Sipp’n Corn on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® – The Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience.

Heaven Hill celebrated the grand opening of the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience in Bardstown, Kentucky last month.  This $19 million expansion and renovation of the Bourbon Heritage Center transformed it into a state-of-the-art visitor center.

Heaven Hill President Max Shapira and Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear presided over the ribbon cutting to commemorate the occasion.  Gov. Beshear also presented Heaven Hill and Kentucky Distillers’ Association President Eric Gregory with a proclamation to name June 14 as “National Bourbon Day” in Kentucky, which was especially fitting given Heaven Hill’s leading role in the industry and in preserving and promoting the historic standards of the Bottled-in-Bond Act of 1897.

Those of us who were already into bourbon in 2004 will remember that the Bourbon Heritage Center was the first of its kind.  It was a nod to the small (but growing) population of bourbon enthusiasts and it was the first visitor center to celebrate bourbon’s rich history.  The breakneck speed of the bourbon boom and spike in bourbon tourism demanded more, and the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience delivers a truly memorable experience.

The new Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience triples the previous footprint with more than 30,000 square feet.  The aspect that I’m most interested in is the “You Do Bourbon” experience.  In addition to a guided tasting, guests experience a sensory/quality lab complete with microscopes, proof gauging, and nosing station, and guests can bottle their favorite bourbon with a personalized label.

The Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience also includes a Distillery Theater, interactive exhibits featuring Elijah Craig, John E. Fitzgerald and Larceny, and Bottled-in-Bond, all topped off with the new Five Brothers Bar & Kitchen and soon-to-open restaurant.  Check the link here  to plan your visit this summer!