Bourbon bars, distilleries and tours in the Northern Kentucky region

Northern Kentucky is your gateway to bourbon country

Whether you walk or drive across one of the bridges leading into Northern Kentucky from the Cincinnati side or fly into the Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky International Airport (CVG), when you enter Northern Kentucky, you enter Bourbon Country. We are an Official Gateway to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, home to 11 of the Best Bourbon Bars in America according to The Bourbon Review and were also honored by The Bourbon Review to be named the Best Bourbon Weekend Trip you could take in 2019. 

For bourbon to be bourbon, it must be made in the United States and 95% of bourbon is made in Kentucky. Some of the best bourbon is made right here in Northern Kentucky.

There are seven Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® bourbon bars and distilleries in Northern Kentucky:

1. New Riff Distilling in Newport

New Riff Distilling's main building, with lots of windows and the three story copper still visible through the main tower.

2. Second Sight Spirits in Ludlow

A still shaped like a fortune teller, under a gold theater awning at Second Sight Spirits

3. Boone County Distilling Co. in Independence

Stacks of bourbon barrels held in red shelves at Boone County Distilling Co.

4. The Neeley Family Distillery in Sparta

Exterior photo of the Neeley Family Distillery with a green vintage car in front at sunset

5. The Old Pogue Distillery in Maysville

Pogue still

6. Pensive Distilling Co. in Newport 

A look inside Pensive Distilling Co's bar and restaurant in Newport Ky

7. Augusta Distillery in Augusta

Image is of a bottle of Augusta Distillery's Buckner's Single Barrell and a glass of bourbon next to it with an ice ball.

The B-Line Bourbon Tour

All five of these Northern Kentucky bourbon distilleries are on our local self-guided bourbon tour, The B-Line® aka The Bourbon Line. In addition to the distilleries, this bourbon experience includes 9 restaurants, all offering bourbon-infused cooking, and 9 bourbon bars, all of which have to keep 100 different bourbons on the shelves for you to taste. Grab a copy of the Line Guide at any of The B-Line® stops and check in at 2 of the distilleries, 2 restaurants, and 2 bourbon bars and we’ll send you a free gift. If you prefer, you can get a digital version of the Line Guide on your phone. It includes special offers and discounts at The B-Line® stops. 

More Northern Kentucky Bourbon Bars and Experiences Worth Exploring

The B-Line is a tasty introduction to NKY’s territory in Bourbon Country but there’s even more to discover in the Florence, Covington, and Newport, Kentucky region. Four bourbon glasses sit on a white placemat next to a small pipette and test tube people can use to make custom blends

Wenzel Whiskey in Covington, Kentucky

Just a few blocks from several B-Line stops, Wenzel Whiskey is in the heart of downtown Covington, Kentucky. Here you can have your own whiskey blending experience in a building that was a rectifier (non-distilling producer) for whiskey before Prohibition. Sample from 4 different barrel proof samples and use those to create your own personal bourbon. Wenzel will happily fill you a bottle or case of your blend to take home. If you want to skip the blending and go right to the drinking you can pick up a bottle of of their house blends. 

Stone building under a blue sky surrounded by green grass at Baker Bird Winery

Baker Bird Winery and Distillery in Augusta, Kentucky

Forty-five minutes down a scenic highway that winds its way next to the Ohio River, you’ll find Baker-Bird Winery and Distillery in Augusta, Kentucky. They’re home to the oldest wine cellar in the U.S. and offer a variety of bourbon barrel aged wines. They also offer several bourbons of their own. 

Bourbon Events around the Northern Kentucky region

The NKY and Cincy region enjoy a variety of bourbon-centered things to do all year. Keep an eye on our Events page and also the bourbon-centered calendar over on The B-Line®.

Here's a little taste of bourbon in Northern Kentucky

Come Find Bourbon Itinerary

Pack a whole lot of bourbon-related fun into a three-night getaway! Loaded with authentic…

Pack a whole lot of bourbon-related fun into a three-night getaway! Loaded with authentic bourbon experiences, Covington…