History

Lexington’s bourbon story starts in 1865, when Ashland Distillery became the city’s first federally registered distillery and was the “RD#1” tax designation.

A fire nearly wiped it out a decade later, but it rose from the ashes — bigger, better, and with more barrel warehouses — fueling Lexington’s economy and supplying whiskey across the region.

Prohibition closed its doors in 1919, but not before masked thieves raided the warehouses. Today, Manchester Music Hall stands where the distillery once defined Lexington’s whiskey legacy.

Revamped in 2020 as RD1 Spirits, in the space now home to Dark Arts Whiskey House, the distillery released its first whiskey. While the main production facility in Beaver Dam is not open to the public, RD1 Spirits always had a visionary operation. Today, visitors can experience it firsthand at the Turner Commons development, which opened this past May.

RD1 Spirits' speciality S'mores Old Fashioned. | Photo by Alexis Baker LEXtoday

Visitor Experience

Explore Lexington’s bourbon history with the Tour & Tasting, sample experimental barrels during the Barrel-Proof Tasting, or try the most popular Bottle-Your-Own Experience, where guests fill and label their own 200 ml bottle.

For a hands-on approach, the Master Blending Experience lets participants blend and proof bourbon with Master Distiller Dr. Jarrad Gollihue before filling a 3-liter mini barrel to take home.

Pro tip: Groups can get a behind-the-scenes feel by booking the upstairs Speakeasy, a private space perfect for game days, celebrations, and bourbon cocktails.

Product Lineup

RD1 Spirits offers four core expressions — Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey, Finished with French Oak, Finished with Oak + Maple, and Finished with Brazilian Amburana Wood.

Known for pushing boundaries, RD1 uses innovative wood-finishing techniques with custom inserts to create bold, distinctive flavors. The team also experiments with blending and finishing in wine and rum barrels, keeping their lineup fresh and creative.

This spring, they’re set to debut a new release that combines wood and cask finishing — an innovation slated to stand out in the bourbon world.