Labrot & Graham Distillery

When Brown-Forman Corporation began master planning work for the Labrot & Graham / Woodford Reserve Distillery near Lexington, Kentucky, the site had been abandoned for over thirty years. Today this 42-acre site is not only the producer of the world's most celebrated super-premium bourbon, but it is also a National Historic Landmark visited annually by over 60,000 guests.

Master Plan work included the adaptation of a dozen historic buildings and incorporated a new museum, visitor's center and a gourmet café. Tours are held daily and there is a full program of well-attended special seasonal events. Site improvements to the property included full road and parking layout for buses, autos and the shuttle system. Other components of the project included all pedestrian circulation, site lighting, landscaping, thousands of lineal feet of new stone walls and horse fencing, and extensive incorporation of local art.

The project received Design Awards from the Boston Society of Landscape Architects and the Kentucky Society of Landscape Architects, as well as an Award from the Kentucky Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. JP Shadley was a Principal at CRJA when he led the Master Planning effort, and has continued to provide site planning and design services with Shadley Associates. Recently completed projects include a new dining terrace, extensive construction of new stone walls, three parking expansion projects, and additional plantings on the property.  Upcoming work includes a new look at the Master Plan to accommodate new program elements to respond to an evolving cultural heritage tourism industry.