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Heaven Hill Distillery. Bardstown, KY © 2024
Think Wisely. Drink Wisely. ®

Rickhouse Locations

Climate & the Rickhouse

Kentucky's four distinct seasons are an essential ingredient to our aging process. As the temperatures fluctuate throughout the year, the spirits seep in and out of the oak barrel, extracting important compounds that give American Whiskey its color and a large part of its flavor and aroma. In our constant pursuit to create whiskeys of great quality, we placed temperature sensors in several of our rickhouses to better understand how climate affects the barrels inside.

The Kentucky Climate

A rickhouse's elevation and exposure to sun, wind, and precipitation all affect how the whiskey inside will age. Open-rick warehouses are built to maximize airflow, allowing the barrels to experience bigger temperature shifts and more air circulation than other rickhouse designs, such as palletized warehouses. Heat transfers throughout the rickhouse by the process of convection, in which air moves because some parts are heavier than others. Read More »

Heatmap August Heatmap September Heatmap October Heatmap August Heatmap August Heatmap August Heatmap August Heatmap August
  • Temp key
  • 40°
  • State 1
  • State 2
  • State 3
  • State 4
  • State 5
  • State 6
  • 100°

Inside the Rickhouse

The temperatures inside a rickhouse vary vastly, as much as 15° F between floors. The top floors are hotter and drier, causing water to evaporate and driving the proof as high as 145 or more. The lower floors are more moist and cool, and alcohol evaporates, dropping the proof.

TEMPERATURES OVER TIME See how indoor temperatures vary by floor.

AUGUST (Year 1) INSIDE TempS

FlOOR 7 MAX 91.4° MIN 81°
FlOOR 4 MAX 83.1° MIN 76.5°
FlOOR 1 MAX 77.5° MIN 72°

Avg outside Temp 78.8°

SEPTEMBER (Year 1) INSIDE TempS

FlOOR 7 MAX 93.4° MIN 68.9°
FlOOR 4 MAX 84.2° MIN 64°
FlOOR 1 MAX 77.7° MIN 58.5°

Avg outside Temp 72.75°

October (Year 1) INSIDE TempS

FlOOR 7 MAX 88° MIN 68.5°
FlOOR 4 MAX 79.5° MIN 60.4°
FlOOR 1 MAX 73.6° MIN 51.1°

Avg outside Temp 72.7°

May (Year 2) INSIDE TempS

FlOOR 7 MAX 88.3° MIN 64.4°
FlOOR 4 MAX 79.9° MIN 59.5°
FlOOR 1 MAX 75° MIN 47.5°

Avg outside Temp 69.8°

June (Year 2) INSIDE TempS

FlOOR 7 MAX 87.4° MIN 69.6°
FlOOR 4 MAX 77.7° MIN 64.2°
FlOOR 1 MAX 72.5° MIN 53.8°

Avg outside Temp 75.2°

August (Year 2) INSIDE TempS

FlOOR 7 MAX 93.7° MIN 73.8°
FlOOR 4 MAX 81.9° MIN 68.5°
FlOOR 1 MAX 80.6° MIN 60.4°

Avg outside Temp 78.8°

September (Year 2) INSIDE TempS

FlOOR 7 MAX 91.8° MIN 73.2°
FlOOR 4 MAX 79.9° MIN 66.9°
FlOOR 1 MAX 73.2° MIN 58.5°

Avg outside Temp 78.8°

October (Year 2) INSIDE TempS

FlOOR 7 MAX 91.8° MIN 55.9°
FlOOR 4 MAX 79.9° MIN 49.6°
FlOOR 1 MAX 73.2° MIN 41.9°

Avg outside Temp 60.8°

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Changes Over Time

As the seasons shift, the maximum and minimum temperatures for each floor continue to change. The hottest days and coldest evenings continue to draw the liquid in and out of the barrel over the years, producing the rich, smooth flavors beloved in our whiskey portfolio.

COMPARE THE MAX & MIN
TEMPERATURES FOR TWO MONTHS:

Year 2

Year 1

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