Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame induct 6 Kentuckians on 20th anniversary

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) - For the 20th anniversary of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame, six Kentuckians were inducted at a hall of fame ceremony on Tuesday morning.

The event was held at My Old Kentucky Home State Park, where individuals were recognized for their impact on bourbon’s growth and awareness within the commonwealth.

This year’s new inductees include:

D. Chad McCoy, the Majority Whip in the Kentucky House of Representatives
Stephen Francis Thompson, founder and president of the Kentucky Artisan Distillery
Julian P. Van Winkle III, the president of the Pappy Van Winkle brand
Andrea Marie Wilson, COO and Master of Maturation at Michter’s Distillery
John Yarmuth, U.S. Representative and co-founder of the Congressional Bourbon Caucus
Kaveh Zamanian, founder, whiskey maker and CEO of Rabbit Hole Distillery

Kentucky governor Andy Beshear was part of Tuesday’s ceremony to congratulate the inductees.

“Every single time that we have faced a challenge these last 3 years, the Kentucky Distillers Association and the bourbon industry have stood right there shoulder to shoulder with the people of Kentucky,” Beshear said.

A total of 91 people have been recognized and inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame since 2001.

For more information and a complete list of hall of fame recipients, click or tap here.