LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Turner Commons Way is still very much under construction, but the one building that has risen out of the ground is set to open to the public tomorrow.
“Like a weight has been lifted. It has been a monumental task to get to where we are,” said Registered Distillery One CEO, Mike Tetterton, following Tuesday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony.
RD One, its developers believe, will offer an experience that’ll be different from those along Kentucky’s Bourbon Trail.
“We make 95% of the world's bourbon, so every tour has been done, every distillery has been built, Tetterton said. “You come in and it's more like the TV show, Cheers. You hang out and kind of learn something and come to be with friends,” he said of what will make the venue unique.
It's two stories, with a bar, covered patios, and lounge space, where you can not only sample the bourbons they’re working to perfect, but you can also have them bottled up for taking before you leave.
“We have 6 different bourbons in the building that are in R and D (Research and Development) on, and you can try, and if you like, you can bottle your own,” Tetterton said.
Tuesday’s ceremony was attended by Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, and Mayor Linda Gorton of Lexington hosted the event. And Coach Mark Stoops from the football team is one of their investors.
“Right from the beginning, I believed in the product, I believed in the story, and it’s fun to be a part of the bourbon industry. It’s such a part of the fabric of the community,” Stoops said.
The coach said he won’t have much time invested here, given his commitment to his job, but he expressed tremendous faith in the partners here, including developer Daren Turner. Turner spoke of his plans for adding a restaurant, retail space, a green space, and residential apartments to the complex; construction on some of that is already happening.
“Getting an education and a product you can’t buy off the shelf,” Tetterton said of what he thinks people will like most about RD1.
For more information about Registered Distillery One experiences, and distillery hours click here: RD1 Spirits
