Pursuit Spirits, the independent blender and bottler of bourbon and rye whiskeys, will start construction later this month on a new visitor experience located at 722 W. Main Street in downtown Louisville, as part of Whiskey Row.

Guests will feel like “bourbon insiders” by picking their favorite barrel and filling their own bottle in a brand new Pursuit United Private Selection experience. The classroom moves beyond “Bourbon 101” and will offer unique educational sessions on maturation techniques and breaking down blends. The shop will host a variety of events including limited and rare bottle releases and intimate tastings.

“We can’t wait to pull back the curtain and give bourbon lovers a truly insider’s experience they won’t find anywhere else,” Ryan Cecil, CEO, Master Blender, and Co-Founder of Pursuit Spirits, said in a news release. “We will take guests to the next level of their bourbon journey.”

The speakeasy-style basement bar will feature rustic brick walls and a contemporary design. It will offer bespoke cocktails and a menu of flights and pours from their Pursuit United core whiskey offerings, single barrels from past Pursuit Series releases, special limited-edition whiskeys, and charcuterie boards from a partnership with Cultured. A soundproof studio for their popular podcast, Bourbon Pursuit, will give visitors a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the brand’s roots.

“For years we’ve given recommendations to Bourbon Pursuit listeners about the best places in Louisville and now we have a destination of our own,” said Kenny Coleman, COO and Co-Founder of Pursuit Spirits. “This home … will introduce more people to the Pursuit Spirits brand and our whiskeys will make new lifelong fans.”

The architecture is led by Joseph & Joseph Architects, a firm specializing in distillery design and hospitality. The firm has well over 100 years of distillery heritage, credited with designing the original Four Roses distillery in 1909. Design is being led in-house with connections from a local design studio. The building is owned by CORE Real Estate Partners with plans for the top three floors to be short-term rentals with 18 rooms.

Pursuit United Bourbon and Pursuit United Rye were both awarded Double Gold at the most recent San Francisco World Spirits Competition. Pursuit United Bourbon was a finalist for Best in Class at San Francisco and was also 2022 Bourbon of the Year at the John Barleycorn Awards.

More information on the project will be released before opening in the Fall of 2024. 

For more information, please visit www.pursuitspirits.com.

Editor’s Note: While Fred Minnick is affiliated with the Bourbon Pursuit podcast, he is not affiliated with Pursuit Spirits.