4 Kentucky Bourbon Distilleries You Haven’t Visited Yet

Think you know all the bourbon Kentucky has to offer? Think again. With new distilleries popping up across the state, there’s something sure to surprise you during your next trip to the Bluegrass.

Castle & Key
A beautiful property in the location of the former Old Taylor Distillery, Castle & Key brought new life to a once-magnificent destination. Built in 1887, the original distillery featured European gardens and architecture, attracting bourbon connoisseurs from around the country.  Castle & Key opened on the spot just last year, with Kentucky’s first female bourbon Master Distiller since Prohibition at the helm.

Dueling Barrels Brewing & Distilling Co.
After a delay, Dueling Barrels Brewing & Distilling Co. opens to the public this year. The Pikeville property is, as the name implies, both a brewery and distillery. The name also hearkens back to the infamous family feuds of the Appalachian region. The first bourbon, beer and moonshine producer in the region, it celebrates the culture of the area, not just the spirits.

James E. Pepper Distilling Co.
Also opening this summer is the James E. Pepper Distilling Co., in Lexington. The brand began distilling in December. The new facility sets on the remains of the prior 1874 facility by the same name.  The brand’s history goes back much further, though, established in 1780. One of the new property’s most unique features is a 200-foot-deep, on-site limestone well.

Rabbit Hole
Situated in a stylish building in Louisville’s NuLu neighborhood, Rabbit Hole opens for tours this month.  A new brand, it’s making big promises, with a tasting bar and restaurant, as well as an event space. Already, the 95-proof bourbon is making headlines, winning 2017’s Best Straight Bourbon award at the New York World Wine & Spirits Competition.