Willett Distillery located in Bardstown, Nelson County, Kentucky has announced the filling of its first barrel of Kentucky bourbon whiskey at its new distillery and future visitor center in Springfield, Kentucky.
1st Barrel Fill Date Marks a Major Milestone for the Willett Family Legacy
If you look at the barrel in the photo below you’ll see the first barrel at the new facility was filled on 26F18. In barrel language, the first two characters represent the year, the second character represents the month where the letter ‘F’ = June, and the final two characters represent the day of the month. In translation that means the first barrel was filled 2026 June 18. That is not just any date, that date is also the birthday of the late family matriarch, Ms. Martha (Willett) Kulsveen.
The Willett Distillery was founded by Aloysius Lambert “Thompson” Willett (Martha’s father) shortly after the repeal of Prohibition in spring of 1936. The distillery was built on the family’s 130-acre farm on the highest point in Nelson County where they filled their first barrel of whiskey on March 17 – St. Patrick’s Day, 1937.
The milestone connects Willett’s newest chapter in Springfield with the family legacy shaped by Marha’s husband, the late Mr. Even Kulsveen, a Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame member who together resurrected the Willett Distillery in the 1970s. Martha passed away on May 6, 2025, followed by Even’s passing a few months later in September 23 of the same year.
“This first barrel represents an important moment for our family, our team and the future of Willett Distillery,” said Willett Distillery Master Distiller, Drew Kulsveen. “Beginning production in Springfield allows us to grow while continuing to honor the people, places and traditions that have made Willett what it is today.”
Distillery Construction Boom in Springfield, Kentucky
The new distillery is home in Springfield, Kentucky, about 20 miles from the original and still fully active distillery and visitor center in Bardstown. The new facility represents a significant investment in the bourbon world. The project includes a new distillery operation, barrel storage warehouses, and capacity to grow visitor experiences. The 70,000-square-foot facility sits on 150 acres and is expected to create 35 full-time jobs as operations continue to grow.
While this milestone marks the beginning of distilling operations in Springfield, construction on the full campus is not yet complete. Future expansion of the property in the following years will include a visitor experience, further expanding the site’s role in Kentucky’s bourbon tourism economy, on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, once completed.
Springfield is also home to the new Potter Jane Distilling Company and Michter’s Distillery rickhouses. If you stand in one spot you can easily see all three locations.
All operations in Bardstown will remain, including Willett’s Visitor Experiences, dining and tastings, bottling and warehousing; preserving the company’s historic home and long-standing presence in Nelson County, the Bourbon Capital of the World.
“Our Bardstown roots remain at the heart of who we are,” said Kulsveen. “Springfield gives us room to grow while allowing us to continue building on the legacy, craftsmanship and hospitality that have always defined Willett. We are proud to invest in Washington County and grateful for the support we have received from the local community.”
Established in 1936, three short years after prohibition, the Willett family chose the original family hog farm, situated at one of the highest points in Nelson County, Kentucky, to begin construction on the Willett Distillery. By St Patrick’s Day 1937, the first barrel of whiskey was rolled into Warehouse A. Approaching 90 years, Willett continues to make fine Kentucky Bourbon and Kentucky Rye Whiskeys. Willett Distillery remains independent and, truly, family-owned and -operated, honoring Even and Martha Kulsveen’s memories.
Related Stories
– Willett Distillery Investing $93 Million at 2nd Location to Expand Production Capacity & Barrel Storage Dec 2022
– Remembering Willett Distillery’s Even Kulsveen – An American Whiskey Legend and Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Famer Sep 2025
– Willett Distillery Passes Leadership Role to Kristin Martha-Britt Kulsveen as President & Chief Whiskey Officer Jun 2018
Learn more about Willett Distillery.
View all Bardstown / Nelson County Distilleries.
View all Kentucky Distilleries.
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