Discover Bardstown’s newest attraction.

In June 2022, Heaven Hill Distillery broke ground on a 61-acre lot in the middle of Nelson County, just a short drive from our main campus, the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience. The moment marked the beginning of an exciting new chapter: bringing distillery operations back to Bardstown, more than 25 years after the fire that destroyed the Old Heaven Hill Springs.

Today, what was once a dream is now a reality. The all-new Heaven Hill Springs Distillery is now operational: producing 500 barrels a day with a single 66-inch column still, with plans to add two additional stills in the near future. What’s more, it’s ready to welcome fans of American Whiskey who are eager to see how their favorite Bourbons are made. Read on to learn more about what you can expect when you book a tour of Bardstown’s newest attraction.

WELCOME TO THE SPRINGS

Heaven HIll Springs Distillery is less than two miles from the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience, which is where all of our tours begin. Our shuttle will take you from our main campus to the new facility. As you approach the entrance, you’ll see some of the 500 white oak trees that have been planted on the property, as well as 32 acres of native grasses and wildflowers. This habitat restoration is a key part of our sustainability initiatives.

Your first stop is the Visitor’s Center, one of our knowledgeable staff members will be waiting to welcome you to our new state-of-the-art distillery.

“A lot of thought has been put into [Heaven Hill Springs], both being a functional distillery, but also being a tourist destination,” says Adam Ganoe, Heaven Hills Springs Distillery plant manager. “We took our time hiring the right people…people who are engaging, forward facing, and really excited about Bourbon production.”

TOURING THE FACILITY

Over the next 60 minutes, your guide will take you through the first stages of the American Whiskey-making process: from the fermentation to the distillation of our celebrated mashbills.

“The Heaven Hill Springs Distillery produces the same quality Whiskey that we’ve aged in Bardstown and distilled in Bernheim for the last several decades,” Ganoe explains. This includes our corn, rye, wheat and malt whiskeys; as well as our Straight Kentucky Bourbons and Wheated Bourbons. However, Bernheim is not open to the public—making this the first opportunity for Heaven Hill fans to witness this phase of production first-hand.

Your journey will span three floors, and starts with a look at our stainless steel mashbill tanks. This is where milled grains are cooked with Kentucky limestone water to create sour mash. Fermentation begins when yeast is added to this mixture, and a stop by our on-site lab will deepen your understanding and appreciation of this process. Unlike Berheim, which uses dry yeast, Heaven Hill Springs houses the technology and facilities to propagate and condition live yeast on site. We use the same proprietary yeast strain that has been handed down for generations, and which miraculously survived the fire that destroyed the original distillery.

From here, the mash—now known as “Distiller’s Beer,” makes its way to the copper stills room: the next stop on your tour. Visitors who are among the first to experience Heaven Hill Springs will observe our single 66-inch column still, which produces 500 barrels a day; however, this number will increase to three stills in the coming years, which will allow the Springs site to match the production of Bernheim and produce 450,000 barrels annually.

The copper stills use steam to force the alcohol vapors in the distiller’s beer to rise to the top, where they are captured into an arm and drawn off into a coil. The coil is cooled, and the alcohol condenses back into liquid form. The result is pure, raw whiskey—also called “new make” or “white dog”—and visitors will see this distillate flowing through our Heaven Hill logo on the last leg of their tour. They will also get a look at the “try box,” which allows our Master Distiller and expert team of tasters to sample the new make for quality control before the whiskey is barreled.

ROUNDING OUT YOUR WHISKEY EXPERIENCE

At the conclusion of your tour, we expect that you will also be ready to taste some of our award-winning American Whiskey; preferably some that’s been aging for years in our rickhouses. Now is your opportunity to sample some of our favorite products in the Heaven Hill Springs tasting room. You can also browse our gift shop for exclusive Heaven Hill Springs merchandise.

Our shuttle will be waiting to transport you back to the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience, where American Whiskey fans can continue to explore the galleries and sample cocktails and light bites at the Five Brothers Bar & Kitchen.

We are so excited to bring the art of Whiskey distilling back to our home in Bardstown, and to share Heaven Hill Springs with all of you. Whether you were already planning a trip to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® or were waiting for the perfect opportunity, there’s no time like the present to pay the Springs a visit. Book your tour today!