Every Bottle Tells a Story: A Conversation with Justins’ House of Bourbon

By VOICE-TRIBUNE Photos Provided By Justins’ House of Bourbon

Bourbon has long been synonymous with Kentucky, but in recent years, a pair of entrepreneurs has added a new twist to how the spirit is collected, shared, and experienced. In 2018, Justin Sloan and Justin Thompson opened Justins’ House of Bourbon in Lexington, followed by a second location in Louisville the next year. Blending retail with education and tastings, the stores have become destinations for both long-time collectors and first-time enthusiasts. We spoke with Sloan and Thompson about the origins of Justins’ House of Bourbon, the impact of Kentucky’s vintage spirit laws, and their vision for bourbon’s future. 

VOICE-TRIBUNE: Can you share a little bit about Justins’ House of Bourbon and its history? 

Justins’ House of Bourbon: We opened our flagship store in Lexington in 2018, followed by our Louisville location in 2019. From the beginning, our goal has been to showcase the rich history of bourbon while giving people access to some of the rarest and most collectible bottles in the world. Each of our locations combines the retail experience with a tasting bar, allowing guests to explore and sample what we believe to be the largest selection of bourbon in the world. At its core, Justins’ House of Bourbon is about connecting people to the stories behind the spirits, whether you’ve been collecting bourbon for years or are just starting your journey. 

VT: What inspired the creation of Justins’ House of Bourbon in 2018, and how did the founders’ backgrounds influence its direction? 

JHB: The House of Bourbon grew out of our shared passion for bourbon. Justin Sloan spent nearly a decade as a collector, building both knowledge and an exceptional collection of rare and vintage bottles. Justin Thompson co-founded The Bourbon Review magazine in 2008, the first publication dedicated to the Bourbon Lifestyle. The combination of distinct insights—Sloan’s focus on rarity and provenance with Thompson’s storytelling and industry insight—helped shape the House of Bourbon into a destination for curated tastings, educational experiences, and an unrivaled collection of bourbon. 

VT: How did the partnership between the founders evolve from bourbon collecting to co-founding both the House of Bourbon and The Bourbon Review? 

JHB: We first connected through our shared passion for collecting rare and vintage bourbon, traveling together to distilleries and events across the country. Our personal interests naturally grew into a professional collaboration. Thompson co-founded The Bourbon Review, focusing on industry news, distillery stories, and rare bottles, with Sloan later joining as a co-publisher. Working with the magazine laid the foundation for Justins’ House of Bourbon, prioritizing education, authenticity, and a carefully curated approach to both collecting and tasting. 

VT: In what ways did the experience with The Bourbon Review magazine shape the vision and storytelling approach of Justins’ House of Bourbon? 

JHB: The Bourbon Review gave us a platform to explore the bourbon lifestyle from every angle—history, distilling processes, the people, tasting notes, and collector insights. House of Bourbon is a realization of this perspective, where every bottle has a story and every tasting is an opportunity to educate and connect guests to bourbon’s broader narrative. The magazine taught us the importance of context and storytelling, which remains a key element in how we present both rare and contemporary bourbons. 

VT: The company played a role in lobbying for Kentucky’s vintage spirit laws. How did that process unfold, and what has it meant for the industry and your business? 

JHB: The 2017 passing of Kentucky’s vintage spirits legislation allows licensed retailers to buy and sell rare “dusty” bottles not available through standard distributors, ensuring transparency and integrity in bourbon transactions. This legislation opened doors to offer tastings and private purchases while helping preserve historic and collectible bottles for enthusiasts. It created a framework for responsibly sharing rare bourbon and has helped support the growth of Kentucky’s bourbon culture. 

VT: How does the House of Bourbon source its rare and vintage selections, and what philosophy guides the curation of the world’s largest bourbon collection? 

JHB: Here in Kentucky, our vintage liquor license allows us to purchase bottles from private collectors, helping us build and maintain our collection of rare and historic bourbons. Bottles must be fully sealed, not available through distributors, and cannot be purchased directly from distilleries. We can purchase up to 24 bottles per individual each year, and every transaction is filed with the Kentucky Alcoholic Beverage Commission to ensure transparency and compliance. 

If someone is interested in selling, we ask that they email us a list and photos of their bottles. Our staff reviews the photos and provides an offer pending inspection, which means the offer stands if the bottles match what we see in person. When sellers bring their bottles to one of our locations, we verify the condition, confirm the seller is within the 24-bottle limit, and complete the transaction. 

With the largest offering of bourbon in the world, House of Bourbon is the premier authority on this classic Kentucky-born spirit. Our philosophy is to curate a collection that balances history, rarity, and accessibility, with a range of offerings that span from collector-worthy bottles to Friday-night staples.

VT: With a tasting bar that spans bottles from every decade since the 1950s, how does the team curate experiences that appeal to both seasoned collectors and new bourbon enthusiasts? 

JHB: From epicures to enthusiasts, we approach tastings as a guided journey. For new enthusiasts, our team focuses on storytelling, flavor exploration, and approachable education. For collectors, tastings highlight unique expressions, historical context, and technical nuances. Each tasting is tailored to the audience, blending historical perspective with sensory experience so everyone can leave with a deeper appreciation for bourbon. 

Beyond our tasting bar, we offer bespoke, immersive experiences for guests eager to explore Kentucky’s bourbon culture on a deeper level. These curated events pair private tastings of exceptionally rare and collectible bottles with insider access to some of Kentucky’s most iconic destinations—historic distilleries, behind-the-scenes tours, and encounters with the state’s legendary thoroughbred horses. Each experience is crafted to bring bourbon’s story to life, combining education, discovery, and unparalleled access for a truly one-of-a-kind journey. 

VT: Can you walk us through the process of evaluating and acquiring vintage bottles brought in by customers? 

JHB: When a customer brings in a bottle, we begin with a careful review of photos and details, looking at everything from label condition and tax stamps to bottling information and provenance. Our evaluation system relies on our decades of experience in sourcing, collecting, and curating rare bourbon. Once a bottle is verified, it’s cataloged and either made available for the tasting bar or retail sale. Every step is designed to ensure transparency, integrity, and confidence for collectors and enthusiasts alike. 

VT: How does your sister store, Bourbon Outfitter, and its quarterly club extend the reach of the House of Bourbon beyond Kentucky? 

JHB: Bourbon Outfitter, through its quarterly membership club, offers curated selections and access to limited releases to collectors across the country where legally permitted to ship. It extends our philosophy of quality, storytelling, and education to a wider audience, providing a way for enthusiasts who may not be able to visit Kentucky, to experience rare and collectible bourbons with context and care. 

VT: The founders envisioned bourbon tourism in Kentucky rivaling Napa Valley. How does the House of Bourbon contribute to making that vision a reality today? 

JHB: By creating a destination that combines world-class collections, curated tastings, and bourbon education. From tastings of rare bottles, guided experiences at our locations, and collaborations with world-class distilleries and horse farms, House of Bourbon offers true immersion in Kentucky’s bourbon culture. From inception, our ethos has been connecting people to the heritage, craft, and stories that make Kentucky bourbon iconic.