Project announced in December 2019 establishes a new, premium bourbon tourism destination in Kentucky
SOMERSET, Ky. (July 1, 2026) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear joined local officials and leadership from Horse Soldier Bourbon to celebrate the grand opening of the company’s new $200 million distillery and full-scale bourbon tourism attraction in Pulaski County, adding another signature project to Kentucky’s growing bourbon and tourism industries.
“Bourbon is essential to Kentucky’s success, creating high-quality jobs and helping drive our record-breaking tourism industry across our state,” said Gov. Beshear. “I am happy to be here in Somerset celebrating the next step for Horse Soldier Bourbon and the grand opening of Horse Soldier Farms. I want to thank the company’s leadership for their vision, commitment and belief in the commonwealth and all that this great state has to offer.”
Horse Soldier Bourbon’s new distillery operation, named Horse Soldier Farms, opens its doors this week and includes a 50,000-square-foot distillery visitor center, along with The Outpost retail center.
“In many ways, this feels like coming home,” said John Koko, president and CEO of Horse Soldier Bourbon. “Our journey began in Kentucky at Fort Campbell. Twenty-five years after 9/11, we’ve returned to build something we hope will endure for generations. Kentucky gave us a quiet place to build – not just a distillery, but a legacy. As citizen-soldiers, we were citizens first, and we remain citizens today. We believe our greatest contribution now is to build: a company, opportunities for others and a brand worthy of Kentucky’s bourbon heritage. As America celebrates its 250th year, we’re honored to add a small chapter to Kentucky’s extraordinary story.”
The company’s origins trace back to Sept. 11, 2001, when the Horse Soldier team was training on the Cumberland River when the call came to defend our nation in its darkest hour. Days later, elite teams of Green Berets were inserted into Afghanistan, some on horseback – dubbed the “Horse Soldiers.” Officially established in 2015, Horse Soldier Bourbon whiskey is handmade with all-natural ingredients, with every bottle molded by steel from the World Trade Center towers. The company’s award-winning bourbon won double gold three times in the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
Last month, Gov. Beshear announced that 2025 was the commonwealth’s fourth straight record year for tourism, with $14.6 billion generated in economic impact supporting 96,993 jobs.
Adding bourbon to Somerset’s thriving tourism industry is expected to have a major economic impact in the local community. The distillery will complement Lake Cumberland as the premier, off-the-water attraction in Somerset, bringing new jobs, bourbon and tourism dollars to the region. Currently, the community’s tourism attractions welcome millions of visitors each year, generating over $152 million in economic impact in 2025.
Pulaski County Judge/Executive Marshall Todd noted the company’s ideal fit within the community: “The grand opening of Horse Soldier Farms during our nation’s Independence Day celebration, and locally Lake Cumberland 250, is more than the opening of a world-class distillery—it’s the beginning of a new chapter for Pulaski County. As a veteran-owned business built on service, sacrifice and the American spirit, Horse Soldier Farms is a perfect fit for our community. Their investment places Pulaski County on Kentucky’s bourbon trail in a meaningful way, creating a destination that will bring visitors from across the nation, strengthen our tourism economy, support local businesses and showcase everything that makes this community special. We are proud to welcome Horse Soldier Farms and excited for the opportunities this patriotic and economic partnership will create for generations to come.”
Somerset Mayor Alan Keck highlighted the long-term, positive impact the new experience will have on the region: “One of the most special moments in my time as mayor will always be sitting across the table from John and Elizabeth Koko in New York City as they shared that their team had chosen Somerset as the home of Horse Soldier Farms distillery. In the months leading up to that decision, as we got to know one another and talked about our vision for the future, I realized this wasn’t simply a business looking for a place to invest. It was a group of people who believed in many of the same things we do – faith, family, service, patriotism and creating opportunities for future generations. The distillery is a remarkable destination, but the relationships we’ve built along the way are what I treasure most. Together, we’ve created more than a distillery. We’ve built a legacy that will serve Somerset for generations because it is rooted in shared values and a shared belief in what’s possible.”
The new distillery and tourism experience adds to Kentucky’s signature $8.6 billion bourbon and spirits industry. Since the start of the Beshear administration, Kentucky’s spirits industry has seen more than 118 new-location or expansion announcements contribute to over $5.4 billion in planned investments and more than 2,100 announced full-time jobs. Today, spirits facilities employ more than 5,100 people throughout the state.
Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers’ Association is excited to welcome a new bourbon attraction to the commonwealth: “What a fitting week for Horse Solider Farms to open. As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation’s birth, we also raise a glass to the Horse Soldier heroes of America and toast their entire team who built this shining new producer of Kentucky’s signature spirit. The KDA proudly welcomes them to Kentucky – the one true, authentic home of America’s only native spirit – and looks forward to adding them to the KDA’s world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail tour.”
Horse Soldier Bourbon’s investment and job creation furthers what has been the best six-year period for economic growth in state history.
Since the beginning of his administration, Gov. Beshear has announced more than 1,300 private-sector new-location and expansion projects totaling over $50 billion in announced investments, creating more than 70,000 jobs. This is the highest investment figure secured during the tenure of any governor in the commonwealth’s history and $29 billion more than the next highest total.
Gov. Beshear has announced some of the largest economic development projects in state history, which have solidified Kentucky as the battery capital of the United States: AESC’s $2 billion, 2,000-job gigafactory project in Warren County; Ford Motor Co.’s $2 billion, 2,200-job commitment in Louisville, as well as its $2 billion, 2,100-job project at the Kentucky 1 plant in Hardin County; Shelbyville Battery Manufacturing’s $712 million investment, creating 1,572 jobs in Shelby County; and Toyota’s $1.3 billion investment in Scott County, among others.
In February, the Governor announced Kentucky once again set an all-time record for products shipped globally, with $50.6 billion in exports in 2025, representing a 5.65% increase over 2024.
Unemployment rates fell in all 120 counties between December 2024 and December 2025.
The Governor’s administration also secured the largest General Fund budget surplus and Rainy Day Fund. In 2023, Kentucky recorded over 2 million jobs filled for the first time ever and has stayed above that number ever since.
In addition, Kentucky has secured rating increases from major credit rating agencies Fitch Ratings, S&P Global Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service.
Earlier this year, Site Selection magazine ranked Kentucky in the top five nationally and second in the South Central region for economic development projects per capita in its 2025 Governor’s Cup rankings. In June, Area Development magazine awarded the commonwealth a Silver Shovel designation in its 2025 Shovel Awards, which highlight states for attracting high-value investment projects that will create a significant number of new jobs in their communities.
Gov. Beshear also announced a new initiative, called New Kentucky Home, to increase economic investment, attain and attract talent, and increase tourism across the state.
To encourage investment and job growth in the community, the Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority (KEDFA) in December 2019 preliminarily approved incentive agreements with the company through the Kentucky Business Investment program (KBI) and Kentucky Enterprise Initiative Act (KEIA).
For more information on Horse Soldier Farms, LLC, visit horsesoldierbourbon.com.
A detailed community profile for Pulaski County can be viewed here. Information about Somerset-Pulaski County tourism is available at lctourism.com.
Information on Kentucky’s economic development efforts and programs is available at NewKentuckyHome.ky.gov. Fans of the Cabinet for Economic Development can also join the discussion at facebook.com/CEDkygov, on Twitter @CEDkygov, Instagram @CEDkygov and LinkedIn.
Read about other key updates, actions and information from Gov. Beshear and his administration at governor.ky.gov and the Governor’s official social media accounts Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
###