For over 200 years, Buffalo Trace Distillery has been defined by a dedication to one craft: making fine bourbon whiskey. By honoring tradition and embracing change, the Distillery has earned its place of leadership among the legendary spirit makers of the world. The company claims the distillery to be the oldest continuously operating distillery in the United States. Records indicate that distilling started on the site that is now the Buffalo Trace Distillery in 1775 by Hancock Lee and his brother Willis Lee who died in 1776. The first distillery was constructed in 1812 by Harrison Blanton. Among the brands produced here besides Buffalo Trace are the legendary Pappy Van Winkle and Blanton's Bourbon.