Vermont’s WhistlePig Opens “The Vault” in Louisville

While WhistlePig is a Vermont company, the late Dave Pickerell, WhistlePig’s founding distiller, spent much of his career in the Kentucky bourbon industry before helping launch the Vermont rye brand.

WhistlePig Whiskey, the Shoreham, Vermont-based distiller known for its rye, has officially expanded its footprint into the heart of American whiskey country. On December 5, 2025, the company opened The WhistlePig Vault, a new tasting room and consumer experience located in downtown Louisville, Kentucky.

Situated in the NuLu neighborhood at 403 East Market Street, the venue occupies a restored 1911 building that formerly housed the German Security Bank. While the brand maintains its farm and distillery operations in Vermont, this new outpost serves as its first permanent consumer destination outside of the Green Mountain State.

Inside the Bank Vault

True to its name, the centerpiece of the new location is the building’s original bank vault. Reimagined to house liquid assets rather than currency, the steel-doored room now contains WhistlePig’s rarest and most collectible bottles. This includes the full collection of The Boss Hog, the brand’s premium annual release. The space is designed to offer an intimate setting where guests can explore vintage releases and single malt whiskeys that are rarely available to the public.

A High-Climbing Bar and “Flying Pigs”

Beyond the vault, the main “Bank Lobby Bar” highlights the building’s historic architecture with high ceilings and polished stone. The bar itself is a significant feature, reportedly climbing nearly 21 feet to utilize the vertical space of the former banking hall.

The tasting room incorporates several interactive elements distinct from a traditional bar. In a nod to drive-through banking technology, the bar utilizes a pneumatic tube system to serve cocktails. The venue’s signature drink, “The Flying Pig,” is delivered to guests via these air-powered vacuum tubes.

Hands-On Experiences

The Vault includes a retail section known as “The Whiskey Exchange,” which offers a hands-on customization experience. Visitors can purchase bottles of PiggyBank Rye—a 10-year-old rye whiskey sold in a pig-shaped decanter—and dip the bottle in wax to seal it themselves.

For those looking for a more in-depth experience, the mezzanine level houses a Blending Room. Here, guests can participate in guided sessions to create their own personal blend of WhistlePig Old World Rye, experimenting with different finishes such as Port, Madeira, and Sauternes.

Bridging Vermont and Kentucky

While WhistlePig is a Vermont company, the new Louisville location is described by CEO Charles Gibb as a “full-circle moment” for the brand. This refers to the legacy of the late Dave Pickerell, WhistlePig’s founding distiller, who spent much of his career in the Kentucky bourbon industry before helping launch the Vermont rye brand.

To coincide with the opening, WhistlePig has released a product specifically for this market: WhistlePig 10 Snout-to-Tail Bourbon. This whiskey is aged in barrels that are flipped during maturation to ensure the liquid interacts with both the “snout” and “tail” ends of the barrel staves. The bottle’s proof is set at 88, a reference to the 880 miles traveling between the distillery in Shoreham and the new tasting room in Louisville.

What Happens Next

The WhistlePig Vault is now open to the public for general admission and reserved tastings. Operating hours are Tuesday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Friday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., while the location remains closed on Sundays and Mondays. The company plans to maintain this schedule as it integrates into the Louisville “Bourbon District,” offering a permanent outpost for Vermont whiskey enthusiasts traveling through Kentucky.