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Woodford Reserve Visitor Center Gets A Makeover

The doors to Woodford Reserve's new visitor center officially opened Wednesday after five months of renovation work.

"You know when I look out here and see a great bunch of Kentuckians at 11 in the morning with a glass of bourbon in their hands, I know that all's right with the world," Gov. Steve Beshear told the crowd gathered outside the new 750,000-square-foot, $1.9 million dollar facility.

New additions include a dedicated tasting room, new furniture and displays, and a larger food service counter.

CEO of Brown-Forman, the owner of Woodford Reserve, Paul Varga said the improvements are only a taste of things to come as Woodford Reserve moves forward with a larger $35 million expansion.

"... fermenters, distilling equipment, bottling, the aging warehouses themselves that'll be on the grounds, and those will be spread over several years coming up. So we're really proud, and excited of course, about the future - not only what we celebrate here today - but the future of this Woodford Reserve bourbon brand," Vargas said.

An estimated 130,000 people visited the distillery in Woodford county last year.

Josh James fell in love with college radio at Western Kentucky University's student station, New Rock 92 (now Revolution 91.7). After working as a DJ and program director, he knew he wanted to come home to Lexington and try his hand in public radio.