Brent Goodin
Boundary Oak Distillery sits perched among the fertile farmland and limestone knobs of Radcliff, Kentucky. It is on a pedigree property that is enriched by history, flowing springs, and a grand old boundary oak. This oak marks the edge of the Goodin family’s expansive farm, whose story weaves together family tradition, American heritage, and the quiet ambition of its founder. Brent Goodin, owner and Master Distiller, was inspired to name his distillery after that very tree.
Brent’s extended family has been part of Kentucky’s bourbon story for decades. One of his ancestors, Samuel Goodin, laid down early roots at the settlement of Old Boston, in what is now Bardstown, in 1781. Several later generations of Goodins, including Brent’s grandmother and uncle, have since worked in the bourbon industry, cementing their legacy in the state's predominant craft. So in October of 2013, after years of planning, permit filings, and nearly a million dollars in startup investments, Brent officially revived distilling in Hardin County, the first in that region since Prohibition. His vision: small-batch bourbon made at the foot of that towering oak, using limestone spring water right from the farm.
Boundary Oak, like most of the distilleries in Kentucky, is a true family operation. Now 63, Brent is a father deeply involved in his craft. He and his sons entered the bourbon business as a shared vision. With his sons working alongside him, he has now transformed that long-held dream into reality. Middle son Sam Goodin, 29, is the head distiller of Boundary Oak and is responsible for the production of more than 700 barrels of distilled spirits annually. His father says Sam is likely the youngest person in that role in the bourbon industry; Youngest son Thomas “Tom” Goodin, 26, is responsible for other manufacturing and business responsibilities, including the distribution and bottling operation, while the oldest Goodin son, Miles, departed Boundary Oak for an opportunity with Jim Beam in 2018. The boys’ mother has supported the family’s efforts from behind the scenes. Though her name has not been made public, friends describe her as having been an essential part of the family’s day-to-day operation during Boundary Oak’s early years. Together, she and Brent have instilled in their sons the same love for Kentucky heritage that now flows through each barrel produced on the farm. Brent’s parents are also credited with teaching him the values of hard work and tradition that underpin his distilling philosophy. Brothers and extended relatives still live nearby in Radcliff, forming a close-knit family circle that stays connected through both family gatherings and the rhythms of distillery life. “We have expanded so quickly, it became apparent it’s hard for me to stay here and distill. I have to go out and do other things,” Goodin said. “So the two boys are taking care of the operations that normally I would have been a part of.”
The range of the spirits produced at Boundary Oak stretches from cinnamon-infused “Cinnful 69” to high-proof moonshines. But Brent’s enthusiasm for American history is embodied in his two flagship brands, named for Kentucky icons Abraham Lincoln and General George S. Patton.
Naming its flagship whiskey, Lincoln Straight Bourbon, was a natural fit for Boundary Oak: After all, Lincoln was a son of Bluegrass born in Hodgenville. The resulting spirit is a single-barrel, cask-strength bourbon. An interesting fact about this whiskey is that a bottle of Lincoln once sold for a staggering $25,550 at auction. The donated bottle was part of a commemorative set that included a piece of the historic Boundary Oak tree from Abraham Lincoln's birthplace, a copy of Lincoln's 1833 liquor license, and an uncirculated Kentucky penny from 2009. The set was sold to Jo-Ann Bland Myers, a descendant of Abraham Lincoln; the items’ sale benefited the Lincoln Museum.
Boundary Oak’s other flagship label is Patton “Armored Diesel” Whiskey, a bold moonshine that pays tribute to the legendary WWII general. This potent spirit was resurrected as a throwback to old-school hooch, “rugged enough to earn Patton’s approval”. In further homage to America’s fighting soldiers, Goodin has also released a bourbon named “Blackhorse 1901” in cooperation with the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, known by the nickname “Blackhorse”. Then, in 2022, the distillery had a very successful release of “82nd Airborne,” a bourbon which carries the name and insignia of the U.S. Army’s 82nd Airborne Division, a unit that is renowned for its parachute assault operations. Based at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the 82nd was established in 1917 and saw action in both World Wars, including the Normandy Invasion and the Battle of the Bulge.
Ten years into the Goodin family's dream of starting a distillery, the business announced a $4 million expansion of its operation at Boundary Oak Distillery. In addition to increasing its spirit production capability to as much as 1,000 barrels per year, Boundary Oak Distillery has built an enlarged, mechanized bottling operation and a new rick house where the barrels are stored as the bourbon ages. The expansion also nearly doubled employment at the distillery and included an elaborate, expanded bar that is a centerpiece of the distillery’s tourist center. The expansion to the distillery is part of the Goodin family’s private investment.“We have no investors. We have no borrowed money. We have no money from the state, no matching funds,” Brent proudly remarked. “This was all done in-house,” He believes Boundary Oak is unique amongst craft distillers in that its development has all come without any outside investors and has been financed only through the proceeds of the business.
Boundary Oak’s facility is much more than a whiskey production site; it’s a destination steeped in nature and history. Limestone springs, once serving an 1800s schoolhouse, now fuel the distillation of spirits. Tours and tastings are open daily, drawing visitors into the craft and character of Kentucky distilling. Visitors can walk the grounds where generations of Goodins have lived, worked, and now distilled, giving Boundary Oak an unmistakable sense of place. More than just a business, Brent Goodin’s distillery is a living tribute to his family's Kentucky roots and his own quiet determination to preserve tradition for future generations. Among Hardin County’s lush limestone knolls, Brent has truly created more than a distillery; he has crafted an enduring testament to family, history, and whiskey.
The Bourbon Road magazine, “Two American Legends…”, September 2019
Boundary Oak Distillery website, boundaryoakdistillery.com
DistilleryTrail, “Tales from the Trail”, www.distillerytrail.com
Contributed by: Tracy McLemore, Fairview, Tennessee
