FOR RELEASE : September 9, 2003

BARDSTOWN (Ky.) - As the holiday season approaches seemingly earlier every year, Heaven Hill Distilleries is releasing holiday gift sets for every consumer taste. "Sales of distilled spirits are at their highest during the seasonal holiday rush. One way to capitalize on the season is through added-value and impulse purchase gift items," said Kate Latts, Director of Marketing Strategy. "Heaven Hill's variety of gift sets inspire such sales and boost retailers holiday cheer."

Heaven Hill offers a number of gift sets with high perceived value designed to help consumers find products for gift-giving and entertaining and to help retailers decorate their stores, such as:

Whaler's Original Rum
For the Rum fan that will "March to the beat of a different rum" this holiday season, Whaler's Vanille offers a gift set with a tropical attitude. For 2003, the Whaler's Gift Set includes a 750 ml bottle of Whaler's Vanille, a logoed 15 oz. Whaler's Original Rum hurricane glass, plus a glass stir stick tipped with a miniature orca whale. The bright, exotic packaging captures the warm feel of the brand's Hawaiian heritage and highlights Whaler's mixability with several Whaler's Rum recipes. The cocktails are perfect for tropical holiday parties.

Whaler's exotic holiday point of sale includes case cards, pole toppers and floor displays. The packaging for the Whaler's Holiday Gift Set uses the same graphics as the Whaler's holiday POS which makes it a natural addition to any Whaler's floor or shelf display.

The legendary Hawaiian recipe was discovered by seafaring men in the Pacific Ocean, where sailors would rattle vanilla beans in empty Rum bottles to entice migrating whales to their boats. The friendly whales guided them to the tropical haven known as Hawaii and the old Rum makers that produced what is now known as Whaler's Rum. Whaler's Rum features eight flavor varieties to suit the tastes of all Rum drinkers.

Evan Williams Single Barrel 1993 Vintage Bourbon
Evan Williams Single Barrel 1993 Vintage Bourbon has the ideal gift set for Bourbon lovers -- just in time for the holidays. By uniting one of the finest Bourbons in the world with the quintessential Bourbon cocktail, the mint julep, Evan Williams Single Barrel has tradition and style wrapped up for the holidays. The gift set features a silver julep cup with the distinctive Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage logo etched on the front. This handsome gift and a 750 ml bottle of the Evan Williams Single Barrel 1993 Vintage are packaged together in a black box featuring recipes, the heritage of the brand and the many of the accolades garnered since its launch. The Evan Williams Single Barrel 1993 Vintage is also supported with holiday-themed advertising in the Wall Street Journal and Malt Advocate.

As the world's only vintage-dated single barrel Bourbon and a three time "Whiskey of the Year", Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage is a unique present for any gift-giver. Each year, Heaven Hill Distilleries Master Distillers Parker Beam and his son, Craig, select the finest barrels in the Heaven Hill rickhouses to bottle as the Evan Williams Single Barrel Vintage Bourbon. The critical acclaim for the popular brand began when The Spirit Journal awarded the 1990 vintage the "Whiskey of the Year" - the first Bourbon to have been awarded such a distinction. The 1991 Vintage, followed suit with "Domestic Whiskey of the Year" from Malt Advocate and the 1992 Vintage was named "Spirit of the Year - American Whiskey" by Food & Wine Magazine.

Christian Brothers Amber Cream Liqueur
Christian Brothers Amber Cream offers a value-added package for Holiday 2003 with a 750 ml bottle of Amber Cream and two logoed rocks glasses to sip the rich, creamy Brandy Liqueur. The Christian Brothers Amber Cream Liqueur, a new entry in the Brandy Cream category, blends the #2 selling Brandy in the US with fresh, sweet cream producing a smoother, richer flavor than traditional cream liqueurs. The gift set package focuses on the distinctive colors of the well-known Christian Brothers brand and includes cocktail recipes for the "Brandy Butter Cream" and "Caribbean Mudslide." Highlighted by the familiar Christian Brothers crest on the front of the box, retailers can leverage the Christian Brothers name and attract new consumers to the cream liqueur category. The gift set for the Bronze metal winner at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition is a tremendous addition for the profitable holiday selling season and can be used with year-round Amber Cream POS.

Isle of Jura Single Malt Scotch Whisky
From the Isle of Jura comes a Single Malt unlike any other. On a remote island in the Scottish Hebrides, the Isle of Jura distillery defies its Island malt classification and produces a singular color, nose and taste unique to this Single Malt. Among Single Malt Scotches, Isle of Jura is in a category by itself.

For the holidays, Scotch Whisky connoisseurs can enjoy Isle of Jura Single Malt in the traditional serving manner. The Isle of Jura Gift Set includes an etched logoed lowball glass and water carafe with a 750 ml bottle of the Isle of Jura 10 year old Single Malt Scotch Whisky. The carafe enables Single Malt drinkers to enjoy their Scotch the traditional way - neat, with as much or as little water as they prefer. The exquisitely etched glassware bears the Isle of Jura silhouette and logo. The gift set graphics capture the ethereal feel of the Isle of Jura and copy describes the history of the distinctive Single Malt Scotch.

Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey
As a way to capture the remarkable growth of the Irish Whiskey category, Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey has produced an exclusive audio CD of ten Celtic folk songs named "Celtic Legacy" for holiday 2003. The music is packaged with a 750 ml bottle of Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey from Cooley Distillery in Ireland - the only independently owned Irish Distillery. The CD is made up of songs that enliven the true Irish experience that is Kilbeggan Irish Whiskey. It includes traditional Celtic songs such as, "Spancil Hill," "Liam O Raghallaigh," and "Ar Erinn." The carton includes Irish Whiskey cocktail recipes and the story of the Kilbeggan brand.

The Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey
The Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey combines the quality of a Single Malt with the growing popularity of Irish Whiskey. Retailers can capitalize on the renaissance of Irish Whiskey during this holiday season with Tyrconnell's holiday gift set. The distinctive green carton contains two Tyrconnell logoed tasting glasses and a 750 ml bottle of The Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey - the flagship brand from Ireland's own Cooley Distillery. On the outside of the box, the story of Tyrconnell, the legendary 100 to 1 shot who won the Queen Victoria Plate, is retold.

O'Mara's Irish Country Cream
From the heart of dairy country, O'Mara's Irish Country Cream, "the richest cream in all of Ireland", offers a gift set with a 1.5 L PET bottle (also available in 750 ml) of O'Mara's and two sturdy cut-glass logoed rocks glasses featuring the O'Mara's crest. The O'Mara's holiday gift set package is accentuated by a picturesque Irish landscape and includes a description of the quality craftsmanship that goes into each bottle of O'Mara's. O'Mara's Irish Country Cream is imported from Pat O'Mara and Co. in Abbeyleix, Ireland. The brand incorporates all qualities of the category leader at a more attractive price point. In fact, it received a Silver Medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition for its exceptional quality and lush flavor.

Copa de Oro Coffee Liqueur
Imported from Mexico, Copa De Oro Coffee Liqueur celebrates the 2003 holiday season with collectible Copa De Oro gift glasses in holiday gift sets. Each package contains a 750 ml bottle of Copa De Oro Coffee Liqueur and one of two collectible logoed gift glasses. The two collectible glasses are designed to resemble the art deco-like graphics adorning the gift box. Customer's can collect them both and have a set for holidays. Copa De Oro's unique rich flavor is derived from Arabica coffee beans and aromatic spices. Hot or cold, straight up or mixed, according to the recipes on the gift set, Copa De Oro's is a perfect fit for the holiday season.

Vandermint Dutch Chocolate Liqueur
A long time favorite for the holidays, Vandermint Dutch Chocolate Liqueur is a rich, creamy indulgence imported straight from Holland. The beautiful 750 ml white ceramic bottle of Vandermint is paired with a complementary white ceramic vase. The vase plays off of the sculpted tulip cap on Vandermint's bottle - a signature of Vandermint. The gift offering is packaged in the traditional Dutch delft colors of blue and white and is designed to reflect the exquisite taste and quality of Vandermint Dutch Chocolate Liqueur. The liqueur is a lush blend of rich Dutch cocoa and a hint of fresh mint. Served with a variety of foods and drink, Vandermint is best when celebrating the holiday season.

Harlequin Orange Liqueur
Harlequin is produced in France from a rich blend of the finest aged cognac and Mediterranean oranges renowned for their distinctive flavor. It makes an outstanding snifter drink, a terrific alternative to Triple Sec for top shelf margaritas, and an excellent ingredient in food recipes. Just in time for the holiday cooking and entertaining season, a new seasonal gift set includes a 750 ml bottle of Harlequin and a ceramic dessert cup adorned with the Harlequin logo. The cup is perfect for creating one of the signature Harlequin dessert recipes printed on the carton, such as "Harlequin Bread and Butter Pudding" or "Strawberries Romanov". The graphics of the gift set are sure to stand out on the shelf and provide a decorative, and valuable, inducement to consumers to purchase the brand.

Lazzaroni Amaretto
Consumers can have "Italy in a bottle" for the holidays this year with the first Amaretto ever created in Italy. Still produced and bottled according to the original recipe, Lazzaroni Amaretto is the product of Paolo and Davide Lazzaroni. The Lazzaroni's first produced their almond flavored liqueur in 1851 by infusing the famous Lazzaroni Amaretti di Saronno cookie in alcohol. The result is a sophisticated product with a rich Italian heritage, known as the "Authentic Amaretto from Saronno."

For the holidays, a 750 ml bottle of Lazzaroni Ameretto is packaged in a unique metal tin that reflects the brand's heritage and harkens back to the famous cookie tin, sold all over the world.

Founded in 1935, Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. is the nation's largest independent, family-owned marketer and producer of distilled spirits products. Aging in its facilities is the second largest holding of Kentucky whiskey in the world. Heaven Hill's diversified portfolio includes: the full line of The Christian Brothers Brandies; Evan Williams Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey; Hpnotiq Liqueur; Whaler's Rum; Burnett's Gin and Vodka; Dubonnet Aperitif; Scotch Whiskies; Irish Whiskeys; Canadian Whiskies; vodka; gins; rums; tequilas; cognacs; liqueurs; cordials; and dessert wines. Heaven Hill is based in Bardstown, Ky.