After 6 Years of Secret Work, Bob Dylan’s Whiskey Brand Unveils Kentucky Distillery Opening to the Public This Year

(Photo: Heaven’s Door)

On Thursday, Heaven’s Door Spirits, the whiskey brand co-created with iconic musician Bob Dylan, announced plans to open a distillery on over 160 acres in Pleasureville, Kentucky.

The property was formerly owned by Squire Boone, the brother of famous frontiersman Daniel Boone.

The distillery has been under development since 2017, but the company has kept the project under wraps until now. Heaven’s Door Distillery plans to open its doors to the public in September.

“This is a momentous occasion for Heaven’s Door,” Marc Bushala, co-founder and CEO of Heaven’s Door Spirits, said in a news release. “We selected this location for its remarkable natural beauty and unique ecosystem that has enabled us to make exceptional bourbon and create an unrivaled visitor experience.

“We are committed to the art of craft whiskey and honor the legacy of the many pioneers who have helped make Kentucky bourbon what it is today. We are thrilled to have Heaven’s Door be part of this storied tradition.”

Since 2018, Heaven’s Door has quietly been producing small batches of bourbon at the distillery.

The Heaven’s Door Distillery features:

• Two stillhouses, each in a western horse barn
• A visitor’s Center with tasting rooms and lounges overlooking the valley and Six Mile Creek
• An eighteenth-century grist mill, two eighteenth-century cabins and a Moravian barn
• Two underground aquifers to access limestone water for distilling
• Sustainable geothermal heating and cooling in the buildings

Heaven’s Door tapped Ken Pierce, an industry veteran who in 2016 retired from his position as master distiller at Barton 1792, to lead the project.

“I was honored to be chosen as Master Distiller for the Pleasureville project,” Pierce said. “The Heaven’s Door Distillery has been an incredible project, from inception to production of our first barrels. For me, this is a living legacy of my 40 years in the industry and my passion for making great whiskey.”

The distillery will create more than 50 jobs, drive tourism to the area and source ingredients from local farmers.

Also on Thursday, Heaven’s Door officially announced The Last Refuge, the brand’s upcoming whiskey bar and live music venue that will open in a former church in Louisville.

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