Overview

3 Hours • Ages 21+ • Bourbon drinks & food pairings in NuLu

Duration: 3 Hours
Cancellation Summary: Refundable Tickets allow changes or refunds with at least 48 hours' notice. Non-Refundable Tickets cannot be changed or refunded.
Meeting Point: Last Refuge, NuLu, Louisville
Min Age: 21
Group Size: 12
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible. 1 mile of flat walking.
Description: #Uncover the secrets of Kentucky bourbon.

This guided walking tour offers an experience that you won't find at any bourbon distillery in Kentucky: a culinary journey through the story of Kentucky bourbon.

Explore the unique flavors, storied history, and lasting impact of Kentucky's beloved amber spirit, paired with delicious bites, pours, and cocktails. You'll trace the origins of bourbon whiskey from its roots in the Appalachian foothills to today's thriving bourbon scene, gaining a profound understanding of its cultural importance in Louisville, Kentucky and beyond.

As the sun sets over the bustling NuLu district, you'll be guided through award-winning restaurants, hidden speakeasies, rooftop terraces, and cozy tasting rooms. You'll taste a wide variety of bourbons, cocktails, and bites that pair with bourbon in surprising and delicious ways. And you'll even land a few coveted tables at some of the most hard-to-book restaurants in town.

This tour is a fantastic introduction to bourbon for the uninitiated, and a master class in bourbon pairing for aficionados. Reserve your spot today and uncover the secrets of Kentucky bourbon!
What is Included: - 4 Bourbon cocktails showcasing bourbon's versatility

• 2 Guided tastings of rare bourbons

• 5 Paired dishes, comprising a full dinner

• The unfiltered history of bourbon in Kentucky
  What is not Included: - Transportation

• Guide gratuity

• Distillery visit
  Itinerary: - You'll begin your tour with a cocktail pairing at the Church of Bourbon, seated in front of one of the largest bourbon collections in the world.

• Visit a local bottle shop for a guided bourbon tasting and cheese pairing. You'll also have the opportunity to shop for rare and premium bottles.

• Try a seasonal dish paired with a modern twist on the official Louisville cocktail at a restaurant founded by a Michelin starred Chef

• Snag a coveted table at an award-winning restaurant founded by a James Beard winning Chef and enjoy a unique take on a Manhattan-style cocktail and pairing featuring a local bourbon-barrel aged soy sauce and spice blend.

• Your tour will end at a rooftop view overlooking the downtown skyline at sunset. Savor a creative take on a Mint Julep cocktail alongside a decadent dessert that transforms a classic bourbon cocktail into a rich, indulgent treat.
  Highlights: As the sun sets over the vibrant NuLu neighborhood – lauded as one of “The Best Food Neighborhoods in the USA” – you’ll visit award-winning restaurants, rooftop terraces, and cozy tasting rooms.

• Trace the origins of bourbon whiskey from its roots in the Appalachian foothills to today’s thriving bourbon scene

• Unlock bourbon’s versatility and depth through paired bites, pours, and cocktails

• Try modern re-interpretations of classic Louisville bourbon cocktails such as the Old Fashioned and the Mint Julep

• Sample bourbon’s full range of versatility, including clarified, fat-washed, river-aged, wheated, infused, and finished bourbons

• Land a few coveted tables at some of the most celebrated eateries in town, including restaurants by Michelin Star and James Beard winning Chefs

Perfect for both bourbon newcomers and seasoned enthusiasts, this guided walking tour of NuLu’s best restaurants and tasting rooms offers an experience that you won’t find at any bourbon distillery.
Check in Details: Please plan to arrive 15 minutes before the start time of your tour.
Special Requirements: - This tour is 21+

• Due to our set menu and our restaurant partner's policies, we are unable to accommodate some food preferences and allergies. This tour can accommodate vegetarian, gluten-free (but NOT celiac) and dairy-free guests. Please let us know when booking if you have an allergy.

• Delicious, creative mocktails are available for non-drinkers - just let us know when booking if you'd prefer a mocktail version of the tour.
  Extras: - Opportunity to purchase rare, premium, and hard-to-find bourbon at a local bottle shop

• Upgrade available to add 4 rare and premium bourbon tastings to your tour. Select "Premium Bourbon Upgrade" at checkout.
  Disclaimers: - This tour is 21+ and infants are NOT allowed per Kentucky law.

• Please note that the itinerary and menu is subject to change, based on the locations' availability, weather, and other circumstances.
• Suitable for all fitness levels, but please note that this tour covers roughly 1 mile of walking.
• Tours run in rain, shine, or snow unless weather becomes severe or constitutes a dangerous situation.
• This tour can accommodate vegetarian, gluten-free (but NOT celiac) and dairy-free guests. Please notify us in advance at least 24h before the tour start time if you have any dietary restrictions.

Faqs: ##How much food will we be eating on this tour?

You’ll enjoy 6 paired dishes, comprising a full dinner. The tour is designed to leave you feeling satisfied, but not stuffed!

Why is this tour more expensive than your other tours?

This experience is designed to be more on the luxury side of the spectrum. The tour visits some of the best restaurants and tasting rooms in Louisville, including restaurants founded by Michelin Starred and James Beard winning Chefs. In addition, the bourbon pours and cocktails you’ll be tasting are higher shelf selections. As such, the price of the tour is higher than our other, more casual tours!

I don’t drink – can I still do the tour?

Yes! You will enjoy refreshing non-alcoholic mocktails paired with delicious food and learn the fascinating history of bourbon. Please note that all participants on this tour must be 21+, even if you won’t be partaking.

How much alcohol will we be drinking on this tour?

We’ve designed the portions and food pairings to give you a nice warm “Kentucky Hug” without leaving you feeling overly intoxicated. In total, you will be drinking 5 delicious half-sized cocktails and 2 half-pours of bourbon.

Will we be visiting bourbon distilleries on this tour?

We will visit a bottle shop and tasting room, but we will not be visiting bourbon distilleries on this tour! Most distilleries close early, and we’ll be venturing out around dinnertime. Plus, we’re going beyond the barrel to explore bourbon outside of the distillery – and diving into the stories they don’t tell you on distillery tours. Our guided bourbon food tour is a perfect complement to a Kentucky bourbon trail distillery visit!

If you’d like to plan a distillery visit before your tour, both Rabbit Hole and Angel’s Envy distilleries are within walking distance of the tour’s starting point.

I’ve visited a LOT of bourbon distilleries. Will I learn anything new on your tour?

We’re all bourbon nerds here at Louisville Food Tours, and we LOVE bourbon experts – and beginners, too! Our tour is the perfect accompaniment to visiting distilleries along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

Unlike bourbon distilleries, which focus on the specific brands they craft and the process of making bourbon, along with the occasional morsel of history (usually about Prohibition, which is represented the exact same way on every distillery tour we’ve taken – and we’ve taken most of them), our tour is a more well-rounded approach to bourbon’s history and cultural impact.

We uncover the history of bourbon starting with its humble origins in the Appalachian foothills, trace its growth and impact on Kentucky and Louisville, and dive into the stories the distilleries won’t tell you about Prohibition – like why it was such a popular policy to begin with (and the answers may surprise you).

Along the way, you’ll taste a wide variety of bourbons, bourbon cocktails, and paired bites that we’ve hand-picked for their ability to pair with bourbon in surprising and delicious ways. Not to mention, you’ll land a few coveted tables at some of the most hard-to-book restaurants in town, including award-winning Nami (and you just might meet our local celebrity Chef Ed Lee, as well.)

It’s truly an experience that goes beyond the barrel to truly expand on what you might have already learned on bourbon distillery tours!