Whiskey Thief is opening a second NuLu address built specifically for parties. The Franklin County craft bourbon distillery will open The Guild House, a 4,000-square-foot event space and tasting room at 612 E. Market St., to the public on Nov. 5, giving the brand a dedicated spot for buyouts and private tastings without shutting the doors on its original tasting room.
According to The Courier-Journal, the new space will host events, buyouts, VIP receptions and private tastings, leaving the original tasting room open to brand enthusiasts and walk-in guests. That original Louisville location, which opened in 2024 on Nanny Goat Strut, lets fans taste directly from the cask, and the company says the new venue grew out of demand it couldn't ignore.
The expansion, per the same report, is directly related to demand by guests to rent out the entire Whiskey Thief tasting room space for events. Rather than bump walk-in visitors every time a group wanted the whole room, Whiskey Thief is giving private gatherings a separate home.
A Historic House With a Musical Past
The Guild House isn't a typical storefront buildout. The venue occupies a 19th-century residence formerly owned by Louisville Orchestra Music Director Teddy Abrams, according to the Courier-Journal's reporting, adding a layer of local history to the bourbon brand's latest bet on NuLu.
Whiskey Thief's existing NuLu tasting room already leans into atmosphere over straightforward retail. The company describes its urban outpost as bringing the brand's experience into the city, with guests able to taste straight from the cask and even fill their own bottle at barrel strength, according to Whiskey Thief. The same tasting room hosts everything from intimate gatherings to spirited receptions, and weekly live sessions bring in local musicians, the company notes.
Membership Perks Launch the Same Day
Nov. 5 won't just mark a new address — it's also the launch date for The Guild by Whiskey Thief, a membership community the distillery is rolling out alongside the event space. The program will be free to join, with paid levels offering benefits that go beyond a standing reservation.
Those paid tiers are built around access rather than discounts: members at higher levels get first claims on releases and direct access to Whiskey Thief-curated barrels, the distillery says. It's a structure aimed at the kind of bourbon enthusiast who already treats cask-strength pours and barrel picks as collector's items.
Part of a Broader NuLu Footprint
Whiskey Thief's NuLu presence has been building for a couple of years. A 2024 account from the Lane Report described plans for a second Whiskey Thief facility in the neighborhood, one envisioned with capacity for more than 200 people and open to walk-ins, featuring a tasting lineup that rotated through five barrels — typically four bourbons and one rye whiskey. That earlier vision also called for a cocktail bar, indoor and outdoor seating with live music several days a week, a private event space and a retail area.
The company's reach extends beyond its tasting rooms, too. Whiskey Thief also hosts events at its Franklin County farm distillery, giving the brand multiple venues across the region for everything from casual tastings to larger gatherings, the company says on its website.
With The Guild House opening Nov. 5, Whiskey Thief is betting that splitting its NuLu operation into two distinct spaces — one for casual visitors, one for booked-out events — will let both crowds get what they came for without competing for the same room.
