Category: Press Releases

American-Made Hero Foundation Fund 2021 grant applications now open

Evan Williams Bourbon today announced the 2021 class of veterans selected as American-Made Heroes. Each veteran’s picture and story of service in their active duty and civilian life will be featured on the side of the special-edition Evan Williams Black Bourbon label. The American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund, now in its second year, will award support through the 2021 Veteran Community Action grants.

As an American-made and American-owned brand, Evan Williams recognizes true American heroes through their exceptional stories of honor and bravery. This special edition label of Evan Williams Black Bourbon celebrates the heroic stories of military veterans, chosen for their selfless acts of service at home and abroad (bios included below). New for this year, invitations to be featured as an American-Made Hero were extended to veterans whose affiliate organization applied through the American-Made Hero Foundation Fund grant process. The 2021 Evan Williams American-Made Heroes were selected from more than 472 grant applications and are featured on more than 474,000 bottles available nationwide.

The 2021 American Hero edition packaging received the same new look as the Evan Williams Bourbon family, first announced in September 2020. The new signature bottle is complemented by a curved blue label adorned with red and white stripes and stars, and blue capsule featuring “Evan Williams” on the bottle neck. Proudly displayed on the side of each bottle is one of the brand’s key taglines “American Owned, American Made, American Proud” celebrating Evan Williams’ legacy as Kentucky’s first commercial distiller. Each Evan Williams American-Made Hero embodies Evan Williams’ values: hard-working, humbly confident, reliable, and imbued with American spirit, with their stories prominently featured on the side of the label along with their picture, name, and military title.

“We are honored to share the stories of this diverse group of veterans who have upheld the American spirit through extraordinary acts of service,” said Julie Cole, Evan Williams Bourbon Senior Brand Manager. “Through the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund we are humbled to offer help to organizations that support veterans and lift up these communities.”

Applications are now open from May 17, 2021 through June 18, 2021 for the 2021 Veteran Community Action Grants through the American-Made Hero Foundation Fund. Grant applications are open to a variety of projects that help veterans including, but not limited to, initiatives in education, employment, the arts, recreation, housing, health, and human needs. Each project makes a meaningful difference in the lives of veterans and improves the enjoyment and quality of life for veterans. Full grant eligibility, rules and application details can be found here. First announced in April 2020, the fund focused its inaugural efforts with the COVID-19 Veteran Relief Grant, which awarded more than $70,000 to over 30 nonprofit organizations that supported veterans who were impacted by COVID. To date, Evan Williams has recognized 42 veteran heroes on its American Hero Edition bottles and donated more than $375,000 to nonprofits including FOB Hope, Backpacks for Life, Combined Arms, Hero’s Bridge, and more.

The Evan Williams American Hero Program will be supported this year with a new brand commercial, ‘Tried & True,’ that emphasizes the brand’s continued support and admiration of military veterans and their service to both country and community. The commercial will be featured through digital and social media. The brand has also launched an updated website, which highlights the new class of American-Made Heroes featured on the bottle and the American-Made Heroes Foundation.

The 2021 Evan Williams American-Made Heroes are:

Roman Baca, New York, Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps: Roman enlisted before 9/11 and went from performing classical ballet to serving with the 25th Marines. His dance training and military training come together at Exit12: a dance company that shares veterans’ stories of survival through powerful performance art. To learn more about Exit12 Dance Company, visit https://exit12danceco.org/.

Rita Aragon, Oklahoma City, Major General, U.S. Air Force (Ret.): As a young single mother, Rita made the decision to enlist in 1979. She retired after a decorated 28-year career, becoming the first female commander of the Oklahoma Air National Guard. Today she continues to serve as Board President of Honoring America’s Warriors. To learn more about Honoring America’s Warriors, visit https://honoringamericaswarriors.org/.

Antione Hines, Chesapeake, Va., Petty Officer, U.S. Navy (Ret.): Antione served as a Submarine Nuclear Electrician for 10 years and is a veteran of Operation Desert Storm and the Global War on Terrorism. He is the Founder and CEO of Veteran’s HomeFront: a nonprofit organization supporting homeless, at-risk and disconnected veterans since 2016. To learn more about Veteran’s Homefront, visit https://www.veteranshomefront.vet/.

Michael Delancy, Pinellas Park, Fla., Lance Corporal, U.S. Marine Corps: While serving with the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines in Iraq, Mike came under enemy fire and was awarded the Purple Heart. In 2015 he founded the Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch – a wheelchair-accessible sports park designed to inspire veterans to go out and be active. To learn more about the Wounded Warriors Abilities Ranch, visit https://woundedwarriorsabilitiesranch.org/.

Joshua Perschbacher, Waterloo, Ill., Petty Officer, U.S. Navy: During his four years in the Navy, Josh completed two deployments to the Middle East as an Operations Specialist. He has dedicated his post-military career to helping veterans access education and professional networking opportunities through his nonprofit, The Vetwork. To learn more about The Vetwork, visit https://www.thevetwork.org/.

Monique Brown, Tacoma, Wash., Staff Sergeant, U.S. Arm, Army Reserves, and National Guard (Ret.): Monique’s decorated military career included service in the Army National Guard, the Army Reserves, and 13 years of active duty. She retired after 26 years and founded FOB Hope – a nonprofit organization supporting homeless and vulnerable veterans in Washington State. To learn more about FOB Hope, visit https://www.fobhope.org/.

The Evan Williams American Hero Edition bottle is available nationally in a 1.75L for a suggested retail price of $24.99 and is bottled at 43 percent alcohol by volume (86 proof). To learn more about each of the 2021 American-Made Heroes and to apply for funding through the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund, visit https://american-madeheroes.com/.

ABOUT EVAN WILLIAMS: The flagship Bourbon of Heaven Hill Distillery, Evan Williams is among the leaders in the rapidly growing American Whiskey segment as the world’s second largest-selling Bourbon. Evan Williams is a proud sponsor of Major League Baseball and the World Series, first forming a partnership with the national pastime in 2016. As an American-made and American-owned brand, Evan Williams has recognized true American heroes through their exceptional stories of honor and bravery on special edition American-Made Hero labels for the past seven years, now supported by the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund. The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience (www.EvanWilliamsBourbonExperience.com) celebrates the legacy of Evan Williams through an immersive visitor’s center experience which brings to life the history and tradition of Kentucky’s native spirit as an official stop on the Kentucky Bourbon Trail.

ABOUT THE AMERICAN-MADE HEROES FOUNDATION FUND: Evan Williams is honored to broaden its support of veteran communities across the country through the launch of the American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund, announced in April 2020. The American-Made Heroes Foundation Fund was established to show Evan Williams’ pride in being American-made and owned, and to give back to those who served. Our purpose is: to provide a platform for sharing inspiring veteran stories; to raise public awareness for causes impacting the veteran community; and to support nonprofit organizations that help veterans through a specialized grant program.

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Lauren Cherry
lcherry@heavenhill.com

The 2013 Vintage, 115 proof Bourbon is dipped in hot pink wax and features the 2021 Pegasus Pin on the bottle neck

As an official sponsor of the Kentucky Derby Festival for the fifth consecutive year, the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience today released a special edition bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel Bourbon with a commemorative 2021 Pegasus Pin sealed in wax on the neck.

Dipped in a unique hot pink wax, the bottle features a special face label with the gold and teal Kentucky Derby Festival logo and includes an official 2021 Pegasus Pin in an envelope attached to each bottle. Evan Williams Bourbon Experience Artisanal Distiller, Jodie Filiatreau, and Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO, Matt Gibson, unveiled the official 2021 pin and limited-edition bottle at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience by personally hand-dipping two of the limited-edition bottles.

This product will be available for purchase at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience for $74.99 beginning Thursday, March 11 and at select Kentucky retailers while supplies last. The limited edition 2013 vintage is bottled at 115 proof, commemorating both the 66^th Kentucky Derby Festival plus the 49^th Pegasus Pin anniversary. Each bottle of Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Bourbon contains the exact day it was put in an oak barrel to age, the barrel number, and the date it was bottled.

The Bourbon is matured in natural open-rick warehouses under the careful supervision of Heaven Hill’s Master Distiller, who monitors the progress of each year’s vintage to ensure it maintains its intended flavor profile and superb quality. Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage has won five “Whiskey of the Year” awards and is one of the most critically acclaimed specialty Bourbons produced by Heaven Hill Distillery, the world’s second largest holder of aging Bourbon.

“The Evan Williams Bourbon Experience is proud to partner yet again with the Kentucky Derby Festival to share the unique Kentucky spirit of hospitality, entertainment and resiliency,” said Evan Williams Bourbon Experience Artisanal Distiller, Jodie Filiatreau. “Join us as we raise a toast to all of those in the Bluegrass state who have supported our industries over the past year and look forward to a time of celebration during 2021 Kentucky Derby Festival.”

Bringing the community together since 1956, the Kentucky Derby Festival has become a whirlwind of special events leading up to the big race in May. Each year, the Pegasus Pins are a signature of spring in the Derby City and a key fundraiser for the not-for-profit Festival. The 2021 pins can be purchased exclusively at the Evan Williams Bourbon Experience through March 1, prior to being available at other local retailers.

“Our partnership with Evan Williams celebrates two of Kentucky’s favorite things – the Derby Festival and bourbon,” said Matt Gibson, Kentucky Derby Festival President and CEO. “Although 2021 will be different, Pegasus Pins are still a great way to share the Derby Festival spirit and support your favorite events.”

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MEDIA CONTACT:
Lauren Cherry
Heaven Hill Distillery
lcherry@heavenhill.com

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Heaven Hill Brands today presented the Food Literacy Project with a $13,765.33 donation benefitting efforts to support youth transforming their communities through food, farming, and the land. Philanthropy is an important part of Heaven Hill’s mission to improve the local communities by offering charitable support for education, cultural enrichment and health and wellbeing, as well as supporting employee-driven partnerships through the annual philanthropy project. To view the virtual donation announcement and check presentation, click here.

Each year Heaven Hill Brands is proud to host an employee-driven and collaborative fundraising project that benefits charities close to its employees’ hearts. The company looks to its employees to submit non-profit organizations to be considered as the recipient of a company-wide, employee-led fundraising effort, with matching funds from the company up to $5,000. Past recipients have included Feeding America, Portland Elementary, Flaget Memorial Hospital’s Project Hope, Ronald McDonald House, and Coalition for the Homeless.

For the fifth Annual Philanthropy Project, Heaven Hill chose the Food Literacy Project, which was submitted by Rachel Nally, Environmental and Sustainability Manager. The Food Literacy Project is extremely important to Rachel because having been raised in the suburbs, she did not have regular exposure to seeing food grow. Though her parents had a garden, she was lucky to spend some weekends at her grandparent’s rural home where they had a large kitchen garden, until they too moved to the suburbs. As small family farms and kitchen gardens rapidly disappear from the landscape, so does the knowledge of how to grow food, cook food, and care for the land, especially in urban and underserved areas.

“Food Literacy Project’s vision speaks loudly to our world today and resonated with employees across our company as we continue to address health, wealth and food disparities in both our city and our country,” said Rachel. “Now I have my own garden that feeds our family through a good part of the year, but in the early days I felt like I was re-learning everything I thought I knew about food.  As small family farms and kitchen gardens rapidly disappear from the landscape, so does the knowledge of how to grow food, cook food, and care for the land, especially in urban and underserved areas.”

The Food Literacy Project is a nonprofit organization with a vision to create a healthy and equitable community where people and places thrive. Since 2005, the Food Literacy Project has been building resilience in our community, especially during this unsettling time, by engaging youth leaders to provide access to fresh and healthy food and caring for our neighbors.

“The Food Literacy Project is grateful to receive support from Heaven Hill Brands,” said Carol Gundersen, Founder and Executive Director of the Food Literacy Project.  “The past year has been challenging for everyone. But for many in our community, struggle and uncertainty are persistent conditions. Social norms and unjust policies have limited access to healthcare, economic prosperity, and healthy food for far too many generations. The question is, how do we begin to erode these barriers and grow a community where we all can thrive?”

Carol said, “we believe in the power of young people to address the root causes of food insecurity and build our community’s capacity to become healthy, just, sustainable, and equitable.” She added, “I would like to thank all the employees at Heaven Hill for their commitment to helping our community GROW FORWARD.”

Through several fundraising initiatives between September and December 2020, Heaven Hill employees worked together to raise funds for the Food Literacy Project. Heaven Hill is proud of its employees’ commitment to giving back to the community and excited to see the impact this donation makes in the community.

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MEDIA CONTACT: 

Lauren Cherry 
Heaven Hill Brands 
(502) 413-0217 
lcherry@heavenhill.com  

Heaven Hill Brands and Liquor.com announced today the culmination of the 2020 Bartender of the Year program by awarding the full 2020 Class of Finalists with a prize totalling $40,000. The eight finalists were celebrated in a final virtual event Thursday, Nov. 17 where each was awarded $5,000. After a nationwide search to find the top bartenders across America, the competition pivoted midway through the regional semifinals tour to a virtual format.

In appreciation and support of hospitality partners and mixologists, the championship prize pool was increased to $40,000 to be split amongst each finalist. The final competition was originally structured as a trip to Half Mile Farm in Highlands, North Carolina in June 2020 where the eight contestants would vie for $15,000 and the Bartender of the Year title. Amidst the global pandemic, the remainder of the 2020 Bartender of the Year semifinal competitions transitioned to a virtual format beginning with the Chicago regional in October. The new format ensured participants had the opportunity to learn from and interact with top industry experts while utilizing their craft during this difficult time. Rather than name an official Bartender of the Year for 2020, each finalist was honored for their dedication and commitment as changes continue to impact the industry

“Family and perseverance have always been two guiding principles for Heaven Hill. As we welcomed this class of finalists into the Heaven Hill family, we recognized the gravity of challenges this year has placed on them and knew we had to shift our focus to genuine support rather than a competition,” said Hannah Venhoff, Group Product Director, Heaven Hill Brands. “We are inspired by the resilience of the hospitality industry and these bartenders who have continued to innovate and create, keeping their craft alive during this time and we are so encouraged by the lengths at which the industry is willing to go in support of one another.”

More than 1,150 original cocktail recipes were entered using Domaine de Canton French Ginger Liqueur, Elijah Craig Small Batch, PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur, Rittenhouse Rye Whisky, Dubonnet Rouge Grand Aperitif, Sacred Bond Brandy and Lunazul Tequila. Entries were submitted online nationwide beginning September 15, 2019. 48 semifinalists then competed across Chicago, Los Angeles, Austin, New York City, Miami, Portland, Phoenix, and Atlanta from January 2020 through November 2020.

National Brand Educator for Heaven Hill Brands Lynn House, Bar Manager of Clyde Common & Pépé Le Moko Jeffrey Morgenthaler, and Owner/Bartender of Pouring Ribbons Joaquín Simó. Across all of the competitions, judges were looking for the ultimate bartender who displays the total breadth and aptitude all bartenders aspire to embody. Each 2020 finalist will be eligible to apply for the 2021 Bartender of the Year program, which will place greater emphasis on advocacy and education throughout the hospitality community. The 2021 Bartender of the Year program will continue in this same spirit with renewed focus on elevating the craft of hospitality

Grounded in the original Bartender of the Year Competition hosted by Domaine de Canton starting in 2009, Heaven Hill Brands resurrected the competition in 2016 due to strong demand from bartenders worldwide and with a goal of supporting growth, education and awareness in the bartending community. Justin Ware of Night Shift in Houston was the 2019 Bartender of the Year and joined the ranks of esteemed past winners: Harrison Ginsberg in 2018, Nathan O’Neill in 2017, and Abigail Gullo won the inaugural competition in 2016. Visit the official competition website at http://www.bartenderoftheyear.liquor.com for complete competition details.

The following bartenders comprise the resilient Bartender of the Year Class of 2020 Finalists:

ABOUT HEAVEN HILL BRANDS: Founded in 1935, Bardstown, KY -based Heaven Hill Brands (www.heavenhill.com) is the nation’s largest independent, family-owned and operated spirits producer and marketer and the world’s second-largest holder of Kentucky Bourbon. Heaven Hill’s diversified portfolio of brands includes Evan Williams, Elijah Craig, Larceny, and Henry McKenna Bourbons; Rittenhouse Rye Whisky; Deep Eddy and Burnett’s Vodkas; Admiral Nelson’s and Blackheart Rums; Black Velvet Canadian Whisky; Lunazul Tequila; The Christian Brothers Brandies; HPNOTIQ Liqueur; Carolans Irish Cream Liqueur; PAMA Pomegranate Liqueur; Domaine de Canton Ginger Liqueur.

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CONTACT:
Lauren Cherry
Heaven Hill Brands
lcherry@heavenhill.com

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