Project Overview

The Whiskey Thief Distillery Digital Experience project involved designing a comprehensive web-based application to enhance visitor engagement at two distilleries in Louisville. I created a QR-accessible digital companion that guides visitors through their distillery experience while addressing key business objectives around education, ordering, and sales conversion.

Whiskey Thief Distillery faced several opportunities to enhance their visitor experience: informing guests about their offerings in an engaging way, enhancing the educational value of tours and tastings, streamlining food and beverage ordering, creating stronger connections between visitors and the brand, and ultimately increasing on-site sales of both whiskey and food items.

The challenge was to create a digital solution that would seamlessly integrate with the physical distillery experience without creating barriers like required downloads or account creation.

The Solution

I developed a comprehensive web-based application accessible via QR codes placed strategically throughout the distillery facility. This digital companion guides visitors through their experience with location-specific content, interactive maps, educational materials, and streamlined ordering capabilities—all without requiring downloads or account creation.

The Challenge

Design Process & Iterations

Research & Discovery

I began by analyzing the bourbon tourism landscape and studying visitor behavior patterns at distilleries. Through research into similar hospitality experiences, I identified key pain points: visitors often felt overwhelmed by information, struggled to navigate large facilities, and missed opportunities to fully engage with educational content. I also examined successful QR-based experiences in museums and restaurants to understand best practices for frictionless digital access.

My first iteration focused heavily on a traditional app download model with extensive features. However, early conceptual testing revealed that requiring downloads would create significant friction for tourists who might have limited data or storage space. This insight led me to pivot toward a web-based solution accessible via QR codes.

Initial Concept Development

I mapped out the complete visitor experience from arrival to departure, identifying five key touchpoints: Discovery (QR access), Exploration (facility navigation), Learning (educational content), Tasting (menu and ordering), and Purchase (promotions and conversion). This framework became the foundation for all subsequent design decisions.

Results & Impact

For Visitors

• Enhanced educational experience with rich, contextual content

• Simplified ordering process with expert pairing guidance

• Seamless access to information without app downloads

Lessons Learned

This project demonstrated my ability to balance user needs with business objectives when designing digital experiences. The challenge of creating an engaging app without requiring downloads taught me to think creatively about access points and user onboarding. Working with a real client scenario also highlighted the value of practical constraints in driving innovative solutions.

For Whiskey Thief

• Potential for increased on-site sales through strategic promotions

• Reduced staff burden for common questions and ordering

• Consistent brand messaging across all touchpoints

• Valuable visitor behavior data for future improvements

View Final Project Here