Diageo to end bottling operations at Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Shively.

[IamMatt]

International spirits giant Diageo has announced it will close its bottling operation at the Stitzel-Weller Distillery in Louisville in April.  Spirits that were previously bottled at Stitzel-Weller, 3860 Fitzgerald Road in the Shively neighborhood, will be moved to Diageo's other properties throughout the United States. The restructuring will result in the loss of 33 jobs in Louisville.

 

https://www.courier-journal.com/story/life/food/spirits/bourbon/2025/01/30/diageo-to-end-bottling-operations-stitzel-weller-distillery-kentucky/78058883007/?

[Phil T]

When i was there a couple years ago, most of the whiskey being aged there was not theirs. I'm not surprised by this announcement. 

I will say this, it is an awesome, heritage distillery that should be seen by bourbon lovers, at least once. The fact that Diageo has mistreated its history is not surprising. 

 

Prost!!  Phil 

[Kepler]

Is it okay if I just say Diageo sucks?  There I said it.

 

[smokinjoe]

Don’t fret.  It’s just Business.  Opportunity.  Capitalism.  The best program the world has ever seen.  While it may not always work in my favor, I embrace it fully.

[flahute]

5 hours ago, Phil T said:

When i was there a couple years ago, most of the whiskey being aged there was not theirs. I'm not surprised by this announcement. 

I will say this, it is an awesome, heritage distillery that should be seen by bourbon lovers, at least once. The fact that Diageo has mistreated its history is not surprising. 

 

Prost!!  Phil 

Correct. Bulleit used to be most or all Four Roses. At that time, 50% of 4R capacity was going to Bulleit. When 4R cut them off, they had to pull from wherever they could. That's why all those barrels at SW are from everyone else.

[flahute]

2 hours ago, smokinjoe said:

Don’t fret.  It’s just Business.  Opportunity.  Capitalism.  The best program the world has ever seen.  While it may not always work in my favor, I embrace it fully.

That bottling line is not very large compared to what they now have in Shelbyville so this is not a big surprise.

They also mentioned the distillery in Lebanon. Back when I was still working on the distillery design for Jim Rutledge he was taking me around to some potential distillery sites in Lebanon.

When we were done he took me by the Diageo distillery there and told me this was now the biggest distillery in Kentucky and that nobody knew about it because it's not open to the public.

Pretty wild.