Heaven Hill 

Introduction:

Heaven Hill Distillery boasts a diverse portfolio of brands and a wide variety of Whiskeys. Their range encompasses both premium offerings like Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, and Parker’s, as well as more standard releases like Old Fitzgerald and the Heaven Hill brand itself.

What sets Heaven Hill Whiskeys apart is their notable age, with selections such as Elijah Craig 18 – year – old and Parker’s 27 – year – old standing out as standard bottlings. These older Bourbons are known for their impressive smoothness, despite their age, and they develop rich and deep wood flavors from extended maturation.

The Production:

Heaven Hill Distillery operates primarily in two locations: the Louisville plant, also known as the Bernheim distillery, and the Bardstown facilities. The Bernheim distillery is responsible for producing the raw Whiskey, which is then transported by road tankers to the Bardstown location. In Bardstown, the distillery manages various aspects such as warehousing, bottling, and also hosts a visitor center. This dual-site operation allows for efficient production and processing of their products.

The Stills:

Heaven Hill employs two large beer (column) stills along with attached doublers in their production process. These column stills lack insulation and are primarily composed of copper on the inside. The stills stand at a height of five stories, with beer being introduced at the top half and steam injected from the bottom to heat the mixture. The resulting hot alcoholic vapors are then directed to the doublers for a second distillation. Unlike the conventional method, Heaven Hill’s process skips the liquefying step, and the doubler is known as a thumper due to the sound created as vapor enters its chamber.

In this unique process, the vapor isn’t liquefied before entering the thumper, leading to a distinctive approach. Some might argue that, because the vapor isn’t liquefied in this manner, the thumper can be seen as an extension of the column still, potentially making the Heaven Hill Whiskey not truly a double – distilled variety.

The Mashing:

Heaven Hill Distillery stands out with its use of wheat in Whiskey production, a unique feature that sets its Whiskey apart. Wheat Whiskey possesses a distinct character compared to corn – based ones, offering smoothness without the typical sweetness found in many Bourbons.

The grains are milled in three separate hammer mills, with the interesting note that wheat shares similarities with rye in terms of milling properties, negating the need for a dedicated hammer mill for wheat.

The Warehouses:

Heaven Hill boasts numerous warehouses, mainly located in Bardstown near the Willett distillery. These warehouses stand at four to five stories tall and lack heating or rotation. As a result, maturation outcomes vary based on the warehouse position. Whiskeys in the warmer upper floors often increase in alcohol content due to evaporation of water and alcohol, while those on the lower levels tend to lose alcohol content over time. The distillery designates specific areas within the warehouses for their distinct Whiskey brands.

History:

Established just two years after the end of Prohibition in 1935, Heaven Hill distillery is relatively young compared to other major whiskey producers. It was founded by a group of investors and the Shapira brothers as the Old Heavenhill Springs. The distillery faced challenges, given the economic struggles of the 1930s and the grain shortages during World War II, which led to a temporary shift towards producing industrial alcohol for the war effort.

The lineage of Master Distillers at Heaven Hill has been consistently from the Beam family, beginning with Joseph Beam, cousin of Jim Beam. This tradition continues today, with Parker Beam and his son Craig Beam leading the way.

In 1996, a significant fire nearly destroyed the distillery. During the recovery period, other Bourbon distilleries helped by supplying barrels to maintain the inventory. Eventually, Heaven Hill acquired the Bernheim distillery in Louisville, allowing them to resume production.

Notably, Heaven Hill has remained independent and was never acquired by one of the major spirit companies. As a result, it stands as the largest privately-owned whiskey company in the United States.

Visitor Centre:

Heaven Hill distillery established the Bourbon Heritage Center in Bardstown, which serves as an educational and interactive hub for visitors. The center offers tours with tastings, along with films and a hands – on museum experience. The tours primarily focus on the warehouses, providing insight into the maturation process of Heaven Hill whiskey. Within the museum, visitors can delve into the essence of Bourbon, gaining knowledge about its history and production. There’s also a unique opportunity to experience the aroma of aged whiskey through special evaporators.

However, it’s worth noting that the Louisville plant of Heaven Hill is not open to the public for tours.

Visitor information:

Heaven Hill Distillery
Bourbon Heritage Center
1311 Gilkey Run Road
Bardstown, Kentucky 40004
Tel: +1(502) 337-9593