Award-winning Northern Kentucky distillery producing Buckner's bourbon — Best Bourbon at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition — in a charming Ohio River town with one of the trail's most unique tasting experiences.
Augusta Distillery punches well above its size. The bourbon is legitimately world-class — their Buckner's 13 took home Best Bourbon at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition, one of the most competitive spirits competitions in the world. That's not a regional award. That's a global one. So when you taste here, you're tasting something that beat out essentially every bourbon on the planet.
The distillery sits in Augusta, Kentucky, a small town on the Ohio River that's worth the detour on its own. The setting is genuinely beautiful — historic storefronts, the wide Ohio in the background, a pace of life that's the polar opposite of Louisville's Whiskey Row. Augusta Distillery leans into that river heritage deliberately: their signature experience is called the River Proof Barrel Experience, tying the bourbon-making process directly to the Ohio River's historic role in getting Kentucky bourbon to market.
This is a Northern Kentucky deep cut, remote from the main Bardstown and Louisville clusters. But it's a very good stop — especially if you're pairing it with Becker & Bird Distillery, which is also in Augusta and makes for a natural same-day combination.
Hours: Wednesday–Saturday, 11 AM–5 PM. Closed Sunday through Tuesday. Plan accordingly — many visitors show up on a Sunday and find the gates closed.
Augusta offers a range of experiences from a $29 standard tasting to a $35,000 four-day immersion. Here's an honest take on each:
This is the one to book. You'll pop a bung, thief a pour straight from the barrel, and taste bourbon the way distillers taste it — not from a bottle, but from the wood. The experience is educational without being stuffy and works for both serious bourbon enthusiasts and people who are just there for the story. The River Proof name comes from the historic practice of floating barrels down the Ohio: any bourbon that didn't leak on the river journey was considered "river proof" and safe to drink. That history framing is genuinely interesting and the guide delivery is good.
The standard production walkthrough takes you up to a catwalk over the stillhouse to see — and smell — bourbon in the making. Guides explain the mash preparation, fermentation, and distillation process and connect it to Augusta's Ohio River heritage. Solid if you're genuinely interested in how the bourbon gets made. If you're torn, the River Proof Barrel Experience is more memorable, but the production tour gives you more technical depth.
Pair Kentucky bourbon with Kentucky tobacco in this 90-minute experience hosted by local tobacco farmers Steven and Anna Cummins. They walk you through their family's heritage in the crop, then guide you through rolling your own cigar to pair with the bourbon tasting. This is genuinely one-of-a-kind on the trail. If you enjoy cigars or want something completely different from a standard distillery tour, this is the call. Book well ahead — it's a smaller-capacity experience.
Bring up to 9 friends and taste through approximately four barrels aged 8–15 years. You pick the one you want, and it gets bottled with a custom side label. If you're traveling with a group of bourbon-focused friends, this is a memorable way to spend two hours — and you leave with bottles that mean something. Contact the distillery directly for pricing and scheduling.
Book directly at augustakydistillery.com. Augusta's tours sell out regularly — especially on Saturdays and during fall foliage season when the Ohio River corridor draws more visitors. Don't count on walking up and getting a same-day tour slot for the standard experiences.
Two to three weeks out is generally enough lead time for weekday visits. Saturdays book faster. If you're planning a Northern KY day with Augusta and Becker & Bird, anchor around the Augusta tour time and schedule Becker & Bird before or after.
Wednesdays and Thursdays are your best shots at low crowds and available slots. The town of Augusta is also much more relaxed midweek — the Beehive Augusta Tavern (farm-to-table, right in town) is easier to get into, and the river walk is peaceful rather than packed.
Augusta's gift shop carries their full lineup, including the 2-, 4-, and 6-year expressions that are only available on-site — you can't get these anywhere else. If you're a collector or just want something unique, the exclusive on-site bottles are the obvious buy.
The Old Route 8 is their best value bottle — well-priced and very drinkable, a good everyday bourbon from a world-class operation. The Buckner's 10 Year is solid but expensive for what you get; the 13-year is the sweet spot if you can find it at the gift shop. The Buckner's 15 and 17 year expressions are exceptional if you want to splurge.
The bottle-your-own River Proof Series is also available as a gift shop item — you can fill and cork your own bottle during certain experiences, which makes for a genuinely unique souvenir.
Here's how Augusta Distillery stacks up:
Augusta Distillery is the best Northern Kentucky stop you're probably not planning to visit — and you should. The bourbon is legitimately world-class (Best Bourbon at the 2023 San Francisco World Spirits Competition isn't a marketing claim, it's a blind competition result). The River Proof Barrel Experience is one of the most original tasting formats on the entire trail. And Augusta, KY is a beautiful Ohio River town that makes the drive feel worthwhile before you even walk through the door. The catch is the hours — Wednesday through Saturday only — and the tours that sell out. Plan ahead, pair it with Becker & Bird Distillery next door, and make a full day of it.
Address: 207 Seminary Ave, Augusta, KY 41002
Hours: Wednesday–Saturday 11 AM–5 PM. Closed Sunday–Tuesday.
Phone: (888) 592-6872
Parking: Free street parking in downtown Augusta. The town is small and walkable — park once and explore on foot.
Military discount: Available — ask at the door.
Kids: Family-friendly environment. No tasting for anyone under 21.
Accessibility: The Production Tour involves a catwalk with stairs. Contact the distillery in advance if accessibility is a concern.
Augusta is remote from the main trail clusters, which means you should make the most of the drive. Here are the best ways to build a day around it:
America's most historic spirits site, also in Augusta. Revolutionary War-era history and bourbon from the original Bourbon County.
Maysville heritage craft distillery. Civil War-era recipe revived. Good add-on for a Northern KY swing.
The anchor Northern KY stop in Newport. High-rye mash bill, excellent bourbon, great for finishing a day heading toward Cincinnati.
Farm-to-table dining right in Augusta. A natural pairing with the distillery — walk over for lunch or dinner before or after your tour.
Augusta Distillery pairs best with a dedicated Northern Kentucky day that includes New Riff and Becker & Bird. See our 3-Day Bourbon Trail Itinerary for how to work the Northern KY cluster into a full trail trip.