Heaven Hill#History

Heaven Hill was founded by several investors shortly after the repeal of Prohibition in 1935, including a prominent distiller, Joseph L. Beam, and a member of the Shapira family.{{cite web | title=After 80 years in business, Heaven Hill to fill seven millionth barrel of Kentucky bourbon | website=Herald-Leader | date=February 8, 2015 | url=http://www.kentucky.com/news/business/bourbon-industry/article44552610.html | access-date=January 15, 2018}} As the company developed, the five brothers of the Shapira family bought out the other investors. Joe Beam remained as Master Distiller, along with his youngest son, Harry. Descendants of the Shapira brothers own and operate the company today.

All of the Master Distillers at Heaven Hill since its founding have been members of the Beam family. The original Master Distiller was Joseph L. Beam, Jim Beam's first cousin. He was followed by his son, Harry, who was followed by Earl Beam, the son of Jim Beam's brother, Park. Earl Beam was succeeded by the current Master Distillers, Parker Beam and his son, Craig Beam.

The original name was "Old Heavenhill Springs" distillery.{{cite book | last=Givens | first=R. | title=Bourbon at its Best: The Lore and Allure of America's Finest Spirits | publisher=Clerisy Press | year=2013 | isbn=978-1-57860-404-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Eu0tAwAAQBAJ&pg=PA73 | access-date=January 15, 2018 | pages=72–75}} The company was founded as a bourbon distillery, with a model focused on providing bulk whiskey for third parties on a basis of futures (a buyer would purchase fresh whiskey, to be held in Heaven Hill's warehouses until the buyer paid the government tax to have it released).{{harvnb|Waymack|Harris|1995|p=102}} It also focused on its flagship bourbon labels, Evan Williams and Elijah Craig. In the past two decades the company has expanded its portfolio, acquiring brands or obtaining import rights for gins, malt whiskey, vodkas, and other drinks.

On November 7, 1996, Heaven Hill's production plant (registered plant DSP-KY-31[http://www.bourbondrinker.com/index.php?topic=1501.0 Bourbon Distilled Spirits Plant (DSP) Numbers], BourbonDriker.com, January 15, 2010.) was almost completely destroyed by fire.{{cite web |last=Reigler |first=Susan |date=September 7, 2016 |title=Vanishing Act: Why bourbon labels are telling us less and less |url=https://www.leoweekly.com/2016/09/vanishing-act-whats-missing-bourbon-labels/ |access-date=January 15, 2018 |website=Louisville Eccentric Observer}} The fire started in an aging warehouse and spread to other buildings and vehicles. 90,000 barrels (approximately 7.7 million gallons) of flammable bourbon were consumed. A "river of fire" flowed from the warehouses.[http://www.fireworld.com/Archives/tabid/93/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/86837/Whiskey-River-Scorches-Heaven-Hill.aspx "Whiskey River Scorches Heaven Hill"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512224908/http://www.fireworld.com/Archives/tabid/93/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/86837/Whiskey-River-Scorches-Heaven-Hill.aspx |date=2014-05-12 }}. Industrial Fire World. 1997. From one account of the fire: "Flames leapt hundreds of feet into the air and lit the sky throughout the night. Witnesses reported seeing whiskey barrels explode and rocket across the sky like shooting stars ... a two-mile long stretch of the creek that supplied process water to the distillery was set ablaze for a brief time."John C. Birkmire. April 2009. [http://www.allriskengineering.com/library_files/AIChe_conferences/AIChe_2009/data/papers/P143943.pdf "Process Hazards in the Distilled Spirits Industry"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140512222315/http://www.allriskengineering.com/library_files/AIChe_conferences/AIChe_2009/data/papers/P143943.pdf |date=2014-05-12 }}. Loss Prevention Symposium. p. 271–273.

The company survived the next several years through the provision of production capacity by its fellow local bourbon labels, Brown–Forman and Jim Beam, until its purchase and adaptation of the Bernheim distillery in Louisville (registered plant DSP-KY-1) from Diageo in 1999.{{cite news |title=Diageo to Sell Liquor Brands to Heaven Hill and Others |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1999/02/25/business/company-news-diageo-to-sell-liquor-brands-to-heaven-hill-and-others.html |access-date=2 May 2016 |newspaper=New York Times |date=February 25, 1999}} While fermenting, mashing, and distilling occurs at the new distillery, aging, bottling, and shipping still occur in Bardstown.

With the 2003 acquisition of distribution rights to Hpnotiq, Heaven Hill greatly expanded their product base beyond bourbon. Hpnotiq is now the fourth-highest-selling imported liqueur in the US.{{cite news |publisher=Louisville Business First |url=http://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/print-edition/2011/09/02/heaven-hill-toasts-success-of-hpnotiq.html |title=Heaven Hill toasts success of Hpnotiq |date=September 2, 2011 |first=Stephanie |last=Clouser}} While bourbon is still its main focus, Heaven Hill now distributes a wide variety of different products.

The Heaven Hill company strongly emphasizes the history and traditions of bourbon in its public relations, highlighting the company's location in the historical home of bourbon-making and its status as the only such company still under local ownership. In 2004, the Heaven Hill Distilleries Bourbon Heritage Center was opened on the old distillery grounds, providing historical exhibits and guided tours of the plant.{{cite web | last=Adkins | first=Ben | title=From traditional to trend setting: Family-owned Heaven Hill repositions itself after five years of evolution - Louisville | work=Louisville Business First | date=December 31, 2007 | url=https://www.bizjournals.com/louisville/stories/2007/12/31/story3.html | access-date=January 15, 2018}} {{subscription required}} The company also hosts the annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival,{{cite book | last=Murray | first=J. | title=Jim Murray's Complete Book of Whiskey: The Definitive Guide to the Whiskeys of the World | publisher=Carlton | year=1997 | isbn=978-1-85868-494-9 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HjA-LXllHLwC | access-date=January 15, 2018 | page=140}} and several of the company's brands are named after famous local distillers.

Since 2010, Heaven Hill has invested more than $100m in distillery expansions, warehouse construction, and bourbon tourism. In November 2018, Heaven Hill announced a $65m multi-year investment into expanding operations, which includes a renovation of the Bourbon Heritage Center.{{Cite news|url=https://www.thespiritsbusiness.com/2018/11/heaven-hill-pours-65m-into-bardstown-bourbon-ops/|title=Heaven Hill pours $65m into Bardstown Bourbon ops|access-date=2018-11-29|language=en-US}}

In September 2021, about 420 workers, all members of the United Food and Commercial Workers union, went on strike due to disagreements over the terms of a new labor contract.{{cite news |last1=Tobin |first1=Ben |title=6 weeks, no contract and a flipped truck: What to know about the Heaven Hill worker strike |url=https://eu.courier-journal.com/story/money/companies/2021/10/20/what-know-ongoing-heaven-hill-worker-strike-negotiations/8520976002/ |work=The Courier-Journal}}

In February 2022, Heaven Hill acquired Samson & Surrey, the owner of Widow Jane and Few.{{Cite web |last=Swartz |first=Kyle |date=2022-02-02 |title=Heaven Hill Buys Widow Jane, Few Spirits |url=https://beveragedynamics.com/2022/02/02/heaven-hill-buys-widow-jane-few-spirits-samson-surrey/ |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=Beverage Dynamics |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Flicker |first=Jonah |date=2022-10-10 |title=This Brooklyn Distillery Is Sourcing Nearly 20-Year-Old Whiskey for This Rare Bourbon Blend |url=https://robbreport.com/food-drink/spirits/brooklyns-widow-jane-the-vaults-bourbon-1234758388/ |access-date=2024-07-19 |website=Robb Report |language=en-US}}

In 2023, Heaven Hill Brands settled a legal dispute with Log Still Distillery over Log Still's use of the "J.W. Dant" name.{{Cite web |last=Flight |first=The Bourbon |date=2023-08-04 |title=Log Still Distillery, Inc. make peace and settles lawsuit with Heaven Hill Brands |url=https://www.thebourbonflight.com/jw-dant-and-heaven-hill-make-peace-and-settle-lawsuit/ |access-date=2023-08-21 |website=The Bourbon Flight |language=en-US}} Heaven Hill had originally purchased the trademark in 1993, and had sued Log Still for trademark infringement in 2021,{{Cite web |title=Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. v. Log Still Distilling, LLC, 575 F. Supp. 3d 785 {{!}} Casetext Search + Citator |url=https://casetext.com/case/heaven-hill-distilleries-inc-v-log-still-distilling-llc |access-date=2023-08-21 |website=casetext.com}} after the distillery claimed on its website that it was "reviving the Dant legacy".{{Cite web |date=2023-08-04 |title=Heaven Hill Settles Lawsuit With Log Still Distilling |url=https://whiskeyraiders.com/bourbon/heaven-hill-settles-lawsuit-jw-dant-log-still/ |access-date=2023-08-21 |website=Whiskey Raiders |language=en}}

Heaven Hill Bourbon is made from a mash composed of 78% corn, 10% rye, and 12% malted barley. The barrels used for aging have a #3 char{{Clarify|reason=What is a "#3 char"?|date=January 2025}}.{{harvnb|Waymack|Harris|1995|p=104}} Prior to bottling, the whiskey is chill filtered through charcoal at {{convert|25|F}}.{{harvnb|Waymack|Harris|1995|p=103}}

Heaven Hill's beverage brands include:{{Cite web |title=Heaven Hill Distillery {{!}} Our Brands |url=https://heavenhilldistillery.com/our-brands.php |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=heavenhilldistillery.com}}{{Cite web |last=Brands |first=Heaven Hill |title=Heaven Hill Brands |url=https://heavenhill.com/brands.php |access-date=2023-11-11 |website=Heaven Hill Brands |language=en}}File:Heaven Hill Bourbon.JPGBourbon whiskey: Cabin Still, Elijah Craig, Evan Williams, Fighting Cock. Heaven Hill, Henry McKenna, J.T.S. Brown, Larceny (wheated), Old Fitzgerald (wheated), Parker's Heritage Collection, Widow Jane

Corn whiskey: Georgia Moon, Mellow Corn

Rye whiskey: Pikesville, Rittenhouse

Wheat whiskey: Bernheim Original

FEW : Bourbon, Rye, Single Malt, American Whiskey

Canadian whisky: Black Velvet

Aperitif: Dubonnet

Brandy: Christian Brothers, Sacred Bond

Cognac: Ansac

Liqueur: Carolans, Copa De Oro, Coronet VSQ, Fulton's Harvest, Hpnotiq, Irish Mist, PAMA

Rum: Admiral Nelson, Blackheart

Tequila: Lunazul, Two Fingers

Vodka: Burnett's, Deep Eddy, Du Bouchett

• List of Kentucky companies
• List of historic whisky distilleries

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• {{Cite book |last1=Waymack |first1=Mark H. |url=https://openlibrary.org/books/OL784496M/The_book_of_classic_American_whiskeys |title=The Book of Classic American Whiskeys |last2=Harris |first2=James |date=August 1995 |isbn=9780812693065|ol=784496M }}

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• [http://www.heavenhill.com/ Official website]
• [http://www.bourbonheritagecenter.com/ Heaven Hill Distilleries Bourbon Heritage Center]
• [http://www.whiskyportal.com/distillery.asp?DistilleryID=1077&DistilleryName=Heaven+Hill+Distillery/ The Whisky Portal]

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Category:Heaven Hill

Category:Bourbon whiskey

Category:Distilleries in Kentucky

Category:Alcoholic drink companies

Category:Alcoholic drink brands

Category:Food and drink companies established in 1935

Category:1935 establishments in Kentucky

Category:Family-owned companies of the United States

Category:American companies established in 1935

Category:Privately held companies based in Kentucky

Category:Bardstown, Kentucky