The Brothers Wright Distilling Company in Pike County is looking to repurpose an underground coal mine to age its bourbon.
It’s part of a larger plan to create a 20-acre complex along Kentucky Highway 292. That will include a distillery, rickhouse, welcome center, museum and restaurant. Lodging and tours of the rehabilitated mine are planned for the future.
“Working in Kentucky’s coal mining industry has given us the opportunity to grow and support our families as well as our employees and their families,” co-owner and CEO Shannon Wright said in a release. “We are excited to marry two of the great state of Kentucky’s industries, bourbon whiskey and coal mining, in a new and unique approach that we hope will bring a new economic opportunity to the mountains that we call home.”
The new complex will create 28 jobs. Another 50 construction and mine rehabilitation jobs are also estimated. The company is investing $38 million into the project.
Construction is set to begin later this year and finish by the end of 2024.
