The original distillery was built on acreage in Bardstown owned by a man named William Heavenhill. According to President Max Shapira, the story of how Mr. Heavenhill's name was divided into its current form comes down to a typographical error made on paperwork sent to state officials in Frankfort. When told it would cost $10 to return the name to Heavenhill, it was deemed unnecessary, and the misspelling remained.
At the historic intersection of 17th Street and Breckenridge Street in downtown Louisville sits Heaven Hill's Bernheim Distillery: the world’s largest independent, family-owned Bourbon distillery, producing 1,300 barrels a day.
The traditional methods used here are the same as those of the company's first plant, the Heaven Hill Springs Distillery in Bardstown, KY, roughly 45 minutes away. The Shapira brothers, who cofounded the distillery in 1935, could not have imagined owning a distillery like Bernheim. And given the unfortunate circumstances leading to its purchase in 1999, none of them would have wanted to.
Reverend Elijah Craig was a Baptist preacher, an educator, and an entrepreneur who built the first paper and wool mills in Georgetown, Kentucky. But for all his industries, it was his gift as a distiller and an innovator that brought him his greatest acclaim. While we draw inspiration from parts of Elijah Craig’s story, his legacy will forever be stained by his connection to slavery. Like other Kentucky landowners of his generation, Elijah Craig owned slaves. Uncovering the roles of these laborers, how they contributed to the birth of the bourbon industry and what happened to them, and their families is a critical mission of our brand today. Elijah Craig is actively engaged in academic research and other initiatives to not just uncover the past, but to make America today a more just and equitable country.
From our award-winning Small Batch Bourbons to our first-ever Straight Rye Whiskey, our Master Distillers remain committed to honoring Elijah's innovative spirit. Discover the Greatness Within Toasted Barrel: our newest expression finished in custom toasted barrels for added sweet oak complexity. We think the Reverend Elijah Craig would approve.
