Bourbon is a quintessential part of the Bluegrass; it isn’t just a Kentucky icon, it’s an inextricable, fundamental, celebrated part of the state’s culture and identity. Kentucky is world-famous for its bourbon, producing nearly 95% of the world’s supply of this spicy, sultry spirit. So it should come as no surprise that Kentucky is also home to the biggest distillery in the USA and the world. A distillery in Bardstown, Heaven Hill is an epic bourbon-distilling behemoth, boasting superlative stats and a storied history that's an inextricable part of the Bluegrass bourbon narrative. Let's explore one of the largest bourbon distilleries around.
What does bourbon mean to you? In Kentucky, bourbon is more than a libation or export; it's part of our very culture. The Bourbon Trail is the heart of the Bluegrass bourbon machine, and Heaven Hill Distillery is one of its star players.
For most, brands like Maker's Mark, Buffalo Trace, or Jim Beam come to mind when making a list of Kentucky bourbon icons; while these names are absolutely legendary in their own right, there's another bourbon distillery whose name you need to know.
This is Heaven Hill Distillery, a family-owned and operated distillery founded in 1935 and headquartered in Bardstown, Kentucky.
Spanning 61 picture-perfect acres with 57 rickhouses and six sites, Heaven Hill is not only the largest family-owned distillery in the United States, but the largest toured distillery on the planet.
In short, the bourbon experience here is second to none. In addition to tours and tastings, the newly opened Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience offers guests an immersive education in all things bourbon.
This beautiful space features three iconic tasting rooms, numerous different galleries...
...an upscale bar *and* gigantic gift shop that's stocked wall-to-wall with everything your bourbon-loving heart could desire!
The "You Do Bourbon" experience is a *must* for all self-proclaimed bourbon enthusiasts. In this interactive, elevated tasting experience, guests are invited to taste, bottle, and
personalize their very own bottle to take home!
When you need a minute to sit and soak up everything you've learned at this massive bourbon wonderland, Five Brothers Bar boasts an upscale bar with a menu full of creative craft cocktails, as well as regular bourbon tastings, a lounge area, and outdoor patio.
While its size is certainly commanding, there is a personal, welcoming vibe to Heaven Hill that's wholly, wonderfully Kentucky.
This is Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience: the past, the present, and the future of Bluegrass bourbon!
Take a closer look at this distillery tour:
Editor's note: The Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience is only a visitor center in Bardstown, Kentucky, and does not include a distillery. Heaven Hill’s Bernheim Distillery is located in Louisville, Kentucky, and is one of the largest single-site Bourbon distilleries. They are currently building a new distillery in Bardstown, Heaven Hill Springs Distillery, that will be as big as Bernheim Distillery at full capacity making 450,000 barrels per year each. They also have a distillery at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience in Downtown Louisville that makes one barrel per day.
Have you been to Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience at this distillery in Bardstown before? Did you know Kentucky was home to the world's largest bourbon distillery? We have a big love for our Bluegrass State bourbon. Let us know your thoughts about the biggest bourbon distilleries in the comments. For more bourbon goodness, take this road trip to these old-fashioned distilleries in Kentucky.
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