Ultimate KY Bourbon
Vacation Package
“Roll Out the Barrel” at Maker’s Mark
2-Night Luxury Hotel Suite + Private Bourbon Barrel Pick + Helicopter Ride
At Mint Julep Experiences, we believe in completely immersive and unforgettable experiences that showcase the hospitality of the south with a twist of mint. We’ve partnered with Maker’s Mark, the Omni, Elite Rotocraft, Star Hill Farm and other prestigious local brands to offer the ultimate bourbon experience package for guests. Our team of Experience Coordinators will expertly curate the itinerary, handle all the logistics and craft a memorable two-day adventure for you and one other guest.
The Maker’s Mark Kentucky Bourbon Experience can be booked from Louisville or Nashville. Guests have the option to stay at the Omni in Nashville OR the Omni in Louisville, with a helicopter taking guests to the distillery in Loretto, KY. Availability is subject to timing and available barrel allocation.
Speak with an Experience Coordinator today to start planning your Kentucky Bourbon Vacation!
Your KY Bourbon Package Includes:
- Start to finish coordination of your multi-day, all-inclusive package
- VIP transportation via black car service and helicopter ride to Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky
- 2 night stay in a luxury accommodation within the Omni
- Helicopter flight to Maker’s Mark distillery
- Private Selection Barrel experience at Maker’s Mark
- The barrel that held your special bourbon and the 228-252 cask strength bottles
- Personalized Labels (2 lines, 25 characters each )
- Lunch
Day 1: Arrival and Additional Tours/Experiences
- Arrive in destination. Guests can book this package experience from Louisville, KY or Nashville, TN
- Custom tour or experience created for you based on the time of your arrival, up to 12 hours max
- Black car service by Mint Julep Experiences to the Omni Hotel
- Night stay at the Omni
Day 2: Private Selection Barrel Experience at Maker’s Mark
- Helicopter flight to Maker’s Mark Distillery in Loretto, Kentucky
- Private behind the scenes VIP tour
- Exclusive tasting of 10 custom wood finishing staves, where you will create your own custom recipe (1,001 possible stave combinations)
- Barrel coopering/signing and gift shop
- Night stay at the Omni
Your Transportation Covered and Coordinated
- Private Airport Transfer on Arrival & Departure
- Full Day with a Private Chauffeur — Black Car Service (up to 12 hrs)
- Helicopter Charter to Maker’s Mark
Louisville, KY pricing – $42,000 (total for up to 4 people)
The all-inclusive package price includes 2 days of black car service for up to 12 hours, a helicopter flight to the distillery, 2 nights of luxury accommodations at the Omni Hotel, a private selection barrel experience (roughly 228-252 bottles), lunch, taxes, fees, fuel surcharge, and gratuity. If you choose to visit other venues, admission fees for these experiences are not included in this package. Mint Julep Experiences will collect those admissions the week of your experience.
Book in Advance
Booking in advance is a must, we suggest at least 3 months in advance for the best chance of your dates to be available; barrel availability is subject to timing and allocation. Monday – Friday with a 9AM or 12PM distillery start time. This package is not available on Saturdays and Sundays. The Distillery Barrel Concierge and Mint Julep Experience Coordinator will gather 4-5 dates that work best for you to see which one aligns with all 3 partners once the deposit is received.
Bottle Details
After your barrel selection, your unique barrel will be built and finished in the limestone cellar of Maker’s Mark, and bottled with a custom label. After approximately 4-5 months, you will receive both the barrel that held your special bourbon and the 228-252 bottles of your own Maker’s Mark Private Selection. You can then pick the bottles and barrel up directly from Maker’s Mark, once your dates are confirmed, your MJE Experience Coordinator will discuss logistics.
*Bottles cannot be shipped and must be picked up at the distillery. This is not available to licensed individuals and/or control states.
To book, you will work with the MJE Coordinator and Maker’s Mark Barrel Concierge, upon confirmation of barrel availability Mint Julep Experiences requires a 50% non-refundable deposit to start working with all partners to confirm this experience.
Luxury Accommodations
Enjoy a two-night stay at the luxurious Omni Hotel in either the heart of downtown Nashville or Louisville. Take advantage of their signature Mokara Spa and one of the top steakhouses in the country: Bob’s Steak and Chop House.
Pick Your Own Barrel of Bourbon at Maker’s Mark with Distillery Tour
Select your own personal barrel of Maker’s Mark Private Barrel Select Bourbon at the Loretto, Kentucky distillery.
Personalized, hand numbered bottles from your barrel will later be available for pick up from Maker’s Mark. For out of state guests, the MJE Coordinator will help coordinate pick up.
Star Hill Farms at Maker’s Mark
Upon arriving at the Maker’s Mark distillery, you’ll be greeted with a cocktail and a private tour taking in the history, process and flavor exploration of Maker’s Mark.
After the private tour you’ll be whisked away into the serene distillery grounds, exploring warehouses on the hill where you’ll thief whiskey from the cask. End the tour with lunch and visit to the Maker’s Mark Gift Shop.
Helicopter Flights, Luxury Transportation & Trip Coordination
Throughout your getaway, you’ll be escorted in style with black car service around the city and an exhilarating helicopter flight to Maker’s Mark distillery. Your flight itinerary and all logistics will be coordinated on behalf of Mint Julep Experiences and Elite Rotocraft.
How many bottles do we get?
That depends on the yield of the barrel you select although most barrels yield around 228-252 750ml bottles.
When do we get our bottles?
Your selected barrel will finish for approximately 9 weeks in the limestone cellar of Maker’s Mark. From barrel selection to bottling, the typical process takes approximately 4-5 months.
Legally, distilleries cannot ship bottles. Bottles must be collected from the distillery, out of state visitors will work with an Experience Coordinator from Mint Julep Experiences on pick up.
Are these barrels for re-sale?
This barrel select program is for general consumers only, they are Not-For-Resale. Bourbon/Whiskey clubs, individuals, corporations (gifts to employees, clients) and anyone else that won’t be re-selling them can buy a barrel through the barrel select program.
When is this available? How can I book?
The barrel select program is available year-round, five days a week. If you’re interested in reserving a barrel pick for your group, please contact us directly for a quote and to begin planning. Barrel availability is subject to timing and allocation.
Louisville, KY pricing – $42,000 (total for up to 4 people)
The all-inclusive package price includes 2 days of black car service for up to 12 hours, a helicopter flight to the distillery, 2 nights of luxury accommodations at the Omni Hotel, a private barrel selection (roughly 228-252 bottles), lunch onsite at the distillery, taxes, fees, fuel surcharge, and gratuity. If you choose to visit other venues, admission fees for these experiences are not included in this package. MJE will collect those admissions the week of your experience.
Booking in advance is a must, we suggest at least 3 months in advance for the best chance of your dates to be available, barrel availability is subject to timing and allocation. Monday-Friday with a 9AM or 12PM distillery start time. This package is not available on Saturday and Sundays. The Distillery Barrel Concierge and Mint Julep Experience Coordinator will gather 4-5 dates that work best for you to see which one aligns with all 3 partners once the deposit is received.
To book, you will work with the MJE Coordinator and Maker’s Mark Barrel Concierge, upon confirmation of barrel availability Mint Julep Experiences requires a 50% non-refundable deposit to start working with all partners to confirm this experience.
How to Buy Bourbon by the Barrel
Private barrel select programs — or, shall we say, buying bourbon by the barrel — typically take place inside rickhouses, set among hundreds of barrels that all contain that beautiful brown high-proof nectar we call bourbon. Most distillery tours include a peek inside a rickhouse, but can you imagine spending a few hours here, sampling through barrels with a master distiller to guide you every step of the way?
What Does Single Barrel Select Mean?
Single barrel selects, also known as barrel picks, are private experiences where a person and/or small group get to go to a distillery and choose their very own single barrel by sampling from several barrels the master distiller has selected for the group.
What is a Barrel Pick?
Barrel picks at distilleries are private experiences where a person and/or small group get to meet with the master distiller (or sometimes brand ambassador) to help select an entire bourbon or whiskey barrel that will be bottled for the group and include a special sticker or label indicating it’s part of a barrel select program.