By
|Rebel News
In major news for bourbon drinkers, Rebel Yell will soon get a new distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky. Dubbed the Bourbon Capital of the World, it’s home to well-known distilleries such as Willett and Heaven Hill.
Called Lux Row Distillers — for Rebel Yell’s parent company, Luxco — the new facility will allow control over every step in the process of making their fine whiskeys, from fermenting the grains to sealing the bottles.
Tony Kamer is the project manager for the distillery and will serve as operations manager once it opens. Bourbon runs in the family; his father has worked as a consultant in the industry for three decades.
A 32-year-old native of Bardstown, Kamer calls the Lux Row gig “a dream job.” He shared some details about the new distillery, which is slated to open in spring 2018.
Gear
Lux Row will distill and age Rebel Yell bourbons, as well as other sibling brands in the Luxco family, such as Ezra Brooks, David Nicholson, and Blood Oath. The distillery is set on 72 acres, with warehousing for barrel storage and a visitors’ center for public tours.
The centerpiece: a Vendome copper column 43 feet tall, through which bourbon can be distilled 24 hours a day.
Quality Control
Having its own distillery gives Luxco better quality control plus some creative freedom. “You can create exciting new products because you’re doing it all yourself,” Kamer says.
Prestige
Having your own distillery also imparts credibility. “Bourbon drinkers are getting more interested in where their whiskey comes from and look more highly on those creating their own,” Kamer says.
History
The distillery is located a few minutes from downtown Bardstown, down a pastoral, tree-lined drive. “It was a family farm for years, with an old stone house on the property that dates back to early 1800s,” Kamer says.
“They call Bardstown the Bourbon Capital of the World because that part of Kentucky has the best water, and you’ve got all your grains around you. Everything is at your fingertips.”
You catch watch the distillery’s progress through this live construction feed.