West Bottoms Whiskey Co.
Overview of the Distillery
West Bottoms Whiskey Co. is based in Kansas City's historic West Bottoms and blends local industrial history with modern craftsmanship. The company runs a cocktail parlor in a pre-Prohibition train tunnel and produces a range of small-batch whiskeys—from a 99-point-rated flagship blend to its own single malts on a copper alembic pot still. The distillery emphasizes blending, aging innovations, and sipability.
History
West Bottoms' story traces back to the area's role as a trading hub at the confluence of rivers and the industrial boom following the arrival of the railroad. The area bore the marks of heavy manufacturing and large meatpacking industries from the mid-1800s, and both growth and severe floods shaped the neighborhood's identity in the decades that followed. A symbolic portrait, 'Murdock', serves as a tribute to the era's entrepreneurial spirit and labor. In 2021, Alex Lindsey took the step and launched the first named Kansas City Whiskey inside a train tunnel from 1893. Since then, the platform has expanded: a parlor, more blended whiskeys and own small-batch single malt runs have made West Bottoms a living part of the neighborhood's revival.
Raw Materials and Production
Production at West Bottoms blends its own distillates with blending of purchased components. The distillery uses a 211-gallon copper alembic pot still for their American Single Malt, which is made from 50% malted barley and 50% peated malt. The single malt is aged in small 5-gallon casks in short runs, while blended products are composed of bourbon- and rye-components and are often finished in specific casks to achieve the desired profile. Convergence is an example of a blend that gains its character through a finish in wine casks; Kansas City Whiskey combines bourbon and rye with a hint of Oloroso sherry. The craft emphasizes blending over a heavy focus on single-cask offerings and includes collaborations on ingredients and cask access.
Maturation and Cask Types
The distillery works with several types of casks and finishes: Oloroso sherry elements are included in the flagship blend; the Convergence blend gets its character from wine casks, and the American Single Malt is aged in small 5-gallon casks for about a year. Furthermore, West Bottoms experiments with maple-cask finishing in collaboration with Runamok Maple Syrup, where the wood's maple character adds special notes. The combination of small casks and finish casks is used deliberately to shape the profile and to infuse flavors more quickly in limited runs.
Whiskeys
| Whiskey | Type / Series | ABV | Age | Cask & Style | Flavor Profile | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas City Whiskey | Pre-Prohibition style blended bourbon & rye | 47 % | Oloroso sherry-influenced casks (hint); finish: Contains a hint of Oloroso sherry from Spain | Flagship blend of bourbon and rye with a touch of Oloroso sherry; rated 99 points and designed for sipability and cocktails.; Nose: upfront spice, caramel and leather; Palate: spicy start with caramel and dry notes; Finish: stone fruit finish | Current; Core range; Store and parlor; distributor network listed for KS, MO, NE, OK | |
| Convergence Whiskey | Rye & Malt blended whiskey finished in wine casks | 47.5 % | Wine casks (finish); finish: Blended directly in wine casks for signature finish | A meeting between old malting traditions and American ingredients; malt- and rye-components finished in wine casks.; Nose: Balanced spice and sweet malt; Palate: Sweet malt with dark fruit; Finish: Dark fruit finish | Current; Core range; Store and parlor | |
| American Single Malt Whiskey | American Single Malt (peated component) | 50 % | 1 year | 5-gallon cask; finish: Aged 1 year in 5-gallon casks; smoked/peaty | 100% distilled and aged by West Bottoms Whiskey Co. in a 211-gallon copper alembic pot still. 50% malted barley / 50% peated malt; hand-waxed bottle finish; limited releases for the parlor and select runs.; Nose: Delicate notes of honey and ripe pear with a whisper of smoke; Palate: Honeysuckle and mild smoke highlighted by malt; Finish: Medium finish with gentle smoke | Limited; Limited runs, available in the cocktail parlor |
| American Blended Malt Whiskey | Blended Malt | 45 % | A blend between their peated single malt (Distiller’s Cut) and a 4-year-old selected single malt; designed as an introduction to lighter, smoke-tinged Scotch-like experiences.; Nose: Summer grass/hay, honey and a hint of peat smoke; Palate: Malt-sweetness with light smoke | Current; Core range; Store and parlor | ||
| James Gang Rye Whiskey | Rye (collaboration) | 50 % | A collaboration with James Family Farm; inspired by post-Civil War-era folklore. A stronger rye, bottle at around 100 proof. A portion of the proceeds goes to the farm's historical preservation.; Nose: Bark spice with balanced caramel; Palate: Sweetness with warm finish; Finish: Long, warm finish | Current; Available in Kansas, Missouri and in the cocktail parlor | ||
| Limited Release - Maple Cask Finished Rye Whiskey | Rye with maple-cask finish | 46 % | Maple-cask finish (Runamok); finish: Maple-infused finish; each bottle comes with an ornament made from original timber. | A limited Christmas/Autumn release made using Runamok Maple Syrup barrels; described as 'Breakfast in a Glass'. 1,200 bottles produced.; Nose: Maple and camp-spice | Limited; Limited distribution in KS, MO and in the cocktail parlor; 1200 bottles |
The Whiskies' Style and Flavor Profile
Recurring traits in the portfolio are a spicy character (upfront spice, bark spice), fruity notes (stone fruit, dark fruit, and ripe pear) as well as malt sweetness and honey. The peated elements introduce mild smoke in the single malt and blended malt, while caramel and leather appear in the flagship blend. These directions run across several products and form a recognizable flavor compass for the house.
Visit the Distillery
The cocktail parlor is located in a pre-Prohibition train tunnel in West Bottoms and is open five days a week with fixed hours, no reservation required for the parlor's drinks and flights. Distillery tours are offered by schedule: Thursdays and Fridays in the evening, as well as several Saturday tours, and tours are led by a team member and include insight into the process, equipment and several tastings. Address and contact information are provided, and the shop and parlor offerings allow tasting and on-site purchasing.
Opening hours are: Cocktail Parlor: Tue/Wed 14:00–22:00; Thu 11:00–22:00; Fri/Sat 11:00–00:00; Sun 12:00–18:00. Distillery tours: Thu/Fri 17:00; Sat 12:00, 14:00 & 16:00.
Philosophy and Craft
West Bottoms works with a hybrid of historical inspiration and a modern approach: they honor the pre-Prohibition era's spirit while experimenting with blending, casks and small-batch distillates. The aim is consistent, sip-worthy whiskies that also tell a story, and the house prioritizes craft, local collaborations and limited, carefully curated runs.
Awards and Recognitions
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Double Gold (Kansas City Whiskey)
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99 Points - Platinum (Kansas City Whiskey)
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Best Missouri Whiskey (Kansas City Whiskey)
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Best in Category (Kansas City Whiskey)
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Gold (Convergence Whiskey)
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Gold (American Blended Malt Whiskey)
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Best Old Fashioned in Kansas City (2021, The Best Old Fashioned in Kansas City (cocktail))
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Best Old Fashioned in Kansas City (2024, The Best Old Fashioned in Kansas City (cocktail))
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Best Old Fashioned in Kansas City (2025, The Best Old Fashioned in Kansas City (cocktail))