Based on the true story of a legendary, twice-burned Kentucky Tavern, Burnt Tavern Bourbon was launched in September 2025 as a double-barreled, 105 proof Kentucky Straight Bourbon with a Whisper of Smoke®. The brand was designed to tell the tale of the tavern, with a maximalist illustration style, fire-branded custom typography and a unique label diecut in the shape of an old wooden tavern sign.
The Burnt Tavern was originally built in 1794 by the Smith family who found their land in Kentucky with the help of Daniel Boone. It became known as the Burnt Tavern after surviving two fires; both times it was rebuilt through pure American grit.
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Decades after the tavern was first constructed, a German immigrant-turned-entrepreneur came to Kentucky and started distilling whiskey. He built a distillery near the site of the Burnt Tavern and had a thriving business. We are proud to carry his legacy forward, and use his original seal from the 1860s on our label. Our goal is to resurrect the William Berkele Distillery on the original site.
Burnt Tavern Bourbon is the first expression from the William Berkele Distillery.
Throughout the 19th century and well into the 20th, the Tavern hosted many of history’s greats as they traveled along the wildnerness road. Generals and soldiers, abolitionists like Cassius Marcellus Clay, and celebrities like Jenny Lynd, the ‘Swedish Nightengale’ are all recorded to have stayed at the tavern. The label artwork depicts these characters and more with an interwoven illustration, as well as the two fires that made the tavern famous.
