time, this visit was not unlike a religious pilgrimage for me. Outside of the tours, there's a bar/tasting room and a gift shop. I booked the "Goodness Never Varies Tour" for my visit ($85 as of 9/2025). This came with a tour in a group of about 14 people led by a knowledgeable tour guide (thanks again Trish!). We got to walk through the distillery and see/learn about all the steps of making the bourbon itself and got to see the cooperage where they make the barrels that house the distillate for years to come. Finally - and arguably the most fun part - we sat in a tasting room and sample some of the expressions. Since I was there on 9/5/2025, I was one of the first people in the world that got to try the new 2025 Birthday Bourbon! They change it up from what I've been told, but our tasting flight at the end of the tour was: 117 Series - 1910 Extra Extra Old, 2024 Birthday Bourbon, 2025 Birthday Bourbon, and one of the President's Choice single barrel releases. All were very, very delicious and I was able to buy two bottles of the 117 Series at the end of the tour. The vibe: really beautiful building. It was very chill during the tour and I was excited being surrounded by like-minded bourbon enthusiasts thirsting for knowledge, history, and of course bourbon. If you're a fan of Old Forester or even just a bourbon fan in general. I highly recommend one of tours. read more

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The lion's tail was a worth it - a bourbon and sour mix that worked so well. The espresso martini was certainly one of a kind - bourbon spice without being heavy in an espresso based drink. If you're ever on main Street, stop by here! The staff are friendly and the vibe is heavily bourbon-themed read more

Old Forester Distilling - Lions tail - Distilleries Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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My friends and I kicked off our annual Bourbon Trail trip in Kentucky with Old Forester as our first stop. We toured the urban distillery on Whiskey Row and wrapped up the experience with a tasting. I really enjoyed the entire visit--learning about the history and process of this storied distillery was a great way to begin our Bourbon Trail adventure. read more

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Stopped in to visit the tasting room and were very impressed. It was the day of a bottle release so it was busy but there were high top tables and the bartenders did a great job of getting drinks in a timely fashion. There are multiple flights you can try but our recommendation would be the one that includes the birthday bourbon. We think its the best value for your money. read more

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Great tour, the guide was very knowledgeable and engaging. I love OFD bourbons and what they are producing. One of the only cooperages left which is owned by a distillery and it was nice to see it working. My only issues with the legacy distilleries are their gift shops. They only put their higher end offering out on a random basis and then when they do release them they sometimes combine they cheaper bourbons in a package set (Michters) which actually costs more than if you could buy them separately. That's ridiculous and as a bourbon nerd insulating. At least give the folks that buy a tour an opportunity to buy the higher end offering. The bourbon boom is over and there are a lot of craft guys killing it. I think they (legacy) need to take notice. read more

The experience was fantastic! Our tour guide explained the bourbon-making process very well from start to finish. The tasting was fun, even though I'm not a big fan of bourbon, my boyfriend really enjoyed all four varieties we tried. I just wish we had a little more time in the tasting room to finish our samples. The bourbon chocolate was also a nice touch. Overall, a wonderful experience! read more

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I had a wonderful experience at the distillery in Louisville. Our tour guide was outstanding and he provided a knowledgeable and funny experience. I greatly enjoyed his dad jokes. The most interesting facts learned were of them being the first to commercialize bottle and of the book written by their founder to combat the Temperance movement. The four spirits we tasted were all outstanding and the chocolate covered marshmallows were amazing as well. I have now added Old Forrester to my collection. Also this is the first distillery tour I went on where the barrel making is done in house and the toasting and charring is witnessed. It was very fun. read more

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Great tour and great tour guide! Old Forester was unique in that we got the see the cooperage (barrel making) side as well. Such a cool property right on whiskey row. Highly recommend checking it out if staying in downtown and looking for a cool bourbon trail tour to check out without leaving Louisville. read more

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Beautiful venue for a tasting. Came here right near closing time to pick up a bottle for a souvenir on a random rainy weekday. Would have expected a more welcoming staff instead of me needing to seek out help. It wasn't particularly busy near close on a week day. read more

Loved the tasting and a major fan of the bourbon. So many great bottles. Right in downtown. Make sure you have a reservation.

Fantastic selection of whiskeys with wonderful staff! My husband is much more into sampling whiskey, and he absolutely loved his flight. Their gift shop is great as well. The tasting room is separate and gave it a darker, moody experience. Lots of old pictures up of the distillery and it's history. Standing and sitting space available. read more

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Very cool distillery. You can get pours of birthday bourbon at the bar. Highly recommend doing the tours.

I'll admit I'm not the biggest Bourbon fan but I went with my husband who does enjoy himself. We did a tasting flight in the storefront downtown and it was a lot of fun. We tried a couple different bourbons and a whiskey. The space is great, everyone is so friendly and it was a great first experience. read more

Great guide, well-presented history and demonstrations in a convenient and beautiful building on Main St.

Beautiful setting, but the bar was way overpriced. My husband had a sample drink of the exclusive bourbon. I had the special drink of the day. The cost was $55. We could've purchased a bottle and made our own for much less. After the ice in my drink, there wasn't much to enjoy. read more

They are very efficient it their production, business model and distribution. All the tours were great, but this one stood out for their innovation and being able to do it in the heart of Louisville. In addition to the bourbon, they make these Modjeskas that are next level and they know it based on the price. read more

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The tour was lead by Bethany whose personality warmed up as the tour went along. We started in the basement with a short video and history lesson that highlighted what made Old Forester unique back in the day. We saw the mash fermenting and then made our way to the column still. I appreciated that we spent more time talking about the chemistry side of the whiskey such as the proof requirements of bourbon and the high wine that comes off of the still. We also spent time learning about barrels, seeing it up close was a highlight. Their experimental rickhouse was a treat to walk through, we happened to see a barrel selection tasting taking place. We passed by the bottling operation and the workers gave us a friendly wave, they seem to enjoy their job. The anniversary glass bottle case made for good conversation before we entered the tasting room. We tried four different expressions, a decent range of flavor, easy to find bottles. Included with the tasting was a dessert morsel. If you opt for the designated driver option you are presented with a mocktail which was well crafted. The gift and bottle shops are onsite as well as the bar where you can try some hard to find pours like birthday, 1924 and president. This would have been a five star experience if our tour guide sounded a little less scripted, the tasting wasn't as rushed (you're drinking straight spirits after all) and if the distillery exclusive bottle was part of the tasting. The bottle was small for the price and therefore I'd be taking a chance without trying it first. I've heard they have other bottles for sale not on the shelf. I cannot verify this is true but if it is, that would be a shame as I did not think to ask. Despite this, I still recommend this tour, we had a great time. 4.5 stars. read more

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We toured Old Forester Distillery today and our guide, Bethany, made the whole experience. She's that perfect mix of personable and hilarious, and she clearly knows her stuff--not in a scripted way, but in a "loves her job and can explain anything on the fly" way. Beyond the history and process, what impressed me most was how quickly and clearly she handled all the random questions from our group. Example: someone asked why it's sometimes spelled whiskey vs whisky--Bethany nailed it in seconds (the "e" is typically used in American/Irish styles; no "e" is common in Scottish/Canadian traditions). That's the level of on-the-spot expertise she brought to every stop on the tour. The pacing was spot on, the info was memorable without feeling heavy, and she kept everyone engaged start to finish. If you're booking a tour here, ask for Bethany. She made an already great distillery visit exceptional. read more

This is hands down the best distillery tour I've ever been on. We got a chance to watch a bourbon barrel get charred, see and smell mash, and watch the bottling process. The tour ends with a whisky tasting, free pin, and a taste of their chocolate marshmallows. The gift shop has everything you can imagine: bourbons, glasses, shirts, sweatshirts, etc. Gotta book way in advance for the tour, but well worth it. read more

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Noah was a great tour guide. We came in on Black Friday morning and there was a line out the door and around the corner with people hoping to get the new release President's Choice. We enjoyed our tour and tasted the 1870, 1897, 1910, and 1920. I liked the 1920 best, so we bought a bottle on our way out. read more

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Going from only being able to buy a few bottles at liquor stores every now and then to come here and try all their new new and different bottles. It was an awesome experience. Some of the things they had was just out of this world and they're distillery was awesome. read more

Old Forester Distilling - Distilleries Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

Old Forester is one of the originals, and this tour experience offers another great look inside the facilities and production coupled with the rich history of the impact Louisville has had on the bourbon industry. One unusual part of the tour, unique to Old Forester, included watching a cooper build barrels in a variety of stages by hand using very modern equipment. The tasting was a nice way to try out their special bottles (regularly available downstairs in the shop as well as most local stores) side by side. There is also an opportunity to taste their rare bottles in the house bar on the main level. And every day an allocated release is made available for purchase in the shop. read more

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This distillery is located in downtown Louisville and is not their main distillery or production facility. This location does produce a limited amount of bourbon but is primarily a demonstration center that allows visitors to see the actual production of bourbon on a smaller scale. It is testing center that produces experimental bourbons in small quantities. The tour walks you through the whole process and our tour guide was excellent. This is definitely worth the visit - allow at least 90 minutes. There is a tasting following the tour. read more

We don't normally do Yelp reviews for tours (and believe us when we say that we are a tour-loving family), but this one at Old Forester was particularly outstanding. What made it so special were the people: from the folks at check-in who were super cool about checking to see if we could move to an earlier tour (we couldn't) to our tour guide (Logan) to the barrel cooper who was so friendly (and let our little one push the fire button!) to the awesome guy in the gift store who originally said that they sold out of the 117 for that day but then got us a secret stash after our daughter laid on the charm (shhh, don't tell!). Everyone here is SO nice! Both of us have previously done bourbon tours in Kentucky, but we really appreciated the pacing of this one. Yes, you learn a lot of the same stuff, but we saw the mash in the vats (very cool!) and actually saw barrels being made, which was a first. We loved that the tasting was a communal event with everyone in the group sitting at the table and hanging out. Overall, such a memorable and special experience. Highly recommend if you're in Louisville! read more

The first and absolute best stop on our Bourbon Trail tour. Tyler, our private guide is a sommelier and Master Taster for Brown Forman. I recommend the private tour for access to the Bourbon Bat Cave, history of the company and the region, detailed discussion on the science behind bourbon and barrel making. The tour was inclusive and highlighted minorities and women who helped create the success of the brand. We thoroughly enjoyed the high quality instruction on tasting different Bourbons for maximum enjoyment. read more

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Old Forestor distilling is a distillery? Gift shop and tour area for the super popular bourbon brand located right on whiskey row in downtown Lousiville Kentucky. As a long time enjoyer of all old Forestor products I had shockingly never taken the tour. Now I'll be honest I caught wind that if you booked a tour the last week of July the tour guests would have an opportunity to buy a special and hard to get "117 series bottled in bond" bottle. So between that and wanting to take the tour anyways me and a fellow bourbon loving friend booked a tour. The facility which is one of the oldest of not the oldest active distillery location around is architecturally awesome to see. You walk in and check in with the host. To the right is a smaller gift shop for outside guests to shop at. The tour starts by taking you downstairs and you woke your way up elevators to see the entire distilling process that includes them making there own barrels. Our tour guide was amazing. Maybe the best I've ever had on a bourbon tour. Personable, knowledgable and funny. At the end of the tour you do get a taste sampling. The tastings they had on ours was old Forrestor 1870, 1910, 1897 and the special 117 series bottled in bond. There was also a piece of chocolate that was great. Our awesome tour guide showed everyone how to properly nose and drink bourbon to enjoy it at max. Which we were familiar but it was cool to see a guide show people. As for the bourbons I've had all but the brand new and rare to find "117 series bottled in bond". All our great. You truly can't go wrong with old forester bourbons. Overall this was a great tour. And yes our intel paid off as well. They did have the "117 series bottled in bond" for your takers only. We could all buy two a piece which me and my buddy did and I'm pretty sure the whole tour did too. Our tour guide once again was great and let those who didn't know that "this is a hard bourbon to get and the ability to get at a non secondary price is near impossible". So a cool tour and we got some tasty and hard to obtain bourbon that I've been sipping on and enjoying since my tour. Highly recommended tour for any lovers or bourbon. read more

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We had a great tour of the Old Forester Distillery! This was my first bourbon distillery tour in Louisville & it did not disappoint. It was really cool to see the inside of a building on historic Whiskey Row. We learned a lot about Old Forester, bourbon, & how they make their product. Our tour guide was funny, nice, & knowledgeable. My favorite part of the tour was trying various Old Forester brands. If you are into bourbon I highly recommend checking out their tours! read more

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When in Louisville you have to hit up all the distilleries, especially if you're a bourbon fan! To be clear, we did not tour, only visit to the gift shop and bar for a drink. I chose to do a bourbon flight, others in the group chose an old fashioned. The bar tenders were very friendly and had great recommendations. Very few tables to sit at, but several round standing tables. Would go back and take the tour next time. read more

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Old Forester was one of the highlights of our trip! We did many tours during our Louisville visit and Old Forester definitely stood out. The tour was fun and informative and at the end our tour guide let us know about the special bottle they had for sale. We got to watch the barrels get charred and watched the cooper make some barrels! During the tasting portion they gave us a chocolate called a modjeska and it was SO good! I got some to bring home! We also stopped in for a drink at their bar and got some of their seasonal cocktails. We tried the gingerbread old fashioned and the brown sugar old fashioned and both were wonderful! We had been trying the seasonal cocktails at each stop and these two definitely stood out. We loved the decorations and the vibe in the bar area as well. The only thing we didn't like is that they closed so early! Definitely stop in but make sure to check the hours first! read more

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Amazing and educational experience. This building is absolutely beautiful. Heads up, when you sign up for the one hour tour, just know it's closer to an hour and a half. The tour does take the full hour, I had to leave immediately after being seated for the tasting, as I had other commitments and wasn't able to fully partake in the tasting. read more

Old Forester Distilling - Distilleries Near Me - Louisville, Kentucky

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Plant your was interesting and unique with them having a display of how oak barrels are charred. Tastings was like other distilleries, nothing different. Unfortunately one lady in our tour had doused herself with a perfume spoiling part of the tasting. All distilleries should have notices on their home page discouraging people who don't have common sense if not wearing perfume read more

I liked all the distillery tours I've been on-- but thus far this was the best. Our guide was energetic and knowledgeable about all things bourbon. The tour hit all the essential highlights from the bubbling vats of mash to the still to the hundreds of barrels racked up to age. But for me what set it apart from the rest was the chance to see and learn how the barrels are made and readied to be filled with whiskey. It was the only tour that included this essential step in the process. And the tasting was pretty good too. Old Forester will be stocked in my home bar from now on. read more

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Great place, nice drinks, sad that they don't have food or even snacks to munch on while drinking. The service was great, the other patrons were nice. Great ambiance and great service. read more

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