Heaven Hill Announces Completion of Phase 1 of Visitor Center Upgrade

Heaven Hill has announced the completion of phase 1 of their visitor center upgrade resulting in new tasting rooms and immersive tour experiences at their Bardstown distillery as well as a brand new gift shop. Phase 2 will further expand the footprint of their Bourbon Heritage Center (BHC) nearly 3 times to 30,000 square feet.

For phase 1, Heaven Hill has created three tasting rooms that offer various guided tastings of the Heaven Hill portfolio. The three rooms are The Fitzgerald, The Library, and The Founders.

The Fitzgerald is named after John E. Fitzgerald, who supposedly build a distillery on the banks of the Kentucky River in the 1870's. The room itself has new wooden floors, bricks around the exterior, and textured window panes that aim to create a warm, inviting atmosphere.

The Library is inspired by Elijah Craig, known as The Father of Bourbon. The room includes a 26-foot-long, live-edge wooden table flanked by leather chairs in the center of the room. It also contains patterned carpet, wood trimmed windows, and a rolling ladder leading to a long bookshelf to help guests feel as if they stepped into Elijah Craig’s personal library. 

The Founders Room is inspired by the founders of Heaven Hill, the five Shapira brothers who started the distillery in 1935. The room is made up of an industrial design inspired by their distillery operations and attempts to balance metallic textures with warm wood. It features concrete tile floors, galvanized steel furniture, a stainless steel perimeter, and copper light fixtures.

Which the phase 1 updates complete, Heaven Hill has announced the following features to be completed as part of phase 2 over the course of the next year:

• An immersive Bourbon barrel experience, where guests will join their host inside a larger-than-life oak barrel, complete with 270° video screen, to learn how barrels are made and their essential role in the process
• You Do Bourbon, which invites guests to interact with the ingredients and tools of making whiskey, and one-of-a-kind opportunity to bottle their own whiskey
• Educational spaces dedicated to Elijah Craig and Larceny, exploring the legacy of each namesake, as well as the unique details and special care given to these beloved Bourbons
• The Five Brothers Bar and Kitchen, featuring handcrafted cocktails that highlight the unique flavor profiles of each of our whiskeys, plus whiskey flights and a contemporary food menu inspired by local ingredients and Kentucky’s great culinary heritage

The Bourbon Heritage Center will be open during the renovations and is located at: 

1311 Gilkey Run Rd
Bardstown, KY 40004

My Take

Not much to say on this one. Getting an updated visitor center is always welcome. While I haven't visited the Heaven Hill Bourbon Heritage Center, it's quickly climbing the list of places to visit. If you check it out, drop a note in the comments with your thoughts. 

Source: Heaven Hill