After 30 years of hard work, Bulleit hosted the official ribbon cutting to celebrate the opening of their new distillery in Shelbyville, Ky – one of the largest built in decades. The distillery, which recently started producing Bulleit Bourbon, is state-of-the-art, environmentally friendly, efficient and will further Bulleit’s legacy in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
The Bulleit Distilling Co. was founded in 1987 by Tom Bulleit, whose Bulleit Bourbon is inspired by a family tradition. Bulleit Rye, a straight rye whiskey, was added to the portfolio in 2011 to critical acclaim, and the brand’s third variant, Bulleit Bourbon 10-Year-Old, was introduced in 2013. Bulleit whiskeys use a higher proportion of rye grain, which gives them their distinctive bold, spicy taste. Bulleit ranks as one of the fastest-growing whiskeys in America, which Tom largely credits to word of mouth recommendations.
In 2014, Bulleit broke ground on a new $115 million distillery located in Shelbyville, Ky. Combined with the $18 million investment that was made to open the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience at Stitzel-Weller, Bulleit has contributed more than $130 million to Kentucky’s economy since 2014.
The distillery represents the latest technology in warehousing and distillation, including enhancements that help conserve and reuse resources, resulting in improved efficiency and less impact on the environment. The 300-acre campus includes four barrel houses (each capable of holding 55,000 barrels), a 52-foot still that was crafted by Vendome Copper and Brass Works in Louisville and the first industrial solar array in Shelby County, which will collect enough energy to run all on-site mobile equipment.
While the Bulleit Distilling Co. will not initially be open to the public, guests are invited to learn more about Bulleit and its family of whiskeys by visiting the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience at Stitzel-Weller (3860 Fitzgerald Road, Louisville, KY 40216) on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail or going to www.bulleit.com.
Cheers! Check out more photos from the ribbon cutting ceremony.