Explore these 13 urban distilleries in Bourbon City

August 11, 2026 | Staff

Sip, tour, and discover Bourbon City one distillery at a time.

A flatbed truck carrying wooden barrels parked on a city street in front of a brick building with an Old Forester Distillery sign and historic facade.

Starting with Evan Williams in 1783, Louisville has been home to many distillers. In the early 1900s, there were more than 50 bourbon-related businesses along Main Street, earning its nickname "Whiskey Row."

In 2013, Evan Williams Bourbon Experience ushered in a renaissance, which has now seen the opening of nearly two dozen distilleries and tasting rooms in the urban core, each with unique visitor experiences.

Start your adventure at the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Welcome Center located in the Frazier History Museum where a concierge service helps visitors plan their Bourbon excursions.

Angel's Envy

Angel's Envy is a labor of love from multiple generations of the Henderson family. Located across the street from Louisville Slugger Field, get an up-close look at the entire operation and enjoy a tasting in the Finishing Room, a cocktail at the private bar, and the opportunity to bottle your own port barrel-finished bourbon.

Brough Brothers

Kentucky's first African-American owned distillery is located in southwestern Louisville. Founded by the Yarbrough brothers, Victor, Bryson, and Chris, Brough Brothers opened in 2020 and offers 30-minute tours of its micro distillery.

Buzzard's Roost

Known for the flavor created during secondary maturation, Buzzard's Roost micro distillery offers guided whiskey tastings and flights, as well as cocktail and bourbon education classes. The Buzzard's Roost Bar & Lounge is open to the public and serves cocktails and flights.

Copper & Kings

Explore the deep history of America's original spirit — long before bourbon claimed the spotlight. At Copper & Kings, you'll tour some of the largest custom pot stills in the country and step into the spaces where time and craft shape their brandy. Your visit ends on the rooftop bar, with a sweeping view of Louisville and a pour that brings the story full circle.

Evan Williams Bourbon Experience

The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience was the first distillery to open on Whiskey Row post-Prohibition, signaling a new era in Bourbon City. Here you'll find an immersive experience that celebrates the legacy of Kentucky's first distiller, Evan Williams, and the intertwined history of bourbon and the Ohio River. The ON3 Bar is an urban chic loft open to the public.

Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co.

The first Peerless whiskey went in to a barrel in 1889 and now the Taylor family has revitalized the brand at its distillery right off Main Street. At this intimate facility you can experience the entire whiskey-making process as the grains are milled, cooked, fermented, doubled-distilled, and barreled as bourbon and rye.

Michter's Fort Nelson

Michter's saved and renovated the historically and architecturally significant Fort Nelson building on Louisville's Museum Row and opened its doors in February 2019. In addition to tours, tastings, and a gift shop, the second floor of the building features a high-end cocktail bar.

NuLu Whiskey Co.

At this Prohibition-themed distillery located on Baxter Avenue, see how bootleggers made moonshine in the '20s as you view a collection of historical memorabilia from the era. Spend some time after your tour in the full-service Prohibition Craft Spirits Bar.

Old Forester

Returning to the same building it once called home, Old Forester is the culmination of a 150-year legacy. On the tour, follow the bourbon-making process from fermentation and distillation, to the in-house cooperage where barrels are handcrafted and fired, then filled and aged in an on-site rickhouse before being bottled. George's Bar features historic photos and is open to the public.

Old Louisville Whiskey Co.

The family-owned Old Louisville Whiskey Co. pays tribute to the Old Louisville neighborhood that inspires its bourbons and whiskeys by aging for a minimum of seven years before bottling by hand. Experience the process first-hand on one of their tours.

Rabbit Hole

Set in Louisville's NuLu neighborhood, the distillery showcases the identity, tradition, and legacy of bourbon-making in an entirely new way. Get lost in the magic and linger in the light-filled distillery with amazing views of the skyline, river, and bridges. Guests can also indulge at Overlook, a curated rooftop tasting bar.

Stitzel-Weller

Located in southwestern Louisville, the historic Stitzel-Weller Distillery first opened on Derby Day 1935. Now home to Blade and Bow, tours include a look at a craft still, the warehouse where rickhousing was invented, and a time capsule look at a 1935 barrel cooperage. Visit the Garden & Gun club, one of only two in the U.S.

Uncle Boojie's

In Uncle Boojie's bourbon tasting warehouse, sample Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey pulled straight from the cask, learn stories behind a 200-year-old family recipe, and enjoy a guided tasting that highlights the family's long-standing whiskey tradition. During the Bonded Warehouse Tour, you can also choose a favorite barrel, bottle, and label your own keepsake.

Looking for more neat urban bourbon pours? Check out these eight tasting rooms: