Director of Sensory & Distillery Quality Control

This role is based either in Louisville or Bardstown, KY. Frequent travel between our Kentucky locations will be required, along with travel to other Heaven Hill sites as necessary.

What the Role Is

The Director of Sensory & Distillery Quality Control will lead and institutionalize a world-class, enterprise-wide sensory and quality program across our distilled spirits portfolio. This role carries end-to-end responsibility for sensory strategy, panel governance, distillery quality control, and blending strategy, ensuring products consistently meet brand standards from raw materials through fermentation, distillation, maturation, blending, and bottling.

The Director will establish sensory as a core pillar of quality management and decision-making, while integrating microbiological control, fermentation performance, analytical data, process controls, and consumer insights into a unified framework. The role requires deep technical expertise in distilled spirits, particularly across fermentation, maturation, blending, and production systems, strong leadership capability, and the credibility to influence production, maturation, and executive teams.

The Director will also provide strategic leadership on blending philosophy and aged whiskey utilization, including long-term sensory and quality strategy for inventory originating from both the Bernheim and Springs distilleries. This role will partner closely with operations, maturation, Brand Teams, and FP&A to optimize blending approaches, protect brand integrity, support inventory management decisions, and maximize the value and consistency of aged inventory.

How You Will Spend Your Time?

Distilled Spirits Quality Control Leadership

Lead quality control programs across all distillery operations, from grain handling through fermentation, distillation, and maturation

Establish and oversee microbiological control strategies across fermentation and processing systems

Define, implement, and enforce process control standards in partnership with production teams

Provide technical leadership on fermentation performance, contamination risk, and yeast management practices

Establish sensory and analytical checkpoints throughout the production lifecycle to ensure early detection of deviations

Lead root cause analysis and corrective actions for quality issues across sites

Lead sensory and quality strategy related to blending and aged whiskey inventory management, including future utilization strategies for whiskey produced at both the Bernheim and Springs distilleries

Partner with operations, maturation, and commercial teams to ensure blending strategies align with brand standards, inventory objectives, and long-term product consistency

Oversee new make quality standards, retention programs, and long-term product monitoring

Enterprise Sensory Strategy & Governance

Design, implement, and continuously improve a company-wide sensory program across all brands and production sites

Establish standardized sensory methodologies, lexicons, and evaluation protocols

Define and maintain sensory quality standards aligned with brand profiles and specifications

Ensure alignment between fermentation/process performance and downstream sensory outcomes

Panel Development & Oversight

Build, train, and maintain high-performing sensory panels across all production facilities and key supply partners

Develop and implement training, calibration, and requalification programs

Monitor and validate panel performance using statistical tools

Provide governance and technical oversight of local sensory panels

Statistical Rigor & Data Integration

Establish robust statistical frameworks for sensory and in-process QA/QC data

Ensure panel reliability, data integrity, and appropriate interpretation of results

Integrate microbiological, fermentation, analytical, sensory, and inventory data into a unified quality decision-making system

Consumer Insights Integration

Align internal sensory data with external consumer perception and preference

Translate insights into actionable guidance for product quality and innovation

Team Leadership & Development

Build and lead a high-performing sensory and quality organization

Develop technical talent and succession planning

Establish performance expectations and drive a culture of accountability and rigor

Who You Are…

Required Skills and Experience:

Advanced degree (M.S. or Ph.D. preferred) in Microbiology, Fermentation Science, Food Science, Chemistry, or related field

Minimum 12 years of experience in sensory science, microbiology, fermentation, maturation, blending, and/or quality leadership

Demonstrated experience building and leading enterprise-level quality and/or sensory programs

Deep experience in distilled spirits production, including bourbon and American Whiskey

Expertise in sensory methodologies and statistical analysis

Strong background in fermentation, distillation, maturation, blending strategy and flavor development

Experience with quality systems, process control and continuous improvement methodologies

Proven ability to lead and scale technical teams

Strong cross-functional collaboration with operations, R&D, quality, maturation and commercial teams

Ability to translate technical findings into clear business decisions

Valid Driver's License

Physical Requirements

While performing duties of job, employee is occasionally required to:

Stand; walk; use hands and fingers to handle, or feel objects, and use of computer; reach with hands and arms.

Lift and/or move up to 30 pounds.

Benefits

Paid Vacation

11 Paid Holidays

Health, Dental & Vision eligibility from day one

FSA/HSA

401K match

EAP

Maternity/Paternity Leave

Heaven Hill and its affiliates are committed to fostering a diverse workforce as an Equal Employment Opportunity company. We invite applications from candidates of all backgrounds, without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, natural origin, gender identity or expression, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristic.