The Kentucky Distillers' Association (KDA) announced today that Town Branch Distillery in Lexington has become the seventh distillery, and first micro-distillery, on the KDA's official Kentucky Bourbon Trail tour.
Town Branch, also known as the Alltech Lexington Brewing and Distilling Company, is in downtown Lexington, which is Kentucky's second-largest city and home of the University of Kentucky. “We’re thrilled to add Lexington as a host community to greet thousands of visitors to our trademark attraction," said Jeff Conder, chairman of the KDA Board of Directors and Vice President of Americas Operations for Beam, Inc.
Like Louisville, Lexington is a good home base for whiskey tourists who want to enjoy urban amenities after a long day of visiting distilleries. In addition to Town Branch, it's convenient to Wild Turkey and Four Roses in Lawrenceburg and Woodford Reserve in Versailles, not to mention Buffalo Trace in Frankfort, which chooses to operate outside of the KDA trademark but has a great distillery tour nonetheless.
Alltech, led by President and Founder Dr. Pearse Lyons, is a global leader in animal health and nutrition. Its distilled spirits products include Town Branch Bourbon, Pearse Lyons Reserve malt whiskey, and Bluegrass Sundown, a Bourbon-infused coffee drink.
Town Branch is named after the stream that runs under downtown Lexington, from which many early distillers drew their water supply. The new $6 million, 20,000 square-foot distillery is scheduled to open in September, with tours starting Oct. 1. It is built with Kentucky limestone and features glass walls on three sides to showcase the copper stills and fermentation tanks to outside viewers. It’s the first new distillery to be built in Lexington in more than 100 years.
“Kentucky Bourbon is a red-hot industry, and we are proud to support its continued growth around the world,” said Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear. Kentucky Bourbon Trail distilleries have recorded more than 2 million visits in the last five years, with 450,000 in 2011 alone, said KDA President Eric Gregory. Visitors have traveled from all 50
states and more than 50 countries, he said.
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