After years of anticipation—and more than a century since whiskey was last (legally) distilled here—Henderson is once again home to a distillery.
And some folks couldn’t wait to buy some.
“We had a person here at 7:30” a.m. on Saturday, waiting for the doors to open at 10 a.m. for Rhythm River Distillery’s grand opening, Victoria Smit, the director of commercial operations, said. “We were like, okay!”
By opening time, folks were lined up down the sidewalk. By 11, the distillery’s visitors center at 405 N. Main St. was abuzz with folks buying bottles, getting owners Andrew and Meredith Powell to sign them and sampling Rhythm Rivers’ signature cocktails from the bar.
By 3 p.m., the distillery had sold about half of its initial supply of bottled whiskey, Andrew Powell reported.
That put an exclamation mark on two days of special events leading up to the opening of the $5 million-plus distillery.
At a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Friday, friends and local officials congratulated owners Andrew and Meredith Powell for persevering through construction of their distillery building and converting a 1950s-era former DeSoto car dealership into a visitor’s center and event venue.
“We’re here to put to rest a dark chapter—a 100-year drought when no bourbon was made here,” Henderson Tourist Commission Executive Director Abby Dixon said with dramatic flair. “As of today, bourbon is back!”
Henderson Economic Development Executive Director Missy Vanderpool lauded “the (community) collaboration to bring great things to our community.”
Mayor Brad Staton commended Henderson Municipal Power & Light for choosing to relocate its operations from Fifth and Water streets, which freed up much of its former campus for Rhythm River to redevelop.
Community leaders say the distillery will draw new visitors to Henderson.
“I think they’re going to come to Downtown Henderson,” Henderson County Judge-Executive Brad Schneider said. “They’re going to come by the thousands.”
While sales of Kentucky bourbon have dipped for reasons ranging from changes in consumer habits to tariffs that have dried up demand in Canada and elsewhere, “The market for bourbon tourism is as strong as ever,” Schneider said.
“It’s another reason for people to come and visit” and dine at local restaurants, stay in local hotels, buy gasoline and more, Dixon said.
“It will be a catalyst for so many other things to come in our community,” Vanderpool said.
After their years-long push to get Rhythm River open, Henderson native and Kentucky Distillers’ Association President Eric Gregory advised owners Andrew and Meredith Powell to “relax and enjoy it, because people are going to come. Like Brad said, they’re going to come by the thousands.”
Distillery tours are scheduled to begin the first of December; a tool for making tour reservations will soon be available at www. rhythmriver.com.
Rhythm River has applied for membership in the KDA, which will allow it to eventually become a stop on the KDA’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail, the marketing tool that last year helped draw 2.7 million people—mostly from out of state and with demographics Gregory says rival that of visitors to California’s Napa Valley wine region—to member distilleries.
Gregory estimated that Rhythm River will officially be on the Bourbon Trail by June. “They need six months to shake out” any kinks, he said. “When they go on the Bourbon Trail, their numbers will go up.”
“These (will be) visitors Henderson wouldn’t have had” without the draw of a distillery, one Rhythm River investor told the Hendersonian.
Andrew Powell told a reporter that Rhythm River projects 25,000 visitors per year between people coming to tour the distillery and those attending special events such as weddings, receptions, class reunions, Christmas parties and more.
Even before formally opening, the distillery has hosted four events, including the Henderson Chamber of Commerce Annual Dinner earlier this month.
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Powell expressed gratitude to the dozens of people who were on hand, which included friends, family, investors in the distillery, contractors and supporters.
“I look around the room and I’m humbled. I’m overwhelmed,” he said.
“This project has been really, really something we think will be transformative for our community,” Powell said. “… I hope you think this is something you can show off” to friends and family visiting from out of town.
“When I came here (in 2011), downtown was kind of slow,” he said. “Now look around. We have shops I’d hold up to those anywhere,” not to mention a blossoming restaurant scene.
“We have 12 employees so far,” he said. “We have some openings if you’re interested.”
Powell said they tried hard to use as many local professionals as possible to design and build the distillery, from architect Tim Skinner and general contractor Alan Powell of AVP Inc. to various subcontractors and tradesmen.
“There are Henderson fingerprints all over this place,” he declared. “… Henderson people built this.”
Powell thanked the 13 investors—most of them successful Hendersonians who, when asked, said they were more focused on investing in the community’s future than seeking personal enrichment—who helped underwrite development of Rhythm River.
“They are Henderson people who believe in Henderson people,” Powell said.
What folks lined up to buy on Saturday was Rivertown small-batch bourbon and rye whiskeys, produced from barrels from other distilleries by Rhythm River and then blended by head distiller Meredith Powell to the desired flavor profiles.
The bourbon and rye—both six-year-old, 96-proof whiskeys—are priced at $40 and $45, respectively, while a special 12-year-old, 105-proof bourbon costs $184.
Rhythm River plans to eventually stock four types of spirits at its gift shop—bourbon and rye whiskey along with its own gin and vodka—long with the existing assortment of souvenirs, apparel and gift items.
Distilling operations began Nov. 3 with gin production. Andrew Powell expects distilling of bourbon and rye will begin in late November or early December.
The distillery’s own whiskey will need to age in charred barrels before being bottled. Powell said their first rye will become available in two years while their bourbon will debut in four years.
Rhythm River operates a full bar that serves Rhythm River spirits and cocktails along with beer and wine. The bar will be open to the public during regular business hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday.
Gregory said that he’s gratified that for the first time since before Prohibition, a distillery will be operating in his hometown.
“Game changer,” he said of Rhythm River’s potential for attracting tourists to Henderson.
“It’s just a joyous day,” Vanderpool said.
