Kentucky Bourbon Trail Reaches Sixty Destinations

The Kentucky Distillers’ Association has added more than a dozen new experiences to its Kentucky Bourbon Trail tour. The trail has reached 60 destinations, expanding opportunities for visitors worldwide to explore Kentucky Bourbon and benefiting local communities throughout the state.

Since its launch in 1999, the Bourbon Trail has grown from humble beginnings in tandem with the Bourbon Boom, elevating tourism for the entire Commonwealth and consistently breaking attendance records with more than 2.5 million visitors annually. More than 80% of all KBT visitors come from outside Kentucky. Research shows Bourbon Trail visitors have a much higher household income than typical Kentucky tourists, trend younger, stay longer, come in larger groups, and spend more money in Kentucky communities. Bourbon is a $9 billion economic and tourism powerhouse for Kentucky, generating more than 23,100 jobs with $2.2 billion in salaries and benefits. The industry continues to break records in aging Bourbon barrel inventory (14.3 million) and production (3.2 million barrels filled in 2023).

The latest expansion includes new distillery offerings and satellite tasting rooms, bringing the Bourbon Trail to 60 total destinations in 27 of Kentucky’s 120 counties. The growth is part of the new KBT campaign that encourages visitors to “Build Your Own Bourbon Trail” tour.

“As Bourbon tourism continues to thrive, our members are creating more opportunities for the world to experience the heart and soul of America’s spirit in a variety of ways that meet every visitor’s interests,” said Colleen Thomas, KDA Vice President of Operations.

“What began as a small group of distilleries now has grown into an ever-expanding bucket list destination with global appeal,” she said. “Each new addition is more than a stop on a map – it’s a celebration of Kentucky Bourbon’s rich history and proud heritage.”

Even as all alcoholic beverages are seeing a slowdown in sales, KDA President Eric Gregory said he does not believe Bourbon tourism will be impacted by headwinds like shifts in consumer trends, snowballing taxes, and the threat of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. goods.

“Kentucky is the one, true and authentic home for Bourbon,” he said. “While we keep breaking attendance records, there are plenty of people around the world who have never made the pilgrimage to the Birthplace of Bourbon — and many more who are planning to return.