NASHVILLE, Tenn. — A Kentucky bourbon built around fire, smoke and a piece of Bluegrass State history is expanding its reach into Tennessee.
Burnt Tavern Bourbon, the inaugural whiskey release from the revived William Berkele Distillery, is now available in the Nashville market following its Kentucky debut last September.
Created by acclaimed Master Distiller Chip Tate, Burnt Tavern is a 7-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey bottled at 105 proof. But it’s what happens after traditional maturation that gives the bourbon its unusual identity.
After aging in conventional new charred oak bourbon barrels, the whiskey is transferred into two additional specially prepared barrels that are slowly toasted and charred.
The double-barrel finishing process is designed to develop flavors of burnt sugar, caramel, vanilla and oak while introducing an elegant layer of wood smoke — a deliberate connection to the Kentucky tavern that inspired the whiskey’s name.
“Nashville is a thriving market, and we’re thrilled to bring our distinctive brand to bourbon lovers in this part of the state,” said Bennett Clark, president of William Berkele Distillery. “Burnt Tavern has been extremely well received. Its unique flavor profile has struck a chord with bourbon drinkers.”
For whiskey enthusiasts, Tate’s involvement may be one of the most intriguing aspects of the project.
Known for his work with wood, smoke and unconventional maturation techniques, Tate developed Burnt Tavern to combine traditional Kentucky bourbon flavors with a more subtle smoky character. “I have a long and storied history making whiskey with fire and smoke,” Tate said. “Wood smoke and its ability to impart subtle and complex flavor to spirits has been a part of my distilling journey from the early days.”
“Burnt Tavern Bourbon represents the intersection of classic Kentucky bourbon with rich new layers of smoke and oak added by our special finishing process — a new medley of classic American flavors.”
Burnt Tavern describes the bourbon’s aroma as offering a whisper of smoke alongside apple cobbler, blackberry jam, baking spices, smoked caramel, vanilla bean and toasted oak. The palate moves toward caramel, brown sugar, banana, toffee, ginger and baking spice.
The whiskey’s identity is built around a Kentucky story stretching back more than two centuries. In 1794, the Rev. James Smith and his family established a travelers’ rest along Zanes Trace in what is now Bryantsville in Garrard County.
The tavern survived two fires and eventually became known simply as Burnt Tavern. It served travelers, frontiersmen and local residents and became a symbol of the persistence required to survive on the Kentucky frontier.
The bourbon’s connection to whiskey history came decades later.
In 1868, William Berkele purchased property near the site of the historic tavern and established a distillery, where he produced handmade sour mash whiskey. More than 150 years later, the William Berkele Distillery name has been revived, with Burnt Tavern Bourbon serving as its first release.
“We came to Chip with a story rooted in legacy, fire and revival, and he turned it into something you can actually taste,” said Royce Blevins, lead founder of William Berkele Distillery. “Very few distillers can take a brand’s origin and build a flavor that truly lives up to it,” Blevins said. “It’s not just bourbon; he captured the soul of Burnt Tavern. In every sip, a Kentucky story is told.”
Burnt Tavern also has accumulated a substantial collection of spirits competition medals since its debut.
The bourbon was named Straight Bourbon of the Year and received a Gold Medal at the 2025 USA Spirits Ratings. It also earned Gold at the 2025 New York World Spirits Competition, Platinum at the 2025 TAG Global Spirits Awards and Double Gold from The Fifty Best.
In 2026, Burnt Tavern received Double Gold at the London Spirits Competition and Gold medals from the International Bartenders Spirits Awards, ASCOT Awards and San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Even the bottle is intended to tell the whiskey’s story.
Brand identity designer Tara Lubonovich developed packaging incorporating people and events associated with the historic Burnt Tavern, including its two fires and other moments dating to 1794. The design also incorporates the original seal of the William Berkele Distillery.
“We wanted to create a label that draws you into the journey of the Tavern, down to the last detail,” Lubonovich said. “The Burnt Tavern logotype was designed to feel like it’s branded into wood, and the shape of the label evokes an old hanging sign from the stagecoach days.”
For Burnt Tavern, the move into Nashville represents more than another distribution market. Tennessee has developed into an important whiskey destination of its own, making Nashville a natural place to introduce bourbon drinkers to a Kentucky brand built around an unusual maturation process and a story dating to the state’s frontier era.
With a 7-year age statement, 105-proof presentation, double-barrel finishing process and Tate overseeing the whiskey, Burnt Tavern offers something different for drinkers interested in bourbon that pushes beyond a conventional Kentucky flavor profile without abandoning its roots.
And in this case, the hint of smoke isn’t simply a finishing technique. It’s part of the story the whiskey was created to tell.
About William Berkele Distillery
The William Berkele Distillery was originally founded in 1868 near the site of the legendary Burnt Tavern in the heart of Kentucky’s bourbon country. The William Berkele Distillery is proud to introduce its first release – Burnt Tavern Bourbon – a premium, double-barreled Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey known for its bold flavor and whisper of smoke. Every bottle reflects the resilience, heritage, and independent spirit of Burnt Tavern. Twice Burned and Reborn.
