The Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame inducted five Bourbon legends into its elite ranks including the first Black chemist at Brown-Forman, a veteran visitor center manager who elevated Bourbon tourism and three distinctive distillery founders, including one who began his career as a retailer and was honored for a lifetime of achievements.

The exclusive event, presented annually in conjunction with the Kentucky Bourbon Festival, was held at The Legacy at Log Still Distillery in Nelson County with more than 250 luminaries of Kentucky’s historic Bourbon industry in attendance.

Founded in 2001 by the Kentucky Distillers’ Association, the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame recognizes individuals and organizations that have made a significant and transformational impact on Bourbon’s stature, growth, and awareness. It is the highest honor given by the signature industry.

“Each year we gather with our most respected legends and champions to applaud the collective progress that the industry has made, largely thanks to the stars who have helped transform Bourbon into an economic engine and global tourism beacon for our state,” KDA President Eric Gregory said.

“Because of their leadership and dedication, Kentucky Bourbon continues to elevate communities across the Commonwealth and create places for visitors from across the globe to experience a taste of America’s only native spirit. We are incredibly grateful for this year’s inductees and thankful for their impact in helping Bourbon build Kentucky.”

This year’s inductees are, in alphabetical order:

●     Elmer Lucille Allen, 93, Louisville (pictured). A pioneering activist, Allen broke barriers in the Bourbon industry as the first Black chemist at Brown-Forman – and possibly the entire American whiskey industry. Her work to bring opportunity to all Louisvillians didn’t stop when she left the company. Amongst her many accomplishments, she formed the Chickasaw Little League and led efforts to bring African American art and artists to the mainstream.

●     Dee Ford, 59, Louisville. An international beacon of Bourbon hospitality. Ford’s vision, experience and leadership have catapulted Angel’s Envy and the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® into an international, bucket-list tourism attraction. Since 2014, she’s served as Chair of the KDA’s Kentucky Bourbon Trail® Committee, earning the respect of her peers and sharing best practices that have leveraged hospitality to elevate Kentucky Bourbon on the global stage.

●     Ken Lewis, 71, Cincinnati, recipient of the prestigious Parker Beam Lifetime Achievement Award. A spirits expert and groundbreaking policy leader, Lewis graduated college as a trained English teacher, but left shortly into his young career for the world of spirits retail. He championed efforts for Sunday sales and initiated litigation that allowed retailers to use credit cards for sales, eventually building The Party Source megastore, the first of its kind in the country. Learning the industry from the bottom up, Lewis brought innovation and entrepreneurship as the founder of New Riff Distilling in Northern Kentucky, paving the way for the craft Bourbon boom that now counts dozens of Kentucky distilleries.

●     The late Peter T. Loftin, 61, Miami. A preeminent innovator, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Loftin founded the Bardstown Bourbon Company that transformed the landscape of custom whiskey production in 2014. He was among the first to take advantage of modernized Bourbon tourism laws in Kentucky, creating a world-class restaurant and bar that graciously features every distillery’s brand on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail® tour as well as an enviable vintage spirits lounge. Along with the state-of-the-art distillery, this high-value Napa Valley-style experience greatly raised the bar for Bourbon tourism and collaborative distilling. He died peacefully at his home in 2019.

●     R.M. Corky Taylor, 75, Henderson, Ky. A respected businessman throughout the country, Taylor retired from an accomplished career in financial services and focused on a lifelong dream – to resurrect his great-grandfather’s whiskey company. Taylor and his son spent countless hours poring over family history to bring back the Kentucky Peerless Distilling Co., originally owned by Henry Kraver in Henderson. He built back the family legacy in Louisville along historic Whiskey Row, gaining national recognition – and national awards – by patiently waiting for his whiskey to age, living up to the original quality Bourbon standards his ancestor first set in 1889.

Candidates are nominated each year by the KDA and its member distilleries. A blue-ribbon committee including all living recipients of the elite Parker Beam Lifetime Achievement Award meticulously reviews and selects applicants in three categories: Industry, Roll of Honor, and Lifetime Achievement. 

The 2024 Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame ceremony was presented by the Brindiamo Group. Additional sponsors include Bardstown Tourism, Blue & Co., LLC, Buzick Construction, Stedman Machine Company, and Vendome Copper & Brass Works Corp. 

Bardstown Tourism was sponsor of the signature toast with spirits from the annual Bardstown Collection of hand-picked expressions from local distilleries celebrating the rich heritage of Bardstown and Nelson County.

Brook Forrest White, Jr. of Flame Run in Louisville once again crafted the elegant glass-blown awards incorporating Bourbon-inspired motifs such as amber colors, copper, and water. Kentucky Cut Stone in Lancaster, Ky., created limestone bases recognizing the rock’s importance as a natural filter for purifying water used in the Bourbon-making process.

(Photos by Kevin Gibson)