J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery – Custom Bourbon in Frankfort, KY 🥃

📍 20 Reilly Road, Frankfort, Kentucky
Along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Eastern Route, steps from Buffalo Trace Distillery

At J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery, bourbon isn’t just poured—it’s crafted by your palate. Unlike traditional distilleries that guard a single house profile, here you create your own bourbon blend from mash bill to barrel proof, making every bottle a one-of-a-kind Kentucky bourbon experience.

This is hands-on bourbon, where history, precision, and choice meet.

🛢 Bourbon Built by Choice

With over 175 years of Kentucky whiskey heritage, J. Mattingly 1845 combines tradition with innovation. Guests work directly with:

  • Multiple mash bills (corn, rye, wheat blends)

  • Varying ages, from light whiskey to fully matured bourbon

  • Different barrel finishes and char levels

  • A range of proof points from gentle warmth to barrel-strength heat

Every blend is small-batch, uncut, and unfiltered—nothing leaves without your personal approval. This is bourbon on your terms.

🥃 Signature Bourbon Experiences

🎨 Custom Bourbon Blending Experience

⏱ 60–75 Minutes | Reservation Required

Create your personal bourbon masterpiece:

  • Taste curated components of bourbon, rye, and light whiskey

  • Learn how mash bill, barrel age, char, and proof shape sweetness, spice, and texture

  • Adjust ratios until the flavor matches your palate

Finish your blend by:

  • Bottling it by hand

  • Selecting a wax seal color

  • Customizing a label

Take home a one-of-a-kind bottle, ideal for gifts, celebrations, or serious bourbon collectors. Includes a souvenir tasting glass.

🥃 Guided Tasting & Blending Tour

⏱ ~45 Minutes | Offered Daily

Perfect for bourbon enthusiasts exploring the portfolio before blending:

  • Tour the blending and bottling spaces

  • Observe hand-dipped wax finishing

  • Taste flagship blends, barrel-strength expressions, and limited releases

Walk-ins welcome; reservations recommended. Learn how heritage barrels and modern blending philosophy intersect.

🛢 Single Barrel Select – Collector’s Bourbon

📅 By Appointment Only

For private groups and collectors:

  • Sample hand-selected single barrels at natural proof

  • Compare oak extraction, aging depth, and barrel character

  • Choose and bottle your own barrel—no blending, no dilution

A true barrel-to-bottle Kentucky bourbon experience.

🧠 Blending as Bourbon Education

Guests discover:

  • How proof impacts sweetness, spice, and structure

  • Why mixing older and younger whiskey enhances complexity

  • The influence of oak tannins, caramelization, and ethanol on mouthfeel

  • Barrel strength as a tool for balanced, flavorful bourbon

This isn’t just a tasting—it’s a deep dive into Kentucky bourbon craft.

🔥 What Makes J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery Unique

  • True hands-on bourbon blending

  • Barrel-strength, small-batch releases

  • Personalized wax seals and custom labeling

  • Palate-driven bourbon creation

  • Rich Kentucky whiskey heritage dating to 1845

Every bottle here respects tradition while celebrating innovation.

🛍 Take Your Bourbon Home

The tasting room and bottle shop feature:

  • Distillery-exclusive single barrels

  • Barrel-strength blends

  • Seasonal and limited releases

  • Fully custom-labeled bottles

Every bottle tells your story—bourbon crafted by your hands.

🕰 Plan Your Bourbon Visit

J. Mattingly 1845 Distillery
20 Reilly Rd, Frankfort, KY

Hours:

  • Mon–Sat: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM

  • Sun: 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM

Reservations recommended for blending sessions and private experiences.

Bourbon With Your Name on It

Most distilleries tell you what bourbon tastes like.
J. Mattingly 1845 lets you decide.

Come for the tasting.
Create the blend.
Leave with a custom Kentucky bourbon shaped entirely by your palate. 🥃