Kentucky may be famous for basketball and horses, including the greatest horse race, but it’s also famous for something else… Bourbon.  Bourbon is a specific form of Whisky distilled in Kentucky.  It is aged in oak barrels which gives the drink it distinct flavor.

Many of the distilleries skill follow processes inherited from long ago and many of these distilleries are a short drive from Louisville through thru the heart of Central Kentucky.   In 1999, the Kentucky Distiller’s Association created a tour known as the Kentucky Bourbon Trail where you can tour these historic facilities, learn about the process of making bourbon, see how it’s bottled and learn a bit about the history as well.  You might even get to sample some bourbon or learn how too make the Kentucky Derby signature drink, the Mint Julip!

Bourbon is a big theme for the Kentucky Derby Festival and is a huge part of Kentucky’s history.