LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Heaven Hill celebrated National Bourbon Day by opening a new visitors center in Bardstown.
Gov. Andy Beshear joined Heaven Hill officials and locals for a special ribbon cutting on Monday.
The Bourbon Experience is a $19 million project which is expected to bring in a lot of tourism to the heart of Bourbon Country.
“I am proud to be in the heart of bourbon country to proclaim today National Kentucky Bourbon Day and I am thrilled to be here to congratulate the Shapira family and the Heaven Hill team on another successful project investing millions in Kentucky and our people,” Beshear said at the grand opening. “As we emerge from this pandemic with our economy booming, we are announcing more jobs and investment in the commonwealth every week, and the bourbon industry is no exception. This state-of-the-art visitor center will give people one more great reason to visit Kentucky and experience the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, creating even more jobs and opportunity.”
Bourbon is a $8.6 billion signature industry in Kentucky. The industry plans for more than $600 million in capital investment which is expected to create 540 jobs in the years to come.
In 2021 alone, there is $240 million planned investment and 164 new jobs created through the end of May.
During the groundbreaking in 2018, Heaven Hill announced a new multi-year $125 million investment plan to expand production in Bardstown. They invested $19 million in the new Bourbon Experience in addition to the $106 million investment in new barrel warehousing, bottling line and equipment upgrades and increased holdings of aging bourbon whiskey.
“The Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience is a leading showcase of bourbon tourism grounded in educational, interactive exhibits honoring the legacy of my father and his four brothers, the iconic brands in our award-winning portfolio, and the craftsmen across our commonwealth who make Kentucky bourbon possible,” Heaven Hill President Max Shapira said. “We are extremely pleased to be welcoming fans and visitors back to Bourbon Country to see, taste and learn about America’s Native Spirit in a new way.”
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail welcomed more than 1.3 million visitors in 2019.
The Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience will officially open Tuesday at 11 a.m. and will be open Monday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sundays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The Five Brothers Bar will open for cocktails Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Click here to find out how to make reservations and additional information.
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