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Michter’s to open Fort Nelson Distillery in Louisville

American whiskey producer Michter’s will open its Fort Nelson Distillery in Louisville next week, which will feature a tasting room, gift shop and bar.

Michter’s Fort Nelson Distillery in Louisville will offer tours and tastings

Following years of restoration, the distillery will hold an opening party on 31 January 2019 with tours scheduled to begin on 2 February.

The site at 801 West Main Street was first built in 1890 and purchased by Michter’s in 2012. The building needed extensive work and contained a collapsed staircase and no floors.

To restore the building, the Bourbon producer installed 400,000 pounds of structural steel.

“It’s only fitting that a once-abandoned, great American brand found its home in a once-abandoned, great American building,” said Michter’s president Joseph J Magliocco.

“The Fort Nelson Building is an architectural gem, and our team is so fortunate to have had the opportunity to bring it back to life and make it a special place for everyone to visit.”

Whiskey will be produced using a pot still and cypress wood fermenter system from Michter’s Pennsylvania Distillery, which traces its history back to 1753.

Michter’s master distiller Pamela Heilmann said: “These stills will once again produce some incredibly special whiskey.”

On the second floor of the building will be The Bar at Fort Nelson. Cocktail historian and author David Wondrich helped create the venue’s classic cocktail list.

In addition to cocktails designed by Wondrich, the menu will include modern serves by head bartender Sevan Araneda, former general manager of San Francisco’s Bourbon & Branch, and bar manager Dante Wheat, former bar manager at Louisville’s Butchertown Social.

The venue will also feature a “highly advanced” ice programme and custom glassware. It will host educational seminars from leading industry professionals through the Fort Nelson Fellows programme.

In addition to the Fort Nelson site, the company owns Michter’s Shively Distillery in Louisville, as well as its 145-acre farm and operations in Springfield, Kentucky.

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