Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky, often referred to as the “Bourbon Capital of the World” is home to 11 distillery experiences within 16 miles of the town center. For the second year in a row, local distilleries have collaborated to create the Bardstown Collection. This year’s collection has expanded from five to six participating distilleries.
The 2023 Bardstown Collection includes Bardstown Bourbon Company, Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience, James B. Beam Distilling Co., Log Still Distillery, Lux Row Distilling (new this year) and Preservation Distillery.
“You can truly feel the magic of our bourbon culture and heritage come alive when working on this special release,” says Samantha Brady, Executive Director of Bardstown Tourism. “We are trademarked as the ‘Bourbon Capital of the World,’ but when distilleries unite to authenticate your claim you don’t get much better than that. There is a reason why we say, ‘Bourbon Comes from Bardstown’ and we invite you to experience this for yourself.”
The shared bottle design features iconic images from Bardstown, such as the My Old Kentucky Home Museum. Gold-embossed blue boxes feature an ornate compass and a detailed display of the region’s topography. The box also includes a premium booklet that describes the product and process of each participating distillery.
How to Score Bottles from the 2023 Bardstown Collection
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There are three ways to put sips to lips for this year’s Bardstown Collection.
The 2023 Bardstown Collection kicks off with an exclusive tasting event April 12 at 6:30pm at Scout & Scholar Brewery and restaurant. Yes, it’s a brewery but think of it more like Switzerland, a neutral venue for bourbon makers and their fans. Ticket’s are available here.
- April 12 at 6:30pm
Each of the distilleries will be open beginning the next day at specific times where fans can purchase bottles. If you time it right, you might be able to score all six.
April 13th – Public Bottle Sales
- 9am – Heaven Hill Bourbon Exp.
- 12pm – Log Still Distillery
- 3pm – James B. Beam Distilling Co.
April 14th – Public Bottle Sales
- 9am – Lux Row Distillers
- 12pm – Bardstown Bourbon Co.
- 3pm – Preservation Distillery
New this year, the party will continue with Mint Julep Experiences as they offer an exclusive All-Access-Pass and tour to each distillery. The tickets include a 2-day experience in the Bourbon Capital of the World, traveling through all six distilleries involved in the collection. Each distillery has created an exclusive, immersive experience to tell the story of Bardstown through the liquid. Every stop includes a tasting of the 2023 iconic Bardstown Collection and the only opportunity to buy the full set after initial release.
Mint Julep Experiences Tour Dates
- Thursday, April 27th & Friday, April 28th
- Thursday, May 18th & Friday, May 19th
- Thursday, June 29th & Friday, June 30th
- Thursday, July 27th and Friday, July 28th
Bourbon Dreams Come True in Bardstown
Bardstown, settled in 1780, is Kentucky’s second-oldest city. Throughout Nelson County, there are more than 300 buildings on the National Register of Historic Places, with nearly 200 of them located in the historic downtown district. With an atmosphere that seems to have magically leapt from the paintings of Norman Rockwell and the pages of Mark Twain, you can see why Bardstown was declared The Most Beautiful Small Town in America by Rand McNally and USA Today. Located in the heart of the Bluegrass State the area offers 11 unique distillery experiences within 16 miles of court square, all your bourbon dreams can come true here in Bardstown, the Bourbon Capital of The World.
View all Bardstown and Nelson County Distilleries.
View all Kentucky Distilleries.
View all All US Distilleries.
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