The all-time high record was set in 1967, with 1,922,009 barrels. Since the turn of the century, Kentucky bourbon production has skyrocketed more than 315 percent.
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| Kentucky Bourbon production hits 48 year high record |
The total inventory of bourbon barrels in Kentucky currently stands at 6,657,063, the most since 1974 when 6,683,654 new charred oak casks were gently aging in Bluegrass warehouses. There are now 1.5 barrels for every person living in Kentucky.
Kentucky bourbon is a thriving $3 billion economic industry that generates more than 15,400 jobs with an annual payroll topping $700 million, and contributes $166 million in state taxes.
Commenting on the news, Kentucky Distillers’ Association President, Eric Gregory, said: “This is astounding, phenomenal, mammoth. We’re running out of adjectives to describe the growth and success of Kentucky Bourbon. Plus, filling nearly 2 million barrels in one year should remove any doubts about the future of our signature industry.”
He went on to say: “We’re fillings more barrels, creating more good-paying jobs, generating more tax revenue and attracting more tourists than ever before. The entire Commonwealth, and especially our local distilling communities, is realizing the benefits of the growing global thirst for Bourbon.”
The Kentucky Distillers’ Association, world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail and Kentucky Bourbon Trail Craft Tour adventures, also set an attendance record last year with nearly 900,000 visitors touring an all-time high of 19 participating distilleries.
Posted by Steve Rush