The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience: An Inside Look (Photo Essay)

There’s something historic going on downtown Louisville. Shimmering Vendome-made post stills are being set up at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience, Louisville’s first stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and the city’s first Main Street distiller in a long, long time.

I wrote a silly story about this amazing Bourbon Experience last month. But, I dropped the sarcasm and took my Nikon to go watch these historic stills be set up and learn what hid behind those walls for the past 50 years.

CONSTRUCTION: Former Historic Heaven Hill building at 528 West Main Street — From Blueprints to Inside Yesterday’s Walls to the Still

The Sign.

The plans.

Where yesterday's brick meets todays — Where yesterday’s brick meets todays

Evan Williams Experience 1562 — Work bench and soda.

Evan Williams Experience 1563 — Bird’s eye view of the future tasting room.

Evan Williams Experience 1557 — Color coordinated construction

Evan Williams Experience 1566 — The original boards in the old Heaven Hill building.

Evan Williams Experience 1568 — Whiskey from 1949.

Evan Williams Experience 1569 — TW Samuels Distillery was purchased by Heaven Hill in the 1940s from Bill Samuels Sr., the founder of Maker’s Mark. The rights to the label was purchased in 1991.

Evan Williams Experience 1577 — Who at the old Heaven Hill was drinking Budweiser?

Evan Williams Experience 1571 — Finally, a loyal Heaven Hill employee from the 1940s.

Evan Williams Experience 1570 — Roamer whiskey.

Evan Williams Experience 1573 — Christmas gifts. Proof employees shopped at work.

Still wrapped in whiskey Christmas paper from Vendome.

Evan Williams Experience 1546 — The first peek under the plastic. Sure is pretty.

Evan Williams Experience 1552 — Whiskey.

Evan Williams Experience 1551 — People’s pants.

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