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Buffalo Trace Distillery

University of Louisville Delphi Center

When a warehouse at Buffalo Trace’s 130-acre property was hit by a tornado, the bourbon barrels housed in the destroyed building continued their aging process without a roof until repairs could be made to the warehouse. This development led some at Buffalo Trace to consider, “what might we do differently during the aging process to help expand and alter our product’s taste?” JRA Architects was brought on board to help create this space, known as Warehouse X, to serve as a testing facility.

The small warehouse was designed specifically to facilitate the “experimental collection” of bourbon developed by Buffalo Trace, a collection that displays the effects of aging on bourbon. Warehouse X includes four unique sections along with an open-air patio, each of which provides variations to the bourbon-aging process. One area of the structure ages the bourbon in darkness, the second space moves through a cycle of changing temperatures, a third section offers changes in humidity, and the fourth allows for changing airflow. The patio allows the barrels to be aged in an open-air environment similar to that experienced after the tornado.

With this groundbreaking structure in place, Buffalo Trace continues its pursuit of innovative and quality bourbons.

Location
Frankfort, Kentucky

JRA Commercial Architecture Project JRA Commercial Architecture Project

PROJECT LEAD

Rob Deal, AIA, LEED AP, President
Direct: 859.899.9997 | Main: 859.252.6781

Contact Rob

Project Team