The Kentucky Distillers’ Association has announced this year’s class that will be inducted into the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame. The KDA created the Hall of Fame in 2001 to recognize individuals who have made a transformational impact on Bourbon’s stature, growth and awareness.

KDA president Eric Gregory noted that each inductee represents a chapter in the success of Kentucky bourbon, from historic whiskey producers to the next generation of craft distillers, the recent modernization of bourbon laws and policies, and a lifetime of service spanning the lows and highs of American whiskey.

Gregory commented: “Even though they come from a variety of backgrounds, these distinguished leaders all have one thing in common: an unrivaled passion for Kentucky bourbon that has shaped our timeless craft into the global economic and tourism powerhouse it is today.”

The 2025 inductees in alphabetical order are:

• Craig Beam, master distiller at Jackson Purchase Distillery in Western Kentucky
• Mary Dowling, a whiskey pioneer and trailblazer for black and women’s rights
• Larry Ebersold, a key architect during the craft distillery boom
• Chris Morris, three-time chairman of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association and a respected historian
• Damon Thayer, 57, a retired senate majority leader

Each year, candidates for the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame are submitted by KDA member distilleries and the KDA board of directors through a comprehensive application process. A special selection committee consisting of all recipients of the Parker Beam Lifetime Achievement Award then carefully reviews each application and selects no more than five nominees a year for induction.

The invitation-only ceremony and luncheon will be held Tuesday, September 16, at The Legacy at Log Still in Nelson County, Kentucky.

Learn more about the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame via the official website.