Discover the story behind our Bernheim Distillery, the largest independent, family-owned Bourbon Distillery in the world.
VIEW OUR DISTILLERYWe're proud of the spirits we've crafted right here in the heart of Bourbon
country. Discover the brands that have been Lifting Spirits since 1935.
Discover the story behind our Bernheim Distillery, the largest independent, family-owned Bourbon Distillery in the world.
VIEW OUR DISTILLERYHeaven Hill Distillery has been perfecting the craft of distilling, aging, and selecting award-winning whiskeys for decades.
Learn MoreSince 1935, the Shapira family has been at the helm of the largest family-owned and operated distillery in America. Discover their quintessential American success story.
Learn MoreFor over 85 years, we've devoted ourselves to the craft of fine American Whiskey. We're proud of the spirits we've crafted, and grateful the critics agree.
Learn MoreWe’re proud to produce more Bottled-in-Bond products than any other American Whiskey distiller.
VIEW THE EXPERIENCEJust west of downtown Louisville sits Heaven Hill’s Bernheim Distillery—the only heritage distillery to produce every major style and type of American Whiskey, with five signature mashbills.
VIEW THE EXPERIENCEPart of crafting high-quality whiskey for years to come involves protecting our natural resources.
Learn MoreCork is a 100% natural material that’s sustainable both environmentally and economically. It also happens to have much more in common with American Whiskey than you may think.
Learn MoreDiscover the people, places, and stories behind every step of our most adventurous whiskey production ever.
VIEW THE EXPERIENCEDiscover how our famed local water helps shape the flavor of American Whiskey.
VIEW THE EXPERIENCEWe've put together a guide to whiskey tasting for newcomers and experts alike. But remember, how you drink your whiskey is your decision. We’re just here to make sure it’s an experience you enjoy.
Learn MoreHeaven Hill Distillery. Bardstown, KY © 2024
Think Wisely. Drink Wisely. ®
We have almost 70 rickhouses where we age our American Whiskey. They sit on seven different sites across Bourbon Country, and hold between 10,000 and over 70,000 barrels each.
Site Rickhouses: W1, W2, W3, W4, W5, W6, W7, W8, W9, W10, W11, W12, W13, W14, W15
Holds: 834,750 barrels Our newest rickhouse site, Cox’s Creek is currently home to fifteen rickhouses, each holding 55,650 barrels.
Site Rickhouses: 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H, 1I, 1J, 1K
Holds: 415,787 barrels On the same campus as our historic Bernheim Distillery, these seven rickhouses are the only ones at Heaven Hill made from brick. Together they hold 415,787 barrels.
Site Rickhouses: AA, BB, CC, DD, EE, FF,
GG, HH, II
Holds: 167,000 barrels Once home to the T.W. Samuels Distillery, this site’s nine rickhouses hold 167,000 barrels and are the only rickhouses to feature tiered roofs.
Site Rickhouses: A
Holds: 19,772 barrels The former site of Glencoe Distillery, north of Bardstown, is home to one Heaven Hill rickhouse holding 19,772 barrels.
Site Rickhouses: E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, S, T, Y, Z, H1, H2
Holds: 502,566 barrels Heaven Hill's main campus holds 502,566 barrels and was also the site of the famous 1996 fire. Fueled by 75 mph winds, the fire ultimately destroyed seven rickhouses and over 90,000 barrels of Bourbon, which was two percent of the world's Bourbon at the time.
Site Rickhouses: JJ, KK, LL, MM, NN, OO, PP, QQ, RR
Holds: 131,995 barrels Once the site of the old Fairfield and Schenley distilleries, this site is full of Bourbon history. We now age our whiskeys in all nine of the remaining rickhouses, which hold 131,995 barrels.
Site Rickhouses: L1, L2, L3, L4, L5, L6, L7
Holds: 389,550 barrels Our newest rickhouse site, Hibbs Lane is currently home to 7 rickhouses each holding 55,650 barrels. The site is being developed to include at least 3 more rickhouses, and should be able to hold up to 533,850 barrels once complete.
Kentucky's four distinct seasons are an essential ingredient to our aging process. As the temperatures fluctuate throughout the year, the spirits seep in and out of the oak barrel, extracting important compounds that give American Whiskey its color and a large part of its flavor and aroma. In our constant pursuit to create whiskeys of great quality, we placed temperature sensors in several of our rickhouses to better understand how climate affects the barrels inside.
A rickhouse's elevation and exposure to sun, wind, and precipitation all affect how the whiskey inside will age. Open-rick warehouses are built to maximize airflow, allowing the barrels to experience bigger temperature shifts and more air circulation than other rickhouse designs, such as palletized warehouses. Heat transfers throughout the rickhouse by the process of convection, in which air moves because some parts are heavier than others. The hotter, lighter air rises to the upper floors, and the cooler, more dense air sinks to the bottom. Our crews periodically open and close windows to help with the
convection effect. In the summer, windows on upper
floors are often opened and you'll feel a lot of air
movement on a hot day. In winter, windows are left closed. Since our buildings are not climate controlled, we use our
tasting expertise to mingle barrels from different parts of the rickhouses to create consistent taste profiles. As the air outside moves from low to high, it shifts the atmospheric pressure inside, producing airflow that circulates throughout the barrels.
A rickhouse's elevation and exposure to sun, wind, and precipitation all affect how the whiskey inside will age. Open-rick warehouses are built to maximize airflow, allowing the barrels to experience bigger temperature shifts and more air circulation than other rickhouse designs, such as palletized warehouses. Heat transfers throughout the rickhouse by the process of convection, in which air moves because some parts are heavier than others. Read More »
The temperatures inside a rickhouse vary vastly, as much as 15° F between floors. The top floors are hotter and drier, causing water to evaporate and driving the proof as high as 145 or more. The lower floors are more moist and cool, and alcohol evaporates, dropping the proof.
As the seasons shift, the maximum and minimum temperatures for each floor continue to change. The hottest days and coldest evenings continue to draw the liquid in and out of the barrel over the years, producing the rich, smooth flavors beloved in our whiskey portfolio.
You've heard of Evan, Elijah, and Larceny. Now discover our entire American Whiskey portfolio.
LEARN MOREA rickhouse's elevation and exposure to sun, wind, and precipitation all affect how the whiskey inside will age. Open-rick warehouses are built to maximize airflow, allowing the barrels to experience bigger temperature shifts and more air circulation than other rickhouse designs, such as palletized warehouses. Heat transfers throughout the rickhouse through the process of convection, in which air moves because some parts are heavier than others. The hotter, lighter air rises to the upper floors, and the cooler, more dense air sinks to the bottom. Our crews periodically open and close windows to help with the convection effect. In the summer, windows on upper floors are often opened and you’ll feel a lot of air movement on a hot day. In winter, windows are left closed. Since our buildings are not climate controlled, we use our tasting expertise to mingle barrels from different parts of the rickhouses to create consistent taste profiles. As the air outside moves from low to high, it shifts the atmospheric pressure inside, producing airflow that circulates throughout the barrels.
Site Warehouses: W1, W2, W3, W4, W5, W6, W7, W8, W9, W10
Holds: 556,500 barrels Cox’s Creek is currently home to 10 rickhouses each holding 55,650 barrels. It holds up to 834,750 barrels.
Site Warehouses: AA, BB, CC, DD, EE, FF, GG, HH, II
Holds: 161,799 barrels Once home to the T.W. Samuels Distillery, this site’s nine rickhouses hold 161,799 barrels and are the only rickhouses to feature tiered roofs.
Site Warehouses:1E, 1F, 1G, 1H, 1I, 1J, 1K
Holds: 366,834 barrels On the same campus as our historic Bernheim Distillery, these seven rickhouses are the only ones at Heaven Hill made from brick. Together they hold 366,834 barrels.
Site Warehouses: A
Holds: 19,602 barrels Located north of Bardstown at the former site of the Glencoe Distillery, this rickhouse holds 19,602 barrels.
Site Warehouses: E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, S, T, Y, Z, H1, H2
Holds: 499,973 barrels Heaven Hill’s main campus holds 499,973 barrels and was also the site of the famous 1996 fire. Fueled by 75 mph winds, the fire ultimately destroyed seven rickhouses and over 90,000 barrels of Bourbon, which was two percent if the world’s Bourbon at the time.
Site Warehouses: JJ, KK, LL, MM, NN, OO, PP, QQ, RR
Holds: 128,006 barrels Once the site of the old Fairfield and Schenley distilleries, this site is full of Bourbon history. We now age our whiskeys in all nine of the remaining rickhouses, which hold 128,006 barrels.
Site Warehouses: L1, L2, L3
Holds: 166,950 barrels Our newest rickhouse site, Hibbs Lane, is currently home to three rickhouses, each holding 55,650 barrels. The site is being developed to include at least three more rickhouses, and should be able to hold up to 333,900 barrels once complete.
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