The Blade and Bow story began with the founding of the legendary Stitzel-Weller Distillery—the cathedral of bourbon—in 1935, a Louisville icon and home to the fathers of bourbon. With a commitment to craftsmanship and artistry, Stitzel-Weller reimagined what Kentucky Bourbon could be until distilling stopped in 1992.
Named after the two parts of a skeleton key, the blade shaft and the ornate bow, the Blade and Bow brand is a tribute to the five keys that once hung on the door of the Stitzel-Weller Distillery. These keys represented the five steps of crafting bourbon—grains, yeast, fermentation, distillation and aging. But more importantly, they grew to symbolize the southern traditions of hospitality, warmth and enjoying the finer things in life.
