FOUR ROSES: THROUGH THE DECADES (1980 – 1990)
blog | 10/05/2018
To celebrate the 130th Anniversary of Four Roses this year, we’re taking you on a walk down memory lane in our blog series, “Four Roses: Through the Decades.”
Stay tuned in with our Straight Up newsletter and blog to make sure you don’t miss a single Mellow Moment, starting all the way back in 1888 when our brand was born, to now! We are excited to share stories and relics from our past that have mingled together in harmony to form what Four Roses is today.
The Four Roses Distillery Continues to Grow
In 1983, Ova O. Haney was named Distillery Plant Manager and had an interest in restoring the building known today as Four Roses Distillery to its former appearance. The building had been neglected for many years by Seagram management as their main priority was to turn out the high quality distillate that would then mature into quality Bourbon to be used in Four Roses Bourbon and other blends by the company.
Using copies of the original blueprints by Joseph & Joseph architectural firm in Louisville, Seagram’s Central Engineering led the restoration project of the exterior of the main distillery building to its original appearance. This included adding exterior grain silos and a mill building, to improve the air quality and provide space for dust collectors and meal bins inside the building itself.
In 1987, Seagram finally allowed for the completion and submission of the forms that would result in the building being placed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Four Roses’ unique Spanish-mission style Distillery has been through many changes since it was built in 1910, and continues to grow today. As you know, the Distillery is currently undergoing a major expansion project that began in 2015 to enhance our facilities. We are so excited for the finished product and as we near completion, we can’t wait to share it with you.
At this time, we are still offering modified tours and the unique chance to check out our progress on the Distillery expansion project and learn about the future of Four Roses. Check out more details on our tours, here.
