Four Roses Distillery employees removed 880 pounds of waste from Kentucky’s Salt River during their ninth annual environmental conservation event. The cleanup effort protects the limestone-rich waterway that provides essential water for the distillery’s bourbon production.
Four Roses Salt River Cleanup Expands to New Locations
This year’s cleanup extended beyond the distillery’s immediate area to include Dry Branch Road Access and Salt River Ramp 3 Access, both located 20-30 minutes from the facility. Four Roses partnered with the Kentucky Waterway Alliance (KWA), a statewide nonprofit focused on waterway protection and restoration.
KWA staff joined employees at the cleanup sites, offering expertise on watershed initiatives and educating volunteers about individual contributions to river health. The Salt River serves multiple functions in bourbon production, including fermentation, steam production, and cooling processes.
“The Salt River has always been at the heart of what we do at Four Roses. Its clean, mineral-rich water shapes the character of our bourbon, and we embrace our responsibility to protect this resource for generations to come,” said Brent Elliott, Master Distiller at Four Roses.
Since the program began in 2017, Four Roses employees have removed more than 4,800 pounds of debris from the 150-mile river stretch. The annual cleanup has become a key component of the distillery’s sustainability and community engagement programs.
Four Roses Private Barrel Selection Supports Conservation
Four Roses marked the cleanup with a limited Private Barrel Selection release, available exclusively at the Lawrenceburg Visitor Center for $120. The special bottle features the distillery’s new Private Barrel Selection label design, incorporating woodgrain patterns that reference oak aging barrels and rivet details matching cask hardware.
The OBSK recipe bourbon is aged for 9 years and 11 months. Four Roses will donate 50% of bottle sales to the Kentucky Waterway Alliance, directly supporting the organization’s conservation efforts.
The distillery’s ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship demonstrates how bourbon producers depend on and protect natural resources. The Salt River’s limestone-filtered water remains crucial to Four Roses’ production process and the distinct character of its bourbon.
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