Bob Dylan’s whiskey brand is about to have a major presence in Kentucky — and the site will be open to the public.
Heaven’s Door Spirits is opening its first distillery in Pleasureville, Ky., according to an April 20 press release. The brand, founded in 2015 by Dylan and Spirits Investments Partnerships, plans to open a robust tourism program and two separate stillhouses at the 160-acre site near Six Mile Creek.
The project has been under wraps since 2017. The finished distillery, which will open to the public in September, boasts two stillhouses, a visitor center with several tasting rooms, a grist mill, two historic cabins, and a restored Moravian barn.
Heaven’s Door has produced small amounts of its bourbon at the in-progress distillery since 2018.
“This is a momentous occasion for Heaven’s Door,” says Marc Bushala, co-founder and CEO of Heaven’s Door Spirits, in the release. “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.”
The brand recently appointed chemist and distiller Ken Pierce as Heaven Door’s master distiller. Pierce has previous experience with Barton Brands Distillery, where he helped launch 1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.
“I was honored to be chosen as Master Distiller for the Pleasureville project,” says Pierce. “The Heaven’s Door Distillery has been an incredible project, from inception to production of our first barrels. For me, this is a living legacy of my 40 years in the industry and my passion for making great whiskey.”
The distillery opening also marks the beginning of a new experience on the Urban Bourbon Trail in nearby Louisville. Heaven’s Door is planning to open a downtown music venue, event space, restaurant, and bar in a former church. The forthcoming “brand center” will also include an arts center next door to the church.
This might just be the perfect autumn destination for Bob Dylan fans and whiskey aficionados alike.
