From 1887 to the present day, this iconic landmark has a unique place in Kentucky bourbon history.
In 1887, Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor, Jr. created his distillery; the Old Taylor Distillery.
The property had been a distillery at different times dating back to 1819, but Colonel Taylor wanted to create something special when he purchased the land.
Located in Millville, Kentucky (right outside of Frankfort, KY) and heavily inspired by European architecture, this was something different — with a heavy focus on hospitality and spirit tourism.
The distillery had a castle, a classical springhouse, and a lovely sunken garden. It also had a train that brought travelers from far and wide right into the heart of the distillery, stopping at Taylorton Station.
Unfortunately, the successful distillery closed in 1920 during the era of Prohibition. It changed hands a few times before falling into ruin over the decades that followed. All operations ceased in the mid 70’s.
But things changed in 2012.
That was the year Lexington-based attorney Will Arvin learned about the historic grounds. Despite no experience with spirits (aside from enjoying sipping them) his interest in the property grew the more he learned about its story.
While touring the crumbling buildings and grounds covered in brush, Arvin saw potential — and he set out to restore what once was for a new era of distilled spirits.
Will Arvin and team purchased the Old Taylor Distillery 2014 and began a years-long restoration (some of which still continues on certain buildings to this day).
The name “Castle & Key” was chosen to highlight the distillery’s storied history while turning the page on a new chapter.
The “castle” in the name refers to the iconic castle structure in the heart of the property, of course. The “key” refers to the water source for the distillery; the keyhole-shaped springhouse.
Chemical engineer and Brown-Forman vet Marianne Eaves joined the Castle & Key team in 2015 becoming the first woman to earn the title of Master Distiller.
Castle & Key released their first clear spirits in 2018 and had their grand opening later that year. Their first aged spirit “Restoration Rye” was released in December 2020.
Castle & Key Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey was released in 2022 and was the first bourbon distillate to be distilled and released at the Historic Old Taylor Distillery in nearly 50 years.
And they’ve continued to release more and more innovative bourbon, rye, gin, and vodka in the years since.
The Castle & Key team make sure Colonel Taylor’s vision lives on into the modern era.
They source local ingredients. They focus on hospitality and experience. They’re more than just a distillery — they also have a tasting room, an event space, a bar (Taylorton Station), a botanical trail, a wedding venue, and on-site AirBNBs.
Castle & Key is a historic landmark unlike any of its kind.
Castle & Key hours:
- Monday – Tuesday – CLOSED
- Wednesday – 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- Thursday – 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- Friday – 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- Saturday – 10:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- Sunday – 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM
Taylorton Station hours:
- Wednesday – Saturday – 10:30am-4:30pm
- Sunday 11:00am-4:30pm
And when visiting Louisville, Kentucky, you can taste Castle & Key spirits at Castle & Key 502, located inside the Omni Louisville Hotel — learn more about that here!