From Afghanistan to the Bluegrass: Horse Soldier Bourbon's $200 Million Homecoming in Somerset, Kentucky
On July 1, 2026 — three days before America's 250th birthday — a distillery unlike any other in the country swung open its doors in Somerset, Kentucky. Governor Andy Beshear joined local officials and leadership from Horse Soldier Bourbon to celebrate the grand opening of the company's new $200 million distillery and full-scale bourbon tourism attraction in Pulaski County, adding another signature project to Kentucky's growing bourbon and tourism industries. The occasion was more than a ribbon-cutting. It was the culmination of a journey that began on horseback in the mountains of Afghanistan more than two decades ago — a story of war, brotherhood, and an unlikely second mission that ended not in a battle, but in a barrel house overlooking Lake Cumberland.
The Mission That Started It All
To understand Horse Soldier Bourbon, you have to go back to October 2001 — back to one of the most audacious military operations in modern American history. Days after 9/11, while many Americans were watching the news in a state of shock and horror, a team of 12 Green Berets took action. They covertly entered Afghanistan and began to wage war against the Taliban on horseback. It wasn't until 48 hours before their insertion that the men were informed they would have to traverse the steep and treacherous landscape of Afghanistan on horses. It was the first of many aspects of this mission, code-named Task Force Dagger, that they would have to figure out as they went along.
A dozen Green Berets were deployed to Afghanistan on Operation Detachment Alpha 595, a three-week counterterrorism mission unexpectedly conducted on horseback — the team hadn't received any prior equestrian training. The 12 horses were a gift from the warlord General Dostum, an existing adversary of the Taliban with whom the Green Berets joined forces in the Hindu Kush mountains. What followed was the stuff of legend. Despite being often cut off from communications with command headquarters and outnumbered forty to one, these men fought in a series of intense battles side-by-side with militia allies and successfully captured the city of Mazar-i-Sharif from the Taliban, a strategic stronghold.
Dubbed the "Horse Soldiers," their bravery and exploits were retold in the Hollywood blockbuster "12 Strong," the CNN documentary "Legion of Brothers," and memorialized by America's Response Monument located at Ground Zero in New York City. That monument — a bronze casting of a soldier astride a horse — became the spiritual anchor for everything the brand would later become.
The Specific Kentucky Connection
What makes the Somerset opening so resonant is the geographic poetry running through it. On Sept. 11, 2001, the Horse Soldier team was training on the Cumberland River when the call came to defend the nation in its darkest hour. That means these men were already in southern Kentucky — already on the banks of the water that now laps below their new distillery — when history changed. Coming home to build on those same grounds carries a weight that no marketing department could manufacture.
Many of the team at Horse Soldier Bourbon are from the Bluegrass state, and naturally, their call to arms was sounded during a training mission on the Cumberland River after the first World Trade Center tower was hit. For Scott Neil, the brand's president, that connection sealed the deal on Kentucky as the brand's permanent address. "It's everything," Neil said. "So when you think about the name — horse and soldier and bourbon — they all exist here in Kentucky, and so do we."
From Yellowstone to the Still House: How the Brand Was Born
The road from the battlefield to the barrel house was not a straight one. After transitioning to civilian life, Horse Soldiers Scott Neil, Rob Schaefer, Mark Nutsch, Bob Pennington, Tyler Garner, and John Koko, along with Elizabeth Pritchard-Koko, channeled that Green Beret spirit and dedication into their new venture. They just had to figure out what it was going to be.
Beginning in 2015, the team initially traveled to Yellowstone on a journey to discover their next chapters in life. That adventure led them to their first distillery tour, sparking a passion that has since taken them across the globe seeking the best and brightest of the distilling world. They trained with some of the best distillers in Kentucky, Ireland, and Scotland. Those lessons were brought home to improve their distilling process and the selection of key ingredients. It was an education conducted with the same intensity these men had applied to every other endeavor in their careers — total commitment, no shortcuts.
While they initially feared their military background didn't prepare them for running a business, they couldn't have been more wrong. As Neil told U.S. Veteran Magazine, "I found it was the same as my prior service — culture, responsibility, work ethic — all are skills transferable to the next life of being an entrepreneur." Nearly 20 years after Task Force Dagger's success, retired Special Operators Scott Neil, Rob Schaefer, Mark Nutsch, Bob Pennington, Tyler Garner and John Koko, along with Elizabeth Pritchard-Koko, found a new mission: they founded American Freedom Distillery.
The Bottle That Carries History
Every detail of Horse Soldier's packaging was designed with intention. The bottle is designed with a cutout of a mounted soldier modeled after America's Response Monument, a bronze statue in New York City's Liberty Park positioned to watch over Ground Zero. The New York Port Authority salvaged one of the steel I-beams from the wreckage of the World Trade Center, gifted it to the troops attending the monument's dedication, and Horse Soldier Bourbon reforged the beam into its bottle mold — ensuring every bottle of bourbon is touched by the steel. That detail alone sets Horse Soldier apart from every other veteran-owned brand on the shelf. The bottle has broad shoulders like the men who carried the burden in America's darkest days. The hatchet and arrow are symbols of the Green Berets and Army Rangers.
What's Actually Being Built in Somerset
The Horse Soldier Farms complex is not a modest operation. The distillery operation includes a 50,000-square-foot distillery visitor center, along with The Outpost retail center. But the full scope of what's been constructed goes considerably further. Horse Soldier Bourbon built its world-class distillery experience in Somerset-Pulaski County on the grounds of the former Waitsboro Hills Golf Course — a 227-acre expanse overlooking Lake Cumberland. The transformation of that shuttered golf course into a flagship bourbon destination represents a particular kind of American reinvention — turning fallow land into something that will anchor the region's economy for generations.
The facility includes a distillery visitor center, an activity center, a 5,000-capacity amphitheater, a 500-person outdoor event space, an adventure center, a wedding chapel, a 60-key luxury lodge, 20 cabins, and a retail village. The property was deliberately designed to be more than a place to sample bourbon — it's a full destination resort rooted in American history and outdoor recreation. A recessed water feature and stillhouse pay homage to the Two Towers in New York City. And the water garden includes a replica of the America's Response Monument located at Ground Zero, a statue that commemorates the Horse Soldiers' mission. Visitors who make the drive to Somerset won't just taste whiskey — they'll walk through a physical tribute to the men who made it.
The Grand Opening Weekend
From the opening gates to the fireworks finale on Independence Day, the weekend was intended to showcase what Horse Soldier Farms will become: a year-round gathering place where bourbon, storytelling, music, and American heritage come together in one experience. The timing could not have been more deliberate. Horse Soldier Farms officially opened its gates this Fourth of July weekend with a two-day celebration bringing together country music, PBR (Professional Bull Riders), award-winning Horse Soldier Bourbon, fireworks, and a large-scale tribute to American tradition across the rolling hills of southern Kentucky. Opening during the nation's 250th birthday celebration was not an accident — it was the plan from the very beginning, a point of pride the founders had publicly committed to for years.
The distillery also marked the occasion with a special new release. The distillery is releasing a 1776 Liberty bottle — a 13-year-old bourbon with glass sourced from France. "So a lot of emotions in this bottle, and we are happy to have it in our facility," said Scott Neil, president of Horse Soldier Bourbon. A 13-year-old whiskey released on America's 250th birthday, bottled in French glass, launched by Green Berets — there aren't many products in the bourbon market carrying that level of symbolic weight per ounce.
The Economic Case for Somerset
The opening of Horse Soldier Farms is not just a cultural moment for Pulaski County — it's a calculated economic catalyst. Horse Soldier Farms is now home to Horse Soldier Bourbon, a 100,000-square-foot facility expected to bring as many as 50 jobs to the area and have a $100 million economic impact on the Lake Cumberland region. For a community of Somerset's size, those numbers are transformational.
Chris Girdler, CEO of the Somerset-Pulaski Economic Development Authority, noted that the city is already the self-proclaimed capital of Lake Cumberland. "With our already built-in visitation level of four million visitors a year coming to Lake Cumberland, them being the southern anchor of the Bourbon Trail, we really believe the sky is the limit right now," Girdler said. The distillery will complement Lake Cumberland as the premier, off-the-water attraction in Somerset, bringing new jobs, bourbon and tourism dollars to the region. Currently, the community's tourism attractions welcome millions of visitors each year, generating over $152 million in economic impact in 2025.
The state of Kentucky backed this project with real money. Upon the recommendation of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet, Horse Soldier Farms LLC received approval from the Kentucky Tourism Development Finance Authority for incentives totaling over $29.9 million for the new distillery project. Through the Tourism Development Act, eligible Kentucky businesses can receive an annual reimbursement for taxes paid on qualifying tourism development projects. That investment from Frankfort signals how seriously state leaders view this project — not as a local novelty, but as a genuine driver of statewide bourbon tourism.
How Somerset Got Horse Soldier in the First Place
The story of how this deal came together is itself worth telling. Somerset Mayor Alan Keck made bringing a bourbon experience to the community one of his top priorities upon being elected in 2018. After hearing a podcast featuring members of the Horse Soldier Bourbon team, he was inspired by their story and began recruitment efforts in partnership with the Somerset-Pulaski Economic Development Authority. In just one short year with several visits between the two teams, Horse Soldier announced it would build a distillery in Somerset. A mayor, a podcast, and a lot of legwork — that's how one of the most significant bourbon investments in recent Kentucky history came to a small city that most of the industry had overlooked.
Mayor Keck later described that pivotal moment when the decision was finally confirmed. "One of the most special moments in my time as mayor will always be sitting across the table with John and Elizabeth Koko in New York City as they shared that their team had chosen Somerset as the home of Horse Soldier Farms distillery. In the months leading up to that decision, as we got to know one another and talked about our vision for the future, I realized this wasn't simply a business looking for a place to invest. It was a group of people who believed in many of the same things we do – faith, family, service, patriotism and creating opportunities for future generations."
What the Kentucky Bourbon Industry Makes of It
The Kentucky Distillers' Association, which oversees the world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail, welcomed the opening with notable enthusiasm. Eric Gregory, president of the Kentucky Distillers' Association, said: "As we celebrate the 250th anniversary of our nation's birth, we also raise a glass to the Horse Soldier heroes of America and toast their entire team who built this shining new producer of Kentucky's signature spirit. The KDA proudly welcomes them to Kentucky – the one true, authentic home of America's only native spirit – and looks forward to adding them to the KDA's world-famous Kentucky Bourbon Trail tour."
Adding Horse Soldier Farms to the Bourbon Trail is significant for Somerset specifically. While Kentucky's bourbon industry is typically centered in Louisville and Bardstown, the team saw something special in this small town community. The Trail has long been concentrated in the northern and central parts of the state. Horse Soldier's arrival pushes that geography southward, giving travelers a reason to extend their bourbon itinerary into lake country — and giving Somerset a calling card it has never had before. The $200 million project will make the community a southern anchor of the Bourbon Trail tour.
Pulaski County Judge/Executive Marshall Todd captured the timing well. "The grand opening of Horse Soldier Farms during our nation's Independence Day celebration, and locally Lake Cumberland 250, is more than the opening of a world-class distillery — it's the beginning of a new chapter for Pulaski County. As a veteran-owned business built on service, sacrifice and the American spirit, Horse Soldier Farms is a perfect fit for our community."
The Bourbon Itself: Awards, Expressions, and the New Liberty Release
Behind all the ceremony and symbolism, the liquid in the bottle has to hold up — and Horse Soldier's track record suggests it does. From grain to glass, Horse Soldier Bourbon Whiskey is handmade with all-natural ingredients, bottled in the heartland of America, and aged to perfection, recognized with the highest honors at world spirits competitions, including three double gold wins in the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition.
The brand offers three permanent expressions: Straight Bourbon Whiskey ($49.99), Small Batch Bourbon Whiskey ($69.99), and Barrel Strength Bourbon Whiskey ($79.99), all of which achieved Double Gold Medals at the 2022 San Francisco World Spirits Competition. The Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made in small batches of four-year aged bourbon, clocking in at 87-proof with sweetcorn and caramel top notes and a spiced rye finish. The Small Batch Straight Bourbon Whiskey is vanilla-forward with ginger, cherries, baking spices, and a smooth finish.
The grand opening also signaled a new chapter for the brand's aged whiskey program. The Liberty Edition arrives at a pivotal moment for Horse Soldier Bourbon as the company continues developing Horse Soldier Farms, its long-term Kentucky home in Somerset. The state-of-the-art production facility and visitor destination is designed and built to support long-aged whiskey programs and a best-in-class hospitality experience. With a 13-year-old expression already in hand, the Somerset facility positions the brand to compete in the ultra-premium aged bourbon market — a segment where patient, long-term thinking is rewarded, much like the military careers of the men who built this company.
A Veteran-Led Company With a Larger Mission
The brand has never tried to hide the fact that its story is its differentiator — but it has worked equally hard to ensure the bourbon itself can stand alone. Horse Soldier continues to hire other veterans for the bourbon's promotion, production, and distribution, and the company also started the Veterans Artisan Distillers Guide, a 501(C)(6) membership-based nonprofit to partner with and create a community with other veteran-owned distilleries in America. That organizational commitment to the broader veteran distilling community separates Horse Soldier from brands that merely use military imagery as a marketing tool.
Beyond construction, the company is prioritizing local hiring, particularly for veterans. "We've already connected with Kentucky's veteran placement program," Neil said. For a region that has historically struggled to retain young workers and attract manufacturing, an employer that specifically targets veterans — a disciplined, proven workforce — is a meaningful addition to the local labor market.
John Koko, the company's president and CEO, put the full weight of the moment into words at the grand opening. "In many ways, this feels like coming home," said Koko. "Our journey began in Kentucky at Fort Campbell. Twenty-five years after 9/11, we've returned to build something we hope will endure for generations. Kentucky gave us a quiet place to build – not just a distillery, but a legacy. As citizen-soldiers, we were citizens first, and we remain citizens today. We believe our greatest contribution now is to build: a company, opportunities for others and a brand worthy of Kentucky's bourbon heritage. As America celebrates its 250th year, we're honored to add a small chapter to Kentucky's extraordinary story."
What This Means for the Broader Bourbon Landscape
Horse Soldier Farms arrives at a moment when the bourbon industry is simultaneously booming in consumer demand and searching for authentic stories that cut through a crowded market. Destination distilleries have become one of the industry's most reliable growth levers — but few new entrants can claim a location, a narrative, and a product portfolio that all reinforce each other as convincingly as this one does.
Horse Soldier Farms was created as a premier destination distillery where American history, craftsmanship, and hospitality intersect. The property features a state-of-the-art production facility, barrel aging program, guided distillery experiences, tasting opportunities, and event spaces designed to welcome visitors year-round. Rolling hills, ponds, open-air gathering spaces, and immersive guest experiences throughout the property were designed to create a destination reflective of both Kentucky bourbon culture and the story behind American Freedom Distillery.
The investment is also a signal to other veteran entrepreneurs and to the spirits industry more broadly. "This is America, and you should live the American dream you've been defending," Neil said. "You have to reach out for opportunities, and any veteran has the chance to excel. We're just one example of what small business success looks like in this country." Coming from a man who rode into a Taliban-controlled mountain range on horseback with no equestrian training, that advice carries more than the usual weight.
Co-founder Mark Nutsch, who led ODA 595 on that original mission and has since become one of the brand's most visible ambassadors, framed the distillery's opening in terms of the company's ongoing purpose. "And inspire people to live legendary — and they can overcome challenges in their life and get on to accomplish their dreams and objectives," Nutsch said. That message — delivered against the backdrop of Lake Cumberland, fireworks, professional bull riding, and a glass of 13-year-old Kentucky bourbon — is exactly what Horse Soldier Farms was built to carry.
For the American bourbon enthusiast, Somerset is now officially on the map. The Kentucky Bourbon Trail has a new southern anchor, and it's one that was built by men who understand better than most what it means to go all in on a mission with no guarantee of success. Horse Soldier Farms is open. The barrels are filling. And if the founders' track record is any indication, the best of what comes out of this place is still years away from being poured.
