The best starting point for your bourbon adventure should be Louisville. One-third of all bourbon produced in the United States comes from the city limits. One of the easiest ways to sample a variety produced in Bourbon County is to follow the bourbon trail itinerary, which can be found here.

Even if your schedule is pretty tight and you can’t visit enough sites to get a free t-shirt, these are the first bars you should look into visiting. These are just bars and restaurants with “significant” bourbon cultures, though, so if you want to tour some distilleries, look elsewhere.

Bourbon fans will not want to miss the opportunity to visit one of the biggest distilleries in the country — Jim Beam boasts two in Kentucky, in Clermont and Louisville. Only the Clermont still house offers tours.

In Bardstown, travelers can visit Heaven Hill Distillery Bourbon Heritage Center. The distillery offers affordable tours and tastings. The distillery offers two distinct tours that cater to different bourbon audiences.

Another big brand, Maker’s Mark resides in Kentucky as well. The Loretto-based distillery tours start at $9 a person — a great value for a quick and informative tour. You can also visit the gift shop and pick up some Maker’s Mark merchandise.

If you’re more interested in exploring some true history rather than tasting, check out T.W. Samuels & Son in Deatsville. This defunct distillery dates back to the 1840s and is no longer in use, as the distillery buildings collapsed, but it is still a warehouse for other distilleries, including Maker’s Mark.

If your travel to Kentucky includes a lot of different stops, consider Kentucky’s official bourbon trail. You can follow a map online to see which distilleries are in your area. See the map online and begin planning your trip.