TROY – Hayner Distilling, located in Troy, announced the first release of Hayner Bourbon in more than 100 years will be available June 4.
To pay tribute to Hayner’s mail order history, all bottles will feature a postmark date on the cork. Only the first 500 bottles will feature the June 4, 2021 postmark. That date marks the first bottling of Hayner Bourbon in more than 100 years.
The distillery will be open from 5-9 p.m. June 4 and 5 at 619 Lincoln Ave. in Troy to purchase these commemorative bottles. The distillery soon will add additional June sales hours, and Hayner Bourbon will be available in state liquor stores beginning July 1.
Hayner Distilling was founded in 1866 in Troy along the banks of the Miami River. Hayner quickly grew into one of the largest distilleries in Ohio and became the largest mail order whiskey business in the United States. The factory and more than 100,000 barrels of whiskey were located between the Miami River and Water Street in Downtown Troy.
Hayner had numerous distribution warehouses around the United States from New Orleans to Boston. Its smooth sipping bourbon, aged at least six years in Troy, was shipped direct to consumers’ door steps all across America.
The road to relaunching the Hayner Whiskey brand began for local Troy founders Greg Taylor and Andrew Wannemacher more than two years ago.
“After completing the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, we finally visited the Hayner Distilling Museum located in the Hayner Cultural Center,” Taylor said. “Hayner has such an amazing story. We want to share our love for the bourbon experience and Hayner’s history with the community.”
Hayner Distilling will donate a portion of all sales to the Hayner Cultural Center in Troy. Giving back and supporting the local community are essential to both Taylor and Wannemacher, who serve on numerous non-profit boards.
Because it takes years to make bourbon, the new Hayner Distilling had to source already aged bourbon for its first release.
“Our barrels are set for production early next year, so we teamed up with Bardstown Bourbon Company to create an amazing blend for our first bourbon release,” Wannemacher said.
The Hayner museum gave permission for 4 ounces of 120-year-old bourbon to be drawn from an original bottle of Hayner Bourbon. That sample was analyzed by the Bardstown Bourbon Company to help create a bourbon blend that matches many of the original tasting notes.
“In the analysis, we tasted the original whiskey, and it was incredible. We’re excited to say the new Hayner is as smooth as the original. It’s a very soft, sweet whiskey with tasting notes of bright cherry, graham cracker and a touch of black pepper and caramel,” Taylor said. “I have no doubt Lewis would be proud of the new Hayner Bourbon.”
In addition to Hayner Bourbon, the first Hayner Rye in 100 years will be available in late July.
To learn more about Hayner Distilling, visit www.hayner.com.
