Archdiocese partners with Log Still Distillery for new bourbon celebrating regional Catholic heritage
A new bourbon and whiskey blend has been launched as part of a collaboration between Log Still Distillery and the Archdiocese of Louisville. The release, called Bishop’s Blend, is the second in the Faithfully Crafted series and aims to celebrate the Catholic heritage shared by Kentucky and Tennessee.
The 90-proof Bishop’s Blend combines Kentucky wheated bourbon with Tennessee whiskey. According to J.W. “Wally” Dant, founder and president of Log Still Distillery in Gethsemane, Kentucky, “We call this the Bishop’s Blend, and the reason we did that was that the archbishop watches over the Tennessee bishops. Bishop (J. Mark) Spalding of Nashville is from here; the Bishop of Knoxville Mark Beckman used to be my pastor in Tennessee,” Dant said. “There’s these connections.”
Log Still Distillery is located in what many area Catholics refer to as the Kentucky Holy Land—a region settled by Catholics seeking religious freedom in the late 1700s.
Dant explained that his family history ties into both states, having lived in several places due to his father’s work but returning to roots in central Kentucky. He added that many distiller families migrated from Maryland to this area: “Many of the distiller families migrated to this part of the world — the Kentucky Holy Land from Maryland,” he noted. The Faithfully Crafted series is “one way to honor our collective heritage and create something that hasn’t been done before, in such a way that is mindful of our faith and reach a broader audience with what we can do with our gifts and talents.”
Dant also shared a personal motivation behind the project: “For me, it was also to honor my dad, who was a priest in the archdiocese.” His father, Father John Wallace “Wally” Dant, served as an ordained deacon for about six months before being ordained a priest after his wife passed away.
A portion of proceeds from Faithfully Crafted goes to support charitable efforts selected by the Archdiocese of Louisville. Dant stated: “and we feel fortunate to be able to do that.” However, he emphasized another goal for this initiative: evangelization through conversation. “We know that sharing a bourbon amongst friends can open a conversation,” he said. “That’s really what evangelization is all about. We can say, ‘Go to church,’ but at the end of the day… when we’re asked to evangelize, and we can do that over a glass of bourbon and share our faith journey, this allows us to open up a little bit.”
“I’m proud we can give back financially, but I think the more important aspect is living your faith and delivering the message that God is a loving God. It’s a different way of looking at it,” Dant added.
He continued: “We’re all put on earth to really help our fellow neighbors get to heaven — that’s the end goal,” said Dant. “When we can take our talents — whether it’s making bourbon, growing corn in the field or working for the archdiocese — we’re put here to do God’s work here on earth.”
The first spirit in this series was Trinity Blend, released in December 2024 with 5,000 bottles produced; it has since sold out. One bottle was delivered by Bethlehem High School students from Bardstown directly to Pope Leo XIV during an audience at Paul VI Hall on January 14th.
About 10,000 bottles of Bishop’s Blend will be made available initially in Kentucky before expanding sales into Tennessee.
Log Still provided tasting notes describing Bishop’s Blend as opening “with warm caramel and toasted oak,” followed by flavors including vanilla bean and honeyed grain on the nose; its palate includes butterscotch and baked Dutch apple among other notes; while its finish features charred oak and light cinnamon warmth.
“Faithfully Crafted: Bishop’s Blend” retails for $54.99 at Log Still Distillery locations in Gethsemane or downtown Louisville.
The Archdiocese of Louisville promotes Catholic spiritual development through ministries serving central Kentucky communities (official website). It operates under guidance from its Archbishop alongside consultative bodies like its College of Consultors (official website). The archdiocese maintains archives preserving institutional history (official website), aligns itself as an ecclesiastical territory within Roman Catholicism (official website), provides sacramental services across multiple parishes (official website), seeks community outreach initiatives (official website), spreads Gospel values through worship and service (official website).
