It wouldn’t be a proper visit to Kentucky without touring a bourbon distillery. If you are of legal drinking age, you must drink the bourbon, too!
That is why, when I visited Kentucky for the first time, I visited Four Roses Bourbon Distillery. As you read on, you’ll see why the Four Roses Distillery tour and guided bourbon tastings (for visitors age 21 and older) are must-have Kentucky Bourbon Trail® experiences.
Disclosure: This guide to visiting Four Roses Bourbon Distillery in Kentucky contains some affiliate links. When you click on one of these links and make a purchase or book your lodging, I may earn a commission. As always, I only recommend products and services I have or would use myself.
Why Visit Four Roses Bourbon Distillery?
Four Roses is a world-famous bourbon distillery in Kentucky, but what really makes it worth visiting is its history and, of course, to taste its bourbon.
Even more interesting than seeing the bourbon-distilling process during a tour is learning the history of Four Roses and the love story that started it all in 1888.
As a romantic at heart, I particularly enjoyed the story of how Four Roses founder Paul Jones, Jr., named his company. I don’t want to ruin the surprise, should you plan to tour Four Roses someday, but let’s just say Jones’s story is a tale of his two loves — bourbon and a Southern belle.
Also interesting to learn was how the change of ownership over the years impacted this legendary Kentucky distillery.
In 2002, Japanese company Kirin Brewing Company acquired Four Roses. Since then, Kirin Brewing Co. has made Four Roses’ Kentucky bourbon popular again in both the European and Japanese markets.
It also returned Four Roses to the United States after the former owner, Seagram, stopped selling the brand in the US decades ago.
Whether you take the Distillery Legacy Tour, do a Taste of History guided tasting, or explore the brand exhibits inside the visitor center, you will learn fun factoids about this legendary Kentucky bourbon.
Where is Four Roses Distillery?
Located on the banks of the Salt River in the Kentucky countryside, the Four Roses distillery in Lawrenceburg is roughly 20 miles south of Frankfort, about 25 miles southwest of Lexington, and less than 60 miles southeast of Louisville.
Therefore, it is ideally positioned for a bourbon distillery tour from Louisville, Lexington, or the Kentucky state capital, Frankfort.
How to Visit Four Roses Distillery
You can book a Four Roses tour or bourbon-tasting experience ahead of time online to visit on your own, or you can book a Kentucky bourbon distillery tour to visit Four Roses and other bourbon makers in one day.
If you plan to visit Four Roses without a tour guide, you have several options to book, and advance reservations are recommended.
If you want to learn about the distillation process, you should take the Distillery Legacy Tour, which ends with a guided bourbon flight tasting.
However, if you are only interested in tasting the Four Roses Bourbons, opt instead for one of the tasting experiences, such as the single-barrel flight tasting experience.
My top pick for culinary travelers is A Taste of History. This guided flight tasting provides an overview of the history, brand legacy, and timeless recipes that have made Four Roses one of Kentucky’s most famous bourbon distillers.
Alternatively, taking a Kentucky bourbon distillery tour may be best if your group plans to indulge in the bourbon and/or visit multiple distilleries in one day. These guided tours include the distillery tour admission costs and private transportation.
For example, Blue Bourbon Experience’s Bourbon Trail tour from Louisville stops at Four Roses and two other renowned Kentucky bourbon distilleries, and Unfiltered KY Tours offers customizable private bourbon distillery tours to Four Roses and about 40 other bourbon distilleries in Kentucky.
Is Four Roses on the Bourbon Trail™ Passport?
The historic Four Roses Bourbon distillery is one of 46 distilleries listed in the official Bourbon Trail™ Passport & Field Guide. Therefore, you can collect a passport stamp when you tour the Four Roses distillery.
However, the field guide is much more than a souvenir passport. It’s a 150-page guidebook with trip-planning resources, bourbon-tasting notes, cocktail recipes, and more.
Additionally, your field guide unlocks access to special bourbon bottles, merchandise, tastings, tours, and experiences, but these perks vary by distillery.
You can purchase yours at any of the participating distilleries, the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Welcome Center, or the KBT® online shop.
The field guide replaces the free Kentucky Bourbon Trail® and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour™ passports, but you can still use your old passports or combine them with a new field guide to earn rewards.
Once you have completed the KBT® and KBTCT™ trails, you should scan both QR codes to receive a special bourbon gift.
Four Roses Bourbon Distillery Tour
Your tour will begin at the Four Roses Visitor Center. Before or after your tour, you can explore exhibits about the brand’s history and bourbons, shop for souvenirs, or sip a cocktail at Bar 1888.
When I toured Four Roses Distillery in 2014, the experience began with a video about how Four Roses makes its bourbons. Then it was time to see the distilling process in action!
Back then, the tour’s first stop was the historic distillery erected in 1910. I have to admit the Spanish Mission-style architecture was not what I expected to see at a bourbon distillery in the heart of Kentucky, and this unique building is now on the National Register of Historic Places.
During our tour, I learned about the components used in making bourbon, the distilling process, and the difference between bourbon and whiskey. I even tasted the corn mash. It’s not awful to taste, but trying mash once is enough for a lifetime. Personally, I prefer bourbon in its finished form. 😉
It’s important to note that some of the tour is outside, so you’ll want to dress accordingly. However, even on chilly days, you’ll warm right up inside the distillery — and later by drinking bourbon.
Tasting Four Roses Bourbon
Following the 50-minute distillery tour, we sampled several of the award-winning Four Roses bourbons during a guided tasting. After tasting the Small Batch and Single Barrel bourbons, I noticed my preference for smoother blends that gently warmed my palate.
The bourbons we tasted are meant to be consumed neat, on the rocks, or with a splash of water. However, many folks in Kentucky love their mint juleps, especially during the Kentucky Derby. If you like mint juleps, you’ll definitely want to check out the Four Roses gift shop.
Personally, I still prefer my bourbons in a well-mixed cocktail. If you also enjoy bourbon cocktails, plan a visit to Bar 1888 inside the Four Roses Visitor Center.
What to Know Before Visiting Four Roses Distillery
- Location: 1224 Bonds Mill Road, Lawrenceburg, KY 40342
- Hours: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. Wednesday – Saturday, Noon – 4 p.m. Sunday
- Cost: $16+
- A Taste of History – Guided Flight Tasting & History Experience: $16
- Distillery Legacy Tour: $22
- Single Barrel Flight Tasting: $45
- Reservations: Recommended
- Bring: Valid government-issued ID (passport or U.S. driver’s license/state ID), phone/camera, and your Bourbon Trail™ Passport & Field Guide
Where to Stay Near Four Roses Distillery
You can easily visit Four Roses Distillery on a day trip from Kentucky’s largest cities, or you can stay within a short drive of the distillery in the beautiful countryside. In the area, you’ll find the following charming bed and breakfasts.
Charred Oaks Inn — This romantic bed and breakfast is a favorite among couples seeking a getaway near Kentucky’s bourbon distilleries, wineries, and horse farms. Prior guests highlighted the hospitality and local insights provided by the innkeepers, Pamela and Richard.
A Storybook Inn Bed & Breakfast — Previous guests loved the gourmet breakfast and luxurious touches in the themed suites of this quaint bed and breakfast in an 1840s-era Victorian house in Versailles.
Rose Hill Inn — During your stay at this 1823 estate in Versailles, take in the historical elegance while finding comfort in the well-appointed modern amenities. Past guests loved the cozy, inviting atmosphere and attentive hospitality.
Not quite what you are looking for? Browse the map below to find more lodging near Four Roses!
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Pin this post to your Kentucky travel board on Pinterest for planning your future Kentucky Bourbon trip!
Have been thinking of doing the Bourbon Trail with friends – I would definitely tour a distillery! Four roses looks like a good one!
Well, if Dierks Bentley will be there …
I’m hoping to do the Bourbon Trail sometime this year when I am in WV to visit family. Looks like so much fun plus DIERKS BENTLEY frequents some of the destinations. In his private plane I might add. LOL
I try to visit a different bourbon distillery on each trip to Kentucky. Hopefully, I’ll hit all the Kentucky Bourbon Trail distilleries someday!
Awesome post. I haven’t been to Kentucky since I turned 21, but I can’t wait to do the Bourbon Trail!