There’s a way that bourbon distilleries talk about themselves, and then there’s the way Heaven Hill does. The Bardstown-based whiskey house, closing in on its 90th year of continuous operation, has long carried the flag for Bottled-in-Bond bourbon. Now, it’s bottling not only whiskey but history, art, and a dash of whimsy.
This September, the distillery will release the Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond Artist Series Collection—a limited-edition packaging project that marries its seven-year-old bonded bourbon with watercolor illustrations by Louisville artist Bri Bowers. Each label in the five-part series is a little postcard from Kentucky’s bourbon country, designed to remind drinkers that bottles can tell stories as much as they can pour drams.
A Bourbon Painted in Watercolor
The Artist Series Collection spotlights the places and people that have shaped Heaven Hill’s story. One label shows the rickhouses of Bardstown, twenty in total, some of them creaking with age back to the 1930s. Another depicts the Bernheim rickhouses, those soaring, twelve-story brick warehouses that dominate Louisville’s skyline like whiskey cathedrals.
Bowers also painted a scene of the forthcoming Heaven Hill Springs Distillery, scheduled to open in September 2025, marking the return of production to Bardstown after the devastating 1996 fire. Two labels are available only at the company’s visitor centers: one featuring the Heaven Hill Bourbon Experience, and another dedicated to the distillery’s Championship Barrel Rolling Team, a competitive crew that makes moving 500-pound barrels look like ballet.
“It’s a love letter to Heaven Hill’s history and to Kentucky itself,” said Kelly Hendriksen, Senior Brand Manager at the distillery. “Bri’s work beautifully captures the pride, the places, and the traditions that define not just our bourbons but Kentucky bourbon as a whole.”
The Bourbon Inside
Of course, the whiskey hasn’t changed. The liquid is the same award-winning Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, aged seven years, retailing for $49.99. In the glass, it shows golden amber, with aromas of vanilla, honey, and caramel. The palate offers that familiar Bottled-in-Bond warmth—rye spice balanced by oak char, sweetness rounded by a lingering finish. The idea is simple: pair heritage packaging with a whiskey that already has a devoted following.
A Golden Cork and a Bourbon Pilgrimage
But Heaven Hill couldn’t resist adding a little Charlie-and-the-Chocolate-Factory magic. Tucked into select bottles of the Artist Series Collection is a Golden Cork, a surprise element hidden beneath the capsule. Winners will be invited to Kentucky for a once-in-a-lifetime distillery experience, including private tastings with Master Distiller Conor O’Driscoll and behind-the-scenes access to both the Bernheim and Bardstown facilities.
For artist Bri Bowers, the chance to work with Heaven Hill was its own reward. “The thought of seeing my work represent Kentucky on shelves and in homes across the country is a delight,” she said.
The Heaven Hill Bottled-in-Bond Artist Series Collection rolls out nationwide in September, though bottles are limited. Bourbon fans will want to move quickly—both for the art and for the faint possibility of a golden surprise.
For full details on the release and sweepstakes, visit Heaven Hill’s Golden Cork Sweepstakes site.
