| ON THE ROAD: LOUISVILLE, KY |

by KYLE SWARTZ

I attended The 2025 Kentucky Bourbon Fest held in September in Bardstown, KY. The festival grounds have expanded: Now they sprawl across the massive parking lot of the church next door.

Consequently, the number of distilleries pouring has ballooned as well, requiring several days to taste them all. In total, 65 distilleries participated, sampling newer products, industry staples and those hard-tofind unicorn bottles.

My colleague and I cruised through the booths. Listing all the brands we tried would require too much space. Rather, I’ ll mention two standouts from the Craft Distillers section.

Old Louisville Whiskey Company poured two of my favorite whiskeys in the entire show. A 10− year MGP and an 8−year Bardstown both stood out, perfectly balanced and easy drinking. Keep an eye on this brand as they expand into additional markets.

Perhaps the most hype at the Bourbon Fest was for Dark Arts Whiskey House. Another sourced brand, this reminded me of Rare Character, with ornate branding and bold whiskeys that match the marketing. Everything I tried from Dark Arts was enjoyably big in flavor, a lineup of heavy hitters.

Distilleries could sell products directly from their festival booths. Lines of folks waiting to buy rare products stretched long across the fields.

When the festival gates opened each morning, VIP ticketholders flooded the grounds, racing for front spots in line. Whiskey social media was abuzz with people showing off the unicorns they had rounded up. People we talked to enjoyed the size of the fest and the sheer number of booths and activities to explore. Some were disappointed with the long, chaotic lines to buy bottles, but appreciated that the lines to sample whiskeys were relatively short.

Due to a spike in riders, Ubers became erratic and expensive. Leaving the premises to visit nearby distilleries was a risky idea. My writer friend and I got marooned at Bardstown

Bourbon Co. ourselves, and eventually bummed a ride back to the fest from two friendly retirees.

WHISKEY HOUSE OF KENTUCKY

We visited the Whiskey House of Kentucky for a media tour. Founded in 2022 by ex-Bardstown Bourbon executives, this 178−acre contract whiskey distillery in Elizabethtown, KY,( about 50 minutes south of Louisville, 30 minutes west of Bardstown) opened last year. Its presence in the market is already noticeable.

“ We are the first distillery custom-built for custom whiskey production,” said Whiskey House cofounder David Mandell.“ We have the most flexible facility.” This includes many possible mash bills that can run through the system without losing efficiency, Mandell explained. Such as vintage mash bills, if desired.

Since opening last year, Whiskey House has produced 58 mash bills for 35

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