BARDSTOWN, Ky. — Thirty years after fire destroyed its original distillery, Heaven Hill is releasing a limited-edition bourbon that brings together whiskey made before the disaster and bourbon produced more than a decade later.
Heaven Hill Phoenix is an 18-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon blended with 30-year-old whiskey distilled at the original Old Heaven Hill Springs Distillery. The one-time release is bottled at 107 proof and carries a suggested retail price of $325 for a 750-milliliter bottle.
The bourbon commemorates the Nov. 7, 1996, fire that devastated Heaven Hill’s Bardstown operation. Lightning is believed to have ignited the blaze, which destroyed the distillery built in 1935 and seven rickhouses. Nearly 100,000 barrels of aging bourbon were consumed, and the loss of whiskey and facilities was later valued at $30 million.
No lives were lost, and no employees lost their jobs, according to Heaven Hill. The company’s proprietary yeast strain also survived, preserving a link to its whiskey-making tradition as the distillery began the work of recovery.
“The fire brought tremendous loss, but it also showed the resolve of the people who chose to move forward together,” said Max L. Shapira, Heaven Hill’s executive chairman and a second-generation family owner. “Phoenix honors the employees, community members and industry partners who refused to let a single night define generations of craftsmanship.”
The release begins with 18-year-old bourbon produced in March 2008 and fully matured in heavy-char barrels. That whiskey is blended with the 30-year-old bourbon made at Old Heaven Hill Springs, giving each bottle a connection to the original distillery.
“Heaven Hill Phoenix balances the mature oak and length of its 30-year-old component with the structure of 18-year-old bourbon aged in heavy-char oak,” said Conor O’Driscoll, Heaven Hill’s master distiller.
The company describes aromas of polished oak, cinnamon, nutmeg and caramel. The palate offers butterscotch, caramel, cinnamon and baked apple, balanced by subtle oak tannins. The finish is described as warm and long, with notes of sweet apple pie and peppery spice.
The 750-milliliter bottle comes in a special gift carton depicting a phoenix rising from the ashes alongside the words “Remember. Rebuild. Rise.”
Heaven Hill Phoenix begins shipping to select markets in October 2026 and will also be available at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience in Bardstown.
ABOUT HEAVEN HILL DISTILLERY: Founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues its legacy as one of the foremost American Whiskey producers. Heaven Hill has cultivated the traditions and history of America’s Native Spirit with its fierce independence, passionate family ownership, dedication to quality, and thoughtful innovation. Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 2 million barrels aging in more than 70 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties. It is home to an award-winning collection of American Whiskeys including Elijah Craig Bourbon, Evan Williams Bourbon, Old Fitzgerald Bottled-in-Bond, Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond, Henry McKenna, Parker’s Heritage Collection along with its extensive and diverse collection of unique and innovative products. In the past five years alone, Heaven Hill Distillery has been named Distiller of the Year nine times, including 2024 and 2023 Whisky Magazine Distillery of the Year. Other recent honors include 2024 and 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition’s Most Awarded Distillery and the 2023 Icons of Whisky World’s Best Small Batch Bourbon. For more information, please visit www.heavenhilldistillery.com.
