SHELBYVILLE, Ky., May 14, 2018 — Bulleit Distilling Co. and Diageo Americas broke ground today on a $10 million visitors’ experience at the Bulleit Distilling Company in Shelbyville, Kentucky. The 12,000-square-foot facility, designed by EOP Architects with interiors by Matthew Carter Interiors, is set to be the home of Bulleit bourbon.
“What’s really exciting is the tremendous economic opportunities for Shelbyville and for Kentucky,” comments EOP Partner Brent Bruner, AIA, who is leading the design for the visitor center. “We know this project will lead to an even more vibrant community.”
The center expects to attract around 100,000 visitors in 2019, three-fourths from out of state. That number is predicted to more than double by 2023.
“What we wanted to do in the design was to take a little bit of the feel of the new distillery and take a little bit of the feel of the original distillery,” continues Bruner. “We wanted this to feel like a rickhouse. That’s where this shape came from, like the original rickhouses where the bourbon is stored.”
The new attraction will encompass the history and heritage of the brand with a tour showcasing the cutting-edge, modern whiskey-making process that highlights the distillery and its environmentally friendly footprint. At the end of the tours, visitors will sample the company’s products in a number of tasting rooms. A large retail outlet will feature all the Bulleit whiskeys with plans to sell exclusive products.
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