Buffalo Trace, the producer of the popular Pappy Van Winkle bourbons, will double its whiskey production in the coming days.
The expansion of the Kentucky-based distillery, announced last week, will allow the Sazerac-owned company to increase the production of its whiskey expressions like Buffalo Trace, Eagle Rare, Weller, Blanton’s, and E.H. Taylor Jr.
The news could bode well for whiskey collectors, as several of the company’s whiskeys are scarce on the market.
“We are really looking forward to starting up our new still so we can make more bourbon whiskey for our fans,” said Harlen Wheatley, master distiller. “The new stillhouse is adjacent to the existing stillhouse. We put a lot of work into matching our existing still to ensure the whiskey we produce remains consistent. We will be in full production with both stills in the coming days.”
The new still is a duplicate of Buffalo Trace’s existing still which measures 40-feet tall and is capable of producing 60,000 gallons a day.
The update comes after last fall’s announcement of a $1.2 billion expansion encompassing all aspects of the operations at the distillery. The construction included 14 new warehouses, 12 fermenters, a wastewater treatment plant processing 1.2 million gallons of water per day, and a new visitor center triple the original size.
Buffalo Trace welcomed nearly 5000,000 guests to its distillery last year, and now fans will be able to see more of the operations. A refreshed visitor’s tour will include the new still house and some of Buffalo Trace’s other additions. Tours and tastings are complimentary.
“We are so excited to welcome new and repeat guests to come see our new stillhouse and experience our new tour offerings,” said Tyler Adams, Buffalo Trace’s general manager of homeplace. “The major expansion projects are now complete, so we have lots of new areas visitors can see on both our Hard Hat Tour and our expanded Trace Tour. Plus, we’re really looking forward to having more bourbon for our thirsty fans in a few years, now that we’re doubling production.”
The expansion takes place against the backdrop of whiskey’s recent rise. U.S. sales for bourbon, Tennessee whiskey and rye whiskey went up by 6.7% to $4.6 billion in 2021, according to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS). Most domestically produced whiskey is still consumed in the U.S. but international consumer demand for American whiskey has also grown, with exports topping $971 million in 2021, accounting for 62% of U.S. spirit exports, according to the same report.
The super-premium whiskey segment has also seen a boost. Just last week an investigation revealed that Oregon liquor officials had diverted bottles of high-end spirits for themselves, including Pappy Van Winkle bottles, which are aged from 10 to 23 years and can sell for more than $5,000 a bottle on the secondary market. While the expansion will likely not make any more of those rare, expensive bottles available anytime soon, it will put other whiskey bottles on the shelves.