Bourbon Heritage Wing
America's Native Spirit
You enter through towering oak doors into a hall bathed in warm amber light. The scent of charred oak and vanilla fills the air...
đ Historical Timeline
Birth of Bourbon
Baptist minister Elijah Craig is credited with aging corn whiskey in charred oak barrels in Georgetown, Kentucky
đĄ Impact: Created the distinctive flavor profile that defines bourbon
Whiskey Rebellion
Alexander Hamilton's whiskey tax sparks violent protests in Pennsylvania
đĄ Impact: Many distillers flee west to Kentucky, establishing the bourbon heartland
Bourbon County Naming
The spirit from Bourbon County, Kentucky gains its name
đĄ Impact: Bourbon becomes recognized as a distinct category
E.H. Taylor Jr. Era
Colonel Edmund Haynes Taylor Jr. modernizes bourbon production
đĄ Impact: Introduced standards for aging and bottling that persist today
Bottled-in-Bond Act
First consumer protection law guarantees bourbon authenticity
đĄ Impact: Established 100 proof, 4+ year age, single distillery requirements
Prohibition Begins
The 18th Amendment devastates the bourbon industry
đĄ Impact: Only 6 distilleries survive with medicinal permits
Prohibition Ends
The 21st Amendment restores legal bourbon production
đĄ Impact: Surviving distilleries emerge as industry giants
Congress Declares Bourbon "America's Native Spirit"
Official recognition as a distinctly American product
đĄ Impact: Protected bourbon as a regulated product category
Single Barrel Era Begins
Blanton's releases the first single barrel bourbon
đĄ Impact: Created the premium bourbon category
Bourbon Boom Begins
Global demand for bourbon explodes
đĄ Impact: Prices and production surge, age statements disappear
Kentucky Bourbon Trail Surpasses 1.5M Visitors
Tourism becomes major industry driver
đĄ Impact: Distilleries invest heavily in visitor experiences