LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is maturing, like the fine whiskeys it showcases.
A new-look Bourbon Trail, unveiled Thursday, will lead visitors to distilleries large and small, connecting newcomers and veteran brands in a collective strategy to capitalize on the popularity of bourbon tourism.
It all started with seven participating distilleries welcoming visitors 25 years ago. Now, the tour will feature 46 distilleries, giving visitors more options to plan trips and soak up the sights and smells of bourbon-making in the Bluegrass State.
Since its inception in 1999 by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, the spirits tour has attracted more than 18 million visitors from all 50 states and dozens of countries, the KDA said.
“The Kentucky Bourbon Trail is now a must-see global tourism destination,” said Eric Gregory, president of the distillers association, as industry leaders gathered for the announcement.
As the original trail developed, it passed through the heart of Kentucky’s bourbon country, spotlighting such powerful brands as Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Wild Turkey, Woodford Reserve, Evan Williams, Four Roses, Old Forester, Michter’s and Bulleit.
In 2012, a separate Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour was launched to showcase the growing number of small distilleries seeking their share of the ultra-competitive spirits market.
Now these tours are consolidating. The new tourism and marketing strategy was unveiled in Louisville – the gateway to bourbon tourism. They also announced a new logo and digital marketing campaign to help tourists plan their bourbon trips to the state.
Spirits companies have invested huge sums in new or expanded visitor centers to capitalize on the growing appeal of getting a behind-the-scenes look at bourbon making.
For small distilleries, joining the Kentucky Bourbon Trail was like joining the big leagues.
Kim Bard, co-founder of the Bard Distillery in western Kentucky, said it would immediately change the perception of the small producers who were part of the craft tour.
“People would come in a lot, they would view us as inferior because we’re on the craft trail and not the Kentucky Bourbon trail,” she said in an interview. “They see that as a very distinctive line.
“Now that the KDA has put us all on the same path, I think that kind of thinking will stop and we will be seen as just another distillery, which is great for us,” she said. added.
Brent Goodin, owner of the Boundary Oak Distillery in central Kentucky, predicted that the move to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail would boost tourism at his and other small distilleries. Producers view tourism as an essential part of brand promotion.
“Whatever we can do to make the tourist understand that it’s all Kentucky bourbon and we’re all producing the same thing – maybe not as much as the next guy, but we’re all in this together,” he said. -he declared in a press release. interview.
Any major announcement regarding bourbon in Kentucky usually attracts a host of the state’s political leaders. On Thursday, industry leaders were joined by Democratic Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and Republican U.S. Rep. Andy Barr, who co-chairs the Congressional Bourbon Caucus.
The global appeal of Bourbon tourism creates more business opportunities for producers, Barr said.
“There are so many opportunities in the export market for Kentucky bourbon,” Barr said.
Coleman led the crowd in a toast to the past and future of the bourbon industry while recognizing Kentucky’s status as “the undisputed home of bourbon.”
Bourbon tourism has shaken off any pandemic-era hangovers, as venerable bourbon producers and industry newcomers enjoy a new wave of visitors. Attendance topped 2.5 million visitors last year along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour.
Generally, Kentucky bourbon industry pumps in $9 billion in the state’s economy each year, creating more jobs and attracting more tourists than ever, according to a recent study. Further growth cycles are expected as Kentucky producers invest billions of dollars in capital. Kentucky distillers produced a record 2.7 million barrels of bourbon in 2022, according to the report commissioned by the distillers association.
Producers had a record inventory of 12.6 million barrels of bourbon aging in warehouses at the start of 2023, according to the association. These massive inventories are a bet on the future because most bourbons typically age four to eight years before hitting the market. Bourbon acquires its flavor and golden brown color during aging.
Kentucky distillers produce 95 percent of the world’s bourbon supply, according to the KDA.
