Wildcask

The University of Kentucky James B. Beam Institute for Kentucky Spirits (JBBI) released its bourbon in April 2025. Kentucky Wildcask Bourbon will be its first distilled spirit to hit the market coming from JBBI, the world’s largest teaching distillery. Led by honorary professor and industry veteran Herb Heneman, the release is the class project of the newly created Commercialization of Distilled Spirits course. “JBBI does a terrific job teaching students the craft behind making bourbon, but learning how to make money from it was a critical piece of the equation that was missing.” Heneman said. “The Commercialization of Distilled Spirits class was designed to fill this gap. And what better way to learn than by doing?” Proceeds from the sales of this historic bourbon release will directly benefit JBBI students by funding scholarships, research and programming for the institute. The bourbon is projected to raise more than $100,000 for the institute. Students participating in the course have, as a team, successfully launched a bourbon brand from start to finish. They created the brand concept, designed labels, received legal approval, visited various entities in the bourbon-making supply chain, marketed and soon will be selling their product.