Will Kentucky bourbon tourists come back? Heaven Hill’s new visitors center will help
Doors opened Tuesday in Bardstown for Heaven Hill Distillery’s new state-of-the-art tourist center.
The $19 million project began in 2018, well before the coronavirus pandemic hit in 2020, but it couldn’t come at a more perfect time: The bourbon industry, which has been a tourism engine for Kentucky, suffered during COVID, with most distilleries shutting their doors to outsiders for at least part of the year.
Now, with the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience launching, the industry is looking to revive interest in one of Kentucky’s signature industries.
On Monday, Gov. Andy Beshear joined Heaven Hill president Max L. Shapira to toast the new tourist draw.
“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, according to a release.
“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.”’
COVID and bourbon tourism
Bourbon tourism has become a significant part of Kentucky’s $8.6 billion bourbon industry, which grew even during the pandemic. Distilleries filled more than 2.1 million barrels in 2020 and there are now more than 9.2 million barrels of bourbon aging in Kentucky warehouses.
But tourism fell by at least 66 percent last year at the distilleries on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour. In 2020, there ware 587,307, compared to a record 1,719,821 in 2019, according to the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.
KDA president Eric Gregory said in February that his organization’s 42 members do not expect a full rebound until 2022 at the earliest.
To promote the distilleries, the organization this year created the Bourbon Trail Passport and Field Guide, a 150-page guide to participating distilleries, with cocktail recipes and suggested itineraries. Passport stamps from the distilleries also will “unlock” access to special collectible bottles, private barrel selections and other unique rewards.
“We’re really excited about all the rewards that now come with your passport stamp,” Gregory said in a release. “Visitors are clamoring for distinct bottles and exclusive souvenirs that they can only get in Kentucky. We listened, and our distilleries have worked hard to elevate their Kentucky Bourbon voyage.”
Distilleries have begun to resume their tours and reopen to the public now that COVID numbers have dropped, vaccinations have risen and Beshear ended capacity restrictions and the state’s mask mandate on June 11.
“In the heart of Bourbon country, we welcome fans back to experience America’s Native Spirit, immerse themselves in the long history of Heaven Hill, and learn about the award-winning portfolio of storied brands now told on these walls,” Shapira said on Monday at the ribbon cutting. “We honor the vision held by my father and his four brothers, celebrating the people who built the foundation upon which we stand today. The Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience is an innovative, state-of-the-art tourism model, grounded in history, and developed to entice fans for generations to come.”
Heaven Hill, which makes Evan Williams, one of the biggest bourbon brands in the world, is hoping to capitalize on the renewed interest in visiting distilleries with the new bourbon experience, which joins its original Bourbon Heritage Center.
The new interactive visitors center now has more than 30,000 square feet of exhibits and seating that could welcome almost 1,000 people at a time.
Highlights at Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience
▪ Three tasting rooms with great views;
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▪ The You Do Bourbon lab where visitors taste, fill, label and personalize their own bottles of Heaven Hill bourbons;
▪ Special exhibits on Elijah Craig and Larceny, two of Heaven Hill’s premium brands;
▪ Showcase of their bottled-in-bond brands, the most of any distillery portfolio on the market today, according to Heaven Hill;
▪ The new Five Brothers Bar & Kitchen, with an upscale 25-foot bar serving craft cocktails and bourbon tastings, a lounge area and a dining space for a soon-to-open restaurant.
▪ And tucked into one corner: The unicorn case, a special display of rare and historic bottles and other artifacts.
The Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience will be open Monday-Thursday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 1 to 5 p.m. The Five Brothers Bar will be open for cocktails Monday-Saturday 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday 1-5 p.m. You can make reservations online for tours and tastings at heavenhilldistillery.com/heaven-hill-bourbon-experience.php.
This story was originally published June 16, 2021 at 10:45 AM.
