More than 340,000 guests visited Buffalo Trace Distillery in 2021. This is a 134% increase in the number of visitors it welcomed in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic, and a 16% increase in the number of visitors it welcomed in 2019. Since 2010, visitation to Buffalo Trace has increased by 556%.
The Distillery completed a massive expansion of its Visitor Center in 2020 during the onset of the pandemic. The Visitor Center triples the size of the previous Visitor Center and conveniently allows for easier social distancing and provides ample space and comfort for guests exploring the Gift Shop or tasting in the new expansive tasting rooms. But with visitation continuing to grow at pre-pandemic rates, the Distillery is making further adjustments.
To further accommodate the increasing number of guests as they arrive to the Distillery, Buffalo Trace is renovating its historical Freehouse, located in the visitor parking lot into a full welcome center. Over the past year, this space has served as the visitor COVID health and safety check-in. The renovations, which are anticipated to be completed by mid-February, will allow the Distillery to check-in visitors for all activities within the same space by early March.
The building will retain its historically significant design features and be updated to support the modern needs of visitors, including reservation check-in and WiFi. Plans also include updated landscaping and murals for photo opportunities for arriving visitors.
“We are thankful that, despite the challenges the last couple of years have brought, our fans continue to feel comfortable at the Distillery and are traveling from all over to visit us,” Director of Homeplace Development Meredith Moody said. “We look forward to incorporating our new Welcome Center into our visitor operations in the coming months and are excited to welcome even more guests throughout the year.”
Visitation to the Distillery isn’t the only thing growing. Buffalo Trace is continuing to produce even more bourbon, and is making significant progress on its ongoing $1.2 billion distillery expansion to increase production for future bourbon demand.
“Whether virtually or in person, we love sharing our rich history and award-winning products with our guests,” Moody said. “We are continually working to better accommodate our growing number of visitors and are excited to see what 2022 brings.”
Tours of Buffalo Trace Distillery remain complimentary. In order to better accommodate social distancing, the Distillery is limiting tour group sizes and accepts tour visitors by reservation only. As the number of guests visiting the Distillery has increased, Buffalo Trace has accordingly increased the number of tours and tastings offered, though tours continue to book quickly, the distillery said.