The year was 1973. It was 50 years ago when the U.S. pulled out of the Vietnam War, Secretariat won horse racing’s coveted Triple Crown, and a movie named Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid was released. Most people today probably don’t recognize the name of this movie, but they most certainly recognize the singer songwriter who composed the soundtrack for the motion picture. That artist is none other than the legendary Bob Dylan. It was the 7th song on that soundtrack that would go on to make it into the top 50 of USA Today’s No. 1 to No. 359 ranking of Bob Dylan’s top songs.
That song is ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’. A song that went on to hit the top 10 list in many countries and has been covered by numerous other artists including Eric Clapton, Guns N’ Roses, the Grateful Dead and every kid with a six string. You can hear the song and watch a clip from the movie below.
Heaven’s Door Distillery Opening Fall 2023
In 2018 Dylan announced he had struck up a partnership with Spirits Investment Partners – SIP to launch his own whiskey brand. SIP is led by its CEO & President Marc Bushala. Though you may not be familiar with SIP, you are most certainly familiar with one of the leading spirits brands that came out of this firm. That brand is Angel’s Envy Distillery located on Whiskey Row in Louisville, Kentucky. Let’s see, Angel’s Envy, Heaven’s Door, is there a not so hidden theme here? Well, it is all about spirits after all.
When Heaven’s Door Whiskey was launched the plan was to build a homeplace and distillery in Tennessee. That all changed when a startup distillery in Pleasureville, Kentucky was looking for a partner to take their young distillery to the next level. What was the former Six Mile Creek Distillery, a distillery that’s been quietly making their own distillate since 2018, became the new home and future distillery for Bob Dylan’s Heaven’s Door Distillery.
The soon to be open to the public Heaven’s Door Distillery is located on over 160 acres of rolling hills astride Six Mile Creek, the picturesque property once owned by Squire Boone, the brother of legendary frontiersman Daniel Boone. The property sits atop a ridge that provides for a 10-mile panoramic view that is sure to please future Kentucky Bourbon Trail visitors.
The distillery features two separate stillhouses, each in its own towering western horse barn, a Visitor’s Center with tasting rooms and lounges overlooking the valley and Six Mile Creek, an eighteenth-century working grist mill, two eighteenth-century cabins and a Moravian barn, all of which have been painstakingly restored.
“This is a momentous occasion for Heaven’s Door,” said Co-founder and CEO of Heaven’s Door Spirits Marc Bushala. “We selected this location for its remarkable natural beauty and unique ecosystem that has enabled us to make exceptional bourbon and create an unrivaled visitor experience.
“We are committed to the art of craft whiskey and honor the legacy of the many pioneers who have helped make Kentucky bourbon what it is today. We are thrilled to have Heaven’s Door be part of this storied tradition.”
Master Distiller at the site is industry veteran Ken Pierce. He’s led the project from design through distillation. Ken began his illustrious career with Barton 1792 Distillery in Bardstown, initially working as Senior Chemist to Director of Distillation and eventually becoming Master Distiller. Ken was instrumental in the development of 1792 Small Batch Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey and its limited release expressions.
“I was honored to be chosen as Master Distiller for the Pleasureville project,” said Pierce, “The Heaven’s Door Distillery has been an incredible project, from inception to production of our first barrels. For me, this is a living legacy of my 40 years in the industry and my passion for making great whiskey.”
A Homeplace Like No Other
The Cathedral of Kentucky Bourbon
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The future Heaven’s Door Distillery homeplace will be like no other on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. All the distilling buildings were built on the site from the ground up with an eye toward the visitor experience. Though it is a new distillery, visitors will more likely feel like they are going back in time to Squire Boone’s pioneer days.
When you enter the grounds, you’ll be welcomed by a five-acre spring fed lake where you will see a mirror-like image of the breathtaking Cathedral of Kentucky Bourbon stillhouse shimmering off the water. The stillhouse is a 55-foot tall, towering western horse barn built with timbers gathered from all over the U.S. It’s one of the largest timber structures to be built in Kentucky in the past 100 years.
A Water Fed Functioning Gristmill
One unique feature that previously you would only find at the George Washington Distillery & Gristmill at Mount Vernon, Virginia is a working gristmill. Heaven’s Door Distillery has a fully functioning gristmill that can be used to grind corn and other grains for the distillery and local amish farmers. The grist mill features a Swiss watch-like mechanism of exposed wooden gears grinding corn for our premium spirits. The mill is a vertical grist mill circa 1790 with an overshot waterwheel and 170-year-old Cocalico stones. The mill is fed by a 190-foot-long flume, which moves 700 gallons of water per minute generating 7000 pounds of grinding force at milling speed.
Heaven’s Door leads the way in sustainable distilling, utilizing two underground aquifers to access pristine limestone water for its distilling as well as geothermal heating and cooling of the buildings. Through its dedication to sustainable practices, the distillery cultivates its own heirloom grains and recycles protein-rich mash from the fermentation process as feed for cattle on surrounding farms.
The project will help drive economic growth and opportunities in the county by creating more than 50 jobs and bringing tourism to the area. The distillery also plans to work with local farmers to source ingredients for its spirits, further strengthening its ties to the community.
Heaven’s Door Brand Experience on Urban Bourbon Trail
In addition to its Pleasureville distillery, Heaven’s Door has announced it will open The Last Refuge – Heaven’s Door Brand & Visual Arts Center in a former church in downtown Louisville. The brand experience will house a small live music venue, a private event space and a restaurant and bar featuring one of the largest selections of American whiskeys in the country.
The Heaven’s Door brand center includes plans to construct a new 15,000 square foot immersive art experience adjacent to the church which will feature a collection of Bob Dylan’s critically acclaimed paintings and metalworks, as well as curated exhibitions of other artists.
The Company had previously announced that it intended to open a showcase distillery and brand center in a 160-year-old church in Nashville, Tennessee, which it acquired in 2016. “With our distillery opening in Pleasureville having our brand experience in Louisville made more sense,” said Bushala. “We will use the Nashville property as the seat of The Heaven’s Door Foundation, the Company’s philanthropic arm which supports charities for the arts.”
Founded in 2015, Heaven’s Door Spirits is Bob Dylan’s first and only consumer brand partnership in his 50-year career. The company says Heaven’s Door is a true reflection of his visionary artistry and unconventional spirit.
Related Stories
– Bob Dylan is Knock, Knock, Knockin’ on Whiskey’s Door with Launch of Heaven’s Door Whiskey
– Bob Dylan to Open ‘Heaven’s Door Distillery’ in Nashville, 50 Years After Releasing ‘Nashville Skyline’
Learn more about Heaven’s Door Distillery.
View all Kentucky Distilleries.
View all U.S. Distilleries.
Watch this clip featuring ‘Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door’ from the soundtrack of ‘Pat Garrett & Billy the Kid’.
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