Kentucky bourbon distillery plans new downtown Louisville tasting room

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Green River Distilling Co. plans to open at tasting room brewing up a new experience on Whiskey Row in downtown Louisville next year.

Just a few doors down from the 21c Museum Hotel, plans for the new location at 714 W. Main St. call for a horseshoe-shaped tasting and cocktail bar.

A bottle shop will offer both everyday whiskies and limited-edition distillery exclusives, and a hidden entrance will lead to a speakeasy bar, where the brand will host a refined cocktail program and educational experiences.

"We're really trying to make this not only a place where folks who might be visiting Louisville for the first time just happen to stop in," said Mark Erwin, the CEO of Bardstown Bourbon Company, which owns Green River Distilling. "We believe this is going to be a place where people return again and again."

Green River Distilling, which is based in Owensboro, plans to open its downtown Louisville location on Whiskey Row just down the block from Bardstown Bourbon Company's new tasting room.

"Through our brand homeplaces in Bardstown and Owensboro and our tasting room in Louisville, visitors have come to expect first class experiences that engage, educate and delight," Erwin said in a new release Tuesday. "Green River Distilling Co. has a rich history and an even better revival story and the Main Street experience will embody the brand’s timelessness and approachability."

Green River's downtown Louisville location is scheduled to open in mid-2025.