Bardstown Bourbon Company Is Growing in All Different Directions

While startup Kentucky bourbon distillery Bardstown Bourbon Company might be a new kid on the block in bourbon country, these days they’re acting much more like an older, well established player. They were busy enough as it was last year, having sold out of private label whiskey capacity at one point as well as garnered a minority investment from wine and spirits giant Constellation Brands. This trend is continuing into this year via twin announcements of plans for more growth and a partnership with a somewhat well known non-distilling producer.

First, Bardstown Bourbon recently reported that Western Spirits Beverage Company, the makers of Bird Dog Whiskey, Lexington Bourbon and Calumet Farm Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey, has decided it will join Bardstown’s Collaborative Distilling Program, their private whiskey label initiative. Under this program, Bardstown will produce custom whiskey for Western Spirits’ brand portfolio. The partners will begin their first distillation this month. It was not immediately clear if this new whiskey will be under one of Western’s existing brands, or a new one yet to be announced.

“We are so excited about the opportunity to partner with the great team at The Bardstown Bourbon Company,” said Tim Livesay, president of Western Spirits, in a prepared statement. “With their vision for a Napa Valley type experience, a state-of-the-art whiskey distillery, and Steve Nally’s hall-of-fame bourbon making experience, we are enthusiastic about making The Bardstown Bourbon Company the home of Western Spirits’ bourbon portfolio.”

On the physical facilities side of things, meanwhile, Bardstown recently broke ground on what it’s calling a distillery expansion project. Plans call for the current 1.5 million proof gallon capacity to be expanded to 3 million proof gallons, which will enable Bardstown to provide more capacity for current customers as well as take on new customers later on this year.