Smith takes over production leadership from industry veteran Steve Nally, marking a new chapter for the company behind Bardstown Bourbon Company and Green River Whiskey.
Lofted Spirits has named Nick Smith its new Master Distiller, placing him in charge of production across Bardstown Bourbon Company, Green River Whiskey, and Lofted Custom Spirits. The announcement also marks a milestone for Bardstown Bourbon Company, which has filled its one millionth barrel since beginning distillation in September 2016.
Smith’s responsibilities extend beyond a single distillery or whiskey brand. He will oversee distilling and warehouse operations across the company’s Bardstown and Green River facilities, which collectively produce more than 65 mash bills for Lofted Spirits and its contract partners.
From Startup to One Million Barrels
Smith joined Bardstown Bourbon Company in 2016, the same year the distillery began operations. A Bardstown native and University of Kentucky graduate, he previously worked at Jim Beam, gaining experience across multiple areas of whiskey production.
His experience spans fermentation, yeast experimentation, barrel management, blending, and the development of custom mash bills. That technical range is particularly relevant at Lofted Spirits, where contract distilling requires the ability to execute a wide variety of customer specifications while maintaining consistency across a large production operation.
Over the past decade, Smith has played a significant role in developing the distillery’s production capabilities, including its signature High Wheat bourbon, small-batch experiments, and custom distilling projects. His work has also extended beyond American whiskey, including the production of spirits such as rum for Lofted Custom Spirits clients.
His new position brings those responsibilities together under one production leader across Lofted Spirits’ three operations.
The transition comes as the company celebrates filling its millionth barrel at Bardstown Bourbon Company. Reaching that figure in roughly a decade underscores the scale of an operation that has grown well beyond its original startup ambitions.
For a distillery known for contract production alongside its own brands, that scale is particularly significant. Bardstown Bourbon Company has built its identity around technical flexibility and collaboration, serving both its own whiskey portfolio and outside clients.
“Over the past decade, Smith has played a significant role in developing the distillery’s production capabilities, including its signature High Wheat bourbon, small-batch experiments, and custom distilling projects.”
Steve Nally Takes on an Emeritus Role
Nally’s move is a changing of the guard rather than a complete departure. He will continue representing Lofted Spirits and Kentucky bourbon around the country alongside his wife, Donna Nally, who is also a member of the Kentucky Bourbon Hall of Fame.
Nally brings more than 50 years of experience in the spirits industry to the transition. His career includes a long tenure at Maker’s Mark, where he rose to Master Distiller, followed by work helping launch Wyoming Whiskey. He later returned to Kentucky as the first employee at Bardstown Bourbon Company.
Smith has spent the past decade working alongside Nally, learning from his experience while helping shape the distillery’s growth. That continuity should be an important part of the transition as Smith takes on broader responsibility.
Lofted Spirits CEO Mark Erwin pointed to Smith’s combination of operational experience and creative experimentation as key reasons for the appointment, while Nally expressed confidence in Smith’s ability to continue building on their work together.
Why This Matters
Leadership changes at a major whiskey producer can have implications well beyond a single distillery. Smith’s appointment covers three distinct parts of Lofted Spirits’ business: Bardstown Bourbon Company, Green River Whiskey, and Lofted Custom Spirits.
That makes this more than a title change at Bardstown. Smith will oversee production across a portfolio that includes established brands and contract distilling for other businesses, with decisions that can influence everything from production priorities to future whiskey development.
The millionth-barrel milestone also offers a useful measure of how much the operation has grown since 2016. As the American whiskey industry continues to evolve, the ability to manage production at that scale while maintaining quality and flexibility will remain an important challenge.
The announcement doesn’t spell out any immediate changes to individual brands or their whiskey. For now, the clearest takeaway is that Lofted Spirits is placing production leadership in the hands of someone who has been part of the operation since its earliest days.
Bourbon Bishop Bottom Line:
Smith’s promotion makes sense given the role he’s played in building Bardstown Bourbon Company over the past decade. He’s worked alongside Nally, helped develop the distillery’s whiskey portfolio, and gained experience across an operation that now produces more than 65 mash bills. That’s a substantial amount of technical and operational responsibility, and it gives Lofted Spirits continuity as Nally steps back from the Master Distiller role.
The millionth-barrel milestone is worth paying attention to, too. Bardstown Bourbon Company has become a significant player in American whiskey production in a relatively short period, and the next chapter will depend on how well the company balances that scale with the flexibility and experimentation that helped distinguish it in the first place.
Nally leaves behind a substantial legacy, and Smith has big shoes to fill. The real test will be what comes next: how the whiskey evolves, how the brands continue to develop, and whether Lofted Spirits can maintain the trust of the partners and drinkers who have helped it grow.
I’ll be watching to see how that next chapter unfolds.
About Bardstown Bourbon Company
Bardstown Bourbon Company is a Kentucky-based whiskey producer known for its collaborative approach to blending, finishing, and innovation. Founded in 2014, the company has become recognized for producing its own Kentucky bourbon while also partnering with distilleries across the country to create unique whiskey expressions.
Through its Origin Series, Discovery Series, Collaborative Series, and experimental finishing projects, Bardstown Bourbon Company has built a reputation for exploring new approaches while respecting traditional whiskey-making techniques.
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