Bourbon on a roll

Buffalo Trace Distillery celebrates 6-millionth barrel

By Steve Lannen

slannen@herald-leader.com

Brad Luttrell

Jimmy Johnson, 92, joined the festivities Wednesday when Buffalo Trace Distillery rolled out its 6-millionth barrel of bourbon. Johnson has rolled out every millionth barrel since the end of Prohibition. Photo by Brad Luttrell | Staff

FRANKFORT --

Some barrels are just more special than others.

Wednesday, after it was filled, Buffalo Trace Distillery employees past and present rolled the 6-millionth bourbon barrel produced since Prohibition into a special warehouse built to hold just one barrel. Then, several employees formed a line to autograph the barrel.

The 6-millionth barrel will age there for the next 10-12 years, said Buffalo Trace spokeswoman Angela Traver. It displaced a barrel put there on Dec. 31, 1999.

Buffalo Trace put up its 5-millionth barrel way back in 1981. That reflects the industry's slowdown years ago and its recent resurgence, Traver said. For comparison, in 2005 Jim Beam sealed its 10-millionth barrel. Heaven Hill Distilleries filled its 5-millionth barrel in 2006.

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