The ribbon was cut today for the 9th and newest stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the Bulleit Experience at Stitzel-Weller. The facility closed to the public in 1992 when the distillery was shut down and has since been used for its rick houses which today house 412,000 barrels of bourbon. The Visitor’s Center was constructed at breakneck speed, having only been announced in February of this year.
A couple of weeks ago Diageo announced a bottling line to be opened at Stitzel-Weller. Today came the announcement bourbon geeks have been waiting for- A “small batch distillery” operation will be open at the Stitzel-Weller site by Derby Day 2015. Diageo is doing things in reverse order here, but all that matters is this hallowed site for whiskey geeks now has a shot at a great comeback. In addition to the fact that this was where Pappy Van Winkle had his office for decades, this is also where the mash bill for Maker’s Mark was developed.
Stitzel-Weller was opened by the Van Winkle family on Derby day 1935, so it is fitting that distillation should begin there again on Derby Day 2015, eighty years to the day after it originally opened for business. The visitor’s center will have already have seen some action by then as Diageo timed its opening to coincide with the Kentucky Bourbon Festival in Bardstown this week.
If you haven’t made plans to visit yet, pick up your new passport and start collecting stamps. While there’s no distilling or bottling going on at Stitzel-Weller at the moment, there’s plenty of whiskey history to learn about while you’re waiting.
Photos Courtesy of Maggie Kimberl
