​Honoring his legacy, three years passed

January 9, 2020 marked the three-year anniversary of the passing of Heaven Hill Distillery’s Master Distiller Emeritus Parker Beam, a much revered and lauded figure in the American Whiskey industry. Parker joined the Heaven Hill family in 1960 as a sixth-generation distiller in his storied family of Jim Beam Bourbon royalty. He became Heaven Hill Master Distiller in 1975 earning numerous awards for distilling, aging and selecting some of the world’s most acclaimed Bourbons. Parker passed away on January 9, 2017, from Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS, at age 75.  He was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, in 2010 and​ waged a very courageous and public battle with the dreaded disease. During his fight he was dedicated to raising awareness for the disease, fundraising enormous sums for the ALS Association of Kentucky through his Parker Beam Promise of Hope Fund (The Promise) and Heaven Hill’s contribution of sales from its annual release, and Parker’s signature line, Parker’s Heritage Collection. The Parker Beam Promise of Hope Fund was established by Beam and his wife Linda as a research and treatment endowment that has seen millions of dollars raised. Today, Parker’s legacy and traditions live on through The Promise, distillery practices, and visitor center experiences.

The past seven editions of Parker’s Heritage Collection (2013-2019), have helped raise more than $1 million toward ALS research and patient care. The Promise has proven significantly impactful to the ALS community and beyond as you will hear in the testimonials in the video above, which was presented at the 2018 Heaven Hill National Sales Meeting. ​​​

Heaven Hill shares its condolences with Parker’s immediate and extended family: Linda, Craig, Nichole, Leslie, Julie, and their families.