Sips & Sites & Bites

Buffalo Trace Distillery, the legendary Frankfort, Kentucky distillery, just filled its nine millionth barrel of bourbon since Prohibition. For a distillery that’s been around for more than two centuries, that’s no small feat. What makes this milestone even more impressive? It happened faster than any of the previous million-barrel marks, thanks to Buffalo Trace’s recently completed $1.2 billion expansion project.

Master Distiller Harlen Wheatley called the moment “a historic chapter in the Distillery’s story, which began more than two centuries ago and is still being written today.” With production capacity now boosted by 150%, the distillery is not only keeping up with bourbon demand but ensuring future generations can enjoy the same craftsmanship that’s defined it since the 1850s.

Buffalo Trace has a long history of marking these million-barrel milestones. The first was celebrated back in 1942, followed by 1953, 1961, 1971, 1981, 2008, 2018, 2022, and now 2025. Each one serves as a time capsule … proof of the resilience of a distillery that survived Prohibition, floods, and the ebb and flow of bourbon’s popularity.

Speaking of resilience, this year’s celebration comes just months after a historic flood touched 90% of the campus. Yet by summer, the distillery was fully operational again and welcoming visitors back through its gates.

Kentucky Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman joined in the ceremony, praising Buffalo Trace for its role not just in bourbon heritage but also in jobs, tourism, and opportunity across the Commonwealth.

As is tradition, the nine millionth barrel will rest inside Warehouse V … the world’s only single-barrel warehouse … signed by the distillery team and left to age until the day Buffalo Trace fills its ten millionth. Visitors can stop by to see it on tours, making this a living piece of bourbon history.

It took 85 years to get here, but the nine millionth barrel won’t be alone for long. After filling the eighth millionth in 2022, Buffalo Trace managed to knock out another million in less than three years. With the expanded capacity now in full swing, the ten millionth barrel might just be closer than anyone expects.