Heaven Hill Debuts Phoenix, a Bourbon That Includes Rare Liquid Produced Before the Distillery’s Devastating 1996 Fire

(Photo: Heaven Hill)

Heaven Hill Distillery on Tuesday unveiled Heaven Hill Phoenix, a limited-edition 18-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon that blends whiskey aged for 18 years (distilled in March 2008) with a 30-year-old component distilled at the original Old Heaven Hill Springs Distillery before the 1996 distillery fire. The one-time release commemorates the 30th anniversary of the blaze and is priced at $325 per 750-milliliter bottle.

Bottled at 107 proof, the release connects the company’s current whiskey production with liquid made at its original Bardstown facility, which was destroyed in a fire on Nov. 7, 1996. The blaze consumed nearly 100,000 barrels of aging bourbon and destroyed seven rickhouses, according to Heaven Hill. The company valued the loss of whiskey and facilities at $30 million.

“The fire brought tremendous loss, but it also showed the resolve of the people who chose to move forward together,” Max L. Shapira, Heaven Hill’s executive chairman and second-generation family owner, said in a news release. “That same spirit of adaptability and shared purpose continues to guide Heaven Hill today. Phoenix honors the employees, community members and industry partners who refused to let a single night define generations of craftmanship.”

Lightning is believed to have sparked the blaze, which spread through the facility and nearby warehouses. No lives were lost, and the company says no employees lost their jobs. Heaven Hill’s proprietary yeast strain survived, allowing the distillery to preserve an important part of its whiskey-making process as it rebuilt.

Phoenix takes its name from the mythical bird associated with rising from the ashes. The bottle comes in a special-edition 750-milliliter gift carton featuring a phoenix and the words “Remember. Rebuild. Rise.”

Conor O’Driscoll, Heaven Hill’s master distiller, said the blend combines the older whiskey’s mature oak character and length with the structure of the 18-year-old bourbon.

“The determination that carried us through the fire lives on in Phoenix, bridging that pivotal moment in our past with our ongoing commitment to producing exceptional, ultra-aged whiskeys,” O’Driscoll said.

What to Expect From Heaven Hill Phoenix

Heaven Hill describes Phoenix as a bourbon with prominent oak and baking-spice notes, balanced by sweeter flavors.

According to the distillery, the aroma features polished oak, cinnamon, nutmeg and caramel. The palate brings butterscotch, caramel, cinnamon and baked apple, with oak tannins providing balance. The finish is long and warm, with sweet apple pie and peppery spice notes.

Heaven Hill Phoenix will be available in select markets for a suggested retail price of $325. Buyers can also look for the bottle at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience in Bardstown.