Heaven Hill Distilleries became only the second continuously operating distillery, and the first private family-owned one, to fill bourbon barrel No. 6.5 million on Tuesday at its Bardstown, Ky., facility.
The independent family owned and operated distillery – the last in the bourbon industry – has just around 1 million aging barrels of bourbon in its inventory, according to a news release from the company.
The company further notes that the 6.5 millionth barrel was “bunged off” by Parker and Craig Beam, Heaven Hill’s sixth- and seventh-generation father and son master distillers. While the bourbon industry is replete with colorful terms and delightful expressions, I cannot say that is a favorite of mine; it sounds more like the state you’d be in upon discovering that someone had finished off your bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel. Anyway, the barrel is now in Rickhouse Y along with other milestone barrels; you can see them when you visit the Bourbon Heritage Center.
Photo courtesy of Heaven Hill (L-R): Bardstown Mayor Bill Sheckles, Heaven Hill Master Distiller Craig Beam, Nelson County Judge Executive Dean Watts, Heaven Hill Master Distiller Parker Beam, Heaven Hill Distilleries Executive Vice President Harry J. Shapira, Heaven Hill Distilleries President Max L. Shapira, and Heaven Hill Distilleries Chief Operating Officer Allan Latts.
