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When you think of all the ways Louisville Water Company helps keep the economy flowing, you may not immediately think of the role we play in a $9 billion industry in Kentucky.
During National Bourbon Week, we’re raising a glass of Louisville Pure Tap® to the nearly 20 distilleries where we provide a key ingredient: high-quality water. With 95% of the world’s bourbon supply right here in Kentucky, a reliable, high-quality water source is vital.
We like to say Louisville Water is bourbon’s best friend. Louisville Water provides an average of two million gallons of water daily to distilleries; that’s 535 million gallons of water in 2024.
Among those distilleries is one of our Made With Pure Tap® partners, Rabbit Hole Distillery. Owner Kaveh Zamanian’s passion for bourbon evolved after he moved to Kentucky, and he ultimately created his own spirits company.
“In addition to the grains, Louisville Pure Tap® is a critical part of what goes into our products.” Zamanian said, “One of the most important things when it comes to water is to make sure that you don’t have iron and sulfur, essentially ingredients that are not good for bourbon production. One of the most important things about Louisville Water and Louisville tap (water) is that it’s essentially good water, perfect for distilling.”
Rabbit Hole recently re-released its limited-edition collection of bourbon highlighting local landmarks on the bottle labels. We were honored that the Louisville Water Tower, the oldest ornamental standing water tower in the country, was one of the six landmarks featured in the collection.
Steps away from the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, Michter’s Distillery begins its tours with sips of water.
“It’s the first thing we talk about on our tour because it’s the first thing we all start with when we make whiskey,” shared Jacqueline Cavalani, Michter’s guest experience manager.
Louisville Water’s partnership with Michter’s began in 2019 after the distillery’s Master of Maturation, Andrea Wilson, participated in a water tasting. Wilson wanted to highlight how our exceptional water quality helps them craft the best bourbon.
“We want (guests) to realize, if they’re staying in a hotel downtown, the water that we’re using at our distilleries to make our whiskey is that same water they get right out of the tap,” Cavalani said.
Earlier this year, Michter’s visitor experience team toured Louisville Water Tower and enjoyed a water tasting. The blind taste test allowed them to see, smell, and taste the flavor profiles of bottled waters against Pure Tap, emphasizing the significance of using quality water in their mash.
We often do those water tastings for bourbon enthusiasts, and as a member of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, we frequently host members at Louisville Water Tower.
