The South's Only Bourbon Boat Tour Is A Scenic River-Bound Gem That Delivers A Truly Unique Taste Of Kentucky

Kentucky's oldest city may be in a region known for its picture-perfect bluegrass, and the Kentucky Wildcats all but make basketball its unofficial state team sport, but ask any person who appreciates good strong drink, and they'll tell you Kentucky means bourbon. A visit to Bourbon Country is a must for any aficionado of America's signature alcoholic brown water, and you can really drive the theme home by spending your night at the unusual, unforgettable, and luxurious sleeping arrangements at Bourbon Barrel Retreats. During the day, though, you owe it to yourself to explore the land of American whiskey on Kentucky's only bourbon boat.

Kentucky River Tours, located in the charming town of Frankfort, Kentucky, puts a new twist on an old favorite. If you explore the Kentucky Bourbon Trail by car, you could make your way to all of its 60 distilleries, landmarks, and tasting rooms. But if you're more about getting a unique perspective than ticking off distilleries on the list, check out Bourbon Country from the water. Floating a river is always a fun way to spend a few hours in the hot summer, but combine that with an epicurean experience, and your float becomes something more. The bourbon boat gives you a chance to check out a different side of the spirit, and you don't have to drive beyond Frankfort. Not to mention the fact that you can sip your bourbon on the boat, which is definitely not an option when you're driving.

Water is an important ingredient in distilling bourbon. For some distilleries, specifically Buffalo Trace, the Kentucky River is a key to their success from start to finish, as the bourbon boat guides explain. The water is naturally filtered through limestone, perfect for making bourbon. Buffalo Trace takes advantage of this due to its location on the Kentucky River in Frankfort, Kentucky, and is actually part of some of Kentucky River Tours' cruises. The river also helps Buffalo Trace manage the heat during the distilling process. Given the distillers' history as the oldest continuously operating distillery in America, it has been transporting booze long before cars and trucks. 

Frankfort is located an hour from picturesque Bardstown, Kentucky, the bourbon capital of the world, but given the huge role rivers played over the years in sharing bourbon with the world, an argument can be made that Frankfort's location on the Kentucky River deserves that title. Though it is already the actual Kentucky state capitol. Historically, rivers were one of the most efficient means of moving goods. When floating the Kentucky River on the bourbon boat, you're following the ghosts of countless boats that moved bourbon down the river to markets as far away as New Orleans. Though sipping a bourbon while cruising down a classic American waterway is a wonderful lesson in heritage all its own, keep an eye out for wildlife from bald eagles to otters to deer while the captain tells you about the history of the river, of the area, and of "America's Native Spirit." on your Kentucky River Tours trip.