Louisville Bourbon & Sites (2 of 2)

Part 2 of 2:  Louisville, KY:  A roadtrip from Colorado to visit Kentucky Bourbon distilleries.  I’m including other sites along the way since it may broaden the appeal for non-bourbon drinkers considering a trip to the Bluegrass State.  Part 1 focused on sites outside Louisville.

I’m including a number of Kentucky Distilleries in these posts, but there are many, many more!  Refer to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail for a more extensive listing and details.  There’s also an ‘Urban Bourbon Trail’ for sites specific to Louisville.  Hopefully I’ll add many more to my blog in the future 🙂 

Note:  All photos were taken by Kevin Bleicher and are not approved for reposting or publication without permission.  © 2023 Kevin Bleicher

Distilleries

The distilleries listed below are on Main Street in downtown Louisville (Rabbit Hole is only a few blocks South on E Jefferson).  Most of the distilleries are the real deal; others are extensions of their main sites and can feel artificial (though they still have good gift shops).

I recommend a central hotel since they’re all within walking distance (Homewood Suites on Market in my case).  

• Angel’s Envy Distillery
  • 500 E Main St, Louisville, KY 40202 (map)
  • Tickets
  • A good tour in the heart of Louisville.  You’ll ascend the stairs to see the fermentation tanks and get a hands on display of the mash bill.  All of the steps are covered, along with views of the distillation column and a creative spirit safe.  The bourbon is double maturated in port barrels; the rye in rum (with drams to taste at the end of the tour).  The bottling area was being remodeled so we had to view from a distance (but could still see bottles being filled and packaged).  A welcoming gift shop, friendly staff, and whiskey that’s easy to enjoy. 

• Evan Williams Bourbon Experience
  • 528 West Main St, Louisville, KY 40202 (map)
  • I took the tour a few years ago (photos, below).  It was enjoyable (especially the tasting bar), but a bit artificial since it’s a very small facility catering to tourists rather than a full blown distillery like others on this list.  They have a bar and friendly gift shop, however, and I regularly purchase a bottle (and sometimes a taste) when I visit.  Regular offerings include Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Bourbon (yummy!), Pikesville Rye, and special editions of Evan Williams, etc. (along with shirts, mugs, foods, etc.).

• Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co
  • I visited Peerless in late 2019.  They were just starting to bottle their first barrels of Bourbon (distilled in 2015), and it was still tasting a bit harsh from a short aging.  My later tastings didn’t change my mind, and for this reason I’d recommend their Rye as the better option (which they distilled in 2015 and started to bottle in 2018).   Their bottles are beautiful and distinctive; their facility is nostalgic with a wee bit of Disney thrown in.   They’re quite proud of their history, bottle design, and recapturing of plant number 50, but that doesn’t translate into a great whiskey by itself.  All of their offerings appear to be barrel proof; some are small batch, some are single barrel, and some are double maturated in oak or something more exotic.

• Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery
  • 801 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202 (map)
  • I’ve only visited the main level gift shop at Michter’s ‘Fort Nelson’.  They offer tours with tastings and a bar, however.  This shop also serves as the official starting point for the Kentucky Bourbon trail.  A number of regular bottles are sold, along with a randomly unannounced selection at the front counter from time to time.  I haven’t toured because I suspect an experience similar to Evan Williams; perhaps that’s not the case, however.

• Old Forester Distilling Company
  • 119 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202 (map)
  • Tickets
  • Main St. produces a sizable amount of Old Forester’s products (blended with the whiskies produced at the larger Brown-Forman distillery in Shively).  It’s more than a tourist attraction yet it still manages to feel touristy.  The distillation column is displayed like the Alpha-Omega Bomb in Beneath the Planet of the Apes.  The in-house cooperage is a nice display but not built for volume.  And the “rickhouse” is labeled as a “rackhouse” since it’s a climate controlled warehouse that stores barrels on spiral of rails enclosing VIP tasting areas.   Their ‘Birthday Bourbon’ was being bottled during our tour; the odd-shaped beautiful bottles required a bottling line retooling (which may explain why they were bottling regular Old Forester at the Woodford Reserve distillery in Versailles when we were there).   Our tasting was excellent, however:  1870, 1897, 1910, and 1920.  I always wanted to learn the differences and this tour answered my questions (I preferred the double-oaked 1910).  

• Rabbit Hole Distillery
  • 711 E Jefferson St, Louisville, KY 40202 (map)
  • Tickets
  • Rabbit Hole is one of my new favorite distilleries.  I was as surprised as anyone; I expected to tour another boutique Disney-like distillery that cut all the corners.  Instead we found a contemporary, lean operation with a focus on quality.  Wall graphics detail their full process; every step is done on-site (aside from warehousing, which is done in their own rickhouses outside the city).  The small size was comfortable to navigate with access to fermentation tanks, their distillation column, and views inside the barrel and bottling operations.  My only complaint is a noisy sampling room since the large open space is shared with the bar (easier to use as an event space this way, but distracting during a tasting).  They use different mash bills and experiment with double-maturation in sherry, etc. casks.  I brought bottles home and will continue to recommend them for bottles and tours.

Other Sites

I visited these sites over the course of many visits (not just the most recent one).  

• Belle of Louisville
  • 401 W River Rd, Louisville, KY 40202 (map)
  • Tickets
  • Authentic steam-powered paddle boat on the Ohio River.  A sister boat (Mary M Miller) is also available; it sails more often.  I haven’t taken a cruise in ages though I have fond, sentimental memories.  The Belle is an authentic steamer, so you’ll get to experience the sites, sounds, and feel of the paddlewheels as you cruise down the river.  My photos are assorted phone photos over the years; pardon the quality.

• Big Four Bridge (Walk across the Ohio river)
  • Red Parking Lot, 1001 River Road (map)
  • Louisville is so much nicer now than it was when I was a kid.  One example is the Big Four Bridge:  It went from being an abandoned unattached railroad bridge to a premier walking path over the Ohio River (complete with ramps and elevators for access).  Views showcase the ‘Great Lawn’ (used for outdoor venues), Louisville’s Skyline, Jeffersonville Indiana, bridges, and of course the Ohio River.  These are phone photos from June 2019; pardon the quality.

• Churchill Downs
  • 700 Central Ave, Louisville, KY 40208 (map)
  • See the ‘Kentucky Derby Museum’, below for tours
  • Check the website for the racing schedule.  Admittedly I visit to take photos (rather than bet).  A regular day will give you great access to the paddock and stands for viewing from above or at eye-level.  I typically stand by the rail on the first turn to take photos of the horses rounding the turn with the twin spires in the background.  Or of the horses being led to/from the stables by the stablehands and trainers.  The facilities are being remodeled (check on what’s open before you go), but they typically include snack bars, bars, gift shops, ticketing windows, betting machines, and rooms offering gourmet buffets on special occasions (Thanksgiving, for example).

• Frazier History Museum
  • 829 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202 (map)
  • A top-notch museum on Main across the street from the Slugger Museum.  I went a while ago when they featured their armor collection.  Since then they’ve shifted to all things Bourbon (including tastings) and Kentucky.  I can’t comment since they’ve changed so much…  Perhaps a visit next time I’m in town.
• Kentucky Derby Museum
  • 704 Central Ave, Louisville, KY 40208 (map)
  • Tours (tours provide access to Churchill Downs)
  • An excellent museum focusing on the Kentucky Derby:  the horses, jockeys, races, pageantry, outfits, and celebrations.  There’s a 360 degree in-the-round film of race day.  Entry includes a guided track visit (schedule your tour when the horses are racing).  A number of ticket types are sold giving varying access to track facilities.  Bummer, I don’t have photos of the museum…
• Louisville Slugger Museum & Factory
  • 800 W Main St, Louisville, KY 40202 (map)
  • Tickets
  • A MUST for baseball fans.  A visit includes a large gift shop, museum, and guided tour through the factory where you can watch bats being shaped, stained, dipped, etc.  You’ll be given a free souvenir mini-bat, and you can customize your own full-size bat for a fee.  A pre-tour film shows the wood gathering process with an emphasis on sustainability.  Enjoy demonstrations at the lathe and wood burner, and take photos of the oversized bat leaning against the building entrance.  I remember visiting their earlier site as a kid when it was in Southern Indiana (1970 to 1995); it’s so much nicer on Main Street!

• Louisville Zoo
  • 1100 Trevilian Way, Louisville, KY 40213 (map)
  • I visited countless times as a kid; it’s a great zoo (but too bad they got rid of the train)!   And later as an adult in March 2022.   The zoo offers plenty of parking and places to get a snack.  The photos are from a phone; pardon the quality.

• Muhammad Ali Center
  • 144 N 6th St, Louisville, KY 40202 (map)
  • Go to this museum, even if you’re not interested in boxing!   This is a tribute to Muhammad Ali’s full life and the challenges he faced with racism and religious persecution.  See how he stood strong through all of these trials, and how he challenged himself to make life transitions.  The museum is so much more than boxing, but yes, that’s included too.

• Speed Art Museum
  • 2035 S 3rd St, Louisville, KY 40208 (map)
  • The Speed is the largest and oldest museum in Kentucky (adjacent to the University of Louisville campus).  “The Speed houses ancient, classical, and modern art from around the world.”