Woodford Reserve

WOODFORD RESERVE DISTILLERY

Proudly the oldest operating bourbon distillery in the country, whiskey has been made on the site of this National Historic Landmark since 1812.

Nestled amongst the picturesque hills of bluegrass and thoroughbred farms, along the banks of Glenn’s Creek, lies the charming Woodford Reserve Distillery. The distillery first began when Kentucky local Elijah Pepper moved to the site in search of fresh spring water for his whiskey. What began as a small batch crafting business behind the Woodford County Courthouse had grown in demand to such an extent that Elijah was forced to expand his operation, and an abundance of water was required to do so. The limestone waters of Glenn’s Creek proved the ideal source.

It was years later at this very site that Master Distiller James Christopher Crow perfected his whiskey production techniques, many of which are still common practice today. The distillery continues to use the original copper-pot stills imported from Scotland and the 100-year-old cypress wood fermenters, alongside state-ofthe-art technologies such as the 500-foot-long gravity-fed barrel run and the heat-cycled barrel houses, the only of their type in the world. Visitors can experience these technologies by joining one of the distillery’s various tours. The standard Distillery Tour offers guests a guided journey through the distillery, observing the whiskey making processes and learning about the history of bourbon and Woodford Reserve, including how the brand’s ‘five sources of flavour’ model makes it unique. For those looking for a more in-depth experience, the Corn to Cork Tour is a two-hour session showcasing the mechanical, chemical, technical and sensory stages to creating bourbon, together with a standard distillery tour. The tour finishes with a special tasting of Woodford Reserve bourbon.

If you consider yourself a bit of a history buff, head along to the National Landmark Tour. The two-hour experience takes guests through the significant cultural and architectural developments of the Woodford Reserve Distillery over the course of its more than 200 year history as a Kentucky landmark. A standard distillery tour and a whiskey tasting follow this.

If your tour is on a Friday or a Saturday, you can add on a mixology presentation with the Woodford Reserve brand ambassador. In this session, you will learn how to make a Woodford Reserve signature serve cocktail. The experience lasts approximately 20 minutes and the choice of cocktail will change each week.

The distillery also hosts a number of special events throughout the year, including dinners and live music, and there is a gift shop and café on site.

ADDRESS: 7855 McCracken Pike, Versailles, KY 40383 T: (859) 879 1812 W: www.woodfordreserve.com/distillery/our-distillery OPENING HOURS: Monday-Saturday: 9am-5pm Sunday: 12pm-4:30pm TOUR DETAILS AND PRICING: Distillery Tour: $14pp, 1hr, online booking and walk-ins Monday-Saturday: 10am-3pm Sunday: 1pm-3pm (March-December)

Cork to Cork: $30pp, 2hr, online booking. Max six people. Tuesdays-Thursdays: 2:30pm

National Landmark: $30pp, 2hr, phone reservations required. Wednesdays: 2:30pm