The visitor experiences at Buffalo Trace have something for everyone – a hard hat tour for those who want to play distiller for a day, the E. H. Taylor tour through an archaeological site known as Bourbon Pompeii for the history buff, and of course, the Ghost Tour for those looking for a thrill. Best of all, all these (and the standard Trace Tour) are completely FREE.
On top of that, the distillery is home to some of the most popular bottles in the world – Blanton’s, Pappy Van Winkle, Weller, and more all come off the same still in Frankfort, Kentucky. So it’s no wonder that bourbon lovers flock to Buffalo Trace, and this year, more visitors than ever made the trip – almost 300,000 of them.
Over the last decade, the distillery has seen a staggering 466% growth in visitation. In 2010, the distillery reported 75,000+ visitors with a 25% uptick – and that growth has held steady. In fact, since 2015, the number of visitors has more than doubled. Data from the last seven years shows around 30,000 visitors being added to the bottom line each year – until 2019, when that number jumped to over 60,000.
It’s clear that the craze for all things Buffalo Trace is far from slowing. The distillery is responding to the current high demand with a $1.2 billion expansion in infrastructure, adding stills, cookers, warehousing, bottling lines, and more, all designed to bring more of their bourbon to shelves near you.
“The growth we are seeing in all aspects of the Distillery is really exciting,” Meredith Moody, director of homeplace development said. “We are eager to show all of our distilling upgrades to new and returning guests on our updated Hard Hat Tour. It’s a whole new experience, whether you are a first time visitor or have toured many times.”
To plan your trip to Buffalo Trace Distillery, click here.
