Former Louisville basketball star Russ Smith planning statewide tour to launch new bourbon | News from WDRB [Video]

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Former University of Louisville basketball star Russ Smith plans to hold a statewide tour to promote his new limited-edition bourbon bottles.

Only 1,000 “VILLE” bottles will be released as part of the Mr and Mrs Bourbon Company’s sponsorship of the upcoming TBT at Freedom Hall in July.

“We announced this bottle collaboration in March, and it is the first of several labels coming this year,” Smith said in a news release Monday. “Our NIL bottles will be released in late 2024 and all the proceeds will go directly to University of Louisville athletics.”

Smith gifted the first bottle to Louisville’s new head basketball coach, Pat Kelsey.

The bottles will only be available at six locations across the state, and he’ll sign bottles and giving out samples as he tours all six locations this summer.

Below is the full schedule for the tour: