Bourbon Street Liquor
Home / About Us

FOUR
GENERATIONS
OF PATIENCE

Bourbon Street Liquor is a specialty retailer of premium and hard-to-find bourbon, whiskey, tequila, and spirits, based in Upland, California.

LICENSED RETAILER — UPLAND, CALIFORNIA
Our Philosophy

WHAT THE
BARREL
DECIDES

In 1891, James Bourbon Street Liquor built a copper still in a limestone-floored cellar in the hills above Bardstown. Not to sell. To understand. To learn what the earth gave, what fire transformed, what time perfected.

Four generations later, the same deliberate philosophy governs every bottle. We don't rush what the barrel decides. We don't compromise what a century of reputation has earned. Each release is a conversation between the grain, the oak, and the years in between.

We believe that great bourbon is not made — it is allowed. Allowed to age past the point of profitability. Allowed to develop character that shortcuts can't replicate. Allowed to become something that earns its place on your shelf.

https://bourbonstreetliquor.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/large.jpg
The original limestone cellar, 1891 — where our first barrel was laid to rest
Our History

A LINEAGE
OF CRAFT

1891

The First Still

James Bourbon Street Liquor builds a copper pot still by hand in a limestone cellar near Bardstown, Kentucky. The first barrel is filled on October 14th — a date still marked at the distillery each year.

1920

Through Prohibition

While others dismantled, the Bourbon Street Liquor family stored 400 barrels deep in limestone caves. They waited. When repeal came in 1933, those barrels became legend — and proved that patience was the family's greatest asset.

1947

The Second Generation

William Bourbon Street Liquor expands the rickhouse and establishes the family's relationship with a single cooperage — a partnership that continues to this day. He introduces the 18-year minimum aging standard.

1978

The Archive Begins

Robert Bourbon Street Liquor begins setting aside the finest barrels from each year's production into a private reserve — the collection that would become the annual Archive release.

2003

International Recognition

The 18-Year Reserve wins its first major international award. Within a decade, Bourbon Street Liquor & Sons would accumulate 47 accolades from spirits competitions across three continents.

2019

The Fourth Generation

Eleanor Bourbon Street Liquor takes the helm as Master Distiller — one of the few women to lead a heritage bourbon house. She introduces small experimental batches while honoring every original protocol.

What We Stand For

OUR PRINCIPLES

01

Patience Over Profit

We age every barrel beyond what the market demands. The barrel decides when it's ready — not the quarterly report.

02

Single Source Grain

Heirloom corn from one family farm in Shelby County. Same soil, same seed line, same harvest window since 1961.

03

Hand Selection

Every stave, every barrel, every cut is made by hand and judged by nose — not by algorithm or automation.

04

No Additives, Ever

No caramel coloring. No chill filtration unless requested. What goes in the barrel is what goes in the bottle.

05

Transparency of Process

Every bottle carries its batch number, barrel count, proof, and age. We have nothing to hide because we have nothing to shortcut.

06

Stewardship of Land

The limestone aquifer that feeds our still has sustained four generations. We protect it as carefully as we protect our reputation.

KENTUCKY
The Distillery

BY THE NUMBERS

◈

Limestone Aquifer

Natural limestone filtration provides the mineral-rich water that has defined our spirit since the first barrel.

134
Years of Water Source
▥

Rickhouse Capacity

Our temperature-controlled rickhouse holds barrels across three floors, with natural airflow through limestone walls.

12,000
Barrels at Rest
⬡

Cooperage Partnership

Every barrel is custom-made to our specifications. Level 3 char. New American white oak. Selected by hand.

1947
Partnership Since
◎

Annual Production

Deliberately small. We produce fewer barrels in a year than some distilleries fill in a week.

600
Barrels Per Release
◇

Original Copper Still

The 1891 pot still still operates. Restored twice, never replaced. It produces the same character it did over a century ago.

1891
Year of Origin
⬢

Awards & Accolades

Recognized by international spirits competitions across North America, Europe, and Asia for consistent excellence.

47
Awards Won
Begin Your Journey

TASTE WHAT PATIENCE
BUILDS

From everyday bottles to rare finds, discover what's available at Bourbon Street Liquor.

Shop The Collection Contact Us