Heaven Hill Distillery has announced Heaven Hill Phoenix, a limited-edition 18-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey, to mark the 30th anniversary of the 1996 fire that destroyed its original Bardstown, KY distillery.
On Nov. 7, 1996, lightning is believed to have sparked a fire at the Old Heaven Hill Springs Distillery. Wind-driven flames destroyed the 1935 facility and seven rickhouses, consuming nearly 100,000 barrels of aging bourbon. The company later valued the loss of whiskey and facilities at $30 million.
No lives were lost and no employees lost their jobs. Heaven Hill also retained its proprietary yeast strain, allowing the company to maintain continuity in its whiskey production.
“The fire brought tremendous loss, but it also showed the resolve of the people who chose to move forward together,” said Max L. Shapira, executive chairman and second-generation family owner of Heaven Hill Distillery. “That same spirit of adaptability and shared purpose continues to guide Heaven Hill today. Phoenix honors the employees, community members and industry partners who refused to let a single night define generations of craftmanship.”
Heaven Hill Phoenix comes bottled at 107 proof. The blend includes 18-year-old Kentucky straight bourbon whiskey produced in March 2008 and matured in heavy-char barrels, along with 30-year-old whiskey distilled at Old Heaven Hill Springs 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, master distiller at Heaven Hill Distillery. “The determination that carried us through the fire lives on in Phoenix, bridging that pivotal moment in our past with our ongoing commitment to producing exceptional, ultra-aged whiskeys.”
According to the company, the whiskey’s tasting notes include oak, cinnamon, nutmeg and caramel on the nose, followed by butterscotch, caramel, cinnamon and baked apple on the palate. The finish contains apple pie and pepper spice.
The 750-ml. bottle comes in a gift carton featuring a phoenix rising from ashes and the words “Remember. Rebuild. Rise.”
Heaven Hill Phoenix will ship to select markets in October 2026, with a suggested retail price of $325 per 750-ml. bottle. The whiskey will also be available at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience in Bardstown, KY.
This follows the recent release of Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond Double Mash.
