OUR VISITOR CENTER & GIFT SHOP ARE OPEN! WEDNESDAY –  Sunday.  TUESDAYS STARTING 4/11. (VISIT TOURS FOR MORE INFO.)

A Message about our founder, Steve Thompson image

A Message about our founder, Steve Thompson

It is with great sadness that we pass along the news that our founder, Steve Thompson, passed away on September 6th, 2021 at the age of 79 years old.  Distilling was Steve’s life and passion – he was the President of Brown-Forman Distilleries from 1987 to 1995, created Hawaii Island Spirits Inc. in 2007, and in 2012 was able to realize his dream in opening his own distillery, Kentucky Artisan Distillery, in Crestwood, Kentucky.

Steve was an incredible force of nature, breathing life into every room, never slowing down, and always speaking directly from the heart. He will be dearly missed by us all.

Find Out More About Our Tours

Join us for one of the finest stops on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour®. Our tours run Wednesday through Saturday from 10am to 4pm, and Sundays from 12pm to 4pm. Tours start at the top of every hour and are only $12 for adults, and $6 for active military and veterans.

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Who is Kentucky Artisan Distillery?

Kentucky Artisan Distillery is a very unique place in the distillery world. KAD is a contract distiller and bottler, and currently serves as the home for Jefferson’s Reserve Bourbon.

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Serving as the home for Jefferson’s Bourbon means that a large amount of the brand’s distilling, bottling, and aging happens onsite. KAD also works with Jefferson’s to help many of their innovative products become realities. Visit our ‘Brands’ page to learn more about this relationship.

Kentucky Artisan Distillery is one of the few distilleries that produces bourbon and spirits literally from the roots to the bottle, all by hand. We contract grow our grains on 700 acres neighboring our distillery at Waldeck Farm. Our distillery is completely run by our distillers, not a computer. And every bottle that goes down our bottling line is touched by several sets of hands.

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Farm to Bottle

From farm to bottle, Kentucky Artisan Distillery mashes roughly 75 bushels of grain each day from the 700 acres of our neighboring partner, Waldeck Farm. Over 35 barrels a week of Kentucky spirits are produced from grains grown and malted right here in Crestwood, Kentucky.

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Our History

In 2012 three men came together with a unique idea. Ultimately, Kentucky Artisan Distillery was born. Several years later, the distillery is producing thousands of barrels a year and is serving as the home to the third largest super premium bourbon in the world.

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Our Brands

At any point, Kentucky Artisan Distillery can be the home to many different brands. In addition to making, Whiskey Row Bourbon, KAD currently keeps busy with a bourbon brand named after our third president. We are proud to be the official home of Jefferson’s Bourbon.

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Gift Shop

Our gift shop offers the chance to buy any of our fantastic brands right from the source. You can also purchase Jefferson’s, Whiskey Row, KAD and generic bourbon-themed t-shirts, hats, glassware and other keepsakes. Visit our online store to check out some of this merchandise that you can purchase without visiting us in person!

Don’t forget to get your Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour® passport stamped at the gift shop front desk!

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Visit KAD

Get directions to KAD no matter where you are coming from.

6230 Old LaGrange Road
Crestwood, KY 40014