A taste of Louisville

The Urban Bourbon Trail gives you the opportunity to celebrate Louisville’s rich bourbon heritage at some of the finest bourbon bars in the world.

All of the bars on the Urban Bourbon Trail offer bourbon flights, specialty bourbon cocktails, at least 50 different types of bourbon and a trained staff who can explain the precise nuances and tasting notes of the liquor.

Not only will a trip along the Urban Bourbon Trail educate you on America’s only native spirit, but you’ll also get to experience some of Louisville’s most cherished historic hotels, churches and award-winning restaurants.

There are two ways to travel the Urban Bourbon Trail. You can either pick up a free passport at the Visitors Center (4th and Jefferson Streets in downtown Louisville) or at Urban Bourbon Trail Stops.

You can also download an electronic passport using an iPhone or Android app.

After making a purchase at one of the trail stops, simply ask your bartender or server to validate your passport (or app) before you leave. Once you visit six stops along the trail and turn in your passport, you’ll earn the rank of official Bourbon Country Citizen, a special Urban Bourbon Trailblazer T-shirt and an official Citizen of Bourbon Country certificate.

After GIE+EXPO ends for the day and just a few blocks away from 4th Street Live! and the GIE+EXPO free Concert Series, there are plenty of top-notch bourbon bars for you to enjoy.

Down One Bourbon Bar, located in the heart of Louisville’s Whiskey Row, has walls lined with over 170 different types of bourbon. The bar is reminiscent of the prohibition era speakeasies with its secret phone booth room featuring some of the world’s rarest bourbons.

In addition to their liquors, Down One is famous for their Three Little Pigs sandwich – sliders with varied cuts and styles of pork that earned the restaurant the coveted Best Barbecue Sandwich in America award in 2014.

Located within the iconic Galt House Hotel is one of Louisville’s oldest bourbon bars, Jockey Silks. This bar features the country’s largest selection of Kentucky bourbons, including numerous hard-to-find varieties. As you sip on one of Jockey Silk’s 165 different bourbon varieties, your surroundings will be reminiscent of an old-world gentleman’s club, complete with rich wood, cozy leather and horse-racing memorabilia.

If you’re searching for the perfect burger to go with your bourbon, look no further than Sidebar at Whiskey Row. Located within the Whiskey Row Lofts near the Yum! Center, this historic limestone building was constructed in 1877 by L & N Railroad to be their headquarters.

Sidebar offers several different bourbons and specializes in handcrafted bourbon cocktails. They’re also famous for bourbon milkshakes. Yes, in Kentucky bourbon even shows up on the dessert menu!

For upscale dining to go with selections of Kentucky’s finest bourbons, Vincenzo’s Italian Restaurant is the place to visit. In addition to the large selection of bourbons at the bar, Chef Agostino enjoys enhancing his dishes with bourbon.

Vincenzo’s is famous for fresh and authentic Italian dishes, including veal crepes, Italian-style fish and tortellini. Diners can take in the old-world, elegant décor while being pampered by knowledgeable servers and seasoned sommeliers.

Inside Doc Crow’s Southern Smokehouse and Raw Bar, you’ll find soulful southern food and hospitality. The name is a nod to the mid-19th century physician credited with making scientific discoveries that created more consistent whiskey. Doc Crow’s is an upbeat establishment that’s all about celebrating southern food and spirits.

They’re famous for their seafood dishes, baby back ribs, pulled pork and fried green tomatoes. With their large selection of bourbons, they’re also notorious for making killer old-fashioned cocktails.

Sway at the Hyatt Regency is where farm-to-fork meets southern cuisine. Once you sit down at this friendly southern eatery, you’ll feel like you’re at your grandma’s house for Sunday dinner, only with the freshest ingredients from local farms, butchers and dairies.

Located right next to Fourth Street Live!, Sway provides a convenient place to get your bourbon fix before heading across the street to GIE+EXPO’s free concerts.

While you’re sipping on one of Sway’s diverse array of bourbons, make sure to sample their popular deviled eggs with crispy bacon, shrimp and grits or brisket sliders.