Heaven Hill Celebrates 90 Years – The Journey from the Great Depression to the Nation’s Largest Family Owned Spirits Company

Heaven Hill Distillery in Bardstown, Kentucky, is celebrating 90 years on Saturday, December 13, 2025. The families’ journey began in the era just following the Great Depression and soon after the passing of the 21st Amendment and the repeal of Prohibition.

Today, Heaven Hill is the largest independent family owned and led distilled spirits company of brands in the United States. On Friday the 13th in 1935, the founders opened their doors with no brands, no inventory, and no stock. From that unlikely start grew a leading global supplier shaped by generational stewardship, trusted relationships, and a portfolio of consumer-beloved spirits.

For ninety years, Heaven Hill’s story has been rooted in people and a belief that success is something built together. That spirit underpins the company’s Thriving Together platform, introduced this year as part of the organization’s refreshed corporate brand. The platform reflects the same values that carried the company from the Great Depression era to the modern spirits landscape with connection, craftsmanship, and a commitment to quality.

Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll Leads the 90th Birthday Cheer

The 90th year birthday celebration cheers was lead by Heaven Hill Distillery Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll at 12:13pm on 12-13-2025.

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“What stands out after ninety years is the character of the people who built this place,” said Max L. Shapira, Executive Chairman. “Every generation brought its own strengths, but the through line has always been integrity and hard work. We’re committed to keeping that spirit alive.”

“Our new identity helps us tell that story more clearly,” said Kate Latts, Co-President. “It captures the pride our teams bring to their work and the trust our partners place in us, but it also brings forward our mission to enhance the enjoyment of life and our vision to thrive together for generations. It’s a unifying moment at a time when connection truly matters.”

As the family describes it, December 13 is “just a date on the calendar.” What matters is the trajectory ahead and the shared work that continues to define Heaven Hill’s future.

A Year Defined by Milestones

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The anniversary year has been marked by a series of milestones that underscore the company’s momentum. Alongside the refreshed corporate identity, this summer, the company opened its new Louisville corporate office, a space designed to bring teams together and strengthen collaboration. The launch of the new corporate website followed, offering a unified digital presence that showcases Heaven Hill’s brands, history, and values. Spirit Week, celebrated across all sites, brought employees together under the Thriving Together banner through education, recognition, and community engagement.

Heaven Hill also celebrated the commissioning and grand opening of the new Heaven Hill Springs Distillery, a generational investment that strengthens long-term growth and production resilience.

Industry Recognition

Heaven Hill’s progress is reflected in standout recognition across whiskey, tequila, vodka, tourism, responsibility, and corporate leadership. Elijah Craig Barrel Proof Rye was named Whisky Advocate’s 2025 Whisky of the Year, the first rye to earn the publication’s top honor and a historic moment for the category. The company was also named the Most Awarded U.S. Distillery at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition for the second consecutive year, earning more than 90 medals across its portfolio. Heaven Hill was additionally recognized by StateWays Magazine as the 2025 Spirits Supplier of the Year, celebrating exceptional growth, innovation, and resilience across the portfolio. Further distinctions included Social Achievement of the Year from the Global Drinks Intel ESG Awards and a second consecutive Best Managed Company designation.

Across the agave portfolio, Tequila Ocho continued to earn distinction as one of the most respected additive-free tequilas in the world, celebrated for its transparency, terroir leadership, and single-estate craftsmanship. Lunazul Tequila reached a major growth milestone, surpassing 2 million cases with a clear path toward 2.5 million in 2026. Both brands were also recognized by StateWays on the Fastest-Growing Growth Brands list, underscoring Heaven Hill’s accelerating strength in the agave category.

Within American Whiskey, Old Fitzgerald introduced its new 7-Year-Old Bottled-in-Bond signature expression, reintroducing the brand’s iconic “Key to Hospitality” for a new generation of drinkers. Heaven Hill’s extensive Bottled-in-Bond portfolio continued to distinguish the company as the leading steward of one of America’s most historic quality standards. The company’s visitor centers welcomed more than 300,000 guests this year, reflecting sustained interest in Heaven Hill’s heritage, hospitality, and award-winning tourism experiences. Deep Eddy Vodka sustained strong consumer momentum, including the introduction of Deep Eddy Pineapple, which expanded the brand’s approachable flavor portfolio and reinforced its position as one of the most vibrant and trusted American vodkas in the market.

A Landmark Year of Community Impact

This year also introduced 90 for 90, a companywide initiative inviting employees to donate ninety minutes of service in their communities. The response grew far beyond that starting point. More than 1,099 employees contributed over 9,098 volunteer hours across 26 charities, supporting programs ranging from youth education to food security. Teams organized technology tours for underserved students, rallied with Kroger and Dare to Care to help create 659,866 meals for families in need, and partnered with Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits to raise more than $34,000 for the ALS Association Rocky Mountains in honor of Parker Beam. Employees also stepped up for Bike MS, Texas flood relief, and grassroots organizations in West Louisville, reinforcing the company’s commitment to being a spirited neighbor. Combined with employee giving and corporate contributions, Heaven Hill and its people supported more than 100 charities this year, underscoring the depth and reach of Heaven Hill’s community impact.

Louisville Business First recognized that commitment, ranking Heaven Hill No. 2 for employee volunteerism and No. 13 for corporate giving in this year’s Partners in Philanthropy awards. Spirit Week Community Day exemplified that spirit in action, as more than 400 employees generated more than $35,500 in single-day impact through food donations and back-to-school initiatives across several communities.

Looking Ahead

Heaven Hill’s long-term investments, from distillation capacity to community partnerships, reflect the company’s confidence in what lies ahead and, in the people, building its future.

“As an independent, family-led company, we have the privilege of thinking in decades, not quarters,” said Allan Latts, Co-President. “Ninety years in, we’re energized by the possibilities ahead, new consumers, new markets, new stories to tell, and guided by the values that brought us here.”

Rounding out the year, the company introduced a special 9-Year-Old Kentucky Straight Bourbon to commemorate the 90th anniversary, crafted from barrels laid down on the 80th anniversary and blended to showcase the depth, character, and tradition that define Heaven Hill. Heaven Hill will continue commemorating the 90th anniversary with employee celebrations, partner engagements, and storytelling moments that honor both the company’s past and the people shaping its next chapter. Founded in 1935, Bardstown, Kentucky-based Heaven Hill Brands is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and led spirits company of brands, as well as the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill has been named a Best Managed Company in both 2024 and 2025 by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes the Heaven Hill Whiskey family of brands, Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Widow Jane, Larceny, Old Fitzgerald, and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Rittenhouse Rye Whisky; Deep Eddy Vodka; Admiral Nelson’s Rum; Black Velvet Canadian Whisky; Lunazul and Ocho Tequila; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; and Carolans Irish Cream Liqueur.

The Story of the Five Shapira Brothers

Learn more about Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience.
Learn more about Evan Williams Bourbon Experience.
Learn more about Heaven Hill Springs Distillery.
View all Bardstown and Nelson County Distilleries.
View all Kentucky Distilleries.
View all US Distilleries.

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