Kentucky’s bourbon industry is looking for legislative approval to open the door to new in-state sale of whiskey dating back decades. Under current law, these, often discovered, bottles of aged distilled spirits can’t be resold.
The measure, approved by the House Licensing and Occupations Committee Wednesday creates regulation for selling and reselling what’s termed “vintage distilled spirits.” Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers Association, said
“You know with the single barrel and small batch brands really revolutionized our industry and that’s why we’re seeing success. But, we’ve also got to remember that back in the day, there were thousands of distilleries with thousands of brands. So people can try something that they’ve never even heard of before,” he said.
If given final approval, Gregory envisions primarily existing restaurants and other retailers establishing whiskey library bars in Kentucky. He said such businesses are already found in cities like New York and Washington.
He views the legislation as a way to further increase Kentucky’s tourism business
