Governor Beshear declares September “Bourbon Heritage Month”
Governor Steve Beshear’s Communications Office
Governor Beshear declares September “Bourbon Heritage Month”
Press Release Date: Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Contact Information: Jay Blanton
Jill Midkiff
502-564-2611
FRANKFORT, Ky. – Gov. Steve Beshear today honored Kentucky’s signature bourbon industry for its tremendous economic and tourism impact by declaring September “Bourbon Heritage Month” in the Commonwealth.
“From jobs to investment to tourism, bourbon is a vital part of the Bluegrass economy that benefits all of Kentucky’s citizens,” Gov. Beshear said. “It’s also a key export and a proud symbol of our heritage that’s known and acknowledged around the world.
“It’s a privilege to proclaim September ‘Bourbon Heritage Month’ in recognition of our historic distilling industry. My administration is committed to working with our distillers to help this essential part of our economy grow and thrive.”
Beshear also congratulated the Kentucky Bourbon Trail®, which is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. “Visitors from all 50 states and around the globe are flocking to Kentucky in record numbers to enjoy the bourbon experience,” Gov. Beshear said.
The Kentucky Bourbon Trail® links eight of the state’s historic distilleries: Brown Forman’s Woodford Reserve, Buffalo Trace, Four Roses, Heaven Hill, Jim Beam, Maker’s Mark, Tom Moore and Wild Turkey.
“Thanks to bourbon, more and more visitors are staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants and pumping much-needed revenue into local economies,” Gov. Beshear said. “And it can only happen in Kentucky, the birthplace of bourbon.”
Kentucky produces 95 percent of the world’s supply of bourbon, with nearly 5 million barrels currently aging in the Commonwealth, said Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association.
That’s the biggest total inventory since 1983, Gregory said, with a tax-assessed value of $1.6 billion – an increase of $324 million from 2008. Bourbon production has increased more than 75 percent since 1999, he said.
The distilling industry’s economic benefits to Kentucky include:
$3 billion in gross state product;
More than 3,200 direct jobs with an annual payroll exceeding $326 million;
$115 million in state and local taxes every year;
More than $100 million in planned capital investment; and
More than 1.5 million visits to the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® in the last five years alone.
September also marks the annual Kentucky Bourbon Festival, which runs Sept. 15 through Sept. 20 this year. It has grown to more than 55,000 visitors from 40 states and 14 countries, said Milt Spalding, the festival’s executive director.
“We appreciate the support and commitment of Gov. Beshear in growing this unique and integral part of the Bluegrass economy,” Gregory said. “Bourbon has a rich history in Kentucky dating back 200 years, and we’re confident that the best is yet to come.”
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