About
Kentucky Artisan Distillery is a craft-scale, behind-the-scenes bourbon stop in Crestwood that feels refreshingly personal, especially if you like seeing the real working side of whiskey-making. As the official home of Jefferson’s Bourbon, KAD blends distilling, bottling, and innovation in one place, giving visitors a close look at how modern bourbon brands are built from the inside out. The experience is intimate and production-forward, with tours designed to show you the full path from grain handling and fermentation to distillation and bottling, then finish with a tasting of rotating house brands. It’s an easy add to a Louisville-area trip because it sits just off I-71, yet the visit feels tucked away, more “craft facility” than tourist corridor, with a gift shop and tasting bar that make the stop complete without taking your whole day.
History
Kentucky Artisan Distillery’s story starts in 2012, when the operation launched with a clear mission. Become the kind of distillery that can do the hands-on work many brands need but do not have the facilities to handle themselves. In a state filled with legacy names, KAD carved out a modern niche as a contract distiller and bottler that could support multiple labels while still creating a visitor experience that feels up close and transparent. Over the years, KAD grew into a high-output craft operation producing thousands of barrels annually, expanding its role in Kentucky whiskey by pairing real production capacity with the flexibility to experiment.
Notoriety
KAD is best known for delivering one of the most genuinely behind-the-scenes craft tours in the Louisville area. Rather than a polished museum-style route, the visit focuses on real production spaces, including areas many distilleries keep fully off-limits, and it leans into the parts of bourbon that serious fans love. Fermentation, distillation, bottling reality, and the experimentation mindset that shapes modern releases. Another reason it stands out is the flavor variety visitors can encounter, since the tasting is built around rotating brands that call Kentucky Artisan Distillery home instead of only one flagship lineup.
experiences
Cocktail Classes
Duration:
N/A
Price:
N/A
At this time, the distillery does not offer any cocktail classes.
Tours & Tastings
Duration:
45 Mins - 1 Hr
Price:
$15 - $30
Kentucky Artisan Distillery pairs guided tours and tastings with a craft-focused Crestwood setting where hands-on whiskey making takes center stage.
amenities
Cocktail Bar
Event Spaces
Gift Shop
Pet Friendly
nearby
Distilleries
Copper & Kings Louisville
Rabbit Hole Distillery
Jeptha Creed Distillery
Things To Do
Hermitage Farm
Yew Dale Botanical Gardens
Sauerbeck Family Drive In
Food & Drink
Barn8 on Hermitage Farms
One Nineteen West Main
Madeline’s Nibbles & Wine
Stay
The Inn at Spring Run Farm
Chateau Bourbon B&B
1840 Tucker House B&B