In the years it takes Kentucky bourbon to mature in new oak barrels, producers have faced two certainties: They lose a portion of the aging whiskey to evaporation — known as the angel's share — and pay a tax on the containers. Now they're going to get relief from one of them.
Kentucky's legislature voted to completely phase out the property tax on the value of barrels of aging spirits. The action — taken in the final hours of this year's session — was toasted by the booming bourbon industry but left a bitter taste among some local leaders whose communities rely on the tax money. Gov. Andy Beshear signed the measure soon after it reached his desk.
