The historic distillery closest to the airport
Stitzel-Weller Distillery, at 3860 Fitzgerald Road in Shively, is about 20 minutes from Louisville Muhammad Ali International Airport and about 15 from downtown. No other historic distillery in the area sits that close to SDF, which makes it the natural tasting for an arrival day or the last one before a flight home, with your luggage riding along. It opened on Derby Day 1935, and the distillery says it reopened to the public in 2014 and today hosts Blade and Bow, I.W. Harper and Orphan Barrel.
Stitzel-Weller and Bulleit are two different visits
Visitors still ask for "the Bulleit distillery in Louisville" and end up confused. Stitzel-Weller's own history page says the site first housed the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience after it reopened, and that the Bulleit Distilling Co. visitor center opened in Shelbyville in 2019. So a Bulleit visit today means a drive east on I-64 to Shelbyville, and a Stitzel-Weller visit means Shively. We drive to both. Check which one your reservation is for before you send it to us.
Getting there
From the SDF passenger terminal, the drive is about 20 minutes, roughly seven miles. From downtown hotels, allow about 15 minutes. From downtown Jeffersonville, it is about 20 minutes. Private aircraft that land at Bowman Field can be met there and brought across town.
Arrival days and departure days
On arrival day, we track your flight and reserve nothing else tight around it. Book a tour time later than you think you need, because the pickup can move with a delay but the distillery schedule will not. On departure day, keep the tasting early and leave a real buffer to the airport.
If bags are coming along, tell us when you reserve so we send a vehicle with luggage space. Our luxury SUVs carry extra luggage. Airline and TSA rules decide whether bottles can go in checked bags, so read the TSA page before you shop.
Planning the tasting
The distillery's FAQ describes self-guided tasting flights at bistro tables or on the patio, and a cocktail bar called the Garden & Gun Club with a limited menu of bar bites. Treat that as a snack stop rather than lunch, and check the FAQ for what is running on your date. Reservations are required for the guided tours and tastings, according to the same page.
Bring a valid photo ID. Walking shoes help on the grounds, and a light layer is useful inside the warehouses.
Pairing with a second stop
James B. Beam Distilling Co. in Clermont is about 40 minutes south, which turns an early Stitzel-Weller visit into a half day with lunch at Beam. Downtown and Angel's Envy are about 15 minutes back toward the river if you would rather keep the day short.
How an arrival-day tasting fits together
A typical arrival-day plan looks like this. We track your flight into SDF, meet you per the instructions on your confirmation, load the luggage, and drive about 20 minutes to 3860 Fitzgerald Road in Shively. After the tasting, the downtown hotels are about 15 minutes away, so check-in happens with the bourbon part of the day already done.
On a departure day the order flips: check out, taste at Stitzel-Weller, and ride about 20 minutes to the terminal with a buffer set by your airline. Either way the total driving stays close to half an hour, which keeps a delayed flight from unraveling the plan. Send the flight number and the tour time together so we can check the margin between them.
Reserve your tour directly
Reserve your tour and tasting directly with Stitzel-Weller on its website. Send us your times, and your chauffeur handles the driving and the timing between stops.
Choosing a vehicle
A traveler or couple with suitcases fits a luxury SUV. A group flying in together with bags is better in an executive van or on a shuttle, depending on the headcount. See our fleet page for vehicle sizes. Every chauffeur is background-checked and trained; our safety standards are on the safety page.
Keep planning
Frequently Asked Questions
How close is Stitzel-Weller to the Louisville airport?
About 20 minutes by car, which makes it an easy first or last stop on a travel day.
Is Stitzel-Weller the Bulleit distillery?
Not today. Stitzel-Weller once housed the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience, but the Bulleit visitor center is now at Bulleit Distilling Co. in Shelbyville. Stitzel-Weller hosts Blade and Bow. We drive to both.
Can we bring our luggage on a Stitzel-Weller day?
Yes. Tell us when you reserve so we send a vehicle with luggage space, such as a luxury SUV.