Spirits
Distillery tours and spirits festivals show how whiskey, bourbon and tequila are made, and most of them end with a tasting for adult visitors.
Kentucky is the easiest place to combine both: the Kentucky Bourbon Festival brings more than 200 brands to Bardstown in September, and the distilleries of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail run tours with tastings outside festival dates. In Tennessee, the Jack Daniel Distillery in Lynchburg offers a tour with a whiskey tasting for guests aged 21 and over. In Mexico, the town of Tequila, in Jalisco, has distillery tours at Casa Sauza and at Jose Cuervo’s La Rojeña. Plan a driver or a guided transfer, since tastings add up over a day, and carry ID: age limits apply at every tasting bar.
Spirits festivals by month
chensiyuan, CC BY-SAWineFeb 25 to 28South Beach Wine & Food Festival
Miami Beach’s four-day wine and food festival, from 25 to 28 February 2027: wine and spirits producers, chefs and culinary personalities.Miami BeachView
Bex Walton from London, England, CC BYSpiritsUsually MarLondon Cocktail Week
London’s city-wide cocktail festival, with a wristband and Signature Cocktails in hundreds of bars. No festival in 2026: it moves to March 2027, exact dates not yet published.LondonView
Ken Thomas, Public domainSpiritsSep 16 to 19Kentucky Bourbon Festival
Bardstown’s bourbon festival at Spalding Hall, 16 to 19 September 2027: more than 200 brands from over 70 distilleries, tickets and distillery tours nearby.BardstownView
AdrienWikipedia, CC BY-SAWineNov 6 to 8Austin Food & Wine Festival
Austin’s food, wine, beer and spirits festival at Auditorium Shores, 6 to 8 November 2026: tickets from 185 dollars, for guests aged 21 and over.AustinViewSpirits experiences
Juan Carlos Fonseca Mata, CC BY-SAProducer visit1 to 1.5 hoursDistillery tours in Tequila, Jalisco
Two distillery tours with tastings in the town of Tequila: Casa Sauza from 340 pesos and Jose Cuervo’s La Rojeña at 585 pesos, one hour to an hour and a half.TequilaView
psyberartist, CC BYProducer visit45 to 90 minutesGuinness Storehouse and whiskey tours in Dublin
Three drink visits in Dublin compared: the Guinness Storehouse from 24 euros on its booking page (26 for an adult in its FAQ), Teeling Whiskey Distillery at 22 euros and the Irish Whiskey Museum at 23 euros.DublinView
Van.ike, CC0Producer visit1.8 hoursJack Daniel Distillery tour
The Jack Daniel Distillery Tour in Lynchburg, Tennessee: 35 dollars with taxes and fees included, about 1.8 hours, a whiskey tasting for guests aged 21 and over.LynchburgView
Nheyob, CC BY-SAProducer visit70 to 75 minutesKentucky Bourbon Trail distillery tours
Distillery tours with tasting on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail: free at Buffalo Trace, 30 to 40 dollars at Jim Beam and Woodford Reserve, 70 to 75 minutes.BardstownView
Herbert Frank from Wien (Vienna), AT, CC BYTasting50 to 90 minutesWhisky tastings in Edinburgh
Three whisky tastings in Edinburgh compared, from the Royal Mile to Princes Street: 25 to 45 pounds per adult, 50 to 90 minutes, one to six whiskies.EdinburghViewTop destinations for spirits
Christopher L. Riley, CC BY-SA2 listingsBardstown
Kentucky Bourbon FestivalKentucky Bourbon Trail distillery tours
Quintin Soloviev, CC BY1 listingAustin
Austin Food & Wine Festival
Chris Rycroft, CC BY1 listingDublin
Guinness Storehouse and whiskey tours in Dublin
Saffron Blaze, CC BY-SA2 listingsEdinburgh
Foodies Festival EdinburghWhisky tastings in Edinburgh
Colin, CC BY-SA3 listingsLondon
Foodies Festival Syon Park, LondonLondon Cocktail WeekFood tours in London
Brian Stansberry, CC BY1 listing