A. Smith Bowman Distillery Reviews

These are warm, friendly people who are glad you want to learn about their liquor-making art. They, of course, explain their product line of bourbon, rum, vodka, and some really delicious sauces. You get an actual tour with a gifted guide who knows every nook and cranny of the facility, and makes the education entertaining. Yes, there is tasting, but, for most obvious reasons, the samples are small. It is a fun "stop," with entertaining shopping options, that the folks back home will be curious about.

Have lived in Northern Virginia for 20+ years and just recently found out that Fredericksburg has a bourbon distillery. Went with a friend to check it out and was pleasantly surprised. Beautiful property. The entrance off BUS17 is very low key, so no wonder no one knows they're there. Took the 1-hour tour and learned all things about Bowman Bourbon - and the other spirits that they produce (particularly enjoyed the Mary Hite Bowman Caramel Cream). Our tour guide, Ralph, was very friendly and knowledgeable. Enjoyed the tasting at the end - although the pours are light - but I also understand that this is regulated by ABC and not Bowman. Nice gift shop with lots of selection. Will definitely go again when friends and family are in town.

Drove up from RVA on a Saturday morning and arrived in time for the 11 am tour. Fascinating history of the family, the distillery, and the building it's in. Been on a few brewery tours but this was my first time at a distillery. If you are a bourbon lover, the aroma on the barrel house is amazing! Tasting featured the small batch and port barrel aged bourbon (which I'm enjoying as I write this) and a great cocktail suggestion (along with the recipe). Great place!

Great night with food, music, and beer. Top that off with all the beers being aged in bourbon barrels and what could be better?

This distillery is awesome. The staff gave me a tour with two other individuals. The knowledge of the staff is truly apparent in their descriptions of the equipment and process of making whiskey and other spirits. Getting a chance to see still and the warehouse that stores the filled barrels was interesting. I believe you can smell the Angel’s Share in the warehouse. I suggest a weekday so you can enjoy the tour to the fullest. The tasting at the end of the tour will give you the opportunity to sample their products.

My husband and I paid a visit to A. Smith Bowman Distillery and had a great tour. Our tour guide provided detailed information on their entire process followed by a wonderful tasting. Nice idea for a daytime date.

This tour is so much fun! The information about the process is presented in an entertaining way. Each stage of the process is described in detail. The aromas experienced are certainly different at each stage; the barrel room is most assuredly "The Angel's Share." The tastings are unique and certainly worth it.

Over the summer I won the Sazerac Single Barrel Select lottery, thus giving me the opportunity to travel to the A. Smith Bowman Distillery and select a barrel of John J. Bowman to call mine!

David Bock, Master Distiller, and Elizabeth Brummett, Operations Manager, met with us, had us taste samples from 4 different barrels and once we had a winner, we then got to try it straight from the cask. I have to wait a bit for bottling and distiribution, but sometime next year will have a lot of whiskey heading my way!

After the barrel select we did a tour - a very interesting operation producing fantastic products. If you are in the area, you will be remiss not to stop by...you may even find a single barrel bottle for sale in the store.

Cheers!

My wife and I visited as a quick get away. We have talked about going here for several years. The tour and tasting was the best price, free. Our guide was very knowledgeable about both the product and the process as well as the history. The smells were awesome, if you don't like whiskey, don't go, if you like whiskey you'll love it. We got to taste 4 different products at the end of the tour. The tasting was not enough to get you in trouble but you got a taste of their products. They also had many of their products available for purchase.

We have been to a number of wineries and a few distilleries, this was as fun as any and they have some very smooth whiskey.

We were in Fredericksburg visiting friends for a weekend and while the ladies went to the salon, the guys stopped at some of the historical sites. Being January, we discovered the Ferry Farm, George Washington’s boyhood home, and others were closed for the winter season. What to do?

When checking for things to do in the area, I recalled the A. Smith Bowman’s Distillery was in Fredericksburg, so we decided to see if there were open for tours. They were.

Being originally from Kentucky, I’ve visited a few Bourbon distilleries over the years; some large and some small. Bowman’s in the smallest operation I’ve seen to date. It is definitely ‘small batch’. I was really surprised as to just how few employees they had. During bottling operations, only 6 bottles are filled at a time. I’ve tried their Bourbon and it is a good as most Kentucky Bourbons, but then the founder to Virginia came from Kentucky… I learned well.

Had a very informative tour. We were not rushed at all. All questions were answered. Free samples were a plus. Brought a few bottles home.

Very interesting and informative. Very friendly staff. The tasting was over the top!!! Will go back!

We so enjoyed our visit to A. Smith Bowman Distillary, listening to the history of their operations and sampling their high quality spirits! Our tour guide was friendly and knowledgeable, welcoming questions throughout the tour, at the same time keeping it all to just shy of one hour. Bought several products in their reasonably price gift shop.

We were offered an off hour tour by Art. This was about the best thing we did in Fredericksburg. That fro. A couple that is not usually bourbon drinkers. Tremendous, did I mention Free tour... set aside an hour... along with Strangeway brewing... a great trip.

Great tour guide very informative. You learn history of people who started the distillery. Couldn't believe the amount of barraells. At end of tour they had taste testing and you could purchase what ever you wanted

This is quite a surprise tucked away just out of town. Our host was very professional and informative, walking us through several levels of this former cellophane plant converted to a small-batch distillery. We didn't know what to expect, but the unique distilling techniques, barrel construction, different kinds of stills, and insights into the skill and knowledge required to produce world champion bourbons was amazing. The free tastings that followed were nicely done, allowing a nice sampling of the various products. There was absolutely no pressure to buy anything, but a nice selection of items for sale was at the tasting area...all well priced, and we of course couldn't resist. We bought several of the bourbon based cooking sauces which tasted delicious. Whether you are a bourbon fan or not, this suberb free tour of a fine American production operation should definitely be on your rotation when visiting.

I have been meaning to take this tour since I noted the distillery during a previous St. Patrick's Day parade that occurred in the same complex. Note that the entrance is not in the industrial complex but rather off of Dixon Street. This is a free tour given on the hour. I arrived a few minutes after the hour and they kindly allowed me to join the previous tour. I missed some of the historical information about the original Smith farm located in Fairfax county. The tour guide was great and down to earth. She explained history, different products produced and then she gave us a tour of the actual production line. I, in general, do not drink alcohol but I enjoyed the informative tour. The giant vats and numerous barrels were amazing. There was a taste test at the end for those inclined. They have a mid sized gift shop with a nice variety of items other than alcohol. I will definitely return with my family from Fairfax as I'm sure they'll enjoy the history and the tasting.

This local distillery makes world-class bourbon as well as other spirits. The tour of the facility was very interesting and our guide was knowledgable and witty. The tasting after the tour was very nice, and the gift shop has many bourbon-related items for the lover f spirits. Do not miss this gem on the Southside of Fredericksburg.

This small production gave a wonderful learning experience. The tour and tasting were free but more importantly, very informative. We learned a lot about the process and they held no secrets (except their personal recipes of course). There was no pressure to purchase or to leave. We looked around for another 30 minutes after the tour. We watched them hand bottle their product, with the operations manager working right along side his employees, while answering all our questions. They have a high quality product at a wonderful price as well. It's worth an hour of your time if you have any interest in the process of making spirits.

First distillery I had visited, on the tours they were very informational. Quite a few different kinds of liquor, but most popular for whiskey. Nice sampling after the tour and a unique gift shop with assorted souvenirs such as tshirts, liquor, and BBQ sauces.

We were greeted when we arrived, and had a few minutes to look around before beginning the tour. Our tour guide (#16) was a pleasant, enthusiastic young woman who took us though the beginnings of the distillery and the Bowman family as well as instructed us about the distillation process. It was interesting to learn about the different products they produce: bourbon, gin, vodka, rum and caramel bourbon cream. At the conclusion of the tour you are able to taste 4 different products. It is also possible to purchase the their products (which we did!).

My wife took me here for my birthday. The tour was interesting as I had wondered about the origins of the A Bowman Distillery and about their process. I'm a bourbon guy and their single barrel and small batch are fantastic! Unfortunately, the draconian Virginia ABC laws limit how much you can taste and you do not get to pick which spirit you taste. VA ABC gets negative 5 stars, Bowman's gets the full 5!

Excellent staff , excellent bourbon world class facility. Isaac was a great tour guide, very informative. A definite must visit.

Such a fun and informative tour. The employees are super friendly and really know their stuff. The place is so clean and smells wonderful! Even if you are not a bourbon fan, you must still visit. They have gin, cream liquor, etc. The gift shop was nice and open and things were well priced. Great way to support local operation (even though owned by larger company). What you are getting is true small batch! We will go again... and again!

Class Act, knowledgable tour guide Kris, best bourbon!

Our tour guide Kris showed us the facility, and explained some very interesting procedures, such as the swelling and shrinkage of the barrels and the Angel's share. She was excellent and made the tour fascinating. Thank you Kris, and Thank you Bowman's / Sazerac for your attention to detail. We love your bourbon. Tasting your rum and gin also on the tour was a nice additional benefit.

Highly recommended tour.

My taste buds rate Bowman's bourbon as #1. The Mary Hite is pretty tasty too. Take some time to enjoy their historical brewery tour and afterwards meander on over to their gift shop.

Wish I’d know about this bidden gem years ago! We enjoyed the tour so much, and enjoyed the bourbon even more!

We decided to stop by here having seen it on a travel programme back in the UK.

We arrived just after 2pm, and were advised that a tour had just started and our party of 7 could join that.

The tour was free and conducted by a nice lady that knew her stuff. She took us around the distillery into different rooms - the highlight was the storeroom for me - the sweet smell coming off those thousands of stacked barrels was amazing.

The tour lasted about 45 minutes and concluded with a free tasting of 4 different products - the gin was a pleasant surprise and their cream liquore was a hundred times better than Bailey's.

We bought a bottle of their Bourbon at the end of the tour for $30 - seemed like we were getting this for free as i would have happily paid to go on the tour itself.

Really glad we stopped here.

A. Smith Bowman Distillery is a small-production bourbon producer in Virginia. In fact, the only bourbon producer in Virginia. It's free to tour and to taste. The 45 minute tour was excellent covering the definition of bourbon, the pot still and production area as well as the warehouse full of 7,000 barrels. And the Bowman 7 year small batch and the 10 year single barrel offerings were outstanding. Highly recommended for spirit-admiring folks.

We really enjoyed our tour and the tasting. A great spot to visit when you are in the mood for something really different to do.

My family and I visited A. Smith Bowman Distillery for their open house in June. There were free tours of the facility and tasting of their products. I had an opportunity to meet and talk with the Master Distiller Brian Prewitt. He was very friendly and approachable to all. I highly recommend a visit.

My first visit to Virginia and this is where I chose to go. Carrie and everyone are super friendly and the bourbon speaks for itself. I’m not a GIN drinker but after trying theirs I have changed my mind and their RUM is crazy good as is their Bourbon Carmel Crème.

Know for many of their bourbons - Single Barrel if you are lucky enough to get it was my mission for me and my drinking buddies.

Thanks Carrie!

We went here after going on bourbon tours in Lexington, Kentucky to see where the real start of bourbon began. Our tour guide, Dave, was great, very informative and fun. The bartender, Tory, was fantastic with very creative and helpful drink ideas. We loved the entire time we spent there and everybody who works there was positive, fun, and knowledgeable. This is a definite tour to take and the bourbon is some of the best you will ever drink.

We enjoyed an amazing tour by guide Erin (who is just the best!!!) - super informative, fun, and a definite 5-Star experience! Even if you’re not into bourbon (they also make and sell gin, vodka, and rum),it’s worth the stop. So glad we came (was recommended by friends)...a wonderful, wonderful way to spend an hour or so!

My friend and I spent a few days in Fredericksburg, primarily to see the battlefields and take in the history. But this was a great stop. Informative and fun and super fun tasting. So glad we stopped.

My husband and I visited & very much enjoyed the tour. The tour was informative about the history of the distillery, the process of making bourbon, and the products offered by this company. Tour lasted about 35-45 minutes, and was followed by a sampling of three of their products, in our case gin, 7 year bourbon, and their cream liqueur. Tour went through 5 different locations, and ended in a huge storage area full of barrels, where the air was heavy with the smell of aging bourbon. The tour and tasting were free of charge, the staff very pleasant, knowledgeable, and friendly. The tour would not be possible for persons in wheelchairs.

The staff was very friendly, the 45 minute tour was informative and their tastings were better than I anticipated. Note: they are known in the restaurant business for their rail offerings but their higher end products were pretty solid. I'm only giving it a four because they don't allow you in the actual production area. On the Bourbon Trail in Kentucky you can literally hold your head over barrels that our fermenting. Very nice souvenir shop here as well. Worth checking out for sure especially since it's free.

The tour that describes the process was very good and interesting. I did know it was such a process. It was worth the hour tour.

This was the best distillery tour and tasting I have been on. To be fair, I've only done 4.

The tour was super informative and I really felt like we went through the process in a behind the scenes roll. The guide was very knowledgable and friendly. I appreciated at the end the tasting was guided with tips to drinking.

I've done a number of brewery and distillery tours and found this one to be very interesting because they go beyond the process to include the history of the brewery. They also allow you to sample 4 different products at the end.

We really enjoyed our tour of the distillery. Our guide was very friendly and took a lot of time explaining everything to us. He took us all around the distillery explaining the start to finish process of making their bourbon. It was very interesting. And of course at the end we had several samples. He showed us the proper way of tasting bourbon. There is a small area where you can purchase items such as bourbon, bar-b-q sauce and steak sauce among other items. Lots of nice gift ideas. You should take an hour out of your day and visit the distillery. My advice is to go on a cooler day because there is no a/c so it's a little warm inside. Several big ceiling fans but not enough to cool you off on a really hot day.

Great place to see how they make and bottle their spirits. Would def bring others back if I’m in the area again. All the tour guides were awesome and you can tell they enjoy their jobs as it shows in the way they talk about the place. Awesome all around experience

WE went to a tasting for liquors, wines and beer. They also had food for purchase. It was fun and we made great selection because of this visit. I did not know that they had a liquor Mary Hite Bowman carmel crème. wow it is better than any Bailey's that I have ever tasted. We are fans of A. Smith Bowman. They have great tours too.

Enjoyed all aspects of our visit to the Bowman Distillery. Took the tour and learned the history of the distillery and then to about all aspects of production. On the tour you get to see the actual equipment their products are made with. The aroma of the barrel storage area was impressive as well. At the end, was treated to samples of three of their products. Their employees were all courteous and helpful. There is a nice gift shop as well -- I purchased a reasonably-priced t-shirt while many others were buying spirits. The bourbon is somewhat expensive but they are now a micro-distillery and producing in various sizes of smaller batches in order to make a high quality product.

We were lucky enough to have Bill, the production manager, give us tour of the distillery and school us all about the liquors they produce at Bowman and how to taste bourbons. There was much we did not know! A little hint: to really enjoy fine bourbon, allow it to breathe before imbibing, allowing one minute of breathing time for each year the bourbon was barrel-aged. Also we learned how adding ice or water can impart different tastes to the bourbon.

We left with several bottles of bourbon, and bottles of gin and vodka.

Thanks, Bill!

Although the initial greeting we received was less than welcoming, our tour guide Erin was fantastic. She made the distilling process interesting and easy to understand and had entertaining stories to tell. Enjoyed the tasting at the end and left with a few souvenirs and a bottle of bourbon. Highly recommend!

The building has no rustic charm or quaint history, but the business does have an interesting and historic story. The tour is fun and informative. Photos are allowed and a tasting is offered at the conclusion. Questions and comments are encouraged. Drink and food recipes are offered free at the tasting. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Their products can be purchased onsite but, due to laws, cannot be shipped. Free parking. The distillery sponsors special events. Allow about an hour.

I'm not a bourbon drinker, but I find that I have been converted after taking a shot of the Caramel Bourbon Crème. Now this is what I've been waiting for all my life! They also have some other amazing products, no doubt. They give a mighty fine tour of the distillery too. You want to put this on your itinerary if you find yourself anywhere near Fredericksburg!

On our way home to Delaware, my husband and I stopped at A. Smith Bowman to take a tour and perhaps a tasting. There are tours every hour and a tasting at the conclusion of the tour. (Please be prepared to show your ID). We were a little late for the last tour, but the tour guide said that we could join the tour (already about 1/3 through) and that he would take us on the first part after the tasting. From and engineering point of view, building is impressive and the steps to making bourbon are very interesting. While the guide was very opinionated, he was also very knowledgeable and friendly. I did not sample the bourbon, but my husband did. We took our time looking through their choices of bourbon and bourbon flavored condiments (we bought the steak and hot sauce). We also bought their new Caramel Creme Liqueur. The liqueur is VERY tasty and arguably, better than Bailey's. The ONLY downside? You can only buy it in Virginia. So, stock up while you're there. It's so good, that the guide said that it it selling better than all of their other products combined.

The building closed at 4pm, but we were busy shopping and talking to the guide. He did not make us feel rushed and thanked us for taking the time to stop in and take the tour which was free.

A Great group of folks who take their craft very seriously. Very friendly free tour of their production facility. Awesome products and samples.

Great informative tour. Kristen was a wonderful tour guide! So knowledgeable and willing to answer many questions. I learned so much about this gem! Will be coming back

We had not visited this VA Distillery and after our tour/sampling experience knew we would return! They are so hospitable, relaxed and make great Bourbon as well as Gin and Rum, and Apple Brandy. The tours are informative, the sampling is a catalyst to purchase and have another sip at home.

Please go; they are a small but very highly crafted operation.

You do not need to be a bourbon fan to enjoy learning about the distillery process. Tour was very educational. Especially interesting to see a small operation. Guide was vey knowledgable and all staff was friendly, welcoming. Facility is also used as venue for special events. Lovely setting, free parking.

We are locals and decided to visit this distillery. We were very impressed with the history of A. Smith Bowman as well as the facility. During the tasting, we were provided a signature cocktail made with their product. The beverage was refreshing.

This place smells like heaven, I loved the old industrial building filled with oak barrels. Super cool place and really fun staff.

Michelle was a great guide and showed and taught us a lot about the distillery. Very interesting. At the end dud a tasting and was very impressed with the drinks. Would recommend as a must do.

We were in town for New Years Eve and happened upon the distillery and being a bourbon girl, it was a pure delight to get the tour and education on the history of the distillery and see how bourbon is made. The tour guide was extremely knowledgeable, friendly, and provided such insight that far exceeded ANY brewery tour I've had and there have been quite a few. The tasting was rather impressive too as they didn't offer the lesser bourbons, but instead the 7 and 10 year and also their 'sipping' rum. I highly recommend the distillery to not just the bourbon drinkers, but anyone who wants to learn some local history and also get an understanding of what it takes to make fine liquor. Need to add that they also produce Steak Sauce, Hot Sauce, and BBQ Sauce, which contain bourbon and sampling are available prior to purchase; I left with the Steak and Hot sauces in addition to the Bourbon Cream, which is akin to Baileys. Yumm!

Made a quick stop back into A. Smith Bowman to pickup some more of their excellent Bourbon. If you haven't tried this bourbon and you are local, you're wrong. Their single barrel bourbon is $49 and drinks like a much more expensive bottle. Can't wait for their Abraham to come out later this year. The people are wonderful, and if you haven't taken the tour, do it.

We just happened upon this distillery when visiting Fredericksburg. The building is set in a beautiful setting and the tour is laid out nicely.
You follow the path of grain and corn until it becomes bourbon and you end the tour with tasting.
The tasting ifs an education in itself.
It ifs well worth the stop.

We had a great tour at this Distillery. The staff who conducted the tour was very friendly and extremely knowledgeable about the distilling process. We had an opportunity to taste Bourbons and vodka, as well as a cream liqueur.

Excellent distillery tour, Sara did a great job as a tour guide! She was very engaged with the entire group, and knew a lot about distilling, we learned a bunch! Also, their Bourbons are delicious!

Very fun and quite a learning experience! We went with another couple and the four of us really enjoyed having Erin as our guide. Highly recommend a visit here!

Stopped in for the tasting and tour. Erin was very knowledgeable and have a great tour. The tasting was very informative as well. Definitely recommend.

My friends and I visited A. Smith Bowman in January 2016.

Tours are FREE and run every hour from 10 am to 4 pm. My group arrived slightly after 3 pm, but they allowed us to join the 3 pm tour instead of waiting for the 4 pm tour. Our tour guide was great and extremely informative.

After the tour concluded we were brought to the tasting area where we could taste four of their products. Again, the tasting was completely FREE. A++++ They were pouring vodka, gin, small batch bourbon, and the bourbon cream on the day that we visited. All were great, but I walked away with 3 bottles of the bourbon cream.

Lastly, I found the prices to be reasonable. For reference, 750 ml of the bourbon cream was $19.99, and 750 ml of the small batch bourbon was $29.99.

My in-laws are visiting and we were looking for things to do...this distillery offers free tours on the hour and everyone is super nice. If you have a slight interest in this sort of thing, then you will want to come for a visit. Conveniently close to down town so you can combine the tour and a meal.

I'm from Fort Myers Fl. but was raised in Fredericksburg Va.
I had a chance to go back to Fredericksburg after 30 years and found out there was a Bourbon Distillery in the old FMC plant (that place stunk in the 80's but is smelling good now)
We visited the place and went on tour of the distillery... our guide was a very sweet and informative person and her name is Toni, we really enjoyed meeting her and she did such an awesome job explaining everything to us (Thank You again Toni)....She is truly an asset to the company.
I would recommend to anyone in the area that appreciates good drinks to go visit there place.
Thank You for the tour,
Dave and Doll

My friend Jean and I took the tour, and oh my goodness the history of this Distillery and to hear their story was amazing.. The land that the "Bowman" family owned and had to sell off due to hard times, yet managed to keep their Distillery going. We met "George" the huge boiler, and how their bourbans are made and who they named them after was a wealth of information. We also did the Taste Test and found out they also make Rum and Vodka. Both were good and strong. But my favorite is the "Mary Hite Bowman Caramal Liqueuor" was out of this world WONDERFUL. Sad to hear that they don't ship out of state "VA", but did purchase 2 bottles, had to ship 1 home as one can only take 5 Litter's in checked luggage. Entire Staff was informative and very pleasant

The tour for the distillery is excellent!! Very informative and interesting regarding the history as well as the methods for distilling. The whole place smells wonderful!! The tasting at the end was delicious. Our tour guide was Ralph (I believe) and he was wonderful!! Definitely recommend going. Tours are on the hour and are free.

We did the samplings and did purchase a number of bottles of liquor made here. Next time we plan on taking the tour of the facility.

Very nice tour that was informative ...personnel very friendly and helpful .....product selection was good. A fun experience

We have been going there for a few years off and on now. Special events here which we recently went to are amazing. Great customer service with a smile. Pretty amazing whiskey too. If your local or if you're traveling, this is a great place to visit.

We were in town this weekend and I wanted to check out the distillery as I'm from the Bowman family and the people who they named their alcohol after are in my genealogy. There was a Summer Fest going on when we arrived. We were not expecting that as there was no mention on their webpage. I guess the website does not get updated often. We got to do an abbreviated tour which was still interesting and we did a tasting. Everything tasted very good. Such a nice smooth warmth and taste. We purchased a bottle of Bowman Brothers and opened it as soon a we got back home. We would be interested in coming back for the longer tour.

We stopped by with a large group of seven. We were late for the "on the hour" tour but our group was so large that they went ahead and showed us around anyway. Our guide was very informative and we enjoyed our tastings.

Met with Master Distiller Brian Prewitt at Bowman. He provided a detailed of the
analysis of chemicals found in Bourbon.

We thoroughly enjoyed our visit. We made a free tour reservation on line. It was an easy process. Be sure to include a tasting. It's free as well. Our guide was great. Friendly and very knowledgeable about the process.

We bought several bottles at the end. Worth a trip

Four of us from north Stafford had a wonderful afternoon visit to A. Smith Bowman Distillery recently! What a hidden gem. Our tour given by David was fun and informative and sweet Erin took great care of us at the register. She also went above and beyond and gifted me a soap that personally belonged to her that she could no longer use - so thoughtful! I love employees that really care about the work they do and the guests they serve - keep it up! Needless to say, we went home with some mighty tasty bourbon too! Don't pass this distillery by!

I’ve been to many distilleries in Great Britain, but it was really fun to visit one in my home town. We had an energetic and passionate tour guide who made the tour interesting and entertaining. There’s also a nice gift shop for browsing.

The tour was very educational. The bourbon tasting was very enjoyable. The staff was very helpful and knowledgeable.

Do yourself a favor look into the "Grapes and Grains Trail". This is a package where you get tasting at the distillery a brewery and several wineries, plus a discount for purchases at each.

We had a fairly large group who took the tour of the distillery. Extremely informative about history, legal aspects, and bourbon making process. We enjoyed a small sampling of their bourbon once the tour was complete. They have a small boutique gift shop to purchase their bourbon. They also sell a bourbon barbecue and hot sauce, which was pretty good.

First off I work 100 feet from the Distillery in an office park next to the rambling warehouse that ensconces the Distillery. The storefront in the entrance is a small part of the activities that Bowman's offers. There are monthly events that allow the owners to showcase the elegant old world space and provide a venue for local artisans and opportunities for the area citizens to enjoy a first-class event at a historic site. If tours are available, you should definitely partake as the process, and the production line is unique and exciting. My company has had its last four Christmas parties there, and it was a smashing success every year.
Don't miss out on seeing one of our areas premier historic buildings and a hometown industry that is award-winning and uniquely ours.

We arrived early and went on the 11A tour instead of the noon scheduled version. Art, our tour guide, was quite good with the wide range of bourbon folks in our tour. The tasting was good. The gift shop was GREAT!!! Came away with impossible-to-find John J. Bowman bourbon!

Have visited several distilleries and Bowman's is our favorite so far. The young lady that conducted our tour was knowledgeable and engaging. Even though we were the only ones waiting for a tour she showed us the whole operation, answering our questions along the way. The other employees we encounter were equally friendly. At the end of the tour a tasting is offered at no charge very nice. Their rum in different not a spice rum but still very nice and this is from a non rum drinker. Found their bourbons to be excellent (think I have found my new favorite bourbon). Did not try their gin so can not rate, but the Caramel Bourbon Cream is out of this world. Nice gift shop with some unusual items. Plan on returning with friends.

This was our first visit to a distillery, and we were not disappointed. It's a very small scale operation, and tastings are offered afterward. The tour guide was excellent, and we learned a few things we had no idea about. This is a free tour, and well worth the time!

We attended a delightful wedding rehearsal in the main gathering hall where the family provided a meal and drink. The Bowman Distillery took willing guests on a short tour that was well received. Much better than other distillery tours we have attended. The "store" was open so we purchased some of the company's products to take back with us.

Very good tour, Micah is an excellent guide both knowledgeable and entertaining, with a nice tasting at the conclusion. Definitely worth a stop if you have a free hour.

If you are inclined to visit distilleries this is a very interesting distillery to visit. It is owned by the mother Company, Sazarec and it is a sister distillery to Buffalo Trace Distillery in Frankfort, Kentucky. Not a historic distillery in my opinion and well worth the stop if you should get anywhere near Fredericksburg, Virginia

Great tour! Informative and got really behind the scenes. The tasting after was free and everything tasted wonderful. Can't wait to return on our next trip.

This was a spur of the moment side trip we took on a rainy day. It was very informative to hear the history and fermenting process. The tasting afterward was enjoyable as well to give us a sampling of the different bourbons.
Overall, an enjoyable experience that I will recommend.

My wife and I and another couple visited this distillery on July 22, 2013 and had a wonderful time. Our Tour guide, Mary, was wonderful, very knowledgeable and friendly. Great job! We have been to some of the large Bourbon distilleries and this tour is now at the top of the list. The Bourbon, Vodka, Gin and Rum are very well done. If you want some good sipping Bourbon Whiskey you have to try Bowman's!!! This is one of the best kept secrets in Virginia but I am going to tell a lot of people about it. Enjoy!!

What a great experience! Holly was the best tour guide you could get! Passionate about bourbon, energetic about people and super knowledgeable. Well done and highly recommend.

Not familiar with the Bowman distillery add we are from out of town. We recently attended a wedding reception here. It was decorated beautifully and festive for the winter. The staff seemed to be very helpful. The meal was catered by A Bavarian chef... Delicious!
Brought a bottle of bourbon home to share.

Planned to go anyway while vacationing in the area, but it made a perfect outing for a rainy day. Tour was very interesting and the tasting at the end sealed the deal. Their bourbon is really nice (and we bought several bottles for ourselves and for Xmas gifts) but we were really impressed with the citrus gin...makes a great gin and tonic, perfect for a hot summer evening. Highly recommend!

Distilleries are the new trend in ways to sample alcohol made in Virginia. As opposed to the size of the tastings, hard drinks are very small. But, after taking the walking tour, learning the history of Bowmans, the process of making the alcohol, you are ready to taste it. The wait is worth it! We found each sample to have a rich full body taste, smooth enough to drink on its. Own or with a mixer. The small gift shop was nice.

For obvious reasons this is not a place to bring children. But for adults, perfect.

Bowmans is also generous to the non profit community. A number of them hold fund raising events there, great location. Enjoy.....

A guided tour is offered and tasting at the end of the free tour. Very interesting as we had never toured a distillery before. You do need to climb one flight of steps but that is all. I don't know if an elevator is available. Tour guide was entertaining and informative.

My husband and I wanted to have a change of pace, so drove to Fredicksburg Va to visit the distillery. We enjoy seeing different distilleries and it was a well spent journey. The site is very old school and the story of the company was very interesting. Our tour guide was excellent and could answer every question we threw at him. The tour was informative and extremely interesting. We had a tasting after the tour and the new knowledge gave so much insight to the tastings. Great time.

Not a lot to see but we enjoyed the diversion. We attended an event, so there was much activity and some artisan displays that were nice.

I always thought Bourbon had to come from Kentucky!!! Well surprise, surprise it just has to meet strict government standards to be called Bourbon, and A. Smith Bowman has the standards down pat. If memory serves me they won an award for the best Bourbon for last year. It's a very nice place, small, very picturesque, and the tour was the best. Very informative, and so professionally conducted my wife enjoyed it. The aging area was so aromatic it was almost mesmerizing, so you can imagine how their Bourbon tastes. They also create gin, Caribbean rum, and vodka. You can make purchases of all their products, but I can't wait to try the charred oak removed from the inside of used barrels in my BBQ!!!

I've visited a few distilleries, and at least for me this one pairs very well with some of the Scottish distilleries that ship out their juice for casking/warehousing/bottling elsewhere. (Such as many of the distilleries on Islay)

First off they go into depth about the casks, they also have a very unique set of stills, the pot still is very unique and their hybrid still is very interesting.

You on the tour see some unusual casks beyond that on the tour, and the they warehouse the casks upright. They seem to do a lot of mad science type experiments. For example there were some port casks and other wine casks, and there were also a few casks of an experimental apple brandy resting.

The tour guide was very informative, it filled in quite a few details, which I was missing from some tours I'd taken before.

The only detail, is this distillery hasn't done grain to glass processing for bourbon in many years, as they start with a sourced distillate, which they distill for a 3rd time. So there is no mash tun on site, or washbacks, although I'm pretty sure what they get in is of exceptionally consistent quality.

With the hybrid still they produce other products in small batches from end to end.

It is well worth a visit.

Our second visit. First on a weekday. Got the "LONG" tour and saw parts of the facility we did not see on our last weekend visit (I guess due to the crowds). Nice tasting after the tour. Our guide was well versed and really enjoyed his job there!

Yes, all FREE. a 30 Plus minute tour by an expert on the oldest continual operating LEGAL distillery in the USA. Recently winning National and World wide awards for their bourbons and other spirits. AND at the end of the tour a FREE tasting of five of their products. The good stuff too! Of course it temps you to purchase their products and promotional items at the gift shop which has an ABC License!

Bowman's is not a large facility but it is immaculate. The distillery tour was amazing. Never realized what went into making Bourbon! The taste testing was enjoyable. They also make rum and gin. They have won many prizes for their Bourbon.

Stopped to do the tour and taste their Bourbons. The tour was very informative. We walked through the history and the process. At the end we were able to taste 4 whiskeys. They actually make more than Bourbon. They also make gin, rum and vodka. The owner likes to experiment. During our visit they were prepping for a wedding. It sounds like a very reasonable priced place to have an event at only $1000 on a weekend night.

The distillery is not that big but the free tour and product tasting are worth the trip. It is a small batch distillery tucked away in an unassuming area of Fredericksburg but once inside you will be treated to a small group tour that includes the barrel house and ends with a sample tasting. There is a little shop that carries their products as well as some gift items and tasty treats. A good way to spend a couple of hours even for locals.

A. Smith Bowman’s Distillery is a great place to learn about Virginia Bourbon. Bowman has won several bourbon awards. They have free tours and free tastings. Plenty of parking and restrooms. They have a gift shop as well. They have events throughout the year, but there is a fee. Check out their IG or Facebook pages for current events. I’ve visited many times with family and friends. Even the non-drinkers enjoy the tour; it’s very interesting.

We didn't know what to expect when we stopped in to visit but 2 months later we find we're developing a healthy appreciation for bourbon. Great tour where we learned tons and enjoyed the casual, friendly style. Then to the free tasting. They make some nice whiskey/bourbon, at least to our naive palates. We're savoring the bottle we got, but it really is just so good.

I had tried a number of times to get a tour of a distillery and never managed to get to one at the right time so I was delighted to discover this one and arrive just at tour time. This isn't Jack Daniels but my guess would be that our tour guide was as knowledgable and delightful and anyone that works for Jack. Our tour group was small--just 8 people. My husband and I both learned a lot about the process of making bourbon and we even had a tasting of 4 of the products sold by the company. This was a great and unexpected treat. The tour is an hour and there was a flight of steps to get to one area of the distillery.

I love bourbon, but you don’t have to in order to enjoy this tour. If you’ve been to a bourbon distillery before you can still learn something new. Erin was our guide, she was informative and super funny! She made it fun to wait for free samples :) I like that they are experimenting with gin. I hate gin but even their sample of gin was smooth and would be excellent and dangerous in a cocktail. Hubby had purchased John J Bowman bourbon a couple of years ago and I completely drank the entire bottle, little nips at a time. So I wanted to replace it for him. Although we could’ve stopped at an ABC store I’m glad we toured where it is made (with pride and love)!

There are free tours of the distillery and a tasting that are free. The tour is history filled, and fun. The tasting after was just enough to let you what to buy, but not enough that you had to worry about driving afterward. The tours run on the hour.

I've been to Bowman a couple of times in the past two years. This March, we enjoyed the variety of spirits, old and new. The Staff was very knowledgeable and gave a great tasting experience, explaining different flavors with different sampling techniques. We particularly enjoyed the pioneer spirit bourbon single barrel. The open space store is next to the tasting area. Their are a variety of fun items for sale, including bourbon potpourri. They have a newer still that should provide more fun spirits to sample in the near future. The interior setting is a warehouse, full of bourbon barrels arranged in artful ways. The outside has a picnic area next to a wooded stream. Well worth stopping by. The entrance is marked, just next to a oil company store front.

We are from Kentucky and enjoy learning about bourbon outside of its home state. Learning the history of the building was as interesting as tasting the bourbon. They also make gin and rum there. Free tour and free tastings!

Stopped in here for something to do on a lazy weekend, the staff is wonderful and took the opportunity to take the tour with Micah. She was a fantastic tour guide and due to the small group sizes right now there was a broader opportunity for more in-depth and detailed questions/discussions. The tasting setup was very nice. They have a wonderful shop and plenty of space to social distance.

Taking the Tour & Tasting is a MUST when you visit A. Smith Bowman Distillery. The tour guides are knowledgeable and friendly, which makes the whole experience positively fun!

Enjoy all the tastings that they have to offer. You will be SURPRISED on the HIGH QUALITY and TASTE of their spirits -- Especially the Bourbon Whiskeys!!!

INTERESTING FACTS:

Bowman's Single Barrel Bourbon WON the BEST BOURBON IN THE WORLD AWARD for both 2016 and 2017!!!

Cheers!!!

This is a very nice facility to visit if you want to learn about bourbons. Unfortunately we only had time to have a tasting and not the full tour, but service was excellent and we found that Virginia bourbon can be to our liking after all!!
This is a particularly nice tasting, as you can choose from an array of product options which includes other spirits besides bourbon.
The gift shop area offers a nice array of items for purchase, not just silly souvenirs as is so often the case, but foods and condiments that compliment the products.
I hope to have the opportunity to return for a full tour.

When searching for things to do in Fredericksburg, VA, I came upon the Smith Bowman Distillery site and said “why not” visit. Tours are offered on the hour and last about one hour followed by a tasting of four of their spirits (state law says only four and no sharing). The distillery was originally located in Reston, Virginia on a 7,200-acre farm which later became the planned community of Reston. The distillery was founded in 1934, a day after the end of Prohibition. From this time until the 1950s, it was the only legal whiskey distillery in Virginia. The company moved the distillery to Fredericksburg in 1988 into a former cellophane plant. The distillery produces bourbon (Virginia Gentleman is their signature one), gin, rum, and the Mary Hite Bowman Caramel Cream (similar to Baileys Irish Cream). On the tour, we saw the still house, barrel warehouse and learned about distillation, barreling and bottling of bourbon. Ralph, our tour guide, said that currently one person does the bottling. Their barrels are stacked four tall vertically. There are currently 6-7,000 barrels aging in their immense warehouse. All of the items included in the tasting are available for purchase at the in building store. Some of the items are only available for purchase in the store. Regardless if you purchase or not, the distillery is worth a visit when you are in Fredericksburg, VA.

Very enjoyable free tour with knowledgeable guide. Nice sampling at the end, very nice tasting bourbon. Of course we bought some to take home.

Awesome Venue and Great Bourbon. Had the opportunity to sample most all of them. They have one of top rated Bourbon in the country now.

The small distillery in Fredericksburg is a great place to stop if you're any fan of bourbon. The hour-long tour is both entertaining and informative and offers some insights into the different techniques this distillery employs to create consistently good products. A tasting (of up to 4 different items) wraps up the tour. You can then look around the gift shop and purchase any of the products you tried, as well as some awesome BBQ and steak sauces.

We were looking for something to do on Friday morning and since my husband loves his bourbon we thought we would stop by and take a tour. We received a private tour of the facility (since the two of us were the only ones there) from Michelle. From the history of the family to the stills and how the alcohol is made, the bottling area, the room where the barrels are checked in and filled, to the storage room (wow!!). Lastly, we got to try a selection of just about everything they have on site (bourbon, rum, gin and vodka). The place only has 12 employees, and everyone there is extremely knowledgeable of their processes. We even got our bottles signed by Brian (the master distiller). What a great place to spend our morning.

Our guide was excellent. The tour was informative. Can't believe we did not check this out sooner. The bourbon and gin are incredible. Will definitely bring others to check this out.

Wasn’t sure what to expect but it was raining out and with friends in for the weekend decided to try something new. Took the journey down to Fredericksburg to see the distillery. Arrived and walked in. They are super prepared for current covid times. Fancy iPad and to digitally take you temperature. We Met our tour guide Erin who definitely loves her job and kept the tour pretty lively. She was great! Learned a lot of fun facts about bourbon whiskey and the company’s history. Great time highly recommend it. Tour ends with a a fun tasting! The company store has lots of great options along with obviously liquor for purchase.

I never new Virginia had whiskey distilleries until I was looking for donations for my annual Christmas party. I contacted their sales manager and requested a donation and Bowman Distillery happily obliged. All I had to do was go there and pick up the item, which was good because I got to sample and purchase a few bottles.

Thank you Bowman Distillery.

Tucked away in the same business park at Blue and Grey Brewery, I'd never heard of this distillery. My cousin and I ventured out on a cold day for a tour. We were the only ones there, so the tour guide went into a lot of detail. It probably didn't hurt that he was also training another tour guide.

We visited the the A Smith Bowman Distillery in August this year and I must say, it was very informative. I learned a lot about bourbon, and the process from start to the "Finish"
What literally made the tour was our Tour Guide. I believe his name was Bill Jones. He was very friendly, witty, and full of information!
I highly recommend requesting him for your tour!

Wonderful tour provided by Jeff, he was personable and knowledgeable… I’m sure we could have gone on for hours if it wasn’t closing time. Can’t wait to go back!!!

If you are in the Fredericksburg area, the distillery is a good place to tour. The "bourbon" process is interesting. We met the master distiller. There is a tasting at the end of the tour. Even if you are not a bourbon drinker, the tour is well worth the time.

The tour of the Smith Bowman Distillery provide an excellent over view of whiskey/bourbon process. The tour guide David Sweet, provide details and took time for both those who had never made a tour before, and those who had specific question due to their past tours at other distillerysites.

Good Stuff. Tour was very informative and the Bourbon is great. Hearing the lineage of the Bowmans and how it evolved into "Big Mary" is some interesting stuff.
The distillery is about two minutes outside downtown Fredricksberg and has plenty of parking. They also have an ABC license so you can but Bourbon, Whiskey, Rum, and Vodka right on site. They also have misc souvenirs like the barrel char and and staves.
The tasting at the end was very welcome.

For only conducting tours for a year and a half, this was above and beyond. From our tour guide, Mary, to the sites and smells of a working distillery, the experience was a great one. Mary kept the humor, along with interesting facts and explanations of the process of making spirits. Will definitely return if in the area again. We definitely recommend that you experience this hidden treasure.

We took the tour and enjoyed the beverage tasting. Our host was excellent, knowledgeable and very enthusiastic about their products. The entire experience was at no cost. The rum barrel aged bourbon is superb and all praised the caramel bourbon liquor.

If you are in the Fredericksburg area I highly recommend you stop by A. Smith Bowman Distillery and take a tour. My wife and I visited this place last weekend and learned a lot about the company and how it makes it's spirits.

No crowd for the 12 noon tour. Cathy did a get job. Enjoyed the history and the tasting, both of which are free. Enjoyed the single barrel the best. Their vodka and the Carmel bourbon cream are highly recommended.

Awesome tour and informative tour guides. Very friendly and the products are first rate. So nice to see craft and artistry at work. Excellent facilities in a historic building. Well worth the time and you'll be glad you did!