Thirty years after the 1996 fire at Old Heaven Hill Springs Distillery, Heaven Hill Distillery introduced Heaven Hill Phoenix, a limited-edition, one-time 18-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey commemorating a defining moment in the brand’s history. 

On November 7, 1996, lightning is believed to have sparked a fire at Heaven Hill’s original Bardstown distillery. Wind-driven flames destroyed the 1935 distillery and seven rickhouses, consuming nearly 100,000 barrels of aging Bourbon. The loss of whiskey and facilities was later valued at $30 million, making it one of the most catastrophic events in American whiskey history.

What followed was a story of resolve. No lives were lost, and no employees lost their jobs. Heaven Hill’s proprietary yeast strain survived intact, preserving a vital continuity in the company’s whiskey-making tradition and its future. In the days that followed, Heaven Hill team members began the long work of recovery.  

“The fire brought tremendous loss, but it also showed the resolve of the people who chose to move forward together,” Max L. Shapira, Executive Chairman and second-generation family owner of Heaven Hill Distillery, said in a news release. “That same spirit of adaptability and shared purpose continues to guide Heaven Hill today. Phoenix honors the employees, community members and industry partners who refused to let a single night define generations of craftmanship.”

Bottled at 107 proof, Heaven Hill Phoenix begins with 18-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey produced in March 2008 and fully matured in heavy-char barrels. Within the blend, 30-year-old whiskey distilled at Old Heaven Hill Springs Distillery is mingled with the heavy-char Bourbon, giving each bottle a tangible connection to the original distillery.

“Heaven Hill Phoenix balances the mature oak and length of its 30-year-old component with the structure of 18-year-old Bourbon aged in heavy-char oak,” Conor O’Driscoll, Master Distiller at Heaven Hill Distillery, said. “The determination that carried us through the fire lives on in Phoenix, bridging that pivotal moment in our past with our ongoing commitment to producing exceptional, ultra-aged whiskeys.”

The bottle is presented in a special edition 750ml gift carton featuring a phoenix, the ultimate symbol of rebirth, rising from the ashes and bearing the words, “Remember. Rebuild. Rise.”

Heaven Hill Phoenix will begin shipping across select markets in October 2026 for a suggested retail price of $325 (750ml). The product will also be available for purchase at the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience in Bardstown, Kentucky.

Read more: Heaven Hill Releases Heritage Collection 22-Year Bourbon

About Heaven Hill

Founded in Kentucky by the Shapira family in 1935, Heaven Hill Distillery continues its legacy as one of the foremost American Whiskey producers. Today, Heaven Hill Distillery maintains over 2 million barrels aging in more than 70 warehouses throughout Nelson and Jefferson Counties. For more information, please visit www.heavenhilldistillery.com.