by By Col. Brian G. Miller
As the bourbon boom continues to grow, new distillery experiences continue to debut in Kentucky bourbon country. And many of the existing destinations, such as Maker’s Mark, James B. Beam Distilling Co. and Heaven Hill keep growing, to accommodate increases in both bourbon production and tourists wanting to visit.
Now it’s Angel’s Envy’s turn.
Only six years after opening its doors as the first distillery to bring whiskey production back to Louisville’s Whiskey Row, Angel’s Envy felt the need for expansion.
Angel’s Envy is a craft distiller that produces finished whiskies (a Kentucky Straight Bourbon finished in port wine barrels and a Rye Whiskey finished in Caribbean rum casks) in addition to several special releases each year. Angel’s Envy expressions are available in all 50 states and several international locations.
Last month the distillery debuted an $8.2 million expansion to what it calls its “Brand Home” at 500 Main Street. The new look added 13,000 square feet to the facility. It now includes five new tasting rooms, additional bar space, a catering kitchen and private event space, and a “Bottle Your Own” experience. The new space more than doubles the number of visitors, offering another 64,000 people a chance to tour the distillery each year.
“Angel’s Envy has seen significant growth over the past several years, and that will only be amplified with our Brand Home expansion as we can now better meet the incredible demand from visitors who want to tour our facilities and experience our distillery. We’re proud to be part of such a strong community in Louisville and will continue to invest in our hometown,” said Gigi DaDan, Angel’s Envy General Manager.
I recently had a chance to retake the “Signature Tour” after the expansion. My most recent tour was about three years ago. You begin the tour in a new rotunda in front of a wall displaying the signature wings from the Angel’s Envy logo. The wall highlights the father and son team, Lincoln and Wes Henderson, who started the brand and the finishing process that makes it different from standard bourbon and rye offerings.
While the Henderson family theme recurs throughout the tour, Angel’s Envy is now owned by Barcardi Limited, the world’s largest privately held spirits company.
The production tour is essentially the same as it’s always been. Michelle Thompson was our tour guide and did an excellent job as we stopped at each stage in the distilling process, ending at the barrel dumping station.
Once filled, the barrels travel to warehouses in Henry County, Kentucky for aging, before returning here to be dumped and bottled. The bottling process is still done mostly by hand.
Cocktails: Angel’s Envy Perfect Manhattan:
Ingredients
1.5 oz Angel’s Envy Bourbon Finished in Port Wine Barrels
.75 oz Sweet Vermouth
.75 oz Dry Vermouth
3 dashes aromatic bitters
Preparation
Stir all ingredients for a minimum of 15 seconds, strain into a chilled coupe glass
Garnish: Brandy-soaked cherry
Glassware: Coupe glass
Each tour concludes in one of the new tasting rooms where you get to sample both Angel’s Envy bourbon and rye, along with specially paired chocolates custom made by Louisville chocolatier Art Eatables.
Michelle noted that even before the pandemic reduced the number and size of tours, Angel’s Envy couldn’t accommodate all the folks who wanted to tour. With the expansion, the distillery offers more twelve-person “intimate” tours than ever before. Michelle said “we are booked and busy, as they say on the trail, we’re busy basically through December.”
I asked Michelle why Angel’s Envy is a “can’t miss tour” for folks when they come to Louisville to learn about bourbon.
“We are one of the distilleries actually producing bourbon downtown. You get to see it all – we go grain to bottle,” Michell said. “The bottling line is really appealing to people because not everybody bottles in house. And our cocktail bar at the end of the tour is really great for trying specialty releases, single barrels, and we do have a world-class cocktail staff as well.”
(Note: the cocktail bar is not open to the general public at this time.)
WHEN YOU GO
The Angel’s Envy Signature Tour is available seven days a week for $25 per person. Reservations are required. PRO TIP: Angel’s Envy has some of the latest hours of any of the Kentucky’s distillery experiences. It’s open on Thursdays until 7:00 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday until 8:00 p.m.
The “Bottle Your Own” Experience is offered Thursday through Sunday for $149.99 per person. Reservations are required.
Parking is available on the street at meters and in the next block of Main Street (across from Louisville Slugger Baseball Park) for $10.
Sign up for more information about Angel’s Envy at 500 Main.
