Happy Derby Eve! In honor of the 152nd Run for the Roses this Saturday, we’re devoting this edition of Distilled to all things Kentucky Derby, with an emphasis on bourbon of course. First, if you’re among the hundreds of thousands of revelers in Louisville this week—or planning a future visit—you won’t find a tastier souvenir than one of these distillery-exclusive bottles below. (And to recharge, you might want to try one of the many iterations of the Hot Brown.) Gonzo Whiskey, a brand in partnership with the estate of Louisville native Hunter S. Thompson, is also rolling out some special bottles for Derby, and contributor Tom Wilmes chatted with illustrator Ralph Steadman, who accompanied Thompson during his famous 1970 visit to Churchill Downs. We also check in with Trevor Bowles, lead bartender at the Garden & Gun Club at Stitzel-Weller, to see what he’s pouring. For those of us who aren’t living it up in Louisville, we’ve got you covered with some refreshments perfect for watching the race from the comfort of your couch, including a frozen spin on the mint julep and a new favorite Derby cocktail from Woodford Reserve. Or how about a Kentucky Derby pie with pecans, chocolate, and bourbon? Wherever you may be watching, we hope you enjoy a Saturday full of Bluegrass State spirit.
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Bottles You’ll Find Only in Louisville |
Seven Bourbon City distilleries to hunt for special releases you can’t get back home.
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RECALLING A DERBY CLASSIC |
A New Release from Gonzo Whiskey Pays Tribute to Hunter S. Thompson’s Derby Adventure |
Illustrator Ralph Steadman recounts the pair’s now-legendary 1970 collaboration.
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Trevor Bowles serves as lead bartender at the Garden & Gun Club at the historic Stitzel-Weller Distillery in his hometown of Louisville. Bowles worked at various craft bars and spirit companies in the city before joining the G&G Club.
What’s the most popular bourbon you’re pouring?
The Blade and Bow 30 Year is having a moment. It has received significant critical acclaim. We’ve even had several people from the West Coast fly here just to try it.
What’s the bourbon you’re drinking after-hours?
A single-barrel from Bulleit that the staff at Stitzel-Weller picked. The staff named it Rye and Mighty, and the name holds up. It’s a high-rye bourbon that is a little sweeter upfront with a long, complex finish.
Your most popular bourbon cocktail?
By far the old-fashioned. It is the official cocktail of Louisville. On average we make around thirty per day. Sometimes upward of a hundred! I guess we’re known for it on the Bourbon Trail.
And your favorite bourbon cocktail?
My favorite is probably a whiskey sour or some variation of it. There are so many ways you can tweak it. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll take a classic one any day. Fresh lemon juice is imperative, though.
Is there a new brand or bourbon you’re excited about?
Penelope has been producing some interesting content. Some very interesting secondary finishing. I can’t wait to see how the brand evolves.
Other than your own bar, where’s the best spot to drink bourbon?
Here in Louisville, I stick to Neat Bourbon Bar, Liquor Barn Springhurst, and Evergreen Liquors in NuLu. They all have reasonable prices at their tasting bars and are well stocked if you choose to take a bottle home.
Neat? One cube? Crushed?
It really depends, but I drink it neat more often than with ice.
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A Derby keepsake: Woodford Reserve’s 2026 commemorative Kentucky Derby bottle ($50) features artwork by Anna Murphy that honors race-day fashion, rendered in the style of a blue-and-white porcelain pattern.
Maker’s Mark, in partnership with Keeneland, released the latest in its Greats of the Gate series, with proceeds benefiting Kentucky nonprofits. This year’s bottle features Northern Dancer, who became the first Canadian-bred winner of both the Derby and the Preakness in 1964.
Four Roses is releasing the second annual installment of its Single Barrel Collection, a trio of bottles made from three different recipes ($50 each), all at 100 proof and aged seven to nine years.
Jack Daniel’s drew five batches of barrels from three specific warehouse locations—Coy Hill, Boiler Hill, and Fire Brigade Fields—for its Special Release Small Batch Rye ($65). The cask-strength, 375 ml bottles range from 142.7 to 146.1 proof and are sold exclusively at the White Rabbit Bottle Shop in Lynchburg.
Speaking of Jack, author Richard Thomas takes a deep dive into the brand with Jack Daniel’s: Behind the Bottle. The coffee-table-book-sized tome explores the distillery’s murky origin story, its pop culture presence, and its modern-day evolution.
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—Tom Wilmes, G&G contributor
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