Western Kentucky Distilling Company breaks ground on $30 million facility

State and local officials from across the region were among the large turnout for the groundbreaking of a new distillery located in Ohio County.

The Western Kentucky Distilling Company held an official groundbreaking Tuesday morning of its $30 million, state-of-the-art distillery in Bluegrass Crossings Business Centre in Beaver Dam.

“This is an exciting area of Western Kentucky where we are seeing so much happen,” said Gov. Andy Beshear, who attended the groundbreaking during his fourth trip to Ohio County in three months. “Let me just say to everybody who helped put this park together, what an amazing piece of property. What incredible possibilities and we can’t wait to ensure this project has a whole lot of neighbors with a whole bunch of jobs right here in this area for all of the counties that are represented here.”

The 100% Kentucky-owned distillery is scheduled to open mid-2023 as the first official distillery in Ohio County. It will bring jobs and quality bourbon and rye whiskey to Western Kentucky with an initial investment of $22 million with a phase two expected to bring the total investment to $30 million.

“The bourbon industry is so important to Kentucky’s economy and to our culture,” Beshear said. “As much as anything made by man, bourbon represents Kentucky. Its warm welcome and its rich character speak of our land and our people.”

Bourbon is a $9 billion industry in the state employing 22,500 people bringing in an annual payroll of $1.23 billion. The new distillery is expected to bring approximately 35 jobs to the region within the first two years paying an average of $25 an hour plus benefits.

Western Kentucky Distilling Company is bringing a “phenomenal bourbon experience” right in to Western Kentucky, Beshear said.

The facility is being constructed at 1880 Old Liberty Church Road. The 25,000-square-foot distillery is on 80 acres that when completed will feature 15 warehouses adding an additional 300,000 square feet. It will have the capacity to distill 50,000 barrels per year and store 250,000 barrels.

The distillery will launch under the leadership of eighth-generation distiller and Kentuckian Jacob Call who will serve as COO and master distiller alongside Kentucky native and president, J.D. Edwards.

“It’s a great day for Western Kentucky, Ohio County and surrounding counties and the Western Kentucky Distilling Company,” Call said. “Our name includes Western Kentucky because we are so proud to bring traditional Kentucky bourbon and rye whiskey to Western Kentucky.”