Heaven’s Door Spirits, the whiskey brand founded by Bob Dylan, has announced plans to open a new distillery in Pleasureville, KY.
Located on more than 160 acres of hills near Six Mile Creek, the property was once owned by Squire Boone, the brother of frontiersman Daniel Boone, the company says.
Under development since 2017, the distillery has produced bourbon on its Vendome still since 2018. The Heaven’s Door Distillery features two separate stillhouses, each in its own western horse barn, a visitor’s center with tasting rooms and lounges overlooking the valley and Six Mile Creek, an eighteenth-century grist mill, two eighteenth-century cabins and a Moravian barn, all of which have been restored.
Heaven’s Door Distillery plans to open for the public in September 2023.
“This is a momentous occasion for Heaven’s Door,” says Marc Bushala, co-founder and CEO of Heaven’s Door Spirits. “We selected this location for its remarkable natural beauty and unique ecosystem that has enabled us to make exceptional bourbon and create an unrivaled visitor experience.”
Ken Pierce, an industry veteran, came on as Master Distiller to lead the project from design through distillation. Pierce began his career with Barton Brands Distillery, initially working as Senior Chemist to Director of Distillation, before eventually becoming Master Distiller. He was instrumental in the development of 1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and its limited release expressions, the company says.
In support of sustainability, Heaven’s Door uses two underground aquifers to access limestone water for distilling, as well as geothermal heating and cooling of the buildings. Also, the distillery cultivates its own heirloom grains and recycles mash from the fermentation process as feed for cattle on surrounding farms.
The project will help drive economic growth in the county by creating more than 50 jobs and bringing tourism to the area. The distillery also plans to work with local farmers to source ingredients for its spirits.
In addition to the Pleasureville distillery, Heaven’s Door will open a brand experience in a former church in downtown Louisville. The brand experience will house a small live music venue, a private event space and a restaurant and bar.
The Heaven’s Door brand center includes plans to construct a new 15,000-square-foot immersive art experience adjacent to the church, which will feature a collection of Bob Dylan’s paintings and metalworks, as well as curated exhibitions of other artists.
The company had previously intended to open a showcase distillery and brand center in a 160-year-old church in Nashville, TN, which it acquired in 2016. “With our distillery opening in Pleasureville, KY, having our brand experience in Louisville made more sense,” says Bushala. “We will use the Nashville property as the seat of The Heaven’s Door Foundation, the company’s philanthropic arm which supports charities for the arts.”
