Jackass legend Steve-O was all set to guest on Bill Maher‘s Club Random podcast, until the host refused to stop smoking weed.
During a recent episode of Wild Ride! with Steve-O, host Steve-O told his guest, political commentator Patrick Bet-David, that he watched him on Club Random and found the way that Maher spoke to him to be “rather insulting.” The conversation then turned to marijuana, which Maher frequently smokes because he thinks it makes him look like the coolest guy in the world. It’s also the reason Steve-O didn’t appear on his show.
“I’m a clean and sober guy,” Steve-O said. “It’s very important that I maintain my sobriety.” He’s been sober for nearly 16 years (the before-and-after pic is striking) and “there’s nothing that I value more than my sobriety,” so he found it “upsetting” that when he agreed to appear on Club Random as a guest but only if Maher didn’t smoke, the host declined. “I said I’d happily go on there, but while I’m on, out of respect for my sobriety, could you refrain from smoking pot? And he said, no. That’s a deal-breaker,” Steve-O explained.
You can watch Wild Ride! with Steve-O above (the Maher talk begins around 41 minutes into the video).
In a video that made the rounds online over the weekend, Yachty says, “I personally think that rap n****s are so angry and so mad and so ‘grr’ all the time because they ugly… as f*ck. A lot of rappers don’t like what they see when they wake up, and they realize they probably only get women because they have money. Me, on the other hand, am gorgeous. And it’s like, I’m happy, you know? Life’s great. I got some money, decent looking, I smell great.”
Yachty, of course, has a strong sense of humor, so he’s likely joking around, at least a little bit, here.
Appearance aside, Yachty certainly has a lot to be happy about at the moment. A few days ago, it was announced that he teamed with Quality Control and HYBE to start his own record label, Concrete Rekordz.
As Donald Trump continues to drown in multi-million dollar judgments and legal fees, the former president has become increasingly aggressive in finding new ways to fleece the MAGA faithful. Trump has been selling everything from Bibles to mini speakers that look like him.
“I assume it’s way too loud and never dies,” John Oliver quipped during the latest episode of Last Week Tonight. “You know how you can never tell which Airpods are yours and which are your friends, because all the cases look the same? Well, if you get these, you lose all your friends instantly — problem solved.”
The late night comedian did not hold back as he walked through the most recent examples of Trump using his legal troubles to whip up donations.
Oliver then showed a video, which appeared to have low production value, of Trump saying to his supporters: “We’re fighting. We’re winning. You see what’s going on. So whatever you can do to help financially would be fantastic, because we have to beat it if it’s $5 or $10 or $100, whatever you can do.”
Replied Oliver: “That is a man who talks nonstop about how he’s one of the richest men on Earth, begging strangers for money in a hostage video that looks like it was filmed in a house haunted by the world’s tackiest ghosts.”
However, what Oliver found most baffling is that Trump may have found a way out of his money problems thanks to Truth Social receiving an $8 billion valuation that the late night host says is “utterly divorced from the underlying business, which is a mess.”
“Its stock is trading incredibly high because Trump supporters believe buying it is a way to simultaneously own the libs, give Trump money and, they’d argue, make a profit themselves,” Oliver explained before comparing the Truth Social situation to a more popular meme stock. “The GameStop movement was at least nominally about wresting financial power away from sh*tty rich a**holes and restoring it to the little guy, whereas this movement is about funneling the little guy’s money directly to the sh*ttiest rich a**hole there is.”
Even with the arrival or spring, the lure of the television remains strong. Not only will Amazon finish an Invincible season, but the streamer will start churning towards The Boys‘ return. This month, however, a different crop of show are preparing to thrill and chill viewers from several angles.
Gamers will receive starring turns from both Walton Goggins and Idris Elba. True crime addicts will see more of the Robert Durst downfall and a series that will also appeal to fans of the most recent True Detective season. Then there are grifters and spies, a new sci-fi adventure, and an interlude from Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman universe. Here are the must-see shows for April.
Ripley (Netflix series streaming 4/4)
Everyone remembers Matt Damon in The Talented Mr. Ripley, and Andrew Scott is fully shaking off his “Hot Priest” days to don Tom Ripley’s grifter duds. This limited series is, of course, based upon Patricia Highsmith’s series of novels, and Scott’s incarnation of the character takes a job in the 1960s that sets him on the deceit-filled path to murder.
Parasyte: The Grey: Season 1 (Netflix series streaming 4/5)
Netflix has cranked up their South Korean production following the Squid Game phenomenon, and this live-action manga adaptation — which differs starkly from its source material although it appears to remain loyal to the same universe — pulls out the sci-fi stops as well. The series follows mysterious parasites who begin falling from the sky to inhabit hosts and start rampantly committing murder, yet the potentially greater threat to humanity is whether they can come together to react.
Sugar: Season 1 (Apple TV+ series streaming 4/5)
Colin Farrell is gearing up to appear in Max’s Penguin series, but for the moment, he’s starring as private detective John Sugar, who must track the disappearance of a powerful Hollywood producer’s granddaughter. In the process, Sugar also digs up family secrets that were buried for major reasons.
Fallout: Season 1 (Amazon Prime Video series streaming 4/11)
Walton Goggins portrays The Ghoul in this series that he was very excited to join until he learned about the no-nose thing. Still, he persisted in this live-action adaptation of the wildly successful video game series that takes place two centuries following the apocalypse, in which coming home doesn’t exactly happen as expected for the wealthy who have been hanging out in their shelters. The entire season will drop at once, for the binging.
Franklin: Season 1 (Apple TV+ series streaming 4/12)
Apple TV+ continues hitting the history books hard (after Masters of the Air and Manhunt), and here, Michael Douglas puts on the duds to portray Ben Franklin. In this series, however, the focus isn’t upon Franklin’s legacy as the father of electricity but in his journey to France on a secret mission. The show adapts A Great Improvisation: Franklin, France, and the Birth of America, the Pulitzer Prize winning book from Stacy Schiff.
Under the Bridge: Season 1 (FX on Hulu series streaming 4/17)
Lily Gladstone is following up her arresting Killers of the Flower Moon performance in this true-crime series adaptation of the late Rebecca Godfrey’s same-named book that dives tail first into 14-year-old Reena Virk’s murder after it flipped a Canadian town on its head. The story carries some Sharp Objects flavor with True Detective vibes alongside its real-life origins. Riley Keough portrays Godfrey, and Gladstone suits up as a cop as the two women take different approaches to the pursuit of justice.
Conan O’Brien Must Go: Season 1 (Max series streaming 4/18)
If you adore Conan O’Brien — and who doesn’t? — and especially if you enjoy his Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend podcast, you’ll want to fall in-like all over again as Conan visit those friends. What follows will be a globetrotting extravaganza, surely of the self-deprecating variety.
The Jinx — Part Two (HBO series streaming on Max 4/21)
Robert Durst didn’t know what hit him, but it was always (surprise) Robert Durst hitting himself. He hot-mic’d his way into a followup investigation following 2015’s first season finale, in which he confessed (to himself but inadvertently to the world), “What the hell did I do? Killed them all, of course.” At that point, a long wait for a followup season began, and Durst ended in behind bars after an extended run of dodging prosecution for repeated murder allegations due to insufficient evidence. Finally HBO the Max will take us behind the scenes as director Andrew Jarecki continued digging into the most bizarre of cases with interviews from witnesses who didn’t come forward until after that Durst slip-up.
Dead Boy Detectives (Netflix series streaming 4/25)
Welcome to another side of Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman Universe, in which two young detectives discover each other while dead after being born decades apart. They’re BFF ghosts who also happen to have a knock for solving mysteries, particularly when something paranormal is afoot. That’s precisely what they encounter, including witches and the depths of Hell while aiming to help the mortal realm find closure through their investigations.
Knuckles: Season 1 (Paramount+ series streaming 4/26)
In the midst of runaway successful Sonic The Hedgehog movies, Jim Carrey and James Marsden’s voices are taking a break and yielding to Idris Elba, who stars here in the live-action series where his character fashions Adam Palley’s Wade into his protégé because someone needs to continue in the fine tradition of being an Echidna warrior. The film fills some gaps before the third Sonic movie, and the biggest attraction is (of course) the voice of Elba as an incorrigible grump.
The Veil: Season 1 (FX on Hulu series streaming 4/30)
Because there’s no such thing as too many spy series, Elisabeth Moss stars in this thriller series that brings two women together in an intricate game while they leap across Europe to save thousands of innocents from perishing. Secrets, lies, and ass-kicking moves swirl with international agencies coming together, possibly begrudgingly, to ward off mayhem.
J.K. Rowling could be arrested in Scotland for deliberately misgendering transgender people under a new hate crime law, a politician warns.
On April 1, the day Scotland implemented a new law to tackle hate crime, the Harry Potter author tweeted, “In passing the Scottish Hate Crime Act, Scottish lawmakers seem to have placed higher value on the feelings of men performing their idea of femaleness, however misogynistically or opportunistically, than on the rights and freedoms of actual women and girls.” She added, “I’m currently out of the country, but if what I’ve written here qualifies as an offence under the terms of the new act, I look forward to being arrested when I return to the birthplace of the Scottish Enlightenment.”
In response to her latest comments (which is part of an exhausting 11 tweet thread), Scottish National Party’s community safety minister Siobhian Brown warned the Telegraph that Rowling could be in legal trouble. Her “completely deranged” posts where she misgenders trans women “could be reported and it could be investigated,” Brown said. “Whether or not the police would think it was criminal is up to Police Scotland for that.”
The law creates a criminal offense of “stirring up of hatred”, expanding on a similar offence based on racist abuse that has been on the statute book for decades. The new legislation covers hatred on the basis of age, disability, race, religion, sexual orientation and transgender identity. Someone convicted of stirring up hate could face a fine and a prison term of up to seven years.
It will be tough to make a case against Rowling, however.
As the Telegraph notes, women were omitted from “the list of protected groups included in the legislation,” which means that “threats made against Rowling and other feminists critical of trans ideology could not be investigated under the Bill.” Rowling is daring the authorities to “#ArrestMe” because she knows it likely won’t happen.
Casey Benjamin, a renowned multi-instrumentalist who was a member of Robert Glasper Experiment, reportedly died on March 31 at 45 years old. Neither an official statement from Benjamin’s team nor a news report has been shared yet as of this post, but some of Benjamin’s collaborators have posted their sympathies.
Lupe Fiasco wrote on Instagram, “Rest In Peace Casey Benjamin. I can’t even begin to express the deep gratitude and respect. My deepest condolences to the family, fans and friends. ”
Benjamin’s Robert Glasper Experiment bandmate Derrick Hodge also wrote, “Tonight, I honor a brother. A true brother and friend. Casey Benjamin, thank you for inspiring me, for being a light in my life, and for your unbelievable influence on the music world. I will carry your smile with me, brother. And we will collectively honor and carry your legacy with us. Can’t get my words together at this moment but will echo a few of my last words to you: I’m thankful for you and love you always! Rest well, King.”
Aside from Glasper, Benjamin found himself collaborating with a number of legendary figures over the years; As he noted in a 2017 interview, he has worked with Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar, Lady Gaga, Q-Tip, John Legend, Anderson .Paak, Nas, Common, and Arcade Fire. In his career, he won two Grammy Awards: Best Traditional R&B Performance for “Jesus Children” in 2015 and Best R&B Album for Black Radio in 2013, both as part of Robert Glasper Experiment.
A few days ago, Billie Eilish made comments about how some artists engage in the “wasteful” practice of releasing multiple vinyl variants of their albums. Some thought Eilish’s criticism was directed towards Taylor Swift, but now Eilish is setting the record straight.
Last night (March 31), Eilish wrote in an Instagram Story post, “okay so it would be so awesome if people would stop putting words into my mouth and actually read what i said in that billboard article. i wasn’t singling anyone out, these are industry-wide systemic issues. & when it comes to variants, so many artists release them – including ME! which i clearly state in the article. the climate crisis is now and its about all of us being part of the problem and trying to do better sheesh.”
@billieeilish/Instagram
As for what Eilish actually said in the Billboard interview (alongside her mother Maggie Baird) published on March 28, here’s the excerpt:
Eilish: “We live in this day and age where, for some reason, it’s very important to some artists to make all sorts of different vinyl and packaging … which ups the sales and ups the numbers and gets them more money and gets them more…”
Baird: “Well, it counts toward No. 1 albums.”
Eilish: “I can’t even express to you how wasteful it is. It is right in front of our faces and people are just getting away with it left and right, and I find it really frustrating as somebody who really goes out of my way to be sustainable and do the best that I can and try to involve everybody in my team in being sustainable — and then it’s some of the biggest artists in the world making f*cking 40 different vinyl packages that have a different unique thing just to get you to keep buying more. It’s so wasteful, and it’s irritating to me that we’re still at a point where you care that much about your numbers and you care that much about making money — and it’s all your favorite artists doing that sh*t.”
Every single week, our TV and film experts will list the most important ten streaming selections for you to pop into your queues. We’re not strictly operating upon reviews or accrued streaming clicks (although yes, we’ve scoured the streaming site charts) but, instead, upon those selections that are really worth noticing amid the churning sea of content. There’s a lot out there, after all, and your time is valuable.
Following Masters Of The Air, Apple TV+ is opening the history books again to follow the frantic search for Abraham Lincoln’s assassin, John Wilkes Booth. Coincidentally or not, Anthony Boyle stars in both series, and he makes an unhinged turn here as the subject of the titular law enforcement search. Hamish Linklater portrays the doomed president, and the limited series also co-stars Tobias Menzies and Patton Oswalt with muttonchops and a full-on beard. How can you resist that? Not possible.
TIE: 10. The Walking Dead: The Ones Who Live (AMC show streaming on AMC+)
You know, Rick might still be stuck on those “Tasteful Noods” that he found while he and Michonne were making their way home. And once the season finale credits roll, the inquiries will return in earnest regarding exactly whether a crossover will happen between the currently running spin offs — including Dead City and Daryl Dixon: Now With Added Carol — and when second seasons will begin to arrive. In the meantime, there are also wedding bells coming, as absurd as that might sound in a post-apocalyptic realm. Does that absurdity distract from the enjoyment of this series? Nope.
9. A Gentleman In Moscow (Showtime series streaming on Paramount+)
Ewan McGregor leads an ensemble cast (including his wife, Mary Elizabeth Winstead) while starring as a Russian aristocrat, Count Alexander Rostov, in this adaptation of Amor Towles’ same-named novel. Rostov finds himself sequestered in a hotel in the aftermath of the Russian Revolution, which has deemed him an outlaw. However, he is not immediately executed but, instead, imprisoned within the attic of a luxurious hotel. It’s quite a conundrum, really.
The Disney+ Marvel shows are in a bit of a pickle these days, but X-Men ’97 might be saving the day. A reported 4 million viewers streamed the first episode of this series within the five days of launch, so clearly, people are still into mutants who save the world from total catastrophe. In this series, the gang will be facing an unexpected future that presents heretofore unseen challenges, and the nerds are into it.
Many series surface now and again and claim to be epic, but FX did the thing with world building while adapting James Clavell’s most famed novel with updated Blackthorne hotness. This isn’t the easiest watch because there are so many intricate alliances and hints of betrayal amongst an enormous cast of characters. However, the show’s writers placed great care into nonverbal cues and seemingly effortless exposition, so that that viewers do not need to do any homework to appreciate this sprawling story.
Here’s the drill when it comes to Guy Ritchie: expect a stylish and fun crime caper. However, it might seem slightly confusing that Ritchie has a hell of a lot of titles that refer to “gentlemen.” There’s a new movie coming with Henry Cavill and Alan Ritchson called The Ministry Of Ungentlemanly Warfare, but that has nothing to do with this series, which also isn’t a remake of The Gentlemen, the 2019 movie starring Matthew McConaughey as a weed kingpin. However, Theo James does star in this series as the heir of a weed-kingpin empire, so you’re still in familiar territory.
5. Winnie-the-Pooh: Blood and Honey (Altitude Distribution film streaming on Peacock)
After arguably the most famous fictional bear hit the public domain, this was bound to happen. With the sequel in theaters, the original film is now being streamed in living rooms to prep for the apparent improvement awaiting in theaters as we speak. Is this quality cinema? No way, but sometimes, ridiculousness is a much needed antidote with everything going on in the real world these days.
This deeply unsettling series, which exposes the seedy underbelly of the Nickelodeon acting experience, will soon see a bonus episode to uncover more details surrounding “allegations of abuse, sexism and racism” (in shows tied to producer Dan Schneider) in an episode called “Breaking The Silence.” Within this episode, several former child stars including Drake Bell will unveil their accounts alongside host Soledad O’Brien.
Jake Gyllenhaal stars in a pretty fine action movie here, although it doesn’t quite feel like a Road House movie? Yep, the Patrick Swayze flick will always be the preferable incarnation, although Gyllenhaal keeps the punches flying well enough to entertain throughout this retooling. Naturally, this update does not shy away from violence, but does play it safer than the original movie elsewhere. And therein lies the difficulty in translating a 1980s story for a 2024 audience while still presenting as a guilty pleasure.
The Game of Thrones creators, David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, have a multi-season plan for their new sci-fi series, and from the looks of things so far, they probably have a good shot at renewal. However, you never know what Netflix will decide, but for the moment, viewer care enjoying this series that details humanity’s protracted response to an impending alien invasion. This is, of course, because humanity also couldn’t resist poking the space bear, and now, there shall be no easy solution The cast includes Eiza González, John Bradley, Marlo Kelly, and Bendict Wong, and the story spans time and space, literally.
Robert Kirkman’s second runaway comic-book-turned-tv-property is fully in the groove while careening towards the back end of the second season. There will be much more Omni-Man to come in other seasons, but currently, the show is focusing upon Mark attempting to figure out how to stop the Viltrumite Empire from taking over Earth. He must also wrestle with continuing as a college student and help support Debbie after the significant blow she was dealt by the revelation that Nolan only saw her as a “pet.” Once this batch of episodes concludes, Amazon will start gearing up for the fourth season of The Boys, and this streaming service obviously know what people want from their bad superheroes. In other words, it’s a fantastic time to be a lover of TV.
Mezcal is a broad category. Small stills dot places like Oaxaca, Mexico — where there can be massive variation in taste, texture, and quality from one still to the next (let alone one distillery to the next). And that’s before you get to the mezcal made in other states across Mexico.
The true quality of a great mezcal really comes down to who is making the juice (the mezcalero), the process they’re using, and the people putting the mezcal together for bottling. It’s a surprisingly intricate process for a ~seemingly~ straightforward spirit.
Among the many mezcal brands on the booming market, Mezcal Los Siete Misterios shines bright. The team behind Los Siete Misterios finds the absolute star mezcaleros for their expressions. They then build mezcals that highlight the work of Oaxaca’s prized distilleries and agave species. In short, Los Siete Misterios is all about the people and their work over quantity (not surprisingly, the brand shares a parent company with Michter).
As of press time, Los Siete Misterios produces 13 unique mezcals with six different agave varieties at the base of their spirits. To help you filter through all of those mezcals, we decided to rank every bottle on the shelf. This is a deep dive into each bottle’s vibe, profile, and best use. By the end of this list, you should feel confident in choosing the best Los Siete Misterios mezcal for your next cocktail or sipper.
Let’s dive in!
Also Read: The Top Five Cocktail Recipes of the Last Six Months
Doba-Yej is made from classic Agave Angustifolia — the most common agave used in mezcal production. That agave is slow-roasted in earthen ovens with river stones used as heat sources and local wood for the fire. The juice drawn from the roasted agave is open-fermented and then distilled twice through a copper pot still, which is also fired with local wood heat.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is a classic mezcal with a deep sense of ashy smoke, soft red summer florals, hints of citrus oils, and a twinge of creamy sour cream just kissed with black pepper notes.
Palate: A deep earthiness drives the palate with a sense of warm red soil, cinnamon bark, and dried ancho chili peppers before a touch of vanilla arrives with dryness.
Finish: The finish leans into the woody vanilla husks with a dry orange zest and a whisper of wet mint on the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is built as a cocktail base mezcal. Use it accordingly. Our advice is to swap out the tequila in your favorite paloma or margarita recipe with this for a layer of smoky and earthy spice in your next drink.
12. Mezcal Los Siete Misterios Mezcal Joven Espadín
This entry point mezcal uses classic angustifolia agave that’s slow-roasted underground with river stones and hardwood as a heat source. After open-fermentation, the juice is distilled via clay pot stills twice before proofing and bottling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Blood orange oils and black pepper pop on the nose next to a thick layer of earthy smoke that’s heavy with red clay, rocky minerality, and a twist of black licorice.
Palate: That black licorice sweetens on the palate as dark orange oils mix with clove and cinnamon next to a layer of ashy red dirt, soft vanilla essence, and a touch of prickly pear flower.
Finish: The end is very light and minerally with a sense of campfire smoke and earthy dried mushrooms over orange oils and dried chili peppers with a whisper of twang from sour cream.
Bottom Line:
This is a great place to start a mezcal journey — every basic note is here and rendered very clearly. It’s also light. You won’t be overwhelmed by the smoke or earthiness, but it’s 100% there. Overall, try this as a neat sip and then layer it into your favorite tequila cocktails.
The “Ensamble” line of Los Siete Misterios is the “small batch” version of mezcal in that it brings together multiple agave-based mezcals into one batch. In this case, the Ensamble Especial batch is a blend of four to five agaves that were roasted in the earth and then twice-distilled in copper pot stills before batching and proofing.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with a dash of celery salt and green olive brine before hitting a deep lemon oil vibe next to soft fresh red chili, dry corn husks, and a touch of wet slate.
Palate: The palate leans into the lemon before sweetening with a nice layer of grapefruit peel, more red chili, and soft flour tortillas next to a faint flourish of baba ganoush.
Finish: That wet slate makes a comeback on the finish as the chilis dry and the citrus rinds take on a slight candied sweetness with a touch more of that celery salt and creamy spice eggplant routing things out at the very end.
Bottom Line:
This is the most “acquired taste” mezcal on the list — the celery and eggplant are kind of out there. That said, this all makes sense as a savory and citrus-forward sipper that’ll expand your palate. Otherwise, reach for this when you’re looking for something completely different.
10. Mezcal Los Siete Misterios Ensamble Espadín/Cuishe
This “Ensamble” expression from Los Siete Misterios blends classic Angustifolia Haw agave with rarer Agave Karwinskii (a tall version grown in Oaxaca). Those two agaves are slow-roasted underground before double-distilling in copper pot stills.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: There’s a distinct pickle brine note on the nose that’s dill, coriander, and garlic heavy next to rich grapefruit oils, a touch of vanilla pod, and a sweet sense of floral honey.
Palate: The grapefruit opens the palate toward more pickle brine that verges on olive brine before smoky black pepper arrives with soft chewing tobacco and a deep sense of wet red clay.
Finish: The pickling herbs kick up at the end with more tobacco, red clay, and honey sweetness before a note of nasturtium flowers brings a bright and fresh warmth.
Bottom Line:
This is smoky and funky in all the right ways. Again, this is a very “acquired taste” pour of mezcal — if you don’t dig on pickles, you’re not going to dig this. That all said, this is a fascinating sipper that rewards you for taking your time and sipping it slowly.
9. Mezcal Los Siete Misterios Ensamble Espadín/Mexicanito
This small batch version uses Mexicanito (Rhodacantha) agave, which is similar to classic Espadín (Angustifolia) but is much rarer. It grows in the foothills of Mexico amongst the dry pine forests, giving it a completely different vibe and flavor profile. Both agave spirits are classically roasted in the earth before being twice-distilled in copper pot stills.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is fruity AF with a sense of smoked banana bread, smoked walnuts, smoked butter, and smoked mango spears with a flake of salt and a touch of pine resin dank.
Palate: Salted papaya and grilled pineapple open the taste toward dried sweetgrass and smoldering smudging sage next to sticky notes of cannabis, a touch of pipe tobacco, and smoldering pine sap.
Finish: The end leans into dry chilis, a crack of black pepper, a twist of sweetgrass, and a dollop of cottage cheese filled with whispers of smoked and dried tropical fruits.
Bottom Line:
There’s a nice sense of bright fruits kissed with smoke and funky creaminess that makes great mezcal so freaking good. Pour this one neat and take your time digging into the flavor profile. Then use this in a citrus-forward cocktail for maximum effect.
8. Mezcal Los Siete Misterios Ensamble Espadín/Tepeztate
This small batch mezcal uses the extremely rare (and hard to find) Tepeztate agave (Marmorata) with classic Angustifolia. Tepeztate only grows on rocky mountainsides in rock, making it a pain in the ass to get to. Once harvested, the agaves go through the typical earthen roasting and copper pot distilling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with bushels of fresh green roasting herbs next to dank lemon oils and orange zest before hints of bruised peach and creamy tangy cottage cheese arrive with a sharp nasturtium bloom.
Palate: The palate is lush with a sense of those fresh nasturtiums next to freshly cracked black pepper, soft apricot jam, a touch of marmalade, and a hint of mint chocolate chip ice cream.
Finish: The end has a touch of incense and dried rose before leaning into more black pepper, fresh spearmint, and green grass with a whisper of campfire smoke lurking in the very back of the sip.
Bottom Line:
This is an elevated pour of mezcal — those floral notes really take this to a new place. Overall, this is best poured over some ice and enjoyed as a slow sipper on a hot day.
7. Mezcal Los Siete Misterios Mezcal Joven Mexicano
This mezcal is made with Mexicanito (Rhodacantha) agaves from the foothills and pine forests of Mexico. The agave is slow-roasted before open fermentation. Then the juice is slowly distilled using clay pot stills in very small quantities — only 2,500 bottles of this have ever been produced for Los Siete Misterios.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Dank pine — almost cannabis — drives the nose toward dried mango spears tossed in olive oil, chili pepper flakes, and sea salt before a twang of thick sour cream and white pepper arrives with a light red clay earthiness.
Palate: The nose is full of powdery brown spice that leans toward white pepper before hitting a five-spice vibe with a touch of lemon and black licorice over green banana leaves smoldering over a hardwood fire.
Finish: Those green banana leaves get super smoky on the finish as lemongrass and orange oils kick up a citrus-forward spice cake vibe next to nuttiness, vanilla, pine resin, and soft brown spice powders — all of which are smoldering and warm.
Bottom Line:
This is dank and full of spice. It’s delightful but very bold. Pour this over a big rock and take your time with it — it’ll reward your patience.
6. Mezcal Los Siete Misterios Ensamble Espadín/Tobalá
Tobalá (Potatorum) is the most sought-after of all the agaves for making mezcal. It provides the richest flavor. In this case, Tobalá mezcal was batched with classic Espadín mezcal for an “Ensamble” expression.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Fresh and bright guava opens the nose toward lemon oils, grape juice, and soft cucumber with a hint of celery salt and smoked cream cheese.
Palate: The lemon really kicks up on the taste with a lemongrass vibe next to more fresh cucumber tossed with olive oil and fresh mint and dashed with smoked salt and a whisper of fresh chamomile flowers.
Finish: That chamomile creates a soft and lush finish touched with lemongrass oils, soft mint, and smoked guava next to a whisper of smoked red chili pepper flakes.
Bottom Line:
This is a very subtle and nicely balanced mezcal that’s great for summer sipping, especially over a few rocks.
This mezcal starts out as a classic Espadín base. After two distillations in copper pot stills, the mezcal is distilled a third time with raw turkey breasts, fruits, and spices, infusing the “Pechuga” flavors into the mezcal.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Smokes apple chips, smoky prunes, and handfuls of fresh green roasting herbs pop on the nose next to caramelized agave and soft purple flowers with a distant whisper of roasted fatty turkey lurking in the deep background.
Palate: The smoked fruits continue on the palate as dried lavender and nasturtium add a floral and spiced note with deeply roasted agave with soft salted caramel and a hint of winter baking spices add depth to the taste.
Finish: The end leans into cinnamon-spiced tobacco, a touch of turkey-fat-soaked roasting herbs, and soft vanilla with a hint of creamy sour cream cut with white pepper rounding things out.
Bottom Line:
This is funky in all the right ways, making it a great palate expander. There’s just so much going on and it all makes sense. Our advice is to take it slow, add water or ice, and slowly sip this one to get all the depth layered into this pour.
This version of mezcal is made with Karwinskii agave, which looks like a “barrel” when prepared for roasting. The agave is slow-roasted underground before fermentation and clay pot distillation.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose is full of fresh potpourri — lemongrass, dried rose, lavender, violet, and orange pop the brightest — as soft orange zest and wild and almost woody huckleberry arrives late on the aroma.
Palate: That lemongrass really pops on the palate as soft red clay and smoldering smudging sage lead to huckleberries dipped in salted dark chocolate with a hint of dried lavender sprinkled over the chocolate with a whisper of dried red chili pepper.
Finish: That chocolate amps up late on the finish as the huckleberry gets juicy and slightly smoked with burnt orange rinds leading to soft vanilla and sour cream cut with dried red chili pepper flakes.
Bottom Line:
This is a delicious mezcal — that chocolate and huckleberry vibe just works. This is a great candidate to sip slowly with a little ice on a slow day, especially if you’re looking for something berry-forward and lush.
3. Mezcal Los Siete Misterios Mezcal Joven Arroqueño
This mezcal uses very old Arroqueño agave (some plants are up to 25 years old when harvested). The slow-roasted hearts are hand-ground before open fermentation then clay pot distillation. After a very short rest, the mezcal is just cut with local water and bottled as-is.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Lime leaves and dried sage drive the nose toward grapefruit pith and mild earthiness with a good dose of pepper and smoky agace stems.
Palate: The citrus and herbal vibes mount on the palate as notes of burnt sugar and old lemon tea leaves lead to a bitter sense of burnt citrus tobacco.
Finish: Notes of black pepper and smoked dirt drive the finish toward a moment of pine-laced honey and more smoked black pepper.
Bottom Line:
This feels like the most “classic” all-around mezcal on the list. It’s balanced, deep, and delicious. It offers everything you want and more from an essential mezcal profile. Pour it over a rock and have at it.
Tobalá agave (Potatorum) is the top of the mountain when it comes to agave for making mezcal. The agave is super rare and has a 100% unique flavor profile. In this case, the hearts are slowly roasted underground, open fermented, and then double-distilled in copper pot stills.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: The nose opens with fresh peaches floating in salted and lightly smoked heavy cream next to soft vanilla oils, orange zest, honeydew melon peels, and a whisper of cigarette ash in a clay ashtray.
Palate: The vanilla and creamy smoke heavy cream bind on the taste into a pannacotta with a caramel sauce cut with orange zest, dried lavender, and cinnamon bark next to a touch of smoldering smudging sage and olive brine.
Finish: The smudging sage and olive brine mix on the finish with a sense of orange and mint tossed in olive oil and hit with large flakes of smoked salt and smoked almonds next to a few warm coals from an almost extinguished campfire.
Bottom Line:
This is mezcal at MAX volume. It’s deeply smoky and earthy with a clear and concise sense of creamy goodness, bright fruit, and dank savoriness. It’s really freaking good neat or on a rock, folks.
This rare mezcal is made with “Coyote” agave (Americana L.) is a “super” blue agave (similar to what’s used in tequila in Jalisco, Mexico). The agaves are slowly roasted underground before open-vat fermentation and then clay pot distilling.
Tasting Notes:
Nose: Banana bread with a smear of smoked salted butter and plenty of almonds, baking spice, and a crispy edge drives the nose toward rich toffee and old boot leather before this fleeting whisper of Original Old Spice arrives.
Palate: Hot buttered rum and brandy-soaked raisins drive the palate toward fresh nougat and almond next to black peppercorns cracked into whole-fat cottage cheese with a dash of celery salt, clove buds, and star anise.
Finish: Brandied cherries dipped in salted dark chocolate arrive on the finish as soft mintiness moves the taste toward soft smoldering roasting herbs and winter spice barks with a fleeting sense of burnt vanilla pods and over-cooked caramel lurking deep in the finish.
Bottom Line:
This is a world-class spirit. It’s so deep and nostalgic with a truly broad sense of beautiful flavor notes that all add up to something big and bold. It’s also just delicious. Pour it neat or over a rock and take it slow. You’ll in be for a wonderful journey.
Louisville is experiencing a massive tourism boom. A huge part of that is thanks to the millions of people who come to the state for bourbon. It helps that last year, The New York Times named Louisville one of the “52 Places To Go in 2023” — calling out Derby City for its “…rising L.G.B.T.Q. scene with quilts, drag shows, the Derby, and, of course, bourbon.” This year, Travel + Leisurenamed Louisville one of the “Top Places to Travel to in 2024” for food and drink. Uproxx has been on the Louisville train too, naming Kentucky’s Whiskey Trail as a must-visit on our 2021 Travel Hot List [Note: We were first. — ed].
Louisville specifically drives a ton of tourism thanks to the Kentucky Derby. Then there are the huge music festivals like Louder Than Life and Bourbon And Beyond, which bring in hundreds of thousands of people to town. And with boom times come new and exciting attractions for fans of America’s native spirit to explore along Louisville’s famed Whiskey Row.
In the past year, three distilleries have opened up shop on or around Main Street, with at least three or four more whiskey establishments under construction. Faster than anyone forecasted, the city is morphing from an industrial backwater into a world-class and affordablefood, drink, and travel destination.
To help you navigate your way through Louisville’s Whiskey Row, we’re providing a comprehensive look at all the whiskey stops, the best food and drink options, hotels, and hidden gems around Main Street, Louisville. We’re going to focus on Whiskey Row here — that’s basically Main Street between the I-65 and 31W — though I’ll be calling out a couple of places that are a block or two off Main just to round things out (all spots will be walkable from Main).
Sound like an adventure? Let’s dive right in!
Also Read: The Top 5 UPROXX Bourbon Posts Of The Last Six Months
Starting at the far west end of Main Street, you’ll find Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co. — the best place to start your Whiskey Row experience. The distillery is where everything happens for Peerless whiskey from mashing to distilling to aging and bottling. This is a real working distillery (that’s not 100% true of a lot of the other whiskey “experiences” on the Row) and you’re likely to see the Master Distiller actually making the whiskey you’ll taste after your tour.
Can’t Miss Opportunity:
The distillery tour is very small, as Peerless is still a small-ish craft operation. And while that’s totally worth doing, what you really want to do is get the in-house tasting in their tasting room and buy a distillery-only bottle from the gift shop.
The bottle shop will have limited releases and special single-barrel expressions you simply cannot get elsewhere. The tasting room experience will walk you through Peerless’ award-winning and delicious rye and bourbon whiskeys with a tasting expert guiding your every sip.
Cost/Times:
Distillery tours cost between $15 and $28 and run Monday through Saturday at 10:30, 11:30, 12:30, and 2:30.
Tastings cost between $10 and $18 and run Monday through Thursday at 1:45, 3:45, and 4:45, and Friday at 1:45 and 3:45.
Continuing west on Main Street, you’re going to hit Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery next. This micro-distillery and gift shop is located in one of downtown Louisville’s best-preserved historic buildings.
The actual distillery is a small operation with three small wooden mash tanks and two stills. The moment you walk into the place, you can smell the grains fermenting in the back. A few choice barrels are aged on-site as well. That all said, this is a tourist experience — the full distillery is out in Shivley (West Louisville) and closed to the public.
Can’t Miss Opportunity:
You’ll want to fill your very own bottle of Fort Nelson Michter’s Barrel Strength Bourbon straight from a barrel. For that, you’ll need to take the Legacy Tour ($100), which is two hours long and includes a tasting with Michter’s 20-Year Single Barrel Bourbon (!), and the opportunity to also fill a barrel of whiskey on site.
Basically, you’re getting a chance to both sample a $200 pour at a high-end whiskey bar and walk away with a bespoke bottle from the distillery. That’s unbeatable.
Cost/Times:
The tours last one, one-and-a-half, and two hours and cost $20 to $100, depending on the tour. Tours run Wednesday through Saturday every hour between 11 am and 4 pm and Sundays between 1 pm to 4 pm. Each tour comes with a tasting at the end.
Bardstown Bourbon Company opened its first outpost in Louisville in fall 2023. The location is a swanky bar, bottle shop, and experiential tour through Bardstown Bourbon Company’s whiskey making. The whole place is like an introduction to the brand and the wider world of BBCo. whiskeys made out in Bardstown, Kentucky (also worth visiting if you have the time).
Can’t Miss Opportunity:
Buy some Bardstown Bourbon Company whiskeys! You’ll be able to score coveted bottles (depending on release dates of course) like Bardstown’s amazing Four Square Rum Finished Whiskey and their delightful Goose Island Stout Cask Finish Bourbon.
After you get your swag on and finish a tasting, hit the bar. The cocktails are spot on and some of the best on the Row.
Cost/Times:
The Bardstown Bourbon Company Louisville Tasting Room is open Tuesday 10 am to 6 pm, Wednesday and Thursday 10 am to 7 pm, and Friday and Saturday 10 am to 8 pm. Tasting tours are 30 minutes long and cost $25 to $35.
Buzzards Roost opened up a Whiskey Row experience in the spring of 2023. The spot is a full bar, tasting experience, and bottle shop that focuses on the art and science of secondary maturation in proprietary barrels (which the brand is famous for).
Can’t Miss Opportunity:
While you can walk in and simply enjoy the bar’s cocktails, some good food, and shopping, you’ll want to book a special tasting experience. You can go deep with a whiskey and chocolate pairing course, a cocktail course, and deep dives with the master blender (on select days) with their elite whiskey releases.
Cost/Times:
Buzzards Roost Whiskey Row Experience is open Wednesday and Thursday from 11 am to 6 pm, Friday and Saturday from 11 am to 8 pm, and Sunday from 1 pm to 6 pm. Tours and experiences cost $18 to $250 and range from one hour to three hours long.
Evan Williams is one of the cheapest whiskeys on the shelf, so this might be the must-stop for bourbon lovers out there. The Experience is right in the middle of the Row and one of the busier stops (there are often very long lines to get in).
Once inside, the Experience is part whiskey shop, part museum, part bar, and part micro-distillery. The mini-distillery is kind of there for show (the real distillery is out in Bardstown — Heaven Hill — and totally worth the drive down), but whiskey is really being made behind the glass as you’re guided through the place. As with all of these tours, the final stop is the destination of choice — it’s where the tasting is.
Can’t Miss Opportunity:
While this sounds pretty straightforward, Evan Williams Bourbon Experience has some serious variety when it comes to tours and tastings. You can get a tour that ends with a charcuterie and whiskey pairing experience, a speak-easy experience in a hidden bar, or a cocktail course.
What you want to make sure you do is hit the On3 Bar. Since Evan Williams is part of the larger Heaven Hill family, you’ll be able to find serious pours behind this bar. You can grab several Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond expressions, Parker’s Heritage pours, and the main expressions from Elijah Craig, Larceny, and, naturally, Evan Williams, plus a few true gems you’ll have to be savvy enough to ask about.
Cost/Times:
Tours and tasting cost between $18 and $600 and last 45 minutes, one hour, and two hours. The tours run from Tuesday to Thursday from 11 am to 4 pm, Friday and Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm, and Sunday from 1 pm to 4 pm.
Be warned — You’ll 100% have to pre-book these tours. Do not expect to walk in and get in.
Castle & Key moved into the castle at Old Taylor Distillery out in Woodford County years ago. Today, they’ve installed themselves in the lobby of the OMNI Hotel in Louisville in case you can’t make it out there. The space is a retail shop with a bottle shop and takeaway cocktail bar.
Can’t Miss Opportunity:
The cocktail bar and pours. Castle & Key gets the vibe exactly right by offering cocktails and pours in plastic cups that you can carry with you into the OMNI lobby and enjoy at your leisure. There are no guided tastings but the staff will be more than happy to pour samples to make sure you’re buying the right bottle to take home (or up to your room).
Cost/Times:
Castle & Key 502 is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 7 pm.
Old Forester Distilling Co. is another stop that will likely have a line out the door, especially if there is a special whiskey drop that day. The distillery inside is worth the wait, even if it is a microcosm of the larger Brown-Forman facility (also out in West Louisville in Shivley).
The tour is a solid walk through every step of the process of whiskey making. The big ripple here is the on-site cooperage. You’ll witness every step of the barrel-making process from stave selection to charring the barrel. It’s a unique experience for Whiskey Row and adds to the already great tour. Naturally, all of this ends with a tasting and cocktail experience.
Can’t Miss Opportunity:
The Nothing Better In The Market Tour ($70) has the best tasting when it comes to Old Forester whiskey. The lineup is very high-end and includes Old Forester’s famed and fleeting Birthday Bourbon. Since that is one of the rarest (and spendiest) bourbons out there, you cannot miss a chance to try a pour.
Cost/Times:
Tours run between $32 and $70 and last about 90 minutes with a tasting. The gift shop and distillery are open Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm with tours operating hourly each day.
Be warned — Tours are booked up months in advance. So plan ahead.
At the far east end of Main Street, you’ll find Angel’s Envy Distillery. The distillery is the biggest distillery location on the Row with a fully working distillery and warehouse right in town, across the street from a minor league baseball stadium (don’t sleep on Against the Grain Brewery & Public House).
The distillery was built into a historical warehouse where the team at Angel’s Envy created an industrial cathedral to all things whiskey. The tours range from taking you through the “cathedral” which overlooks the distilling floor to a tour on the floor where you can feel (and see) the whiskey getting made.
The whole experience is bright and shining and very new. This is a big facility that feels like you’re walking through a destination and not just a factory for whiskey. There’s also a great bar and plenty of space to savor the juice.
Can’t Miss Opportunity:
The whiskey tastings at the end are the real treat here. There’s a great, but small, whiskey and chocolate pairing that’s definitely worth it as it leans into Angel Envy’s overall vibe. Or go all in and bottle your own whiskey straight from a single barrel — it’ll be the perfect bottle to take home! After that, grab a bespoke cocktail from the bar and let it all wash over you.
Cost/Times:
Whiskey tours cost $20 to $149 and run every day of the week at varying hours (see full opening times here).
We’ve made it to the official end of Whiskey Row — well, we’re technically off of Whiskey Row (but it still counts!). Rabbit Hole is another new distillery experience right in the middle of the city. The distillery is a mix of modern and street art and a full-on distillery and aging facility, which makes it one of the cooler destinations in the city.
The distillery is very modernist and expansive with one of the most interactive experiences on Whiskey Row. It’s also the sort of place you kind of want to just hang out at… taking your time and sipping your pour. The point is, that taking a tour is fun, but it’s not the only thing to do — the whole place is a vibe.
Can’t Miss Opportunity:
The tour and tasting are definitely the draw but don’t sleep on the Over Look bar. You’ll end up here for a five-dram tasting of the core line. Stay for some cocktails and enjoy the view. Then make sure to peruse the art collection throughout the distillery for a bit of culture outside of whiskey.
Cost/Times:
Tours and tastings cost $20 to $25 and last 30 to 60 minutes. They run Tuesday through Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm.
Repeal is probably the one place you have to eat while on Whiskey Row. This is the best of what Kentucky has to offer from superb steaks cooked over fires fueled with old whiskey oak staves to the best wedge salad in the game to what I claim are the best dinner rolls in the country (they’re cold fermented for a week before they’re baked!).
Repeal also showcases some amazing seafood with a killer oyster menu of baked and raw oysters. It’s worth noting Louisville has a great seafood scene thanks to it being UPS’s hub. That means all the seafood from each coast stops in Louisville before it goes everywhere else in the country. That, in turn, means that Left Coast and East Coast fish and shellfish are fresher in Louisville than, say, Chicago because no matter where it’s headed, it stops in Louisville first.
Anyway, Repeal also has a killer bar scene with some seriously great cocktail mixers working tirelessly to make you the perfect sipper while you wait for your dinner rolls, oysters, and steak.
Can’t Miss Dish:
The Oysters Rockefeller is an easy win. Bacon creamed spinach and bread crumbs are accented with absinthe and baked over medium. But I’m going with the Iceberg Wedge as the pick (though the French Onion Gratinée soup is also killer).
The Wedge is a massive quarter head of iceberg that’s light and perfectly salted covered in a massive slab of in-house-cured and smoked bacon, gorgonzola crumbles, tomato, cucumber, pickled onion, and a buttermilk dressing with a hard-boiled egg. It’s a wedge amped up to its extreme. It’s also a full meal by itself.
Merle’s Whiskey Kitchen is probably the most fun you’ll have while eating and drinking on the Row. The bar/restaurant is right across the street from both Repeal and Old Forester. It’s an open indoor space with a good-sized outdoor patio. There’s a killer bar with a great staff who can sense what your order is going to be as the night wears on. Make sure to sample the barrel picks from behind the bar, especially if you’re looking for a special pour from Wild Turkey or Buffalo Trace.
The food menu is a list of classic Midwest-meets-Southern classics. Sweet potato casserole, baked mac and cheese, and cornbread all make appearances alongside pulled pork, fried chicken, and “dunked” Cuban sandwiches.
Can’t Miss Dish:
You cannot sleep on Merle’s fried chicken. The whole half-fried chicken is the way to go if you’re planning to share. It’s an entire half of a chicken that’s battered and deep-fried and then drizzled with hot honey. It’s pretty much the perfect bar food fried chicken and pairs awesomely with a tall boy of Coors Banquet and a pour of the Buffalo Trace Bourbon barrel pick.
The Bar at Fort Nelson is the bar above the Michter’s distillery. This place is special and you’ll need to call ahead for a table. First and foremost, the staff is amazingly well trained. They have that special bar sense of knowing how much attention to give you and when, while keeping 100% cool and collected even when slammed. Next, they make their own huge blocks of ice and process them into various-sized cubes, orbs, and crushed ice in the back. This makes for a massively better cocktail-making experience as block ice holds the cold better without over-diluting drinks.
Then there’s the setting. This is a chill bar with a touch of Belle Epoque meets Lost Generation vibe in a very comfortable setting. The fermenting malts from the distillery below waft up to the bar, creating a sense of place. Lastly, you can get a pour of some seriously rare Michter’s expressions here… for a price.
Can’t Miss Drink:
I’m partial to the Boulevardier. It’s served up with a large ice ball. It’s the perfect mix of Campari, Michter’s whiskey, and sweet vermouth with a couple of special touches to elevate it.
From there, you might want to consider your bank account before you dive into the 20 and 25-year pours of Michter’s.
Louisville is full of hidden bars behind no-descript doors. It’s a town that suits secret speakeasies. Hell or High Water is a well-known and well-hidden speakeasy right on Main Street.
The bar — which requires a reservation well in advance — is impossible to find if you’re just looking for it. Once inside, you’ll be treated to a plush library of booze with big velvet booths, old leather wingback chairs, and a bar menu second to none.
Can’t Miss Drink:
I’m partial to the My Oh Mai!, a bourbon take on a Mai Tai with plenty of rum. It’s tropical, boozy, and full of nuttiness that plays nicely with the Old Forester 1920 at the base of the drink.
As with all bars like this in Louisville, there’s an incredible whiskey bottle list as well.
This is just off Whiskey Row (three blocks) and worth hitting up after the other bars close — a lot of Louisville closes down by 11 pm (or earlier). This is after hours with bands, karaoke, and bacchanal every night, but especially on the weekends. It’s also a dive bar so it’s incredibly cheap to drink here. Basic shots and bottles of beer are a couple of bucks each.
The decor is an uber-dive bar with chalk graffiti everywhere, pinball in the back, a funky pool table, and neon everywhere. It’s a dive bar, you get it.
Can’t Miss Drink:
A beer and shot. This is where the tattooed and pierced crowd go after they had their dinner and cocktails so don’t expect fancy unless it’s someone belting out the song on karaoke night.
The Grady Hotel is a boutique hotel that leans into the historical aesthetic of Whiskey Row. The rooms are well-appointed and you feel the history of the building without feeling its age — everything is brand-new, polished, and plush.
The beauty of this place is that you’re right in the middle of everything on Whiskey Row. You can walk to every place on this list, have a whiskey or three, grab great food, and then stumble home to a bed with great sheets, soft pillows, and a gentle mattress.
There’s also a nice speak-easy-lite bar in the basement (that also serves a smashing breakfast for guests). The bar fills up a night with people looking for unique pours and great cocktails in a quieter setting than some of the other bars on the Row.
Price:
Expect to pay $188 for a standard room with a king bed, a well-fitted bathroom, and nice art deco decor.
21c Museum Hotel is probably your best bet for a little culture next to great food (Proof on Main in the lobby is a must-stop for brunch or cocktails) and comfy rooms.
The hotel is right in the middle of Whiskey Row, making everything in this guide within walking distance. The lobby is a small art exhibit attached to a larger installation/full-on museum that rotates through art seasonally. The rooms are bespoke but simple — really, this is where the cool kids go to take selfies next to art, meaning the bedrooms are not the real draw.
The overall vibe is young and hip from the lobby to the bar to the rooms. There’s a full-sized golden statue of David outside, which tells you that this is a place to be seen.
Hotel Distil is the hotel attached to Repeal listed above. This is a boutique hotel with another great location right in the middle of the action. If you’re planning on just focusing on Whiskey Row on your trip to Louisville, you won’t have to rent a car if you stay here.
The hotel has a great lobby scene thanks to the bar at Repeal overflowing into Distil’s actual lobby. You can get drinks from Repeal and sit in the overstuffed chairs in the lobby and chat if you like. The lobby also serves cold pours of free bourbon on the weekend evenings around 6 pm. Expect something like JTS Brown Bourbon.
A great bar with free whiskey in the lobby? I think you’re sold.
As for the rest, the rooms are slightly corporate but plush with great amenities. The hotel is also super dog-friendly with welcome baskets for your pup, which is a nice touch. The beds are very comfortable and the amenities are top-notch as well, but not mind-blowing. It’s a great hotel, not a luxury resort.
What is mind-blowing is the bar cart you can get delivered to your room. It’ll have super rare bottles like Pappy 10-Year and Eagle Rare 17-Year on there. The bar cart will have everything you need to pour the perfect dram or mix up the perfect cocktail, but it’s going to cost you.
Justins’ House of Bourbon is a multi-faceted stop. One aspect is the excellent bottle shop that’s the heart of the establishment. This is where you get all the bottles you can’t find at home or aren’t willing to stand in a two-day-long line for. Justins’ is also one of the best places in the country to score a dusty (old bottle from a bygone era). Again, these are not cheap, but if you’re a collector/investor, this is probably going to be the place where you spend the most time (and money).
Beyond the bottle shop, there’s also a very unassuming but great bar in the middle of it all. You can get a serious cocktail while contemplating that $500 bottle of Old Crow from the 1960s. You can also get a pour of some serious whiskey ranging from old-school Pappy to modern gems that flew under the radar. The best bet is to get a flight of whiskeys. The Weller flight covers all the expressions and is only $35. That’s a steal.
And then there’s the tasting room which leads us to…
The Hidden Gem:
The true hidden gem of this place is the hidden whiskey tasting room behind a wall of whiskeys in the main room. If you plan ahead and plan to buy some real bottles, you can ask for a private tasting with one of Justins’ expert staff members (everyone who works here is a true pro). You’ll get to pick a handful of bottles and you’ll be guided through a historical tasting of some of the best bourbons ever made.
There’s nothing else quite like it in America. Trust me on this.
Doc’s Bourbon Room, attached to Doc Crow’s restaurant is one of those places that seems like a pretty standard whiskey bar on the surface. There’s a long bar up front and a lot of seating that stretches toward a backroom. Like Justins’ above, this is open to the public. Hell, they even serve a great brunch every morning.
In the evenings, this place can get hopping as well. People in the know drop in for a bite (Doc Crow’s next door is another great Southern-ish Kentucky restaurant) and a pour. The black walls are decorated with what seems like endless bottles, which leads us to…
The Hidden Gem:
This is the largest collection of whiskeys on a single menu in all of Kentucky and they’re what decorate the place. All of those shelves and shelves of whiskey on the walls from every corner of the world are on the menu, which is — wait for it — 60 pages long (that’s 8×11 pages with small print too). Their whiskey list goes so deep that they have a section for “undisclosed” whiskeys that cannot be categorized.
While bourbon and rye are the center of attention everywhere else, this is where you go for it all. All the whiskeys are here and ready to pour — meaning it’s a great chance to compare various styles.
Yes, this is a liquor store and it’s technically in Nulu, just east of the Row. But since it’s right by Rabbit Hole, it deserves to be included. You can rock up to this liquor store and sit at the bar all day or night and taste all the whiskeys you can’t get anywhere else from Pappy to Michter’s to everything else you can dream of. Of course, those pours come at a price but they are there.
The Hidden Gem:
While the bar is amazingly well stocked, the barrel picks are the real treat. You can get Eagle Rare Single Barrel picks that the bar staff picks alongside other amazing single barrel versions of your favorite ryes and bourbons. It’s a real treat and a deep dive into the special whiskeys coming out of Kentucky right now. The best part is that you can buy that specific bottle right there too. You might want to check a second suitcase on the way home.
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