Garden & Gun Magazine opens cocktail bar in Louisville Distillery

A destination cocktail bar, inspired by the Garden & Gun Magazine hotel franchise, opens in the historic Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville.
The Garden & Gun Club will open on August 5 on the second floor of the distillery in the Shively neighborhood of Louisville. The new stop along the Kentucky Bourbon Trail was designed to be a “natural extension of the Garden & Gun brand, bringing its distinct voice to Louisville and paying homage to the modern lifestyle long synonymous with the magazine,” according to a press release announcing the new concept.
Stitzel-Weller is home to Blade and Bow, IW Harper and Orphan Barrel bourbons.
“There is no better place for this club – with its distinctively southern atmosphere that mixes old and new – than on the grounds of this historically significant distillery which is also welcoming a new generation in the art of making bourbon, ”Steve Rust, president of Diageo, who runs Stitzel-Weller, said in the statement. “In fact, the Blade and Bow Keys have grown to symbolize southern traditions of hospitality, warmth, and the fun of life – exactly what the Garden & Gun Club experience will provide.”
The space inside the historic Distillery offers an elevated experience with thoughtful decor, an curated drink list that includes a Blade and Bow 22-Year-Old tasting experience, and a unique bar menu that’s a modern take southern classics developed by chief executive Ann Kim, the statement said.
The blade and bow infused cocktail menu includes an Old Fashioned, New Fashioned, Paper Plane, Manhattan, and Bourbon Bloody Mary ($ 16 each). The Garden & Gun Club has a full bar menu and wine and beer will also be available.
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The Garden & Gun Club’s menu features an elevated bar menu featuring chili cheese served with raw vegetables and local chips ($ 12), a ham and country cheese platter with artisan cheeses and Newsome ham ( $ 21) and Hardy Farms boiled peanuts ($ 9), among other savory options, the release said.
The Garden & Gun Club area has a custom designed bar along its back wall and offers a combination of bistro tables, benches and a seating area with a capacity of 60 people.
“The historic Stitzel-Weller Distillery holds a special place in the hearts of G&G readers and bourbon aficionados around the world,” Christian Brant, vice president and publisher of Garden & Gun, said in the statement. “We know this new and unique G&G Club experience will be a must-see on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.”
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The Garden & Gun Club is open to the public from August 5 and is independent from tours of the distillery. The club will initially be open with limited hours: Thursday to Saturday, 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Additional hours and special events will be added later.
For more information, visit stitzelwellerdistillery.com/garden-and-gun-club.
Contact Editor-in-Chief Kathryn Gregory at kgregory@courier-journal.com