Down One Bourbon Bar & Restaurant is unlike any other bourbon experience in Louisville, KY. With a speakeasy theme, Down One Bourbon Bar & Restaurant is nestled in the middle of Louisville’s Historic Whiskey Row. Relax on our patio lined with magnolia trees, sip on one of over 160 bourbons, and reminisce of the speakeasies of the Prohibition Era in our secret phone booth room with some of the rarest bourbons. We also offer a proprietary barrel program. We spoke to the General Manager of the Whiskey Bar, in the famous whiskey row of Louisville, KY.
Marty, tell us about yourself. Your career history before joining Down One.
MH: I have been in hospitality for 13 years, most recently as the Director of Outlets at the Seelbach Hilton for the last 4 years. While there, I restructured their bourbon portfolio, with an emphasis on hard to find, quality products. Prior to that, I spent 5 years as the Event Operations Manager for Marriott, here in Louisville. That’s where I discovered my passion for the hospitality industry, coordinating the setup and execution of many high profile events. I took a brief hiatus between those two, to explore a career in financial advising, to utilize my degree in Finance/Economics, but I realized my heart belonged in hospitality.
How did Down One get started? Tell us about the name.
MH: Down One is the product of customer demand. With the bourbon industry booming and guests craving a chance to enjoy all of the quality offerings from the industry without traveling to all of the distilleries, a local spot to bring the spirits to them was inevitable.
The name Down One comes from the fact that we are actually located one level below street level, in a corner of the parking garage. With true speakeasy appeal, we are a hidden gem in the heart of bourbon country.
What does your role entail?
MH: Everything from top to bottom. I meet with representatives from distilleries and breweries, as well as liquor and food distributors, to procure the most sought after bourbons and other liquors for our guests to enjoy. I work with our entire team, front and back of house, to polish service from the guest greeting, to food preparation, drink preparation, to the fond farewell upon their departure. Staff training is key for me, as I love to put my team in the right position, with the proper equipment, to be successful. I arrange and conduct training programs for all team members to keep them abreast of all new product coming into the bar and to bring everyone up to date on the proper procedures for every aspect of their job, from tableside service, to wine presentation, to food preparation.
Marty, what would you say was your personal relationship with whisky?
MH: Growing up in Louisville, I have experienced the resurgence of bourbon first hand. Louisville has long been known as one of the top foodie cities in America. With my involvement in the service industry, I take great pride in what my hometown has to offer.
Bourbon adds an element to our city and our state that just enhances the charm and unique offerings of our unparalleled list of food venues.
What makes Down One different from all the other whiskey bar/venues?
MH: What separates Down One from other venues is the knowledge of the staff. We take great pride in educating our team and giving them the knowledge base to then educate our guests. When you visit Down One, you don’t just have a nice meal and some bourbon. We want you to leave feeling that you gained something from your experience. We will explain to our guests how the spirits were created, why they are different from other spirits on the shelf, and even how to properly taste the spirits to properly appreciate all of it’s unique characteristics.
How do you select whiskies? How do you stay current with all the craft distilleries/independent bottlers?
MH: I am constantly researching whiskey. I stay in the blogs and on the websites of the individual distilleries to remain abreast of new projects and special releases that are on the horizon. It also helps to have a team that loves what they do. I constantly receive emails and texts from our team mentioning new products that they heard of and they want us to look into.
How big is the whiskey collection at Down One?
MH: On last count, we were at 198 bourbons. However, for us, it is not about the number, but the number of quality bourbons. We won’t bring something in just to build the collection. Every bottle that we add fills a void or brings with it a compelling interest from the bourbon community that keeps the team energized to learn about it and promote it to guests.
What kind of profiles drive your interest when selecting a special whisky for your bar?
MH: We like to cover all of the bases when selecting special whiskies. A good middle of the road whiskey at 90 proof is an easy mover and is not too intense for the masses to enjoy. That being said, there is a large interest in hotter whiskies in the 110-120 proof range. However, every great collection has to have lower proof, entry level whiskies, in the 80 proof range. For me, it is more about the uniqueness of the individual whisky. What is the story behind it? What notes come forward when you taste it? I appreciate complexity in whisky, when you can tell that the product was given the proper amount of time to mature and you can distinctly taste the caramel and vanilla notes.
Marty is there anything else Down One is known for besides the vast collection of whiskey?
MH: Our bourbon selection is definitely what draws the masses to our establishment, but we also have a very fine food menu as well. The 3 Pigs Sandwich is actually an award winning sandwich, loaded with pulled pork, pork belly, and bacon. Topped with cole slaw, this sandwich builds a fantastic base for your bourbon experience.
What experience do you want the first time visitors/whisky can to come away with after their first visit to Down One?
MH: I want our guests to leave and feel that they truly learned a great deal about bourbon. For me, it’s not just selling the product to guests, but teaching them about the product. I believe that when people come to Down One to sample bourbon, they are not only curious about the taste, but also why there is so much buzz about it. Many of our guests have come to town and taken a distillery tour and are excited to be able to engage with their server about some of the things they learned while on their tour. I want to be the bourbon education center in downtown Louisville and I believe that we are well on our way to establishing ourselves as such.
What made you want to offer such an extensive Whiskey Collection at your venue?
MH: With bourbon being such a hot commodity, there are new distilleries and experimental batches of bourbon popping up daily it seems. In order to show our guests all that the industry has to offer, we will bring in every quality product from all different angles. For example, the double barreled bourbons have become very popular, as it takes a solid product and adds a twist at the end of the aging process. This gives the bourbon a unique initial flavor that lessens the “bite” and is attractive to many bourbon connoisseurs. We simply want to offer a wide range of taste profiles so that we can compare and contrast with our guests to help them settle on the bourbon that suits them best.
What are the top 3 coveted drams at Down One?
MH: Old Forester Birthday Bourbon, Angel’s Envy, and WL Weller Special Reserve
The Whisky market is becoming a global phenomenon, how do you see times changing and other countries like Japan and Taiwan becoming big whisky players?
MH: There is definitely increasing pressure on bourbon distilleries to remain true to the art of creating bourbon. The temptation is there to mass produce and rapidly age whiskies to get them on the market quicker and fill the demand. I don’t think that this will truly impact the industry, however, as the true bourbon connoisseur appreciates the process and can taste the difference in product. At the end of the day, you have a time honored process that is respected by the industry leaders and consumers alike. Fly by night distilleries in a race to put product on the shelf simply cannot hold their own against the robust and true powerhouses of the industry.
When it comes to making the classic cocktails like the Old Fashioned, how do you determine which whiskey to use?
MH: As a general rule, you always want a whisky that is a little hot when you’re making an Old Fashioned. The spirit needs to stand up to the sweetener and fruit in the cocktail, but at the same time, not overpower it. We build ours pre-prohibition style, without muddling the fruit and using a sugar cube, rather than simple syrup. This allows you to truly appreciate every individual aspect of the cocktail. We pour a 110 proof spirit in ours and it performs fantastically.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers and other whiskey enthusiasts?
MH: Bourbon is big. Interest is spreading world wide and for good reason. Distillation is an art form and a science. The resulting product should be enjoyed and delicately analyzed for all of the unique steps and care that went into production. I would encourage everyone to make a trip to bourbon country and preferably to Down One, to learn about the process and gain insight into this time honored spirit and the historical figures that brought it to us.
At Down One, we execute monthly distillery series dinners, where we invite master distillers to mingle with our guests to sample product and explain their daily processes over a 3 course meal paired with their product. This is an exciting opportunity for our guests to meet the man/woman behind the curtain and have a truly unique experience while staying in bourbon country.
For more information on this venue, please visit the links below:
website: http://www.downonebourbonbar.com/
facebook: @Downonebar
