It’s always helpful to have some quick tips and suggestions about your travel destination before leaving. In this Know Before You Go article, some of the best tips, tricks, suggestions, and knowledge about Kentucky bourbon tasting trips have been collected. This information will improve the quality of a trip to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and reduce the pre-trip anxiety that many feel when planning their vacation.
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Connectivity
Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky are two major US cities. Therefore, cellular connectivity won’t be an issue in either of these two locations. In contrast, the distilleries are mainly located in the middle of rural Kentucky. While coverage has definitely improved in recent years, visitors are still likely to experience dead zones as they navigate the rural areas. These dead zones are particularly notorious north of Frankfort. Visitors may also find some sporadically to the south of the Interstate 64 Corridor. To compensate, most of the major distilleries will have open Wi-Fi that guests can join to get connectivity while at the visitor center.
The dead zones are sporadic and can increase in number and size with bad weather due to the wavelengths used to provide cell service in remote areas. Therefore, it is highly recommended that guests download maps and directions before leaving the major cities. The last thing any visitor wants is to be lost in the middle of rural Kentucky without service to get directions.
Typical Weather and Climate
While Kentucky isn’t particularly large (it ranks 37th in the United States), there is some variety in the geography. The eastern side of Kentucky includes portions of the Appalachian Mountains. These areas can be cooler due to the higher altitude. The central and western portions of the state are flatter. These tend to be hotter (especially during the summer). See below for further details on the Kentucky climate.
Temperatures
Both Louisville and Lexington have similar temperatures year-round. Almost all the distilleries are located between these two cities meaning that the temperatures there will be near identical as well.
The vast majority of travelers visit during the summer. During this season, the temperatures typically range from 66°F to 89°F. Summers can get hot, especially around July. In the fall and spring, temperatures start to rapidly cool compared to the summer. From March to May and September to November, temperatures range from 38°F to 81°F. These seasons will see the greatest variability in temperature. However, late spring and mid-fall can be the best temperatures for visiting the distilleries.
Lastly, winter in Kentucky can be quite cold. Highs rarely exceed the mid-40s, and the lows are often below freezing (32°F). This is not great weather for booking tours of the distilleries. While there won’t be a lot of competition for tour/tasting times, there is a reason that this is the low season. Additionally, much of the distillery operations will be slower, and many of the visitor options won’t be available in this part of the season. If whiskey tours are the primary purpose for your visit to Kentucky, try to avoid this time.
Daylight Hours
Kentucky is located around the 30°N latitude. This means that like most of the United States there is variability in the day length during the year. The longest days are during the summer months. During this time, it’s not uncommon to see almost 15 hours of daylight. The sun will rise early in the mornings (around 6:20 AM) and won’t set till after 9:00 PM. This creates long and hot days. If you want to partake in some outdoor activities, these long days can provide some extra opportunities. However, unlike some other travel attractions, distilleries don’t stay open later in the summer (except when there are special events).
On the opposite end of the spectrum, December brings some of the shortest days of the year. Sunrise doesn’t often come until 7:45 – 8:00 AM, and the sun sets early around 5:25 PM. This won’t impact distillery tours as most wrap-up by five. However, it will be colder, and those driving back to Louisville or Lexington will likely be driving in the dark.
While daylight can vary widely, it doesn’t have a large impact on this type of trip. The distilleries are mostly indoors and have limited hours. If you don’t like driving in the dark, avoid traveling during the winter. Otherwise, look at crowding, precipitation, and temperature when you visit Kentucky for a bourbon sampling trip. To check sunrise and sunset times for any time of year in Kentucky, I like to use timeanddate.com.
Precipitation
Kentucky gets almost 24 inches of precipitation each year. With this amount of annual precipitation, there are a large number of days each year that experience rain and snow. While there isn’t a season of the year that avoids rain and/or snow altogether, there are some patterns to look at to make your visit more enjoyable.
First, spring and early summer see almost double rain compared to the other months of the year. March through July sees in excess of 2.3 inches of rain on average. Some of these months even approach 3 inches of rain. While most of the distillery tours will keep you indoors, there is a lot of movement between buildings outside. There will also be a lot of time spent driving between distilleries. Lastly, walking around Louisville for dinner and the nightlife is always nice. For all of these reasons, try to avoid this rainy season.
After removing March through July, the remainder of the year sees less than 1.5 inches of precipitation per month. This is less than the 2 – 3 inches during the Kentucky rainy season, but it’s not a small amount. Therefore, visitors will need to be prepared for a rain shower or snow any time they visit. However, these are still the best months to visit Kentucky for a better chance of sunny weather.
Snow Notes
Finally, Kentucky can get below-freezing temperatures in the winter. Because of this, visitors should expect the chance for snow from December to February. While snow and the warming sensation of whiskey would seem to go together, the reality is a little different.
Like many places in the South and Mid-Atlantic, snow causes many businesses to close. The whiskey distilleries are located in remote areas of Kentucky. Because of this, snow treatment and removal on the roads can take a while. It would be difficult to get to the distilleries in the snow for both staff and guests alike. For this reason, you are likely to miss out on a touring day if it snows. Try to avoid the winter season unless this risk is acceptable to you. However, if you do find yourself in this situation, several local bars in Louisville are bound to be open. Substitute the day for a tasting of many different whiskeys in Louisville.
Tipping
Most people embarking on this trip will be from the United States and will be familiar with traditional US tipping culture. Most questions for this type of trip center around tipping the distillery tour guides; however, tipping guidance for all venues has been included below:
- Restaurants – Tipping at restaurants is expected. Tips are often not included on a bill by default unless you are part of a large group. Somewhere in the neighborhood of 15 – 20% is a standard amount for a tip. Tips form a large portion of the waitstaffs’ compensation in the US so please leave a tip (unless service is just very poor and it’s the fault of the waitstaff).
- Bars/Pubs – Tipping bartenders is less common. Tip similar to a restaurant for large tabs. Alternatively, $1 – $2 per drink is acceptable when you are paying for each drink individually.
- Taxis/Uber – A 10 – 20% tip is customary for taxi and Uber drivers. Most riders will also round up a fare after adding the 10% – 20% when paying with cash. This is to eliminate the need to exchange coins. This will be greatly appreciated by all parties.
- Distillery Tours – Tips for tours and tastings at Kentucky distilleries are not expected. While guides won’t turn down a tip if provided, they are generally pretty well paid by the distilleries. Therefore, don’t feel pressured to provide a tip unless the service is just over-the-top excellent.
- Private Distillery Tours – As opposed to tour guides paid by a distillery, it tends to be customary to tip private tour guides. When taking a private tour, tipping somewhere around 10% is generally customary, but use your best judgment based on the level of service provided.
Time Zone
Kentucky is located in both the Central and Eastern Time Zones. While this could cause issues on a Kentucky Bourbon Sampler trip, in practice it doesn’t. Lexington, Louisville, and all the areas in between are located in the Eastern Time Zone. This means that most of the major distilleries are located in the Eastern Time Zone. However, if your trip takes you to the southwestern part of the state, check your time zone. This portion of the state is located in the Central Time Zone.
One additional note on time zones – check your home time zone against the Kentucky time zone when getting ready to book distillery reservations. When booking popular distilleries during high season, slots can sell out quickly. For this reason, many visitors will schedule their tour the exact moment that the booking calendar opens. Translating the booking calendar opening time in Kentucky to the time at your home incorrectly could mean you are an hour or more behind other travelers booking tours.
