A long 30-years after its former distillery tragically burnt down in Bardstown, Heaven Hill Distillery has now filled its first barrel of Kentucky Bourbon whiskey in the very same Kentucky soil of the area. 

The event signals the start of production at the new $200 million facility (with full completion of the project anticipated in September 2025). The project also sets the foundation for Heaven Hill’s 90th anniversary, taking place on December 13, 2025.

For a little background, Heaven Hill was founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, and has been steadily making whiskey ever since. It presently ages more than 2 million barrels in nearly 70 warehouses located in the Nelson and Jefferson counties.

The name of the new distillery even pays tribute to the original distillery where the brand began across town in 1935!

Going back to November 7, 1996, a powerful storm brought lightning that ignited Warehouse 'I' at Heaven Hill's former grounds around 2 PM. The fire quickly spread, consuming seven warehouses and destroying the distillery. The blaze resulted in the loss of approximately 90,000 barrels, representing 2% of the world's American Bourbon supply (at the time).

For the next few years, Heaven Hill collaborated with other distilleries before purchasing the Bernheim Distillery in Louisville in 1999, where they have since produced their Bourbon, rye, and American whiskey. This devastating fire marked the end of Heaven Hill's Bourbon production in Bardstown - till now.

The ten new fermenters.

The new distillery boasts significant production capabilities, featuring three hammer mills supplying grain to a whopping ten 80,000-gallon fermenters and a towering 70-foot by 6-foot Vendome Copper & Brass Works column still.

According to Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll, this facility has the capacity to produce approximately 150,000 barrels of whiskey. Demonstrating a commitment to sustainability, the new facility also boasts a highly efficient production systems, advanced wastewater pretreatment, stormwater management, habitat restoration and even onsite energy creation and recovery systems!

A whiskey safe designed to look like the Heaven Hill logo was also unveiled.

Downs has spent more than four decades toiling away to shape Heaven Hill’s distilling legacy, and has the honor of being the only employee in company history to have worked in operations at all four of Heaven Hill’s distilling sites.

He started his long and illustrious career in the 1970s at the original Old Heaven Hill Springs Distillery in Bardstown, after which he moved on to the Bernheim Distillery in Louisville, the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience Artisanal Distillery, and now the Heaven Hill Springs Distillery!