CRAFT DISTILLERY

Old Louisville Whiskey Co.

Louisville,
Kentucky
— Bourbon, Rye

TOURS AVAILABLE

TASTINGS

RESERVATIONS

BOTTLE SALES

DISTILLERY SNAPSHOT

🥃
Finishing Program
Wine casks and specialty oak experiments
👨‍🔬
Newton’s Palate
Every barrel personally tasted and approved
🏭
Warehouse Setting
Exposed brick meets polished concrete floors
🔬
Small Batches
500-gallon copper still, 200 barrels annually
🎯
Intimate Tours
Handful of visitors, real face time
📍
Poplar Level
Louisville’s southside craft distilling pioneer
📞 (502) 345-4059
🌐 https://oldlouisvillewhiskey.com/
📍 4427 Poplar Level Rd, Louisville, KY 40213, USA

ABOUT THIS DISTILLERY

A Warehouse Where Small Batches Matter

Old Louisville Whiskey Co. sits in a converted warehouse space on Poplar Level Road, bringing craft distilling to Louisville’s southside. Founded by Kentucky native Nick Newton in 2019, this operation started as a passion project that grew from Newton’s background in hospitality and his fascination with bourbon’s craft potential. The distillery occupies a 6,000-square-foot facility where Newton and his small team focus on small-batch bourbon and rye production using a custom 500-gallon copper still. What began as weekend experiments in Newton’s garage evolved into a full-scale operation after he spent two years learning from established distillers across Kentucky and Tennessee. The space maintains an industrial feel with exposed brick walls and concrete floors, but Newton’s attention to detail shows in everything from the hand-labeled bottles to the carefully curated tasting room that doubles as event space. They’re producing around 200 barrels annually, with most of their current releases featuring sourced whiskey that Newton hand-selects and finishes in-house while their own distillate ages. The operation reflects Louisville’s growing craft distilling scene, where smaller producers are carving out space alongside the city’s bourbon giants.

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WHAT SETS THEM APART

Barrel Finishing Done The Right Way

Old Louisville Whiskey Co. differentiates itself through Newton’s finishing program, where he takes carefully selected sourced whiskey and gives it additional aging in specialty barrels including wine casks and charred new oak. This approach lets them offer mature products while their house distillate develops, but it’s Newton’s palate and selection process that sets them apart—he personally tastes and approves every barrel that goes into their releases. The distillery also operates as one of the few craft operations in Louisville’s Poplar Level area, serving a part of the city that hasn’t seen much distilling activity. Their small scale means Newton can experiment with different mash bills and finishing techniques that larger operations wouldn’t risk on their main products.

TOURS AVAILABLE

TASTINGS

FOOD AVAILABLE

COCKTAILS

RESERVATIONS

FAMILY FRIENDLY

BOTTLE SALES

THE VISITOR EXPERIENCE

Industrial Space with Personal Touch

You’ll find Newton or one of his team members leading tastings in their industrial-chic tasting room, where exposed brick meets polished concrete and the smell of aging whiskey drifts in from the production area. The experience is intimate—usually just a handful of visitors at a time—and Newton enjoys walking people through his finishing process and explaining how different barrel treatments affect flavor. You can see their copper still setup and barrel storage area, though this isn’t a massive operation with endless rickhouses. The tasting focuses on comparing their finished whiskeys against traditional expressions, which gives you a real education in how different aging approaches change the spirit.

IS IT WORTH VISITING

Worth It for Serious Whiskey Talk

If you’re curious about craft distilling techniques and want to understand barrel finishing, this is a solid stop. Newton’s passionate about the process and you’ll leave knowing more about how whiskey develops flavor beyond the initial distillation. It’s not going to wow you with massive scale or historic significance, but for bourbon enthusiasts who want to see small-batch innovation in action, it delivers. The intimate setting means you get real face time with the people making the whiskey, which you won’t find at the larger Louisville distilleries. Skip it if you’re looking for big production tours or extensive food options.

⚠️ VISITING TIPS

Call ahead since they don’t always have regular hours posted and Newton sometimes closes for production work. The location on Poplar Level can be tricky to spot—look for the modest signage on the warehouse building. Parking is available in their small lot, but GPS sometimes gets confused in this industrial area. Ask Newton about his barrel selection process if you’re there—he’s got strong opinions about sourcing and loves talking shop with serious whiskey drinkers. They usually have bottles available for purchase, including some limited releases you won’t find elsewhere.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Old Louisville Whiskey Co. — Visitor FAQ

Do you make your own whiskey or just finish sourced spirits?
They do both—Newton distills his own whiskey on-site, but since that takes years to mature, they also hand-select sourced whiskey that gets finished in specialty barrels. This lets them offer mature products while their house distillate ages.
How far ahead do I need to book a visit?
Call at least a few days ahead since they don’t keep regular public hours. Newton often closes for production work or private events, so advance notice ensures they’ll be available for tastings and tours.
What’s the difference between your finished whiskeys and regular bourbon?
Newton takes already-aged whiskey and gives it additional time in different barrel types—wine casks, heavily charred oak, or specialty treatments. This adds layers of flavor you won’t find in traditionally aged bourbon, and he’ll walk you through the differences during tastings.

GETTING THERE

Find Old Louisville Whiskey Co.

📍4427 Poplar Level Rd, Louisville, KY 40213, USA

 — 

📞 (502) 345-4059

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