Heaven Hill Distillery Employee Dies at Kentucky Bourbon Brand’s Facilities

(Photo: Lane Southard/Bottle Raiders)

WLKY reported on Thursday that an employee died after an apparent fall at a rickhouse at the Kentucky whiskey distillery Heaven Hill. The 41-year-old man was identified as Travis Jury.

Heaven Hill Brands Chief Production Officer Josh Anderson said Jury died Thursday morning at the brand’s Gilkey Run facilities. WLKY reported that the coroner is still investigating the official cause of death.

“We are deeply saddened by this loss and extend our heartfelt condolences to the family, friends and colleagues affected by this tragedy,” Anderson said, per WLKY. “We are providing support to our employees and counseling resources are on-site to support them with this profound loss. We are working with authorities during this time and will share more information as it becomes available.”

Heaven Hill is the storied brand behind big names like Elijah Craig, Larceny, Rittenhouse Rye and Old Fitzgerald.

In other whiskey accident news, Diageo was fined over $600,000 on Wednesday after a broken valve sprayed boiling ale over an employee at the brand’s Glenlossie Distillery in Scotland. Diageo is the major supplier behind scotch brands like Johnnie Walker.

The Diageo employee sustained severe burns and was forced to spend two weeks in an induced coma in intensive care. He had to take six months off of work, and over a year later he was forced to retire.

Diageo accepted full responsibility for the incident, and the supplier’s legal representative informed the media the case “should be regarded as an isolated incident.”