Lexington’s newest distillery combines cask-strength single-barrel whiskey, bourbon tourism and a private social club in the heart of downtown
LEXINGTON, KY — September 3, 2026 — Lexington’s bourbon tourism scene has a new destination.
New Era Whiskey officially opened its distillery, tasting room, gift shop and Social Club in downtown Lexington on September 2, creating a new kind of bourbon experience in a city already becoming one of Kentucky’s most important stops for whiskey travelers.
Founded by Zane Brammell, New Era Whiskey began as a hobby during the COVID-19 pandemic while Brammell worked in healthcare. What started as a way to decompress has grown into a whiskey brand with a growing collection of cask-strength, single-barrel releases and now a physical home in downtown Lexington.
The opening was marked by a ribbon-cutting attended by Brammell, Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development Secretary Jeff Noel, Lexington Mayor Linda Gorton and VisitLEX Director of Communications Martina Barksdale.
“New Era’s opening comes at a time when bourbon continues to play an important role in Kentucky’s tourism economy,” said Noel. “Bourbon tourism brings visitors from across the world to Kentucky, supporting local restaurants and hotels and driving economic growth for our state.”
For visitors, the new downtown location offers more than a traditional tasting-room stop. Guests can explore New Era’s collection of bourbons and whiskeys, shop for merchandise and sample releases built around the brand’s distinctive approach to single-barrel whiskey.
Whiskey Built Like a Headline
New Era’s identity is difficult to miss.
The brand’s releases are all cask-strength and single barrel, with names and colorful labels inspired by newspaper headlines and the era when newspapers were the primary way stories reached the public.
Past releases have included names such as “Stage Diver,” “Frankenfurt,” “Lefty” and “The Heart,” giving each bottle its own personality while reinforcing New Era’s larger focus on storytelling.
That approach extends beyond the bottle. Visitors can also get a look at New Era’s bottling area before heading into the Social Club, a private space designed for members to gather for tastings and events.
The Social Club includes comfortable seating, a kitchen, games and big-screen televisions. Members also receive one bottle per month delivered to their homes, invitations to special events and additional members-only benefits.
“Rather than building its experience solely around a production tour, New Era is combining whiskey, collecting, storytelling and community under one roof — and doing it in the center of downtown Lexington.”
Why This Matters
Lexington already has plenty of bourbon credentials. What makes New Era interesting is the way it approaches the increasingly competitive bourbon tourism market.
Rather than building its experience solely around a production tour, New Era is combining whiskey, collecting, storytelling and community under one roof — and doing it in the center of downtown Lexington.
That matters because bourbon tourism is increasingly about more than seeing where whiskey is made. The most compelling destinations give visitors a reason to stay, return and become part of the experience.
New Era’s Social Club model takes that idea a step further, turning a distillery visit into something closer to an ongoing whiskey community.
For Lexington, another downtown bourbon destination also means another reason for whiskey travelers to spend time in the urban core, complementing the restaurants, hotels, bars and other attractions that make the city a destination rather than simply a stop along the Bourbon Trail.
Bourbon Bishop Bottom Line:
New Era Whiskey is entering a Kentucky bourbon market that certainly doesn’t lack for distilleries, tasting rooms or destination experiences. That makes the brand’s combination of cask-strength single-barrel whiskey, headline-inspired storytelling and a membership-driven social club particularly worth watching.
The bigger story may ultimately be the experience rather than any single bottle. New Era is betting that bourbon fans want somewhere to gather, discover unusual single barrels and become part of the story — and putting that experience directly in downtown Lexington gives the brand a strong place to make that case.
For whiskey travelers heading through Lexington, New Era Whiskey is now another destination to put on the list. For the broader Kentucky bourbon scene, it is another example of how the next generation of whiskey tourism is evolving beyond the traditional distillery tour.
About New Era
Founded in 2024 by barrel pickers Zane Brammell and Matt Hobbs, New Era grew out of grassroots enthusiasm — built by the same community it now serves. Starting as an NDP with a sharp eye for standout barrels, the brand quickly gained traction for high-impact releases and a cask strength single barrel program focused on individuality and balance.
The ethos is simple: honor tradition, push forward. There’s a clear reverence for classic Kentucky bourbon-making, paired with a willingness to experiment, iterate, and build something modern. That extends beyond the whiskey itself — New Era leans heavily into storytelling and connection, positioning each release as part of a larger, evolving narrative.
Their Social Club reinforces that idea, offering members deeper access to bottles, picks, and a growing community — but at its core, the brand is about shared experience as much as the liquid.
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