What Bardstown Bourbon Company does

Bardstown Bourbon Company is a privately held Kentucky distiller founded in 2014 and headquartered in Bardstown, operating as the primary bourbon brand within the Lofted Spirits platform owned by Pritzker Private Capital since 2022. It runs two production facilities — a 100-acre Bardstown campus with state-of-the-art Vendome column stills, glass rickhouses, and four laboratories certified to ISO 9001 and FSSC 22000, and the historic Green River Distilling Co. in Owensboro (the 10th oldest licensed distillery in Kentucky, dating to 1885). Combined annual output approaches 300,000 barrels and bottling capacity exceeds 35 million bottles, supported by the ability to produce over 65 different mash bills including high-rye, wheated, and experimental recipes.

The company operates a dual business model. First, it is the largest contract distiller in Kentucky, providing full-service custom production — mashbill design, blending, aging, bottling, lab testing, and global logistics — to over 300 whiskey brands including Heaven's Door, Horse Soldier, and Blue Run. Second, it sells its own portfolio across five series: Origin Series (core 6-year estate-distilled bourbon, wheated bottled-in-bond, high wheat, and double-barreled rye), Discovery Series (innovative blends), Collaborative Series (barrel-finished partnerships with Silver Oak, Maison Ferrand, Goose Island, Amrut, and others), Single Barrel selections, and Distillery Reserve (ultra-premium experimental releases such as Cathedral French Oak, Hokkaido Mizunara, Normandie Calvados, Cascadia Garryana, and the Mars Japanese Blend produced via a first-of-its-kind co-aging process).

Revenue is generated through contract distilling and bottling services (B2B), branded wholesale via national and authorized online spirits retailers (B2B2C), and direct-to-consumer channels including distillery retail at Bardstown and the Louisville Whiskey Row Tasting Room, a full-service restaurant and bar, a tiered tour portfolio priced $24–$95 per person, and The Reserve membership club offering priority access to limited releases. The company markets primarily through the Kentucky Bourbon Trail (2.7M visitors in 2024), content and social channels, and a steady cadence of award recognition (IWSC Worldwide Producer of the Year 2023, four consecutive Whisky Advocate "Most Interesting Whiskey" placements, multiple SFWSC Double Golds).

Name

Bardstown Bourbon Company

Legal name

Bardstown Bourbon Company

Website

http://www.bardstownbourbon.com/

Company type

Private

Founded year

2014

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Bardstown Bourbon Company is a Kentucky distiller producing premium bourbon and rye across five proprietary series while operating as the largest contract distiller in the state, serving more than 300 whiskey brands via its Bardstown and Green River facilities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Craft Bourbon and Whiskey Distillery

NAICS

Distilleries (312140), Distilleries (31214), Beverage Manufacturing (3121)

SIC

Wholesale-Beer, Wine & Distilled Alcoholic Beverages (5180)

akta.pro primary industry

Spirits Distilling & Brands (CRADAIAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Distilled Spirits Production & Distilling (AFAFAAAC), Distilleries (Tasting Rooms) (THAFALAG), Spirits Distillery Tours & Tastings (Whiskey, Rum, Gin, Vodka) (THAJAGAF), Alcoholic Beverage Tours & On-site Experiences (Brewery/Winery/Distillery) (THAFALAK)

Keywords

• Contract bourbon distilling
• Kentucky whiskey production
• Craft barrel finishing
• Distillery hospitality experiences
• Premium bourbon manufacturing

Headquarters

HQ city

Bardstown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Custom Contract Distilling Services: The company serves as the largest contract distiller in Kentucky, producing whiskey for over 300 brands including Heaven's Door, Horse Soldier, and Blue Run. Services include mashbill design, private label development, blending, aging, bottling, lab testing, and global logistics.
2. Proprietary Brand Sales: Revenue from sales of own bourbon products including Origin Series, Discovery Series, Collaborative Series, Single Barrel, and Distillery Reserve expressions sold through retail locations and authorized online retailers.
3. Visitor Experience and Hospitality: Revenue from distillery tours, tastings, cocktail classes, blending experiences, and restaurant/bar operations at the Bardstown distillery and Louisville tasting room.
4. Contract Bottling Services: World-class bottling infrastructure with multiple lines capable of high-speed production as well as meticulous single barrel projects. Bottling capacity above 35 million bottles annually.
5. Co-manufacturing for Third-party Brands: Production partnership with Misunderstood Brands for OATRAGEOUS Oat Milk Liqueur and other portfolio products, representing first cream liqueur production at the Bardstown campus.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Bardstown Bourbon Company produces its own bourbon, rye, and specialty whiskey portfolio across five product series and operates the largest contract distilling operation in Kentucky, producing whiskey for more than 300 brands through a 100-acre distillery campus featuring Vendome column stills, glass rickhouses, four laboratories, and capacity for more than 35 million bottles annually. The company also operates on-site hospitality, including distillery tours, tastings, cocktail classes, and an exclusive membership club, at Bardstown, Kentucky and a Louisville Tasting Room.

Product overview

Bardstown Bourbon Company offers a portfolio of bourbon and whiskey products across five distinct series: Origin Series (core 6-year estate-distilled expressions including Bourbon, High Wheat, Wheated Bottled-in-Bond, and Double Barreled Rye), Discovery Series (innovative blended whiskeys), Collaborative Series (barrel-finished expressions with partners like Ferrand, Amrut, Silver Oak, and Goose Island), Single Barrel selections, and Distillery Reserve (rare experimental releases). The company also provides custom contract distilling services through parent company Lofted Spirits, distillery tours and tasting experiences, and an exclusive membership club called The Reserve. Products range from 96-112.5 proof with various mash bills including high-rye, wheated, and 95% rye recipes.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Origin Series: Core product line featuring four distinct 6-year-old 100% estate-distilled whiskies including Bourbon, Wheated Bottled-in-Bond, High Wheat, and Double Barreled Rye.
• Discovery Series
• Collaborative Series
• Single Barrel
• Distillery Reserve

Products and services

• Origin Series Bourbon High-rye Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey with 36% rye mash bill at 96 proof, aged 6 years as one of four estate-distilled expressions in the Origin Series core line.
• Origin Series High Wheat Kentucky Straight Bourbon with 39% wheat mash bill at 106 proof featuring low barrel entry proof to extract abundant wood sugar and flavor.
• Origin Series Wheated Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight bottled-in-bond wheated bourbon whiskey with 20% wheat mash bill, distilled at one distillery, aged 4+ years in federally bonded warehouse, bottled at exactly 100 proof.
• Origin Series Double Barreled Rye Kentucky Straight Rye Whiskey at 96 proof with 95% rye mash bill, aged 6 years in American white oak then rebarreled into custom cherry wood hybrid barrels for up to 6 months.
• Discovery Series #9 Blended whiskey at 112.5 proof combining rare barrels of craft Georgia bourbon with classic Kentucky bourbon, 17-year Tennessee Whiskey, and Canadian whiskey.
• Discovery Series #13 Limited blend of Kentucky straight bourbon whiskies featuring double barrelling in American and Hungarian Oak at 110.8 proof.
• Maison Ferrand Finish II Blend of Straight Whiskey Finished in Ferrand Cognac Casks. Kentucky straight whiskey finished 15 months in Maison Ferrand Cognac barrels at 111.8 proof; Double Gold at 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
• Amrut Collaboration Straight Rye Whiskey Finished in Amrut Indian Malt Whiskey Barrels Blended With Straight Bourbon Whiskey, historic collaboration with India's Amrut Distillery; Double Gold at 2024 SFWSC.
• Goose Island Bourbon County Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey finished in Goose Island Bourbon County brand stout barrels, bespoke blend of 6 and 7 year Kentucky bourbon aged additional 12 months in stout barrels then married with 9 year bourbon.
• West Virginia Great Barrel Company Collaboration Blended rye whiskey finished in infrared toasted cherry oak barrels at 110 proof, featuring custom toast technology from West Virginia Great Barrel Company cooperage.
• Silver Oak Finish Blend of Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished in Silver Oak Cabernet Barrels at 108 proof, custom blend of 9-14 year bourbon finished in Silver Oak barrels for 17 months in collaboration with Napa Valley's Silver Oak Cellars.
• Single Barrel Wheated Kentucky Straight Wheated Bourbon at barrel strength, aged 6+ years, with 20% wheat in mash bill.
• Cathedral French Oak Blend of Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskies Finished in 300 Year Old French Oak Barrels from Bercé Forest, originally harvested for Notre Dame Cathedral restoration; 110.1 proof, 375mL format.
• Hokkaido Mizunara Oak Barrel Finish Blend of Straight Whiskies Finished for 28 Months in Japanese Mizunara Oak Barrels, featuring 9-18 year old whiskeys finished in Hokkaido Mizunara oak at 109.3 proof, 375mL format.
• Normandie Calvados Brandy Barrel Finish Straight Bourbon Whiskey Finished for 28 Months in Calvados Brand Barrels then 4 Months in Toasted Oak, in collaboration with Christian Drouin house at 104.2 proof, 375mL format.
• Mars Single Malt Japanese Blend Bespoke blend of American Bourbon and Japanese single malt from Komagatake and Tsunuki distilleries aged together for one year at 109.8 proof, collaboration with Mars Whisky.
• Cascadia Garryana Oak Barrel Finish Blend of straight bourbon whiskey finished in Garryana oak barrels at 107.5 proof, 375mL format, $99.99 per bottle, available only at Bardstown distillery and Louisville Tasting Room.
• Custom Contract Distilling Services Full-service contract distilling solutions including mashbill design, private label development, blending, finishing, aging, bottling, lab testing, and global logistics, operated across Bardstown Bourbon Company and Green River Distilling Co. facilities to serve over 300 whiskey brands.
• Distillery Tours and Tasting Experiences Hospitality experiences including Core Four Tour ($24), Rickhouse Barrel Thieving ($30), Shaken & Stirred Cocktail Class ($55), Art of Blending ($55), Behind the Scenes ($60), Tour with the Master ($95), and Bourbon & Bites ($50), as well as Louisville Tasting Room Origin Series, Expedition Bardstown, and Single Barrel experiences.
• The Reserve Membership Club Exclusive whiskey club offering priority access to limited-edition product releases, behind-the-scenes events and tastings hosted by Master Blender Dan Callaway and Master Distiller Steve Nally, exclusive members-only releases, and special pricing.
• OATRAGEOUS Oat Milk Cream Liqueur Co-manufactured oat milk cream liqueur produced at the Bardstown campus through strategic production partnership with Misunderstood Brands and Lofted Custom Spirits, including 50mL airplane bottles blended and bottled for JetBlue flights.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99/100 score at IWSC - highest scoring American whiskey
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and flagship.

• Lofted Custom SpiritscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 June 2026Partnership with Lofted Custom Spirits for production of OATRAGEOUS oat milk cream liqueur - first cream liqueur ever produced at the Bardstown campus. 50mL airplane bottles blended and bottled at Bardstown Bourbon Company for JetBlue flights.
• Mars Whisky (Mars Komagatake and Tsunuki Distilleries)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2026Collaboration on Distillery Reserve Mars Single Malt Japanese Blend - first-of-its-kind co-aging process where Japanese single malt whisky was shipped to Kentucky and aged together with mature bourbon in the same barrel for 12 months. Reciprocal blending project underway at Mars' Tsunuki Distillery combining Bardstown Bourbon whiskey with their aging stock.
• Misunderstood BrandscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 December 2025Strategic production partnership making Bardstown Bourbon Company the primary production hub for Misunderstood Brands portfolio including OATRAGEOUS Oat Milk Liqueur, Orange Blossom Bourbon, and Ginger Spiced Whiskey. Partnership aims to accelerate nationwide expansion and new product development following Walmart Golden Ticket win and double-digit year-over-year growth.
• Maison FerrandcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPrestigious French cognac house collaboration for barrel finishes. Ferrand II collaboration named #11 Most Exciting Whisky of 2025 by Whisky Advocate with 94 points. Second partnership with Kentucky straight whiskey finished 15 months in Maison Ferrand Cognac barrels.
• Silver Oak CellarscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Napa Valley's legendary Silver Oak Cellars for custom barrel finish. 9 to 14 year-old bourbon finished in Silver Oak barrels for 17 months, creating balance of ripe fruit, caramel, and roasted nuts.
• Goose Island Brewing CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIconic Chicago craft brewery collaboration. Bespoke blend of 6 and 7 year Kentucky bourbon aged additional 12 months in Bourbon County stout barrels, then married with 9 year Kentucky bourbon creating expression bursting with chocolate malt and dried cherry.
• Amrut DistillerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHistoric collaboration between Kentucky's Bardstown Bourbon Company and India's legendary Amrut Distillery. Limited-edition whiskey earning Double Gold at 2024 SFWSC and highest rated bourbon of 2024 in Whisky Advocate.
• West Virginia Great Barrel CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCooperage collaboration featuring custom blend aged in cherry wood barrels toasted with infrared technology. Unique flavor exemplifies potential of two brands at forefront of innovation.
• Blackberry Farm BrewerycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPremium destination collaboration similar to Bardstown's own approach. Custom blend of 6 to 14 year old bourbon finished in Blackberry Farm Brewery Oxheart stout barrels for 17 months. Limited release of only 10 barrels available exclusively in Kentucky and Tennessee.
• Green River Distilling Co.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOwensboro, Kentucky distillery - the 10th oldest licensed distillery in Kentucky (dating to 1885). Operated by parent company Lofted Spirits alongside Bardstown Bourbon Company, combining nearly 300,000 barrels annually in production capacity.
• Oregon Barrel WorkscoreTechnology or IntegrationMicro-cooperage producing just 1,000 barrels per year that crafted custom Garryana oak barrels for Cascadia release. Barrels received three-hour hand-toast to draw out deeper spice compounds.
• Heaven's Door SpiritscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContract distilling customer - one of over 300 brands produced at Bardstown Bourbon Company facilities.
• Horse SoldiercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContract distilling customer - one of over 300 brands produced at Bardstown Bourbon Company facilities.
• Blue Run SpiritscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorContract distilling customer - one of over 300 brands produced at Bardstown Bourbon Company facilities.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• MGP Ingredients: MGP Ingredients is a major contract distiller producing whiskey and bourbon for hundreds of brands from its Indiana facilities, making it the closest direct comparable to Bardstown's contract distilling business.
• Wilderness Trail Distillery: Kentucky-based craft distillery that combines estate-distilled bourbon with significant contract and co-packing services, directly competing with Bardstown in both premium whiskey production and B2B distilling.
• Lux Row Distillers: Kentucky distillery housing multiple bourbon brands (e.g., Rebel, Ezra Brooks, Blood Oath) under one roof with on-site tourism, directly comparable to Bardstown's multi-brand and visitor-experience model.
• Castle & Key Distillery: Kentucky destination distillery combining premium bourbon and rye production with a strong tourism and experiential hospitality focus, comparable to Bardstown's estate-distilled premium portfolio and tasting experiences.
• New Riff Distilling: Kentucky craft distillery producing bourbon, rye, and malt whiskey with a focus on independent bottling and direct-to-consumer sales, similar in scale and craft positioning to Bardstown.

Broad incumbents

• Heaven Hill Distilleries: One of the largest family-owned spirits producers in the U.S. with extensive bourbon brands and contract bottling capacity — a broader incumbent overlapping with both Bardstown's proprietary brand and contract operations.
• Woodford Reserve: Brown-Forman-owned premium Kentucky bourbon with strong tourism at its distillery on the Bourbon Trail; a broader incumbent benchmark for premium bourbon pricing and visitor experience.
• Maker's Mark: Beam Suntory-owned mass-premium Kentucky bourbon with an iconic visitor center on the Bourbon Trail, providing a benchmark for premium Kentucky bourbon scale and tourism-driven brand building.

Emerging players

• Rabbit Hole: Louisville-based premium bourbon producer (Pernod Ricard) with innovative mash bills and a modern distillery experience, competing with Bardstown's Origin and Distillery Reserve premium offerings.
• Penelope Bourbon: Premium sourced-bourbon brand that has scaled rapidly through innovative finishes and limited releases, comparable to Bardstown's collaborative and limited-edition innovation strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/BardstownBourbonCompany
• Instagraminstagram.com/bardstownbourbonco
• Xx.com/btownbourbon
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/the-bardstown-bourbon-company

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Bardstown Bourbon Company