How A Small Kentucky Town Became The Bourbon Capital Of The World
Since the 1950s, Bardstown has been known as the Bourbon Capital of the World. How did this small Kentucky town in Nelson County (pop. 13,739) become synonymous with America’s native spirit? It’s a long story, going back centuries — but here are some of the basics. 

It All Starts With The Water
Ask any of the master distillers in Bardstown and they’ll tell you the same thing: the water in Kentucky is perfect for making bourbon. We’re not talking about your standard H20, though. Deep beneath Bourbon Country, an all-natural filtering process occurs, with water trickling through ancient limestone, imbuing the liquid with minerals essential to the fermentation process. That’s how deep bourbon goes in Bardstown — underground! 

Bourbon Gets Big
It wasn’t long before distillers started taking note of the region’s excellent conditions for bourbon-making. For a long stretch, Bardstown was home to more distilleries per capita than anywhere else on the globe. 

  • One of the earliest of those distilleries? None other than the legendary James B. Beam Distilling Co., whose roots in Nelson County go back to the 1850s. In fact, Colonel James Beauregard Beam (AKA "Jim Beam"), who was who was responsible for building Jim Beam® into the world’s no. 1 selling bourbon, was born right here in Bardstown. The James B. Beam Distillery has been located in nearby Clermont since Prohibition came to an end in the 1930s. 
  • Meanwhile, Barton 1792 Distillery was established in 1879 and stands tall today as the oldest fully-operating distillery in Bardstown. Located on 196 scenic acres, the distillery (named in honor of the year that Kentucky joined the Union) boasts a 29-barrel aging warehouse and the famed Tom Moore Spring, which provides gallons of mineral-rich Bardstown water to this day. 
  • Finally, Heaven Hill Distillery was founded right after Prohibition in 1935 by the Shapira brothers, Lithuanian immigrants who had a knack for making incredible bourbon. Still under the Shapira family’s guidance today, Heaven Hill is America’s largest independent family-owned producer of distilled spirits, with a massive inventory that exceeds 1.5 million barrels. 


The Bourbon Capital of the World

Those bourbon giants laid the foundation. And ever since, more distilleries have sprouted up in Bardstown. As of 2024, the city offers 11 distillery experiences within 16 miles of downtown Bardstown, attracting bourbon enthusiasts from all over the world. From the Napa-style setting of Bardstown Bourbon Company to the small-batch treasures of Willett Distillery, Bardstown is a must-visit for anyone with a passion for America’s native spirit. 

It's an ongoing legacy. The 21st century has seen the addition of several new distilleries, in addition to a host of bourbon-centric events that bring spirits lovers together. Most recently, Bardstown unveiled the National Bourbon Week in partnership with the Bourbon Capital Alliance. The inaugural event took place in June 2024 across several distilleries, attractions and venues, giving attendees an authentic and unique immersion into the Bourbon Capital of the World — not to mention a chance to get in on the Bardstown Collection, a rare collaboration between seven distinguished distilleries. 

What does it all mean? Primarily, that love affair between Bardstown and bourbon is an ongoing saga.