Divine Intervention

Faith and Family Guide the Development of Dant Crossing

Written by Bridget Williams / Photography courtesy of Dant Crossing

"If you build it, they will come," so the misquoted line from Field of Dreams goes. And, if the building relates to bourbon, chances are good they'll come in droves. According to the Kentucky Distillers Association, bourbon is an $8.6 billion signature industry in Kentucky, generating more than 20,000 jobs. Wally Dant, along with his cousins Lynne and Charles, are creating their own field of dreams on 300-plus rural acres in New Haven, just down the road from the Abbey of Gethsemane.

According to family lore, in the early 1800s, when he was just 16, Wally's great-great-great-grandfather, Joseph Washington "J.W." Dant, hollowed out a poplar log and engineered a makeshift still. He grew his own grain, established cooperage, and eventually opened a modern distillery in 1870 before it was shuttered due to Prohibition and reopened in 1933. As ownership of the distilleries changed, the family lost the J.W. Dant Brand and their involvement in the industry, with production ceasing at this site in 1962 and moving to the Bernheim facility in Louisville. Today, the J.W. Dant Brand is owned by another nearby distillery and has no connection to the brand.

When Wally acquired the property from the J.W. Nalley family in 2019, the ruins and remnants of his family's history were still prominent: a 1930s era water tower, a dilapidated cistern room (where barrels of bourbon were filled), a former bottling house, the foundations of old fermenting tanks, and his grandfather’s 1930sera home. He publicly announced his ambitious plans for the site in 2019 during a National Bourbon Day celebration in Bardstown, Kentucky. Soon after, Dant Crossing was lauded as "a whiskey resort" by the New York Times and the neighboring Log Still Distillery described as the "Disneyland of distilleries" in The Tennessean.

Exterior of The Homestead

Wally says he's excited to shine a spotlight and bring jobs to southern Nelson County, which at one time had 11 distilleries. An installation on the second floor of the Tasting Room shares the site's history, while an inscription on the wall lays out the family's priorities: "To us, it's all about love of God, family, community, and bourbon". "There are so many family members involved in this, which means that as a visitor, you're not just a number coming through; the one leading your tasting will likely be a family member," said Wally.

The lakefront Poplar Cottage

Wally's family-friendly vision has quickly taken shape since construction began in 2020. Looking better-than-new, the original virgin steel water tower presides over the heart of Dant Crossing. Wally said that a teardown would have been more economical, but it was paramount to retain this prominent piece of the property's legacy. Charles Dant, who serves as Vice President of Operations, grew up near the distillery grounds and fondly remembers climbing the water tower.

Priority was also placed on obtaining the distillery's original Distilled Spirits Plant Number (DSP), a Federal Government system created around the same time as bonded warehouses. At present, Log Still offers Kentucky straight, wheated bourbon, rye whiskey, dry gin, and barrel finished gin under the Monk's Road label (a nod to the road that leads to the distillery), and Rattle & Snap, a 103-proof Tennessee straight whiskey scheduled for release later this year. High rye bourbon and rye whiskey are expected to be available in 2024/

Interior of The Tasting Room

Fifth-generation distiller Lynne Dant, a Jill-of-all-trades with an MBA and a chemical engineering and marketing background, is Chief Operating Officer. Lynne applies her engineering expertise, information gleaned from old family journals containing recipes for her great-grandfather's high rye mash bills (some tried and tested, others awaiting experimentation), and access to the same limestone spring water to guide the distilling process. Lynne anticipates producing around 20,000 barrels a year when they are at peak production.

The Mansion

The distillery and Tasting Room have plenty of company on the campus' rolling bucolic acreage. "Lots of distillers are landlocked," explained Wally. "Here, we can think about everything we want to do and unlock the potential in an area that needs it." Though contemporary in its design, Wally pointed out that the bowed ceiling in the Tasting Room was inspired by the Quonset huts that housed the distillery's bottling line in the 1950s. Opened in 2021 with a sold-out performance by Little Big Town, The Amp is a 2,000-seat outdoor amphitheater. "It allows me to bring a little slice of the Nashville music scene to Kentucky," said Wally. Overnight accommodations cozying up to a stocked, spring-fed 12-acre lake ringed with a walking path include the Homestead Bed & Breakfast. This 1890s home once served as a retreat for the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. Nearby are the newly renovated standalone Poplar Cottage suites.

Guest room in The Mansion

The Mansion is a short distance from the water tower plaza and next to The Legacy, a 20,000 square-foot wedding, events, and conference venue with a chapel. This Federal-style guest house benefitted from a no-expense-spared renovation led by Amy D. Designs and Lyddane CAD Works out of Bardstown.

An alfresco dining area on the second floor of The Mansion

Recently appointed as executive chef and food and beverage director for Dant Crossing, encompassing The Legacy, lodging, and the soon-to-open 47 & Poplar, a 200-seat farm-to-table restaurant, is world-renowned chef and author David Danielson, most recently serving as the executive chef for Churchill Downs Racetrack and Levy Restaurants. "While we often talk about bourbon as America's native spirit, one of the things that drew me to Dant Crossing was also looking at the heritage of the cuisine of the region and how the two really go together, telling the history of bourbon country and our commitment to creating one-of-a-kind experiences for our guests," Danielson said.

Still in the works are four rickhouses, a five-acre plot of wildflowers to serve as a bee habitat, a fully functional private train depot connected to the Kentucky Railway Museum, and additional unique lodging options, including a retrofitted train car and Wally's grandfather's home, which is being lovingly renovated for use as a five-bedroom bed-and-breakfast.

Kitchen in The Mansion

As someone with extensive experience in building businesses from the ground up, Wally understands that a project of this magnitude requires collaboration and is quick to give credit where it's due. "The State has done an exceptional job supporting the industry, and the advocacy of the Kentucky Distiller's Association allows this kind of property to take shape," he said. More than just another business endeavor, Wally views Dant Crossing as his legacy. In reviving the site, he is soldering the gap between his family's past and future as distillers and Nelson County ambassadors. "We returned here for a reason—to give back," he said.