Kentucky bourbon news: The latest updates and releases

Curated articles about Kentucky bourbon depict an evolving landscape of new distilleries and innovative releases set against a backdrop of market challenges. Many articles showcase industry adversity, including financial struggles and export issues. Yet, they also highlight creative new offerings that invite enthusiasts to explore fresh flavors.

Catch up with the stories below.

The 2025 Pappy Van Winkle whiskey collection is being released this month. It’s among the most sought-after bourbons, and the Van Winkle family and Buffalo Trace Distillery warn fans to beware of fakes and scams.

NO. 1: ANNUAL PAPPY BOURBON DROP INCLUDES AUCTION OF OLDEST VAN WINKLE RELEASE

Buffalo Trace and Old Rip Van Winkle Distillery have announced the annual Pappy Van Winkle bourbon drop. | Published September 11, 2025 | Read Full Story by Janet Patton

Country musician Dierks Bentley looks at barrels of whiskey aging in a warehouse at Green River Distillery in Owensboro, Ky., on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. Bentley released his Row 94 Full Proof bourbon during an event at the distillery. By Ryan C. Hermens

NO. 2: COUNTRY STAR DIERKS BENTLEY TAKES HIS BOURBON UP A NOTCH WITH HIGH-PROOF RELEASE

“Well, well whiskey, looks like we meet again ...” With a line from one of his songs, country music star Dierks Bentley on Sept. | Published September 25, 2025 | Read Full Story by Janet Patton

Jackson Purchase master distiller Craig Beam does a toast at a recent tasting event to launch his new bourbon, the first release from the Fulton County distillery. Beam was the former master distiller at Heaven Hill before he retired in 2014 to help care for his ailing father, the late master distiller emeritus Parker Beam, who dies in 2017 of ALS. By Kriech-Higdon Photography

NO. 3: NEW WHISKEY COMES FROM AN OLD NAME IN KENTUCKY BOURBON: ‘IT’S HIS VISION’

When Craig Beam left Heaven Hill in 2014, he hung up his master distiller’s hat for good. | Published September 2, 2025 | Read Full Story by Janet Patton

Publix Liquors, adjacent to Publix Super Market, shown during a sneak peek of Lexington’s first Publix grocery store, March 3, 2025 in Lexington, Ky. The 3,200-square-foot liquor store will offer beer, wine, and spirits such as Kentucky-made bourbons. By Brian Simms

NO. 4: BLAME CANADA? THE PARTY’S OVER FOR KENTUCKY BOURBON. AT LEAST FOR NOW

Bourbon’s biggest annual party, the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, roars into Bardstown the first weekend in September, with samples to taste, master distillers to meet and rare bottles to line up for. | Published September 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Janet Patton

Employees and Kate Latts, president of Heaven Hill (holding sciscors) cut the ribbon at the opening of the Kentucky bourbon maker’s new $200 million distillery, Thursday, Sept. 4, 2025 in Bardstown, Ky. The new distillery will open in three stages and is designed to expand in 150,000-barrel increments until it reaches a 450,000-barrel capacity, doubling Heaven Hill’s output. By Brian Simms

NO. 5: HEAVEN HILL OPENS NEW $200 MILLION BOURBON DISTILLERY IN BARDSTOWN

Heaven Hill, the largest privately held distillery in the world, has welcomed a new $200 million jewel to its crown. | Published September 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Janet Patton

The union will vote Friday on the proposed new contract, which calls for the Jim Beam distillery to hire more full-time workers.

NO. 6: JAPANESE CEO WHO OVERSAW WHISKY EMPIRE OUT. WHAT’S NEXT FOR JIM BEAM, MAKER’S MARK?

There’s been a shake up in the top ranks of one Kentucky’s biggest bourbon companies. | Published September 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Janet Patton

Buffalo Trace Distillery is offering the chance to select your own barrel of Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel Bourbon. The drawing will raise money for St. Jude Childern’s Research Hospital. Last year’s similar sweepstakes raised $1 million for St. Jude.

NO. 7: AFTER A DECADE, BUFFALO TRACE OFFERS A CHANCE AT A BARREL OF THIS COVETED BOURBON

Like a chance a whole barrel of coveted Elmer T. | Published September 4, 2025 | Read Full Story by Janet Patton

Video of an Ontario liquor store employee removing bottles of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey, Brown-Forman’s product, and other American bourbons from shelves on Tuesday went viral.

NO. 8: CANADIAN READERS RESPOND: BLAME TRUMP FOR KENTUCKY’S BOURBON WOES, NOT US

Canada would like Kentucky to know: | Published September 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by Janet Patton

New whiskey and bourbon releases are arriving from Kentucky distilleries and producers including Rabbit Hole, 2XO and Heaven Hill.

NO. 9: NEW BOURBON, RYE RELEASES ARRIVING AT DISTILLERIES ACROSS KENTUCKY. WHAT TO KNOW

Now that National Bourbon Month is here, new bourbon (and rye) whiskeys are dropping faster than autumn leaves. | Published September 15, 2025 | Read Full Story by Janet Patton

The 2025 Four Roses Salt River bourbon release is coming up. Details on how to get a bottle.

NO. 10: NEW LIMITED-RELEASE FOUR ROSES BOURBON WILL HELP CLEAN UP KENTUCKY WATERWAYS

Four Roses Distillery in Lawrenceburg is once again releasing a special bourbon to commemorate their annual Salt River Cleanup. | Published September 17, 2025 | Read Full Story by Janet Patton

Bourbon archaeologist Nick Laracuente walked along an unearthed fermentation tank at the remains of an old distillery found inside the floor of a building at the Buffalo Trace Distillery. The site will be preserved for future tours as a kind of “bourbon Pompeii,” Laracuente said. By Charles Bertram

NO. 11: RELIVE ‘BOURBON POMPEII’ AND OTHER EARLY KY DISTILLERIES WITH WHISKEY ARCHAEOLOGIST

The man known as Kentucky’s “bourbon archaeologist” has a confession to make: | Published September 18, 2025 | Read Full Story by Janet Patton

All of New Era’s releases have labels that look like the front page of a newspaper with the names as headlines. Two recent bottles available at the Bourbon & Beyond music festival were called Stage Diver and Encore! By Janet Patton

NO. 12: A PRIVATE BOURBON CLUB COMING TO LEXINGTON, WITH RELEASES RIPPED FROM HEADLINES

A Lexington-based bourbon brand is expanding — and plans to open a members-only club downtown. | Published September 22, 2025 | Read Full Story by Janet Patton

Barton 1792 Distillery has introduced 1792 Cognac Cask Finish, the first permanent cask-finished addition to its lineup.

NO. 13: BARDSTOWN’S OLDEST DISTILLERY JUST ADDED A NEW BOURBON. WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL

The oldest fully operating distillery in Bardstown has released a new permanent addition to its portfolio. | Published September 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Janet Patton

Wild Turkey is releasing the 10th and final version in its Master’s Keep collection. Beacon will be on available in limited quantities with a suggested retail price of $300.

NO. 14: KENTUCKY DISTILLERY RELEASING FINAL EDITION OF STORIED BOURBON

It’s the end of an era — or at least the end of a collection. | Published September 23, 2025 | Read Full Story by Janet Patton

Whiskey barrels are photographed at Green River Distillery in Owensboro, Ky., on Wednesday, Sept. 24, 2025. By Ryan C. Hermens

NO. 15: US WHISKEY PRODUCTION PLUMMETS TO LOWEST LEVEL SINCE 2019, NEW DATA SHOWS

Whiskey production in the U.S. | Published September 26, 2025 | Read Full Story by Janet Patton

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.