Evan Williams Bourbon Experience — Attraction in Louisville

Louisville isn't just about the Bourbon; it's the people. Visiting from Seattle, I was continually struck by the warmth and genuine friendliness of everyone I met. While the whiskey is the main draw, the hospitality elevates the whole experience—a sentiment that was profoundly true for our tour at Evan Williams.

We chose the Speakeasy Tasting Experience, and while many tours cover the history and process of making bourbon, this one was in a league of its own thanks to the fully immersive, in-character staff.

The adventure starts downstairs when your guide selects a volunteer to approach a solid steel door. The secret password? You knock "with purpose" and tell the man inside you're "friends of Louie." Stepping inside is like walking straight into the 1920s. The speakeasy-style bar instantly sets the mood, and the "show" begins while you're served top-notch bourbon. I won't spoil the rest, but the acting and storytelling are phenomenal.

Having been on over 40 distillery tours across Kentucky, I can confidently say this was, hands down, my favorite to date. If you're in downtown Louisville (LooaVul), this is a must-do.

Just a heads-up: book your tickets ahead! We saw people turned away while waiting. For logistics, the gift shop is on the second floor, and the main bar is on the...

Evan Williams Eggnog: Eggnog is a somewhat divisive holiday indulgence. If you are not familiar with it, eggnog is a rich, chilled, sweetened, dairy-based (milk, cream, egg yolks, and the whipped egg whites that give it its name) beverage. Growing up it was never much of a tradition in our home, but I’ve come to like it over the years, beginning in college when it was consumed with a plethora of alcohol. Evan Williams saves me a step as its eggnog is pre-mixed with a combination of smooth Kentucky Bourbon, rum, brandy, and real dairy cream. At just 15% ABV and 30 proof it's not an overly strong drink, and it shows in the flavor as the alcohol is only slightly noticeable. Other than the hint of alcohol, Evan Williams Eggnog is a doppelgänger of the classic Christmas treat. Both are cream colored, have thick & creamy textures, and have a sweet taste combining vanilla, cream, hints of egg, and nutmeg. Ideally this could be drunk chilled or on the rocks, but I like adding just an ounce or two to my vanilla shakes. Evan Williams Eggnog is a tasty creation to get you into the holiday spirit, Doughboy approved *Only con is just like Eggnog it's calorie dense at 140 calories per fluid...

It could be so much better. The tour itself is moderately okay. If you can get into another one, you probably should. This tour is more about theatrical production value to make you relate to the brand than it is about learning about the product. To start, stop asking people to sip a mixing bourbon and the stop enticing people into a much better 12 year bourbon and then charging almost 100 bucks more than you would in Japan. It is distasteful and opportunistic. My other complaint is I happened to be at this location in the day the Derby bottle was released as well as the day after and missed it on both days. Learn from other distilleries and give the tours an option to buy the limited release if they have given you their time to do your tour. The Derby bottle is a phenomenal product that I both had to pay to try and now will never get a bottle thanks to this disappointing marketing disgrace.

Anyway... its a mediocre tour that would benefit from more reality and less theatrics. The products on the other hand stand for themselves. If you want a mixer, they have it. If you want a sipper, they have that too but no matter what, the 12 year shouldn't cost more than you'd...