Kentucky bourbon brand RD1 Spirits announced that Inc. Magazine has ranked RD1 Spirits as No. 1 in Kentucky, No. 14 in the U.S. food and beverage sector, and No. 280 nationally on the annual Inc. 5000 list. 

It’s considered by many the most prestigious ranking of the fastest-growing private companies in America and provides a data-driven snapshot of the most successful companies within the economy’s most dynamic segment — its independent, entrepreneurial businesses.

“We’ve grown from distributing our bourbon in our home state of Kentucky to now 31 states across the country based on these four tenets,” Mike Tetterton, RD1 chief executive officer, said. “Exploration with wood finishing is the next chapter for bourbon, and we’re just getting started.”

Due to market demand, RD1 has expanded its national distribution footprint this year into Alabama, Connecticut, New Jersey, and New York, and expects to launch this fall in Delaware, Maryland, and Washington, DC.

“Making the Inc. 5000 is always a remarkable achievement, but earning a spot this year speaks volumes about a company’s tenacity and clarity of vision,” Mike Hofman, editor-in-chief of Inc., said “These businesses have thrived amid rising costs, shifting global dynamics, and constant change. They didn’t just weather the storm — they grew through it, and their stories are a powerful reminder that the entrepreneurial spirit is the engine of the U.S. economy.”

Bourbon Innovation

Since its inception in 2020, RD1 has launched four bourbons within its core portfolio and three limited releases, earning more than 150 awards. Under the direction of R&D Master Distiller Jarrad Gollihue, PhD, RD1 has built a brand reputation on novel wood exploration to create unique tasting experiences.

Also announced this week, RD1’s newest Limited Release is Kentucky Straight Whiskey Finished With Japanese Mizunara and French Oak (102 proof).

In May 2025, RD1 opened doors to its newly constructed tourist destination on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. RD1 Distillery at The Commons anchors Lexington’s newest entertainment district and serves as the cornerstone of the brand’s wood-finished whiskey experiments. An 800-gallon pot still and a 10-foot-tall oak tree ascending into a giant, artistic light welcome guests into the lobby, where every element includes brand symbolism. Other highlights include the RD1 forest, a 240-barrel rick, barrel thieving room, bourbon bar, speakeasy, and patio.

The attraction is expected to welcome up to 30,000 guests annually, significantly contributing to Lexington’s economic development and tourism, with unique bourbon experiences on distillation science and wood chemistry.

Read more: RD1 Spirits Opens New Distillery in Lexington

About RD1 Spirits

Based in Lexington, Kentucky, RD1 Spirits exists to explore the bourbon frontier. Lexington entrepreneurs founded the company in 2020 to help give life to the stories of Lexington’s bourbon firsts, namely its first federally registered distillery, established in 1865. For more information on the brand and its destination R&D distillery on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, visit RD1spirits.com.