New Bourbon Trail Passport and Field Guide ‘Unlocks’ Exclusive Experiences
The world-renowned Kentucky Bourbon Trail celebrates its 22nd birthday on May 27th. With that grand milestone, the Kentucky Distillers Association releases a new ‘Bourbon Trail Passport and Field Guide’ for bourbon tourists.
In 1999 the Kentucky Bourbon Trail featured a half dozen distilleries across the Bluegrass. More then two decades later, the list has grown to 37 Kentucky bourbon distilleries and tours. The standard Bourbon Trail features 18 signature distilleries. Additionally, there are 19 artisanal distilleries which make up the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour. That portion of the tour wasn’t established until 2012.
That growth has been relative to the overall growth in the bourbon industry itself. In the same year that the trail launched, Kentucky distillers field 450,000 barrels of the native spirit. Fast forward 22 years later And that number has grown exponentially. Today Kentucky distillers are filling More than 2 million barrels of bourbon. There are now more barrels of bourbon aging in Kentucky then there are humans in the state.
What is it?
Kentucky Distillers Association President, Eric Gregory, suggests that the guide is different than the Bourbon Trail passport, but the idea is similar. However, there is one exciting upgrade with the update. He suggests, “the cool thing about this is if you get your stamp your passport stamp in distilleries, it’s going to unlock special things that you can do on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.”
Unlock Exclusive Experiences
For example, this could translate to being able to get access to certain distillery tour experiences, gaining access to an exclusive tasting, souvenir barware, or potentially scoring an allocated rare bottle of bourbon directly on your distillery tour. Did we mention private barrel selections and other unique rewards?
“We’re really excited about all the rewards that now come with your Passport stamp. Visitors are clamoring for distinct bottles and exclusive souvenirs that they can only get in Kentucky. We listened, and our distilleries have worked hard to elevate their Kentucky Bourbon voyage.”
The Field Guide portion will also help visitors participating in the rise of bourbon tourism.
SEE ALSO: 2021 Kentucky Bourbon Festival is now The Bourbon Festival
What’s in the Bourbon Trail Passport Field Guide?
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail Field Guide is a comprehensive guide for your visit. It will help to plan and prepare for their ultimate journey deep into bourbon country! It includes 150 pages of information to help ensure your trip is smooth as the bourbon you’ll be tasting. You can expect maps, itineraries, cocktail recipes, tasting notes, as well as information on the Kentucky distilleries you’ll be touring on the KBT. Additionally, there are fun and educational tidbits in the guide, which has been a year in development.
“This new guide is a must-have resource for Kentucky Bourbon tourists as they explore the rich history and heritage of our signature spirit,” said Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association. The KDA is responsible for founding the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® in 1999.
“We are pleased to share with you an easy-to-use, fit-in-your-pocket, guide where you will discover Kentucky Bourbon is more than just a drink. It’s a way of life,” says Dee Ford, Chairwoman of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Advisory Panel.
Where can I get one?
You can pickup a new Kentucky Bourbon Trail Passport & Field Guide at any of the KBT participating distilleries. It can also be ordered from the KY Bourbon Trail itself. The MSRP for the 150-page guide and passport is $5.99. Don’t forget to pickup our neat whiskey barrel cup while you’re at it!
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