The Old Taylor Tour: Kentucky Bourbon Trail

Explore Kentucky Bourbon Trail’s Old Taylor Distillery by river and land. Discover bourbon history with E.H. Taylor Jr. on this immersive tour.

Duration: 4 hours
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Buffalo Trace Distillery - Take a walk through bourbon history alongside E.H. Taylor Jr., the man who revolutionized the industry. From the Old Taylor House; to the OFC Building and OFC Fermenter #7, nicknamed “Old Taylor”; and finally to Warehouse C, you will see both the remnants and still-standing structures of what Taylor built, learn about his desire for perfection and purity in the bourbon making processes, and how he helped craft the industry as it is today.

Tour route includes stairs and there is a lot of walking involved. Comfortable shoes and clothing are recommended. Those with acrophobia and/or fear of walking across metal grates may want to seek a different tour.

For safety purposes, this tour is not available for guests under 12 years old. This tour route is not ADA accessible.

This tour includes a tasting of some of our award-winning products.

  • “The Bourbon Boat” Kentucky River Tours - Guests will be part of our Lock and Dam tour, getting to see all sides of Buffalo Trace Distillery, as well as going through the operation Lock and Dam #4, which was built in 1840!
What's Included
  • Carbonated beverages
  • Snacks
What's Not Included
  • Alcoholic Beverages
Additional Information

This tour is the perfect way to travel the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. You will participate in a river tour that gives you a birds eye view of the water that birthed bourbon. Along your river tour, expert guides will spin tales of the story of bourbon, the men and women who created it and the “then and now” of where bourbon takes us.

After leaving the river, we will travel back to the distillery, where you will go on the “Old Taylor Tour”. Take a walk through bourbon history alongside E.H. Taylor Jr., the man who revolutionized the industry. From the Old Taylor House; to the OFC Building and OFC Fermenter #7, nicknamed “Old Taylor”; and finally to Warehouse C, you will see both the remnants and still-standing structures of what Taylor built, learn about his desire for perfection and purity in the bourbon making processes, and how he helped craft the industry as it is today.

Tour route includes stairs and there is a lot of walking involved. Comfortable shoes and clothing are recommended.

Location
101 Riverboat Lndg
Riverboat Landing
As of August 9, 2024: You will meet for the tour at the Frankfort Boat Club Head Boat, located at 101 Riverboat Landing, in downtown Frankfort, Kentucky. This is located behind the Paul Sawyier Public Library directly below the 2nd Street Bridge, also known as "The Singing Bridge".
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
5.0
(64 Ratings)
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D7340kxcarmenr
Sep 24, 2024
Kentucky river tour, the old Taylor tour - We had an amazing time on the Kentucky river doing the old Taylor tour! The staff was super fun and knowledgeable about the local history and area! I would highly recommend this tour as it also includes a tour of buffalo trace. So it’s a win win in my book!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
R438ffnicolen
Sep 9, 2024
Worth the price and time! - We had a fantastic time on this tour! The boat accommodations were great and the service was fantastic. How nice to not have to worry about rushing for lunch between our tour earlier in the AM and this one with pizza delivered right to the boat. And delicious pizza at that! The stories and scenery we took in on the boat only added to the overall Bourbon Trail experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Laurie0705
Sep 8, 2024
Enjoyable, educational & relaxing river ride - Our tour guide & bar tender were knowledgeable and very friendly. It was also the only way we were able tour Buffalo trace, one of the best experiences of our Kentucky bourbon trail vacation.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sightsee786569
Sep 7, 2024
Great afternoon on the water with new friends! - A great day on a spotless vessel, with a knowledgeable, courteous, and gracious host. Our afternoon on the water was relaxing, informational, and filled with good conversation and a well made libation. This is not a booze cruise, but a relaxing afternoon on the water with a genteel crew. I have lived in Kentucky all my life, and I learned a lot on our trip. Well worth the time, and a great addition to a distillery tour. Wow, what a pleasant afternoon!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Heathercf8147ci
Aug 28, 2024
Great experience! - Loved the stories told by the historian. Drinks were very good (I was introduced to the bourbon cream root beer float- yum!) and ride was smooth. Also love that they partner with Buffalo Trace on distillery tours. I was very excited to book this as an option after finding that there were no tours still available directly through Buffalo Trace during my travel dates. Worked out very well!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Thehappytravelors
Aug 12, 2024
Great Boat & Buffalo Trace Tour - My husband and I had an excellent time on the old Taylor tour. It was a very hot day, but there was plenty of shade on the top of the boat and the breeze from the water was helpful to cool everything down. Darrell was the narrator on our trip and he was excellent. He provided plenty of information about Buffalo trace and about what we were experiencing and saw on the water. After the boat tour was completed, everyone got in their own cars and headed up to Buffalo trace distillery for the walking tour. The distillery is only five minutes away by car. Allison & the Boat Captain were very friendly & attentive. This is not a tour for children. I would highly recommend this tour as it was very relaxing and very informative.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Jodi
Aug 7, 2024
Two great tours! - Great experience ! Boat ride was peaceful with a lot of great history about Kentucky. Old Taylor tour gave you a great distillery tour with great bourbon history !
Review provided by Tripadvisor
U1522iljasono
Aug 3, 2024
Bourbon boat tour aug 2024 - Amazing experience. The crew was great and Darrel was a wealth of knowledge and relayed it in a fun energetic way. The tour at Buffalo Trace was also great with Tyree who was also an amazing guide!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Calicocatfish
Jul 23, 2024
A Peaceful Way to Enjoy an Afternoon! - This was our third Kentucky River cruise tour. We were celebrating our son's birthday with a tour of Buffalo Trace first. As always, the tour was excellent. Nathan gives a great history of Kentucky, the river, and its surroundings.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Passport16660766781
Sep 16, 2024
Fun day on the river. - Both tour guides were very informative and friendly. My only concern with the boat tour was the steep ramp to get onto and off of the dock. Also the spiral steps to get to the top deck were narrow and steep which made it challenging.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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up to 15 guests
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October 2024
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