SHELBYVILLE, Ky., March 14, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- In 1987, the
Bulleit Distilling Co. was founded by a young entrepreneur who quit
his job as a lawyer to pursue his true passion – creating quality
bourbon. Today, millions of cases of whiskey later, the Bulleit
brand is proud to celebrate its 30th anniversary with
the official ribbon cutting event for the opening of its new
distillery in Shelbyville, Ky.
Governor Matt Bevin and a number of
other elected officials and dignitaries joined Bulleit Distilling
Co. Founder Tom Bulleit for the
festivities and tours of the new distillery.
"We're so proud to open the Bulleit Distilling Co. here in
Shelbyville," said Tom Bulleit. "Seeing this distillery come to
life has been a truly surreal experience that couldn't have been
achieved without the tireless work of so many men and women. We
can't wait to share the delicious whiskey that will be produced
here for centuries to come."
Under the supervision of Vice President of Distilling,
Pauline Rooney, the distillery
employs approximately 30 people for the whiskey distillation and
maturation processes. While the distillery is opening at the
previously announced capacity of 1.8 million proof gallons annually
it was built as a modular distillery and expansion opportunities
are being explored.
"Today marks a huge achievement for Tom
Bulleit and everyone at Diageo, as we open an amazing
facility that will further establish the legacy of Bulleit here in
Kentucky," said Deirdre Mahlan, President of Diageo North
America. "We look forward to continuing to watch the brand grow as
we become part of the Shelbyville
community."
The distillery, which has already begun producing Bulleit
Bourbon represents the latest technology in warehousing and
distillation, including enhancements that help conserve and reuse
resources, resulting in improved efficiency and less impact on the
environment. The 300-acre campus includes four barrel houses (each
capable of holding 55,000 barrels), a 52-foot still that was
crafted by Vendome Copper and Brass Works in Louisville and the first industrial solar
array in Shelby County, which will
collect enough energy to run all on-site mobile equipment.
Diageo's initial investment in building the distillery is
$115 million for the Shelbyville site. Combined with the
$18 million investment that was made
to open the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey Experience at Stitzel-Weller,
Bulleit has contributed more than $130
million to Kentucky's
economy since 2014.
"It is an honor to join Bulleit Distilling Co. today to
celebrate the opening of its new distillery in Shelbyville," Gov. Bevin said. "Bourbon, in
addition to its status as a signature Kentucky product, is an important driver of
state's economy and workforce. Bulleit, which celebrates its 30th
anniversary in conjunction with today's ribbon cutting, continues
to add international acclaim to Kentucky's proud spirit-making tradition. I
congratulate the company on these achievements and expect they'll
see continued strong growth in the coming years."
Shelby County Judge-Executive Dan
Ison says Bulleit is a valued partner. "From providing
quality jobs, working with local farmers to buy corn and using
byproduct for animal feed, to participating in our community, we
are look forward to a bright future working together."
"We are proud to have the Bulleit Distilling Co. call
Shelby County home," said Sen.
Paul Hornback (R), Shelbyville. "The completion of the distillery
shows, once again, that Shelby
County is open for business. We congratulate Bulleit on this
milestone and are excited to play a role in the new era of growth
of the Kentucky bourbon
industry."
While the Bulleit Distilling Co. will not initially be open to
the public, guests are invited to learn more about Bulleit and its
family of whiskeys by visiting the Bulleit Frontier Whiskey
Experience at Stitzel-Weller (3860 Fitzgerald Road, Louisville, KY 40216) on the Kentucky Bourbon
Trail or going to www.bulleit.com.
As we celebrate the opening of the Bulleit Distilling Co., we
hope fans of the brand will join us in raising a glass –
responsibly, of course.
About the Bulleit Distilling Co.
The Bulleit
Distilling Co. was founded in 1987 by Tom Bulleit, whose
Bulleit Bourbon is inspired by a family tradition. Bulleit Rye, a
straight rye whiskey, was added to the portfolio in 2011 to
critical acclaim, and the brand's third variant, Bulleit Bourbon
10-Year-Old, was introduced in 2013. Bulleit whiskeys use a higher
proportion of rye grain, which gives them their distinctive bold,
spicy taste. Bulleit ranks as one of the fastest-growing whiskeys
in America, which Tom largely credits to word of mouth
recommendations. In 2014, Bulleit broke ground on a new $115
million distillery located in Shelbyville, Ky. The
Bulleit Distilling Co. opened in March
2017. Guests are invited to learn more about the past,
present and future of Bulleit by visiting the Bulleit Frontier
Whiskey Experience at Stitzel-Weller in Louisville, Ky., a
member of the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour. For more information,
visit www.bulleit.com.
About Diageo
Diageo is a global leader in beverage
alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands
including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan's
whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Captain Morgan,
Baileys, Don Julio, Tanqueray and Guinness.
Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (DEO) and
the London Stock Exchange (DGE) and our products are sold in more
than 180 countries around the world. For more information about
Diageo, our people, our brands, and performance, visit us
at www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo's global responsible drinking
resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and
ways to share best practice.
Follow us on Twitter for news and information about Diageo North
America: @Diageo_NA.
Celebrating life, every day, everywhere.
CONTACT:
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Kelly
Greenawalt
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Jamie
Hakim
|
|
Taylor PR
|
Diageo North
America
|
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kgreenawalt@taylorstrategy.com
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Jamie.Hakim@diageo.com
|
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704-644-6915
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646-223-2314
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SOURCE Bulleit Distilling Co.