Mixing Art, History, and Bourbon

Heaven Hill’s recently released Artist Series Collection is a collection of five bottles that chronicle the Kentucky distiller’s history through the eyes of Louisville artist Bri Bowers, depicting the distillery’s landmarks and its people in celebration of its long legacy of craftsmanship.

Each bottle in the collection is labeled with its own unique watercolor design. Bower’s whimsical style, rich colors, and floral details depict Heaven Hill’s distilling culture through its Bardstown rickhouses and new Heaven Hill Springs Distillery in Bardstown, and its Bernheim rickhouses located across the street from the Bernheim distillery in Louisville. The other two labels depict the distillery’s barrel rolling team and its visitor center. The first three are available in limited quantities nationwide, while the latter two are sold at both visitor experience locations at the label's Bardstown main campus and now Springs Distillery.

Fans can also find Bowers’ artwork on other whiskey labels, including Pappy Van Winkle, Maker’s Mark, Angel’s Envy, and Jim Beam, and more. Hand-painted branded bottles are also the subject of her light-hearted “bourbon pun” pieces, as well as Louisville cultural and hospitality landmarks.

As for the liquid, each bottle is Heaven Hill 7 year old bottled in bond bourbon, which was first released in 2019 and landed the No.-4 spot on our Top 20 list of that year. Now it’s transformed into a collector’s item with this limited-time packaging. Plans to continue the collection in the years to come are in motion, with the artist partnerships changing with each release.

In addition to the decorated bottles, Heaven Hill launched the Golden Cork Sweepstakes, which ends on October 31st at 11:59 p.m. Multiple golden corks are hidden beneath the capsule in select bottles. Those lucky enough to find one will be led online via scanning the QR code. Those who register their golden cork have the chance to win a VIP visit to Heaven Hill. The package includes exclusive access to Bernheim Distillery, Heaven Hill Springs Distillery, and other branded sites not typically open to consumers, as well as a guided tasting with master distiller Conor O’Driscoll. A stipend will be offered to cover accommodation and both airline and ground transportation costs for the winner.

Heaven Hill Bottled in Bond Artist Series Collection

ABV: 50%
Price: $50
Availability: Limited

• Heaven Hill Rickhouses - Constructed in the mid-1930s, the iconic white buildings on the Bardstown campus hold up to 502,566 barrels of whiskey. It sits alongside the main tourist attraction, Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience. (Available nationwide)
• Bernheim Rickhouses - Located in downtown Louisville, across the street from Bernheim distillery, the seven twelve-story brick warehouses have been under Heaven Hill ownership since 1999. (Available nationwide)
• Heaven Hill Springs Distillery -The 61-acre newly completed Bardstown site was once the beating heart of the label’s whiskey production. It shuttered after a fire in 1996. The new facility is poised to produce 150,000 barrels per year with the ability to expand to 450,000 barrels annually. Though distilling has been in full swing since April, a formal grand opening took place on September 4th. (Available nationwide)
• Bourbon Experience - The artwork features the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience site covered in snow, with a pickup truck loaded down with barrels in the foreground. (Available at Heaven Hill’s Bardstown Visitor Experience)
• Championship Barrel Rolling Team –The company’s barrel rolling team competes annually in the World Championship Barrel Relay (Available at Heaven Hill’s Bardstown Visitor Experience)