FOR RELEASE: March 26, 2004

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Nation's Largest Independent Family Owned Spirits Producer Enjoys Best Ever Showing At America's Foremost Spirit Tasting

BARDSTOWN, KY--Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc., the country's largest independent family-owned spirits supplier, turned in its best showing yet at the 4th annual San Francisco World Spirits Competition.  In garnering six Gold Medals, four Silver Medals and three Bronze Medals, Heaven Hill received the greatest single showing of critical acclaim ever for its ever-growing portfolio of brands, and trumped some much larger competition.

     In competitive panels held March 13 and 14, which featured some of the industry's greatest luminaries as judges (Anthony Dias-Blue as Executive Director, F. Paul Pacult as Director of Judging, Dale DeGroff, Doug Frost, and Richard Carleton Hacker, among others), Heaven Hill captured gold with six different brands in four different spirits categories. The Bardstown-based spirits supplier took three Gold Medals in the Bourbon categories alone for Elijah Craig 12 Year Old Small Batch Bourbon, Elijah Craig 18 Year Old Single Barrel Bourbon, and flagship brand Evan Williams Bourbon, the nation's second largest selling Bourbon brand.  Heaven Hill also struck Gold with Burnett's Raspberry Flavored Vodka, Whaler's Vanille Rum, and Isle of Jura Superstition Single Malt Scotch Whisky.  In addition, the company won Silver Medals for Dubonnet Aperitif and Tyrconnell Single Malt Irish Whiskey, among others, as well as three Bronze Medals.

     "This showing represents by far the single greatest recognition for our brands produced here in the United States and imported from our international partners abroad," noted Heaven Hill president Max L. Shapira.  "We feel truly proud and humbled that these brands, which have performed so well from a sales standpoint, are now being recognized by such a credible panel of judges as some of the finest in the world."

     The San Francisco World Spirits Competition is the first comprehensive, international spirits judging ever held in the United States on an annual basis.    The judging for the third annual competition was held at The Mandarin Oriental Hotel in San Francisco.  The panel consisted of experienced spirits nosers and tasters of international stature.  Spirits entries were evaluated within a peer group of similar spirits, and awards were made on a merit basis, meaning the judges did not grant awards when, in their opinion, no spirits were worthy of an award. 

     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.  For additional information, visit www.heaven-hill.com.
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CONTACT:

Larry Kass

Director of Corporate Communications

Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc.

(502)348-3921

lkass@heaven-hill.com

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