Heaven Hill

Nearly 30 years after the devastating 1996 fire – in which a lightning strike destroyed seven rickhouses and around 92,000 barrels of whiskey – Heaven Hill finally opened its own distillery again in Bardstown in September 2025. The new, roughly $200 million "Heaven Hill Springs Distillery" marks a return to the company's roots after almost three decades of sourcing distillate elsewhere.

The company itself was founded back in 1935 by the Shapira family, who still hold a majority stake today, making Heaven Hill the largest independent family-owned business in the American whiskey industry. From Rittenhouse Straight Rye to JW Dant Bottled in Bond, you will find the right bottle for every occasion in our selection.

What happened in the 1996 fire disaster?

Until 1996, Heaven Hill owned 44 rickhouses holding around 20,000 barrels each – one of the largest whiskey stocks in the US. On 7 November of that year, during a severe storm with wind gusts of up to 75 mph, lightning struck one of the warehouses. The fire spread with devastating speed, ultimately destroying the historic 1935 distillery along with seven of the 44 rickhouses – around 92,000 barrels of whiskey, roughly 2 percent of world production at the time, were lost. Company president Max Shapira later proudly noted that despite the disaster, not a single day of shipping to customers was missed and no one was laid off – competitors even stepped in to help maintain production.

How did Heaven Hill return to distilling its own spirit?

After the fire, the company initially had spirit produced at Brown-Forman's Early Times distillery, before acquiring the modern Bernheim distillery in Louisville in 1999. The larger dream of a distillery of its own in Bardstown remained, however: after years of planning, production began at the newly built Heaven Hill Springs Distillery in April 2025, with the official grand opening held on 4 September 2025 – almost 29 years after the fire. The roughly $200 million facility started with a capacity of 150,000 barrels per year, expandable to 450,000.

Overview of the most popular bottlings

1. Rittenhouse Straight Rye
The brand's well-known bottled-in-bond rye.
Taste: Spicy and peppery with bold rye bite.
Serving suggestion: The bartender's favourite for classic cocktails.

2. JW Dant Bottled in Bond
A traditional Kentucky bourbon in bottled-in-bond quality.
Taste: Full-bodied with caramel and oak spice.
Serving suggestion: An authentic introduction to classic bourbon.

Facts and figures

Founded: 1935 by the Shapira family, Bardstown, Kentucky. Fire: 7 November 1996. New own distillery: opened 4 September 2025 (Heaven Hill Springs Distillery). Status: largest independent family-owned business in the US whiskey industry.