As America marks its 250th anniversary, we’ve partnered with Whisky Magazine to look back at some of the people and decisions behind our first 90 years.

Heaven Hill’s story began with our family in Bardstown in 1935. Five brothers, retailers by trade, took a chance on a small distillery, filled their first barrel, and then did the hardest thing in Whiskey: they waited. That decision began a story that would be tested more than once over the decades, including by a fire that nearly ended everything. Through it all, our family kept looking ahead, eventually bringing distilling home to Bardstown again.

In the first video in the three-part series, we begin with that early bet on Bourbon, and follow the moments that helped shape Heaven Hill across generations. It’s a chance to revisit where we started, what carried us forward, and the traditions we continue today.

There’s more to the story in Whisky Magazine’s full feature, including a closer look at the family decisions and turning points behind Heaven Hill’s first 90 years.

Read the full feature in Whisky Magazine

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