Bardstown Bourbon Company Kitchen & Bar

What a great experience. We did the core tour on Sunday April 27. Josh saw I had a knee brace and asked if I needed to use the elevator and needed a golf cart to the Rick house which was a big relief. He did an awesome job presentation. This was of my favorite bourbon tours which I will always remember with my wife. Great tastings. I purchased some bourbon from the nice gift shop.

For a quiet Sunday afternoon, Shay made our experience unforgettable. My wife and I did a bourbon tasting and tried the Homemade Manhattan. Would highly recommend these unique and experimental bourbons for anyone visiting the area.

Great visit in Bardstown! The core 4 tour was fun, tasty bourbons, and our tour guide was great - very personable and knowledgeable about the distillery. While new compared to some other places, it's very well done. Well worth the small fee for the tour.

This review covers both the bourbon company and the restaurant from the point of view of a first time visitor. However, this is the 19th distillery my husband and I have visited, so we are not new to bourbon. When you pull into the parking lot, it’s obvious this is a modern distillery. The grounds are well manicured and the glass front rickhouse draws visitors’ attention. We were greeted promptly when we entered and visited the gift shop to purchase a lapel pin as is tradition for us in every distillery we visit. The clerk never stopped talking to her coworker or looked at us while we completed the purchase. There is a tasting bar near the entrance where they sell half ounce pours. We took advantage of getting a flight of 3 collaboration pours and it was well worth the $25 as each bottle represented retails for $150 or more. Thankfully, the Core Four tour was a great experience. The tour starts with the tasting which is different from other distilleries. We sampled Bardstown 4 origin products before visiting other areas. The tour requires the use of stairs and one room we visited was 109 degrees but we were only there a few minutes. Our tour guide Amber was very knowledgeable and did a great job. The tour ended with thieving from an experimental barrel which was a nice surprise and had wonderful flavor. Our guide compared the thieved tasting to Green River full proof. After the tour, we decided to stay for lunch. Buyer Beware - if you want to sample a pour, get it from the bar near the entrance. In the restaurant, you get a much larger pour for 4x the price. My husband got a smashed burger and fries and I got a grilled chicken sandwich and fries. The food was very good and the fries were similar to fair fries and delicious, but these meals were overpriced for what they were. We ended up purchasing the Stave Finish bourbon, which is a distillery only bottle. We enjoyed the afternoon at Bardstown and overall recommend you stop here during your visit to the Bourbon Trail. Cheers!

This was our best visit experience on the bourbon trail. Their on site restaurant was incredible. The drinks were perfectly matched to the food. The tour was so interesting that I wanted to apply for a job when it was over.

Beautiful property and great tour experience. First time we were here (spring 2024), we had a more production tour, while this time (spring 2025), more focused on nuances of the Bardstown projects and growth. Make reservations at the restaurant!

We had a great time here! We did the Barrel Thieving experience and had a lot of fun. Getting to pull bourbon straight from the barrel and taste it right there—doesn’t get much better than that. Our guide, Michael, was awesome—super friendly, knew his stuff, and made the whole thing a blast. He had us laughing while also teaching us a ton about the process. You could tell he really loves what he does, and it made the experience even better. And as if that wasn’t enough, the master distiller was out signing bottles and chatting with everyone! Such a cool surprise and just another reason this place stands out. The campus is huge and gorgeous. I wish we had had more time to stay for a drink or a meal but definitely next time! The whole vibe was relaxed, welcoming, and just an all-around great time.

I came with friends for the barrel mixing experience, and we had some food and drinks. Start to finish it was a phenomenal experience. While waiting for our experience time, we got snacks and drinks in the main room. There were no tables but we were able to sit near the lovely fireplace. I got the poutine which was excellent, as well as a delicious Manhatten. The barrel mixing experience itself was amazing. Our guide was very knowledgeable about Bardstown distillery's history. The experience took place in their bourbon museum room which has an incredible collection of bottles that rivals the mixing experience itself. The mixing activity was a lot of fun. We duplicates one of bardstowns own blends from constituent single barrel whiskeys, and then got to experiment with our own. It was a fun environment and everyone had a great time. I'd come back and do the same experience with others, or happily do the distillery tour as well. This is a must-stop!

If you’re on the bourbon trail, save this place for last. It’s unlike any other distillery and will spoil you. We had lunch and some drinks. The service and food were both over the top. Will made some great recommendations. We had the brussel sprout appetizer, my wife had the chicken sandwich, and I had the hot brown. Everything was cooked to perfection and tasted fresh and amazing. Their bourbon is also amazing, but you probably already knew that. 😁

Our tour at Bardstown Bourbon Company was absolutely fantastic—one of the best distillery experiences we’ve had so far! This is a very modern distillery, with cutting-edge manufacturing processes that set it apart from the more traditional spots on the Bourbon Trail. Our tour guide, Samantha, was incredible—engaging, knowledgeable, and hands-down the best guide we’ve had so far. She made the tour fun, informative, and truly memorable. One of the coolest things about this tour is that it starts with a tasting instead of ending with one, which was a refreshing change of pace. Every bourbon we sampled was great, but the Bottled-in-Bond and Wheated were the standouts—I loved them so much that I had to take a bottle of each home! And just when we thought it couldn’t get better, the tour ended with a barrel pick tasting, which was an incredible way to wrap up the experience. If you’re visiting the Bourbon Trail, Bardstown Bourbon Company is a must-visit. The combination of modern innovation, excellent bourbon, and an amazing tour experience makes this distillery truly special. Highly recommend!

Fun place with tastings, tours, full bar, merchandise shop, and restaurant. We popped in yesterday, and were too late to do a tour. We enjoyed the bar and lounge area and got drinks and the grilled meatballs. Everything was delicious! I had the blood orange boozy milkshake and it was the best milkshake I've ever had!

Beautiful Distillery. We booked the Rickhouse Barrel Thieving Tour and it was amazing. We tasted multiple bourbons straight from the barrel in one of the Rickhouses. The tour guide and all other employees were very nice and informative. We could't eat in the resturant because they had an event booked, but it was a beautiful space; maybe next time. We were even able to get a signed allocated bottle that was only available there.

Our Friday started with lunch at Bardstown Bourbon Co. The Fries Green Tomatoes were great. I particularly enjoyed the cucumber dip. My favorite Brother-in-law, George ordered the Hot Brown. He said it was tasty. My sister Joy ordered the Chef Special and open faced pot roast sandwich. I can vouch it was really good even warmed up the next day. Sadly the Patty Melt I ordered was not good. The Texas Toast was too much, the cheese was sparse and crispy and the ground beef was dry. They should take it off the menu and make the Chef's Special a regular. As always the tasting and tour are my favorite of the Bourbon Trail.

Review of Bardstown Bourbon Company and the Rickhouse Barrel Thieving Tour The Bardstown Bourbon Company has created a truly unique experience with its Rickhouse Barrel Thieving Tour, sure to delight both bourbon enthusiasts and newcomers alike! From the moment you step onto the property, you can feel the care and attention to detail – everything is beautifully designed and invites you to relax and soak in the atmosphere. The highlight of the tour was undoubtedly our guide. With passion and an impressive depth of knowledge about the distillery’s history, they provided fascinating insights into the world of bourbon. The tasting experience in the Rickhouse, straight from the barrel, was nothing short of amazing. It was captivating to discover the many layers and flavors of the bourbon, and our guide’s explanations brought it all to life in a way that was both engaging and educational. The restaurant and bar are equally outstanding. The food was exceptional – fresh, creative, and surprisingly affordable. The bar features an impressive selection of cocktails and a warm, inviting atmosphere that strikes the perfect balance between modern sophistication and cozy charm.

We took the Core Four Tour. We had a great time, and the staff was awesome. Our guide Elizabeth was polite, friendly, and very knowledgeable. Would definitely recommend you do the tour here!!

A group of us decided to do some of the bourbon trail for my husband's birthday. We met up in Kentucky from KC and Colorado Springs and this was such a fun experience for all of us to experience together. The barrel thieving experience was all of our favorite overall tour during our entire time there. The atmosphere, the experience and tasting were all amazing and Josh was a phenomenal tour guide. We give this our "must see" to anyone who comes to the bourbon trail experience!

Of course the drinks are good, but they have some legitimately delicious food as well! We ate here most recently in April of 2022 and had a group of 10. They accommodated our large party with ease and great service. We were all pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food and will definitely be returning. Make sure to get one of the cocktails featuring their own products. They've also got a HUGE selection of other whiskeys available if you've got a favorite you want to enjoy. Pro tip: ask if you can see the Vintage Whiskey Library for a little behind the scenes awesomeness.

Booked a Barrel Thieving Tour as a different experience for our visit to Bardstown Bourbon, slam dunk great choice! Sam made the tour fantastic! The tour was a short walk to a rickhouse where you stood amongst the barrels and samples directly from 3 different barrels. Sam was great at getting the conversation going where everyone felt open to offering opinions and asking questions. We could not have been more happy with the sampling and the experience! Thanks Sam!

Tasha was the best server...Great food and an amazing tour. Our tour was the best(Vince was awesome, top notch).. Changed my view on the Brand. Great products and the new Origins is awesome..

We loved our barrel thieving experience! This was our first time in Kentucky and we had a full schedule, but was I glad we were able to fit in the barrel thieving for first thing in the morning. The staff was very friendly and was offered an old fashioned after check in. It was such a neat experience to be able to taste bourbon straight from the barrels. The grounds were also really beautiful, and I love the garden where the vegetables go straight to the restaurant. Michelle was our tour guide. She was very knowledgeable, personable and funny. She was able to show us the speakeasy bar and the library where the rare bottles were kept at yhe end of our tour.

Went with some friends and had a great time! I’m not a bourbon drinker, and still enjoyed some of the tastings that were served to us. I loved the modern twist to it and, as an engineer, I appreciated getting a glimpse into the process itself! The tour guides were very knowledgeable and well-trained. They answered all our questions and were very friendly! This was my first bourbon tour, and because of this experience, I hope to go on some more. We might even book the lounge room they have available to rent out for a special occasion!

I know it's a five star review, but I'm going to start with the not so good. We came back the day after the tour specifically for the food, and it was underwhelming. The brisket was a bit dry. The burger that was ordered medium rare came out medium well. The fries were meh. The shrimp and grits were good, but the grits were a bit too chewy. The great, and reason for the five stars: Incredibly friendly people all around. Amazing tasting bourbon. State of the art facilities. The tour was incredible. You should definitely, definitely go. Just maybe eat elsewhere if you're looking for the best of the best food.

We enjoyed our experience here at Bardstown. Everything was done well; from the drinks to the tacos, the fried chicken sandwich, fried green tomatoes, and the charcuterie board. Tasha, our server, was great too. Attentive, responsive, and accommodating. All in all, a great experience.

I love going to Bardstown. Super cool distillery and great restaurant. I ate at the bar, and the food was just outstanding! The burger I had just had great layers of flavors and was cooked perfectly. This is a great place to hang out on their patio, but when I was there, it was super hot, so we stayed inside. I would recommend the tour, but you may want to hang out and eat afterward.

This place is on the brink of being one of the best distilleries in the country. They have an amazing tour of the grounds with tasting all along the way. The attached restaurant is very modern and the food is amazing. Our attendant, Will had great recommendations and was very friendly. Will definitely revisit in the future to see how they progress.

I came to Bardstown Bourbon Company for a casual tasting and left emotionally attached. The bourbon? Smooth as jazz on a Sunday morning. The vibe? Cooler than your cousin who backpacked through Europe once and won’t stop talking about it. But let’s talk about Amber part bourbon whisperer, part comedian, full-blown national treasure. Pat guided us through the experience like Gandalf with a cocktail shaker. I laughed, I learned, I may have proposed marriage (jury’s still out on that one). By the end, I was convinced the barrels were singing and Pat was conducting a whiskey symphony. 10/10 would get gently buzzed under Pat’s tutelage again. P.S. If you don’t leave with a bottle and a story, were you even there?

Staff was very knowledgable. If you have the time to eat in the restaurant ask for Will. Phenomenal service, he took our time between tours into priority and we ate, had a great time, and were on our way to our next tour without a hitch. The entire dining experience was amazing! Not to mention how good the bourbon and Korean fried chicken tacos were! keep up the great work Bardstown!

Great tour in a very modern facility, both in equipment and in visitor center decor. There's actually a full restaurant and outdoor activity space as well that would make a great reason for a return trip! The tour even goes out to the barrel warehouse and you can sample straight from one of the barrels. Solid experience and friendly staff.

Revisited the distillery after 5 years. The bourbon and rye are greatly improved from what we had on the the tour back then. I just went to the bar and had a flight of the Origin series 4. All were good though I preferred some more than others. Then I had a pour of some of the higher end offerings (Ferrand and Amrut finishes). Both were good but I wouldn't pay $150 for it with so many other quality barrel finishes out there. Our bartender was great. They were knowledgeable about Bardstown Bourbon products although they wrongly believed that bourbon had to be aged 6 years to be Bourbon. I corrected them but they said it was in their training materials. I said Google it. lol. But anyway great experience, I will have to revisit next time to sample some of the other releases.

I have visited many distilleries having completed the Kentucky Bourbon Trail three times. However, I knew nothing of Bardstown Bourbon Company so I had to visit. A friend was coming to visit us in Central Kentucky and he wanted to visit some distilleries so I decided to take us to Bardstown Bourbon Company. We loved the beautiful facility with bars and restaurants. The busy atmosphere was fun to mingle with people from all over the country who love good bourbon. At the tour. it was interesting that the tasting was at the beginning. This is neither good nor bad, just different from my expectation that it would be near the conclusion of our visit. Our guide was well informed and interesting, giving us a good understanding of the goals and processes at this distillery. We visited the gift shop and purchased a bottle for enjoying later then had a final drink from the bar before we left.

Review for Bardstown Bourbon Company ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ If you're looking for an exceptional bourbon experience, look no further than Bardstown Bourbon Company! My recent visit was nothing short of amazing, and our tour guide, Alex, played a pivotal role in making it such a memorable day. From the moment we arrived, Alex welcomed us with her warm smile and infectious energy. She was absolutely the bomb! Her knowledge of bourbon and the distillation process was impressive, and she conveyed it with such enthusiasm that we were all captivated. Alex’s passion for the craft truly shone through as she led us on an engaging tour of the distillery. As we explored the facility, Alex shared intriguing stories about the history of Bardstown Bourbon Company, its innovative approach to bourbon-making, and the unique flavors that make their spirits stand out. She was more than happy to answer our questions, and her insights added layers of appreciation for the craft behind each bottle. The highlight of the tour was the tasting session, where Alex guided us through a selection of their exquisite bourbons. Her descriptions of the tasting notes and production methods enhanced our experience, making each sip even more delightful. It felt like we were sharing a special moment with a friend who genuinely loves what she does. Overall, I cannot recommend Bardstown Bourbon Company enough! The combination of a stunning facility, delicious bourbons, and an outstanding guide like Alex made for an unforgettable experience. Whether you're a bourbon enthusiast or just looking for a fun outing, this tour is an absolute must. Thank you, Alex, for a fantastic day filled with laughter, learning, and, of course, great bourbon!

Sweet tea was a good Southern Sweet tea made for the masses. Bourbon was tasty also.

We didn't do a tour here. Still one I want to get on my list to do. We did however eat at the restaurant for lunch. The food was perfect. I'd definitely go back and eat here again. Our waiter was fun and made the experience even better.

Very impressive facility! Went in for a tour and tasting. All their spirits were absolutely amazing! Ended up bumping into and talking with their master distiller, who was super nice and personable! Very happy I went, and would recommend to any local or tourist. Ended up buying a bottle, and cant wait to find more!

We had heard SOOO many great things about Bardstown Bourbon, that maybe our expectations were too high coming here to eat. We didn't do the tour, but just came to see the bar, giftshop, and get the amazing burger! So.... the Brussel Sprouts appetizer lived up to the hype, AMAZING. Also had the Bourbon Peach Milkshake... also AMAZING. Now for the main course, my wife had the shrimp fried rice, which was very good... but I had the smash burger... sad. It was way overcooked and dry, and could barely eat it. How disappointing. It seems they change the menu all the time, the famous good burger was removed and replaced with this dry patty thing with not taste. If anyone reads this there, here is a tip: Don't mess with what works! Put back the great burger that people were raving about, and leave the Brussel sprouts alone (which I heard they are changing too). Afterwards we had a flight of bourbons, and found one to take with us! Overall, nice place, but I hope they don't try to be too fancy. The room where you dine, is a bit cold, sterile, and noisy, and I would likely not come back here to dine, especially since you don't know what you might find on the menu! ... (oh, BTW, the pecan bourbon pie for desert, together with the milkshake, made up for the burger! which is why I still give the place 4 of 5 starts!)

The “new kid” on the block. This is an impressive facility. State-of-the-art facility with technology coupled with some real people that have a knowledge and know-how to create some of the best newer bourbons in the world. If they’re not available in every state yet, they will be. Definitely should be on your list while in Bardstown.

Lunch at Bardstown Bourbon Bar & Kitchen. We have dined here many times. Menu is limited. Bourbon is a show stopper especially the new Hokkaido Mizunara!! Blackened shrimp was rich with flavor, a subtle spice, and loaded with large blackened shrimp. However, the rice was a tad undercooked. KY poutine appetizer was fine but somewhat bland for traditional poutines. Korean chicken appetizer was the best. BBB&K is a must stop.

We did the Rickhouse tour and it was one of the best on the trail. Nothing like being able to drink straight from the barrel. Decent size gift shop and the grounds were modern and beautiful. But our lunch wasn’t very appealing; overcooked and the service was very slow.

We arrived early just to check it out and got in a tour. The tour was great and the guide was good. The campus is amazing! We arrived before the restaurant was open so we got to look around and it was all very clean and well presented. The staff was all amazing and helpful. You could tell they definitely were very customer oriented. Only knocking one star because of the prices at the gift shop. I know they are a young company but the prices for the blends was insane. But hey if people are paying for it why not I guess. I’d like to return in a couple years to see if they have more of their own stuff.

We enjoyed our quick visit! Decent bar prices, but for some of the other products....it's a stretch. They are definitely trying to make it a luxury location and it is beautiful. I'm all for trying to change the game in one's own unique style! We are trying to make a longer visit later this weekend to get a more rounded experience. Overall, still good bourbon.