Frequently Asked Questions

It’s our signature experience. You’ll hear the Willow Run story (founded in 1865) and how Cincinnati became the commercial birthplace of bourbon, taste six bourbon finishes, each shaped by a different wood, then blend a recipe of your own to match your palate, guided by our team. If you love what you made, we’ll bottle it for you with a custom label while you wait. It’s $39.99 per person, and your own 750 ml bottle is $54.99.

About an hour. Plan for up to 90 minutes so you’re not rushed, especially if you’re bottling your blend. Plus, folks are welcome to hang out at the bar area too (any time we are open).

200 Year Oak, European Oak, American Oak, Cherry Wood, Maple Wood, and Smoked Oak. About 70% of a bourbon’s flavor comes from the wood, so each finish changes the bourbon in a completely different way.

Everything in the blending experience, plus dinner and a bonus cocktail. You start at 6:15 PM with a cocktail, then dinner from Nicholson’s (their Pasta Alla Whiskey, which is vegetarian, with chicken available on the side- sorry no substitutions), and blending starts around 6:45 or 7. It’s $79.99 per person and runs about two hours. Offered on select Saturday evenings, and there’s no walk-in seating because dinner is ordered ahead. Book by about 2 PM the day of.

A $39.99 experience built around the Old Fashioned: the cocktail’s history, how bitters work, and how the same formula becomes other classics. You’ll sample a custom blend, dial in your sweetness, bitterness, and garnish, and finish by making your own full-size Old Fashioned.

A self-guided flight at the bar: three samples of our bourbons and cocktails for $23.99. No reservation needed, just come in. You can also try our other flights of cocktails and bourbon at the bar, along with cocktails, beer, wine, etc.

Yes. Our online Bourbon Wizard asks 13 quick questions and builds a flavor profile for you. We make the bottle in minutes, you name it, and you can drink it as a pour or cocktail at the bar or take the bottle home. You can also pick one of our in-house recipes, no experience required. See the link in the menu to find the Bourbon Wizard.

The bar is walk-in anytime we’re open. Experiences often have room for walk-ins, but reservations are strongly recommended, especially on Saturdays. Book at WillowRunBourbon.com.

Yes, everyone doing the blending experience or tasting must be 21 or older with a valid, unexpired ID: a driver’s license, state ID, passport, or military ID.

That’s on every order, experiences and gift cards included. It’s how the order confirms there’s no delivery or shipping for bottles or merch. Just check the box and check out normally.

All sales are final, so bookings can’t be cancelled, but they can usually be rescheduled with advance notice. Call (513) 721-2687 or email info@willowrunbourbon.com and we’ll move you.

A few minutes is usually fine; we’ll catch you up. If you’re 15 or more minutes late, you may lose your spot and need to reschedule. Give us a call if you’re on your way.

Book the additional spots on the website under the same name. We’ll merge them on our end.

They don’t have to sit it out. The Non-Bourbon Drinker ticket is the same price and comes with two tickets good for cocktails (21+), mocktails, bourbon popcorn, a mini charcuterie board, or a logo rocks glass. There’s also a Revel wine flight option, three dry whites and three dry reds from the local urban winery, and they still join the group in the experience room for everything else.

Well-behaved kids are welcome in the bar area with an adult. They can’t participate in the experience obviously, but a non-drinker ticket can be purchased for their seat, and its tickets work for mocktails, popcorn, charcuterie, or a rocks glass.

One of our experience rooms is upstairs. If stairs are an issue, email info@willowrunbourbon.com ahead of your visit and we’ll make sure you’re set up comfortably.

$54.99 for a 750 ml bottle, made in minutes and ready to take home the same day. Most of our other bottles run $39.99 to $79.99 depending on the finish.

Yes, four ways. Scan the QR code on the back of your bottle and it takes you straight to your blend. If the bottle’s gone, use “Get My Recipe” at the top right of WillowRunBourbon.com. Or email info@willowrunbourbon.com with the name on the bottle, your name, and your email. Or, just swing by when we are open — we’ll look up your blend and make your bottles while you wait (very fast). Reorders are in-store pickup only.

No. Ohio law doesn’t allow us to ship spirits, so everything is in-store pickup.

Physical gift cards are available at Willow Run. Digital gift cards are bought online and delivered by email. $39.99 covers a blending experience and $54.99 covers a custom bottle (remember to add tax of 7.8% to fully cover it). Only one gift card can be used per online transaction on our website; if you need to use two, call us and we’ll help. To check a balance, email info@willowrunbourbon.com.

Congrats, and thanks for supporting a good cause. Your certificate has a coupon code on it. Pick your Custom Bourbon Blending Experience date and time on our website, add two experiences to your cart, and enter the coupon code (not gift card) at checkout.

Up to 18, and groups that size can book directly on the website. Book the room for 18 even if fewer of you are coming. If you’d like the room to be private, please book for the entire 18 people. If your private group has less than 18, the others not in attendance will be treated like non-bourbon drinkers (you’ll get 2 drink tickets per person for your attendees to use).

For 19 people or more, catering add-on (only available for private parties), or a different day or time, email to arrange a private event info@willowrunbourbon.com.

Yes. We do off-site experiences at offices, homes, restaurants, bars, hotels, and event venues, and we can bring the full Custom Bourbon Blending Experience or our blending machine with us. There are specific liquor laws we must follow, but we can walk you through these. Email info@willowrunbourbon.com and tell us about your event.

Yes. We make private label bottles with your company’s logo for client gifts, events, and bars and restaurants. If you’d like a logo on a custom bottle label, simple black and white artwork adds a one-time $10 charge for our time to help create it. Email info@willowrunbourbon.com to start.

Yes, through Bottles for a Cause. Your 501(c)(3) picks a name and blend, provides a simple black and white logo, and we give you a shareable link to sell the bottle at $54.99. A portion of every sale goes back to your organization, paid quarterly. Bottles are picked up on site. Email info@willowrunbourbon.com.

Email info@willowrunbourbon.com with your organization’s name, your event date, contact information, and what you’re requesting. We donate to 501(c)(3) nonprofits (not religious or political organizations). We can’t fulfill every request, but we read them all.

645 Walnut Street in downtown Cincinnati, on the corner of 7th and Walnut, right across from the Aronoff Center.

Hours can vary, depending on demand (ie. if no bookings, we may close earlier, or if demand is high, we may open on other days or stay open later). Google is where we keep our most up-to-date info as best we can. Current Hours: Monday and Tuesday we’re closed (groups by appointment those days, just email us). Wednesday and Thursday, 3 to 6 PM. Friday, 3 to 7:30 PM. Saturday, 1 to 8:30 PM. Sunday closed. On Broadway show nights at the Aronoff we stay open later, usually until 7:30, and we open on select show Tuesdays and Sundays too, so check the calendar if you’re coming for a show.

The LAZ Garage at 36 East 7th Street is the closest. Fountain Square parking is a block away, and there are metered spots for quick pickups. The free Connector Streetcar stops right across the street at the Aronoff Center stop.

Small bites at the bar: mini charcuterie, soft pretzels, our bourbon popcorn, Aglamesis chocolates, etc. You can also order from Mad Anthony’s Pizza a couple blocks away and they’ll bring it down to you at the bar. Outside food isn’t allowed in the experience rooms, but you are welcome to bring in outside food (for groups of 4 or less) to our bar when we are open.

Open to 5 PM, Wednesday through Friday. Times, days, and deals can vary.